Rock Island Model Rosters

[Wolv33]

Mike,

The two Geeps, both GP9s (actually I think the ROCK had more GP7s than 9s-I would call them GP7s, but they were bought as GP9s-ehh, whats the difference?) are going into the paintshop soon. They are still a shiny black, and they need their primer coat soon.

These are in addition to the ones I had listed on RR-Line. Our RR has also acquired some new MOPAC equipment, but since it is not ROCK, no need to put it down. Delivery is expected to be between Sept and Oct for the two new units (GP50s).

Mike, are you building a roster of your railroad, or just ROCK? I have plenty of BN and Santa Fe (NOT BNSF) too.

Want the official Corporate newsletter? I can email it to ya, Mike. Hahaha.


George,

Thanks for the details and the reply. I will be looking forward to some New Years photos then. You are correct, my RI stock roster would kill Mike's typing arm! LOL!

 

[IMRL393]

Wolv -

As Mike shows in his roster, the RI had a total of 130 GP7s over the RRs lifetime vs only 21 GP9s.

Even at shutdown in 1980 they still had 120 - by far the greatest type of loco on the roster (next came the 68 GP38-2s and then the 56 GP40s).

A comparison of the two:

GP7 / GP9

length 55' 11" / 56' 2"
horsepower 1500 / 1750
cyl. 16 / 16
date of manuf. 1949-1954 / 1954-1959
number built 2610 / 3436

There are some minor differences also, such as the number of louvers under the cab (GP7 has, most gone with GP9).

Of course, the GP7 was a major focus of the RI Capital Rebuild Program. 110 of the GP7s and 19 of the GP9s were rebuilt - and almost all of the GP7s emerged in blue, acording to Jeff's RI site - so you can see why I want/need a couple of blue GP7s!

- George

 

[Wolv33]

George,

I can get you GP7s, undecorated from Atlas for $71.00...

Or, a P2K undecorated with dynamic brakes and steam generator for $74.80

Sorry, those are the only two choices I can offer, unless you want to convert some Athearn GP9s to GP7s.

I can get you Athearn undecorated dummy GP9s for $15, and powered ones for $25....

Of course, you will have to speak to our leasing department. Our railroad handles everything through the proper channels. It took the owners of MOPAC a week to decide on a settlement with our procurement department to sell us the 2 GP50s!

For more information on this acquisition, please refer to our monthly corporate newsletter, updating our investors and interests like yourself.

Email our CEO (me) for a copy at:

wolv33@softhome.net

Thanks.

 

[rockislandmike]

Definitely send me the newsletter, wolv.

As far as "bankruptcy blue" units, Microscale lists the following engines as *KNOWN* to be painted in blue:

U25B: #234
U28B: #280
U33B: 290, 297, 298
GP40: 373
SW8: 821, 838
SW1500: 945, 947 (useful info for me, since I'm expecting another Athearn for my b-day)
GP40 REBUILD: 3000-3004
GP38-2: 4300-4355, 4368-4379 (most of which are named, mine are 4310 The American Railfan and 4346 Navaho Nation)
GP18 REBUILD: 4421-4423
GP9 REBUILD: 4424
GP7 REBUILD: 4425-4428, 4431-4436, 4438-4469, 4473-4474, 4476, 4478, 4500-4555
GP9 REBUILD: 4429-4430, 4479-4494

I love how much research Microscale does; puts Athearn to shame most days, and they're only selling $5 decals, versus $30-$50 locos.

 

[IMRL393]

Mike -

Jeff gives the following data based on his research:

RI Paint scheme Type 8a (Blue)

Model Qty Locomotive Numbers

GP7 116 4425-4478, 4494-4555
GP9 19 4421-4424, 4479-4493
GP38-2 68 4300-4355, 4368-4379
GP40 6 373, 3000-3004
U25B 1 234
U28B 2 268, 280
U33B 5 195, 196, 290, 297, 298
SW8 2 816, 821
SW9 1 777
SW1500 3 940, 945, 947
Road Slug 5 282-284, 53, 54
Yard Slug 2 998, 999

Statistics:

Delivered New: 68
Repaints: 162
Total: 230


Notes:

Red text indicates these locomotives were delivered in this scheme.

So you have another number for that SW1500 !

- George

 

[IMRL393]

Wolv -

We might have to talk - after my wallet recovers from moving, a UP SD70M (A-G), and two more locos on order - a SF/BNSF Dash 8-40B (Atlas) and a GP18 (P2K - I hope!).

I would go with the Atlas model as to not have a steam generator ( assume it doesn't). Does the Atlas model have DBs? The "old" RI avoided DBs, but my "new management" is trying them out on a SD40-2 (which is the way the older Athearn model came, of course!). The price seems fair.

I would also like the newsletter - e-mail doesn't work for me at home (I can send sometimes but not receive!), although clearly the internet does work.

(Campus Information Technology doesn't know why - but if I would give them my computer for a week or so .... forget it!)

I CAN get e-mail at work.

So expect a newsletter request soon!

- George

 

[Wolv33]

Mike,

I don't have your email. Do you have it setup so that I can email you from here?
I will gladly send it once I get an address.

I guess I have bent some of the original rules as far as numbering ROCKs go. I added two GP35s to my fleet, one is blue and white, the other is for my newly-designed ROCK INTERMODAL fleet, and is all-white. I still am trying to come up with a good decal for this fleet. Others will join this fleet soon.

In addition to the Intermodal fleet and scheme, I also came up with coal unit trains, so BN/BNSF, CSX, and UP arent the only ones hauling it. Our first coal unit diesel will be delivered by November. We do not have this on our current newsletter though. This engine will start mainline coal unit service in 2003. The engine is a ROCK schemed DASH-9. Many people will tell me...HEY the ROCK never had those!

I just say, yeah I know, and the ROCK never survived 1980 either. LOL!

A small sidenote on DASH-9s and 8s, George. DASH-9s, according to a lot of engineers I have talked to, are prone to system failure due to sensors. The DASH-8s are prone to draining batteries, and need to be jumpstarted most of the time. The SD40-2s, that were supposed to be replaced by the DASH-9s, are having to bail out their successor. Because of this news, I have cut my DASH-9 and DASH-8 procurement budget down a great deal. Instead our corporation will be buying more SD40-2s, and minimal GEs.

I believe the Atlas model has dynamic brakes, George. Though, to be honest, I am not totally sure.

(Wolv the tech)
If you cannot receive email, it might be a mis-configuration in your POP account. What email program do you use, George?

POP3 accounts receive the email, while SMTP send the email. You need both setup properly to send/receive email. Have they gone over the settings with you to make sure everything was correct?

Well more planning to do for the MWDLRR, and work on the site. Mike, I will try to get the newsletter to you after this email. Thanks guys.

 

[rockislandmike]

Good call by the procurement department, Wolv. I prefer the looks of the SD40-2 anyways - those long porches look really kewl.............

< still waiting for my Athearn RI SD40-2 from Hobby Circle; hopefully it arrives next week, along with my Con-cor structure that will end up being US Gypsum in Enid OK >

 

[Wolv33]

Mike,

When you get the time, can you please update the roster?

I have two additional GP9s by Athearn and you have the incorrect number for GP35s and GP38s down. I have 4 GP38s and 2 GP35s...

Hope you enjoyed the newsletter.

 

[rockislandmike]

Slavedrivers !!!!

<< it's updated now >>

 

[IMRL393]

What do you mean, the Rock folded in 1980 ???

Not in MY world !!!

The Rock Island regional of 1996 is alive and well, thank you !!!

Note that my RIL also uses SD40-2s - the Dash 8-40B is a BNSF in SF blue & yellow. And it (the SD40-2) has DBs - a recent management decision!

(So a DB equipped GP7 would work, Wolv )

Let me know how that non-DB SD40-2 (historically correct) works out, Mike - I've heard the motor/drive is much better than my older model !

As I've told Mike and others before, Wolv, because I model an alternate time-line regional RIL, I don't feel constrained about having everything historically correct either. One of my future plans is to paint a F40PH black with a blue "R" - like the series of gondolas the real RIL had. Should look sharp, and provide more mp for my passenger trains. Right now, my RIL rebuilt an E8A, painted it in original Rocket colors, and uses that for the QC Rocket to Chicago.

(See what I mean about constraints? It's YOUR layout - go for it!)

The POP and other configurations have been checked before and are correct according to IT (thanks for the suggestion, anyhoo!) - the problem is either in the Outlook program (most likely) or its interface with the University system. It connects, but won't accept me or my password - the same one I use on campus!

As I don't want to let the Information Technology department to have my computer for a week or two to find the bugs (unthinkable!), I've gone with the Yahoo e-mail account.

I did get the newsletter - thanks! Very clever!

Mike - thanks again for all the hard work on the rosters!

Now if we could find Shane, you could add some more - I'm sure you have nothing else to do!




Later, gentlemen!

- George

 

[rockislandmike]

LOL it's okay, I've fit in some other stuff as well - decaling my Cargill corn syrup tank cars, decaling my fictional rr locos, and building a concrete loading ramp for Munsey & Sons (farm implement dealership in Dodge City KS) !!!!!!!!!!!

Now I think my wife's gonna make me go help paint the kitchen

 

[Wolv33]

George,

You know the saying.....no such thing as MRR police. LOL!
I do explain my system to the die-hard Rockies though. That was what I really meant.

Glad you liked the newsletter. Now if I could just hear from Mike on that. LOL! If you guys want it, I could zip up the website (its small-most graphics are no larger than 8kb in size) and send it to you, so you can see how it will look. Or, you could wait and see it online. LOL!

Phil/NYC liked the newsletter too. My layout design was a big hit! I cannot count how many of the RR-Line guys asked for it via email. Sadly, as you found out, my chief engineer scrapped that one and has started a new one. I added some more information to the "acquisition page" about the recent ROCK acquisitions of motive power.

I may go edit some more pages too. Right now though, time for a break-food and a movie in the dining car. Tonight's movie is an old one-SURVIVORS, Starring Robin Williams, Walter Matthau, and Jerry Reed. That should give me some time away from the computer.

George,

I probably could fix the problem. Networking is one of my fields of expertise. Though, I would have to know how the University is setup, what media they are running (prob Ethernet) what network OS they are running, if you are hardwired directly to them or if you dialed into an account, etc.

If you have a backup email account, and you are happy with web-based email, then that should be enough. I prefer to have the email on my hard drive, and not on someone elses-too much of a security risk and danger if their server ever goes down or crashes, losing everything you have. I do an incremental backup of my entire system each night-well it does it by itself.

You can also setup a POP account with Netscape Communicator. I use Netscape for my email and IE for my browser (unless IE crashes or does not load a site that was designed for Netscape).

Later Gentlemen.

 

[IMRL393]

Good and Bad news ...

... I just won an Atlas RI RS-3 on e-Bay!

Good news for me, bad for Mike!




Wolv (Noel? Which do you prefer ?) -

The University REQUIRES us to use MicroSoft, and REQUIRES one to get e-mail via Outlook !

(MicroSoft is pre-Borg: "Resistance is futile - you WILL be assemblated!")

I did use Netscape before the change. Worked very well!
Oh, well!

I don't know what their (SAU-IT) kickback is, but we don't see it in my department!

Thanks for the offer, but I'll just continue with the Yahoo! mail. The legal stuff goes thru my University e-mail address anyhoo, which works just fine on the campus.

BTW FYI - I have a dial-in connection to the SAU server, whereas on the campus I am hardwired in (and things are MUCH faster!).

Think I will wait to see your site on-line - after all, you have to wait on some pictures from me!

Mike -

Glad you have time for other things - but that kitchen painting job doesn't sound fun - I'm sure you would rather paint a loco!

Atlas announced on their site that it will be some time before they would do another RS-3 run - so I decided I could live with a Red & Black RS-3 afterall. It's for my historical RI collection and not the 1996 layout, of course!

Later!

- George

 

[rockislandmike]

Is okay, George. I wasn't interested in the RS3, I have enuf switchers for now.

There is one unit coming up that I'm interested in. Actually, I was looking at a Kato custom-painted Frisco, but the price went higher than I wanted. So now I have money for the Rock item, thanks to Yakkowarner

Newsletter was kewl, wolv - you can add me to the list for any future ones as well. Much more interesting than most emails I get !!!

We use Outlook at work, too - actually, I use Outlook Express at home. Easy enough for me to manipulate, but I'm a quasi-techie, so . . . . . . . and my DSL modem is faster than our system at work.

The kitchen is my wife's project, but I figured I could chip in a couple hours a day on the long weekend, to appease my guilt, and stay on her good side. I'm not sure about the color she's chosen, though.

Wolf, I'll wait for the website online, but please let me know when it's operational.

 

[IMRL393]

I was thinking of you having to update the roster again, Mike!

- George

 

[rockislandmike]

I thought the idea of a "jet black" Rock diesel sounded kewl, so I started painting a spare shell I have. Now I can't remember which of you attempted same, but what did you do for decals - the only decals I have for ROCK logos have a black "R" in them, and would promptly be invisible on the sides of the puppy...............

 

[IMRL393]

As near as I can tell, no one makes a blue "R", Mike.

I was thinking of either going to a custom decal maker or trying to make my own.

For the former, one possibility is:

http://www.mgdecals.com/custom_decals.htm

I have not had any dealings with this business, so I don't know costs nor product quality (or how long it takes). The initial setup is expensive, but the decal costs after that are not too bad. If more than one of us wanted some special RI decals, that might be a good way to go - share the setup costs.

Perhaps someone else on the Gauge forum has done this, and can steer us in the right direction!


- George

 

[rockislandmike]

Yeh, the place I was checking out for my fleet of fictional boxcars was gonna be in the $80US range. Course, that included 25 sheets. Hang on, I'm gonna look for their documentation, I have it around here somewhere.

 

[rockislandmike]

Found it - Rail Graphics. Actually, we're looking closer to $100US-$110US if we want two colors (as we would).

I'll also post a request on the rr-decals yahoo group.....seems to me somebody there was mentioning similar type stuff.