Stuck at a crossing...

[doctorwayne]

waiting for a train to pass. As a kid, it was fun to stand in the back seat of my Dad's car when we had to stop for a railroad crossing, and watch freight cars from all over North America roll through my little corner of the world. Nowadays, the freight cars come from the same places, but most of the familiar (and exotic) roadnames have been replaced by the reporting marks of a few mega-roads. This train is made up of cars mostly from Canada and the northeastern U.S., but it provides a glimpse of what once was. As viewed from seemingly the edge of the world.
The origin of each model is noted: all have been modified with added details and custom paint and lettering.

GVC 2-8-0 - Bachmann Spectrum

B&A boxcar - Train Miniature

CNR rebuilt USRA single sheathed boxcar with grain doors - Tichy

CNR altered height boxcar - Athearn

MC door-and-a-half automobile boxcar - Train Miniature

PMcK&Y boxcar - Train Miniature

CASO boxcar - Train Miniature

CCC&StL "Big Four" doubledoor boxcar - Train Miniature

Montreal & Atlantic (CPR) 36' Fowler Patent boxcar - Proto1000

CNR 8 hatch overhead bunker refrigerator car - Athearn

GTW door-and-a half automobile boxcar - Accurail

GILX anhydrous flux tank car - Athearn

GILX fluxene peroxide tank car - Athearn

PRR X-29 boxcar - Train Miniature

PRR X-29 boxcar - Red Caboose

PRR X-28 doubledoor automobile boxcar - Train Miniature

Elora Gorge & Eastern 36' ice service reefers - Lifelike (Proto-no-thousand)

TH&B USRA doublesheathed boxcar - Train Miniature

TH&B two-bay "U" channel hopper - Stewart

CNR rebuilt USRA singlesheathed boxcar - Tichy

GVC bay window caboose - Athearn
EG&E 45 ton scale test car - scratchbuilt on an MDC passenger car truck

Wayne

 

[webmaster]

Hi Wayne, can you give us a little more info on that last car?

I haven't seen one like that before? What's it used for? Is it only a US thing?

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Very nice!!

 

[Will_annand]

Nice work Wayne, brought back my memories as well.
I still do that. Now however, I can stand on my front porch and watch. The CN mainline from Toronto to North Bay and beyond is about 100 yards west of me, my street ends at the mainline and the cross street there leads right into Huntsville's yard.

 

[N Gauger]

Great Stuff!!!! And now, after doing the same thing as a kid..... My kids do the same... sit in the car and watch the trains..

 

[N Gauger]

Hi Wayne, can you give us a little more info on that last car?

I haven't seen one like that before? What's it used for? Is it only a US thing?

Here is a link to the Railroad Museum of pa roster page...

A prototype is the first car listed... Used to calibrate scales..

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/about/roster/nonrevrostr.htm

 

[MasonJar]

Great catch!

Andrew

 

[railroader9731]

as an awnser to you question what is that car it is a "scale car" im not entirly sure what it was to do tho. maybe a search on the net???

 

[straight-track]

Some rail facilities, repair shops, yards and etc have a set of scales to weigh railroad equipment loaded or empty. They need a way to calibrate and periodically test these scales, therefore the scale test weight car. There is always some sort of small shack or building next to the scales to house the equipment and protect it from the weather, which would make a nice model scene. I've got a Walther's scale test car but have yet to build the setting for the scales. I don't know if it's still available or not. I'm sure someone out there knows. Joe

 

[ezdays]

I just bought a Kalmach book "Freight Yards" that has a chaper on the operation of a yard scale. I bought the book in hopes of getting some ideas about how to detail a yard, but basically the book is all about how to operate a yard.ops:

BTW Wayne, that is a cool way of presenting your nicely weathered rolling stock. :thumb: :thumb: I'm glad that driver in that old Packard decided to pull forward, he was kinda in a precarious position there.

 

[cn nutbar]

otis must be drooling

hi doc---good to see you back on track---keep otis out of the train room---with his appetite for delectible items,he'll be taking a bite out of these beauties---nutbar

 

[Drew1125]

Another great set of photos, Wayne!
:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[doctorwayne]

Thanks to everyone for the kind responses. N Gauger and straight-track are both correct about the scale test car being used to calibrate weigh scales. I built 4 of them many years ago, using MDC passenger car trucks as the running gear, with scratchbuilt styrene bodies and wire details. They weigh only about 1 1/2 oz. each, but track well. Like the prototype, they must move at the very end of a train, and even during switching, must be moved by only one coupler: i.e. loco or other cars coupled to only one end, with nothing on the coupler at the other end. I'm not sure, but I recall reading something about this being to prevent shifting of the ballast inside the car. If anybody else can elaborate on this, please do so.
Will, as a kid, I lived right across the street from the TH&B's tracks near the Hamilton station. Don't remember too many specific instances, as it was quite a few years ago, although I do recall running out to the front veranda to see my first diesel, a GP-7. To me, it appeared to be running backwards, with the long hood to the rear. I later learned that the GP-7s were short hood to the front, while their GP-9s ran long hood forward. When you're accustomed to seeing steam engines, including NYC and CPR Hudsons, along with those of the TH&B itself, you think every loco should have its cab to the rear.

Wayne

 

[Art67]

Wayne, I really like the angle that you are using in those pictures. It really shows off the underbody details on your nice rolling stock, not to mention that is pretty much how it looks sitting in a car at a road crossing-looking under the cars as opposed to over them. Great job. Stuart.

 

[doctorwayne]

I hope everyone will bear with me on my bumping up this thread, as it's in celebration of finally updating all of my threads with pictures linked directly from the Gallery. The pictures are slightly larger in the threads than previously, so if you're on dial-up, it might be better to check them out as thumbnails in the Gallery. Links to my other updated threads are all posted in the thread "An update, so as to not overwhelm this page...". Thanks to all who take the time to check this out, and my apologies to those who've already seen enough of my stuff.

Wayne

 

[TomPM]

Awesome set of shots, Wayne!:thumb: :thumb:

Some great looking cars in that train!

I don't know how I missed this one.

 

[doctorwayne]

Thanks Tom, I'm sure that everyone here is aware of where the inspiration came from for this one.:thumb:

Wayne