Switching along South Industrial Blvd.

Here are a few views featuring a leaser locomotive from Larry's Truck and Electric switching one of the JSSX clients along South Industrial Blvd.  Six axle locomotives have started to become a bit more rare on the JSSX recently as a couple of them have been sold off.  This one's a keeper though...

To have such a large area of the locomotive painted out in flat black like this is a real eye-catcher (well, it is for me anyway). Sean Steele painted and patched this locomotive for me some years ago after I had seen photos of the prototype on-line.

The "snoot nose" front end hood is 116" in length, which helps distinguish this SD40-2 as well.  My understanding is that the UP ordered that extra length to house radio equipment with the intention that these locomotives be used in mid-train helper service.

A drone view of 3415 shoving a SOO Line boxcar to the loading dock.  Going by the condition of the windows, those upper floors of the structure look to be unused or abandoned space. We saw that CSX car last week as it was spotted along here as well.

The view from street level.  This is one of my favourite railfanning locations. That boxcar looks like it's showing some age.

The No Excess Height Cars warnings on the building are a little out of focus in this photo. At least the boxcar is in focus. On the end of the boxcar, we can see the glow from the engine's headlight.

End view of that Soo car as it's being shoved into place

Looks like the car has reached destination.

Rationalization Continues

As I have continued to sell off  a few models that don't see much running time out on the layout, I offered up for sale this Kato SD38-2 leaser model.  A former Chicago and NorthWestern  locomotive, I had patched and re-lettered this one for National Railway Equipment (NREX). It really didn't take too long for this model to find a new layout, where hopefully it will see lots of running time.

6656 out on it's last run around the layout

This Kato SD40-2 is another leaser-type locomotive that has found a new layout.

 Both of the above locomotives have made their way to another modeler in Kingston, Ontario.

Also this week, I was rotating a few freight cars off of the layout, and cycling some others on. One that hadn't been on for some time is this heavily weathered waffle sided boxcar. At 7315 cu.ft., these cars are pretty big.

This particular boxcar started out all blue before it acquired all that surface grime and rust.  It's been a long time since I weathered this one, but I did emulate a prototype that I had a picture of at the time.

I was shoving the Pullman-Standard 60 footer to the loading dock, when I noticed some slight damage, so I took it over to the workbench for some quick repair.  The car is pictured again below, with it's two damaged stirrup steps repaired and FRA reflective stickers attached.  The stirrups were bent almost to the point of breaking off completely.  They're just such a fine detail that it's almost seems like they can be damaged if you just look at them.

I took a little time on-line to research the sticker locations.  I didn't find prototype photos of this exact number car, but I did find one that was close, so I tried to at least emulate that. There are differences in the placement of some of the labelling/marking between the prototype and this Exactrail model. A bit of compromise had to be made so as to not cover over any of those printed markings.

And another faded and weathered 7315 cu.ft. waffle boxcar had the reflective stripes added at the same time. This one is lettered for the Norfolk Western.

I have two or three other similar cars that will receive the stripes as they work their way onto the layout.

Around the Layout

 Just showing a few views from around the layout...

A pair of covered hoppers waiting to be loaded at the transload located at the far end of the JSSX yard.

And the JSSX maintenance building at the near end of the yard.

GP 38-2's 6210 with 6212 are framed by the highway overpass as they enter into the GTW's industrial switching area.

6210 & 6212 dropping covered hoppers into MidWest Plastics

Seeing some rare time out and about on the layout is GTW 6416 re-numbered, but still in the original orange paint of the DT&I.

Oops...Looks like that drop step needs some repair.  Something to keep the shop forces busy I guess. Once that's repaired, this engine could be a good candidate for "rationalization".

Rationalizing Equipment

I'd imagine that pretty well all of us have model railroad "equipment" which, to put it simply, we just don't use. I've got maybe half a dozen or so engines that I can't remember the last time they ever "turned a wheel" on the layout. Not that I don't like them, I just don't use them. So how much sense does it really make to keep them?

This Detroit, Toledo and Ironton GP 38 #204 is one such model. I've had this one for several years.  The justification I used for buying it several years ago, was that my JSSX shortline interchanges with the GTW. And of course GTW had acquired the DT&I and it's equipment in the early 1980's, so this engine should fit in quite nicely out on the layout. Right? At least that was my rationalization at the time.

The 204 runs very well using it's original Atlas dual-mode decoder set, to DCC control. Note the unique design of those spark arrestors on the hood.

All that, plus the DT&I orange with the large black lettering looks really sharp. And that "We've got the Connections" compass on the sides of the cab is pretty cool too.

The upshot of all this is that I put my 204 up for sale on-line, and less than a day later someone agreed to my asking price.  So, this GP38 is now on it's way to a new home where hopefully it's made use of and enjoyed.

A final view of my DT&I 204