The Mogollon Railroad

[Bigsteel]

well you got past the hard part of tracklaying,now you can finally have some fun putting up scenery .its cool to see all the landforms come into place and what you can do with them.--josh

[nachoman]

The tracks have reached a temporary end-of the line. That is, until I pick up some more code 55 rail. The 4% grade is pretty steep, and this short train is about maximum tonnage for 2-8-0 #4. I could have lowered the grade on part of the hill, but inevitably some of it would have to be 4%, so I decided to make the whole hill at 4%.

[nkp_174]

The tracks have reached a temporary end-of the line. That is, until I pick up some more code 55 rail. The 4% grade is pretty steep, and this short train is about maximum tonnage for 2-8-0 #4. I could have lowered the grade on part of the hill, but inevitably some of it would have to be 4%, so I decided to make the whole hill at 4%.

Do I see the Little Giant in the background of the second picture? I see narrow gauge and a diesel wearing SP paint...

[nachoman]

The tracks have reached a temporary end-of the line. That is, until I pick up some more code 55 rail. The 4% grade is pretty steep, and this short train is about maximum tonnage for 2-8-0 #4. I could have lowered the grade on part of the hill, but inevitably some of it would have to be 4%, so I decided to make the whole hill at 4%.

Do I see the Little Giant in the background of the second picture? I see narrow gauge and a diesel wearing SP paint...

Haha. Nope. That's an old athearn GP-38 generally reserved for work duties, testing track, displays, or when my nephews want something to run during the holidays. :mrgreen:

[nkp_174]

Hehe.

Here's a picture of the real Little Giant for anyone following this thread whom isn't familiar with one of three US NG roads which I can recall dieselizing...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carson_n_colorado/no18_little_giant.jpg">http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carso ... _giant.jpg</a><!-- m -->

[nachoman]

Hehe.

Here's a picture of the real Little Giant for anyone following this thread whom isn't familiar with one of three US NG roads which I can recall dieselizing...
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carson_n_colorado/no18_little_giant.jpg">http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carso ... _giant.jpg</a><!-- m -->

Let's see. There was the SP, WP&Y, US gypsum, US Potash, and maybe in Hawaii?

[nkp_174]

Wait, Potasch was who had the Death Valley 2-8-0s, right?

I was thinking for common carriers...WP&Y had their diesels...the Slim Princess had the Little Giant...the Oahu Railway had a couple diesels primarily for the docks which was all the railroad was after the 2-8-2s were scrapped. They shut down in the 1970s...with only the WP&Y outlasting them as a common carrier 3'.

Is it US Gypsum whom still operates ng diesels?

[ocalicreek]

2-8-0 #4 is another story. I had her down for awhile while I converted her to an oil burner, and at the time noticed the crank pins were really worn. I had to drill out the counterweights and custom make new crank pins out of brass tubing and some 00-90 screws.

Been a while since I checked this thread, so forgive me if I quote a much older post. Drilling out counterweights, making new crankpins, etc. That's the narrow gauge spirit if I ever did see it! Make what you need with what you got or maybe you just don't need it!

Nice work, very nice, on the scenery. This is where it starts to get fun for me too. I remember finishing track laying on the timesaver...wasn't long before the foam was being carved.

Galen

[nachoman]

It isn't quite a gold spike moment, but my tracks have reached the very top level of my layout. I've still got a whole yard to lay, and a few areas where some of the rails may need a little tweaking. It's kind of a weird feeling watching the train get to the top of the hill. It truly feels like it went somewhere!

[TrainNut]

Wow! That's quite the climb. What's the heigth above floor of the top level?

[nachoman]

The lower loop is 50" off the ground, and the upper yard is 60" (5 feet). The grade is 4%, the whole way up. The MDC 2-8-0 had no problems with the 5 ore cars + the caboose. I have heard my prototype only ran 4-5 car trains, so this is perfect.

[nkp_174]

congrats!

[Triplex]

Is it US Gypsum whom still operates ng diesels?

Last I heard, they still had their two ex-WP&Y RSD-35Ws.

[ocalicreek]

And the little engine was heard to say as it crested the top of the hill, "I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could..."

Yeah, I've got a 4-year old.

Great work. It is truly a feeling of satisfaction reaching a milestone (or mile marker) like this. And it's encouraging to hear you say it really feels as if it is going somewhere. Very nicely done. Good planning pays off!

Galen

[ocalicreek]

OH, and let me be the first to start chanting...

:hey: "vi-de-OH! vi-de-OH! vi-de-OH!...."

Galen