And now for something completely different...

magickmaker

New member
While fighting with getting my second HDD working (I think I know what's wrong with it) I decided that I'd take a break from modeling. I do have a promised route to finish, but it's on hold till I can get that drive working. While looking around, I decided to find cars and locomotives that would send rivet counters into fits. Someone should skin or model these. (Dave Snow, our expert car modeler perhaps?)

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=378782&nseq=1
Gotta love the color and the weird Rio Grande insignia.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=275352&nseq=20
Neat home built railcar on a russian Forest Railway. Note the air freshener on the mirror. If someone makes this thing, PLEASE include the tiny air freshener in the cabview. Bonus if you can make it swing. Note: Front "wheel" is replaced with a free wheeling bogie, and it is used to move cars (mostly downhill)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/true2death/8686838972/in/pool-80994323@N00
Popsicle stick boxcar.
In 1976-77 SP received a batch of 60' sliding door boxcars from PC&F, which the railroad designated B-100-39. What’s so usual about these cars is the exterior plating between the boxcar’s ribbing. This arrangement is very usual for a externally-braced car, and different from the waffle-plated boxcars.
Only 200 of these were made SP series 654500-654699. Up to 45 cars went to GVSR 139000-139044 (none currently exist; they may have been restored to their SP numbers).Two cars to CR 222702-222703 in late 1995 (these no longer exist; they were not relettered NYC).Six cars to AM 1700-1705 in late 1996 (these cars no longer exist).Eight cars to IOCR 4000-4006 and 4008 in mid-1998.
One car to HPJX 60113 in early 2000.
Of the 200 original cars, only 57 still exist in the SP series. Kind of surprising for fairly new cars with a high interior volume and double sliding doors.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=391728&nseq=57
Home built switching critter...

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/mp368467.jpg
Plug...Sliding door? Maybe a door replacement? Or are these an actual style?

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/cn398000.jpg
Articulated Hopper? Well it's unique. Are these common in Canada, or was it a one off?

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/acfx/raac2asw.jpg
Remington Arms Amunition car? I'm guessing it's for salt peter or something. It's still unique.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/parts.jpg
Parts Bin car. Looks to be based off a bulkhead flatcar. Carried parts to a galvanizing company.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bn95.jpg
BN caboose....that's WOODEN.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/bn99r.jpg
Second BN wooden caboose. Says "yard service only" on the side.

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?january07/01-28-07/IMG_2347.jpg
Home built caboose. made from an old locomotive cab from the looks of it.

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/sslvD500.jpg
Home built diesel locomotive. Words can't even describe...

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=389431
WEMCO with a high vis cab. Wemco engines are odd to begin with...this one takes the cake.
 
While fighting with getting my second HDD working (I think I know what's wrong with it) I decided that I'd take a break from modeling. I do have a promised route to finish, but it's on hold till I can get that drive working. While looking around, I decided to find cars and locomotives that would send rivet counters into fits. Someone should skin or model these. (Dave Snow, our expert car modeler perhaps?)

<snipped for space>

Nice, especially the homebuilts.

Want some more funky equipment, look here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=oaks,...ueEuEhuBtO8rpaFtJ2fzFQ&cbp=12,250.62,,0,11.86
 
Whats the story on that stuff in Oak,PA?

I'm not sure where it came from; it looks to be mostly old shop equipment, maybe speeders. The line itself is part of the old Reading Perkiomen Branch; there was a crossing here with the long-gone PRR Schuylkill Valley Branch. As the equipment doesn't look to be too overgrown with weeds, and much of the branch is still active as a spur/industrial track, I'm guessing the equipment hasn't been there terribly long and that some effort has been put into keeping the area clean.

I'll be in the area tomorrow and again over the weekend so I'll probably get some pics.
 
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/mp368467.jpg
Plug...Sliding door? Maybe a door replacement? Or are these an actual style?

It was an actual style; many railroads, and Railbox, had them; the Railbox versions used the reporting marks ABOX. The advantage was that with both doors open, the cars could easily be loaded by forklifts with long loads, such as bunks of 8' (or in some cases, 10' lumber, but for loads where the full opening was not needed, the plug door gave a smooth wall.

ns
 
Edit to update.


Did a bit of research, and here's the story on the Oaks locomotives.

These engines are:
0-4-0 Peckett type locomotive. Formerly WCEC number 1. Used to be in steamtown's backlot till it was sold to a private party.

25 tonner Diesel, and the smaller Whitcomb Diesel were found abandoned at a steel mill.

The speeder's origin is unknown. They all look to be owned by the same person, and may be a kind of static display. They're not on any tracks, but resting on the ground itself.
 
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Edit to update.


Did a bit of research, and here's the story on the Oaks locomotives.

These engines are:
0-4-0 Peckett type locomotive. Formerly WCEC number 1. Used to be in steamtown's backlot till it was sold to a private party.

25 tonner Diesel, and the smaller Whitcomb Diesel were found abandoned at a steel mill.

The speeder's origin is unknown. They all look to be owned by the same person, and may be a kind of static display. They're not on any tracks, but resting on the ground itself.

Thanks for the info. Actually track is there, just well-buried. The track is even intact on Highland Avenue out to Egypt road, where an old Reading distant signal still stands. I was wrong about the Schuylkill Branch being totally abandoned though; the industrial track adjacent to where these locomotives are stored is part of the old Schuylkill, though it looks like it is disused west of Oaks.

Here's my photostream:

Narrowgauge loco at entrance to complex, corner of Highland Avenue and Egypt Road, adjacent to the old Reading Oaks train station (which appears occupied and in great condition.)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8128/8699389561_3b6278c60d_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8557/8699389619_271c5849bd_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8414/8699389719_443185e60c_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8418/8699389667_959a918502_b.jpg

Speeder
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8555/8699389775_bd953eee71_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8403/8699389861_d16af1b753_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8406/8700530262_d3f12908dc_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8113/8700530208_f5e9e1ed79_b.jpg

Work car (?)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8253/8700530286_82f4a84f84_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8132/8700530334_3eca6f68e2_b.jpg

Whitcomb
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8267/8700530394_ec31f33363_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8132/8700530426_8c7a041569_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8558/8699416355_eee8800b71_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8411/8699416407_0de0eeffde_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8117/8699416439_252f938d5d_b.jpg

Switcher
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8559/8699416465_75deebe0c1_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8406/8699416517_8a6f43f0a9_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8396/8699416561_d6c9e9fc95_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8128/8700547968_016d9dfdef_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8700548024_c06f93e225_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8398/8700548118_d22bfba6a5_b.jpg

Steamtown steamer
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8117/8700548178_5d7744107a_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8138/8700548248_bf6a4acd36_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8547/8700548330_efd18213ec_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8275/8699432629_e782beb202_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8420/8699432679_d47aeb1941_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8419/8699432717_f78199041d_b.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8394/8699432819_4b402b1d65_b.jpg
 
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The way that whitcomb is made up, with the high coupler and solid buffer beam below it, suggests that it was more intended to push metal cars (ie in a furnace or ingot situation) around than to work with standard sized trains. That, and since the coupler is a good bit higher than the 25 tonner's coupler seems to really point to that.
 
Believe it or not, that "vulcan" engine, isn't a steam engine.

I had one assessment posted, but I have the accurate one here.

The locomotive is one of several which were used at the 1939 World's Fair. With the PRR S1 being on display, the engines were created with streamlining and shrouding that reflected that. Originally they were painted colors that reflected the PRR S1, as well as other famous passenger railroads of the day. After the fair closed in 1940, these small locomotives were sold off to various theme parks. Kennywood managed to pick up at least three of them, with the one at Oaks being one of those that the park retired.
 
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That parts bin car is neat. That would make a nice physical model for a model railroad. The bins could be operational and be used to hold track nails, coupler screws, springs, and any other tidbit found around a modeler's workbench or layout.

John
 
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