Freelance 2013-3

[faraway]

...reporting marks inside the Burlington Route herald like SCIR (South Chicago Industrial Railroad) or ISL (Industrial Short Line)..... Is that a three way turnout on the right end of the yard? I'm trying to work a three way into a track plan.

To put ISL etc. in the CBQ box is a nice idea.
Yes, it is a 3-way switch. It works fine and reliable but there are four drawbacks
1. the prototype uses them rarely
2. the radius of the tracks is like atlas #4 at best
3. no train runs smooth over the 3-way switch (compared to Atlas switches)
4. anything longer than a 40' car looks lousy

I am constantly thinking about removing the 3-way switch and scarify one track.

[Mike Kieran]

What brand of 3 way is it?

[faraway]

What brand of 3 way is it?

I do not remember the brand for sure but it was in a yellow box. Might be Peco? Anyhow it is a code 83 because it fits by Atlas code 83 tracks perfect.

[Mike Kieran]

I'm just asking because I was wondering about the Walthers/Shinohara 3 way turnouts. I'm with you though, I prefer 2 turnouts together, although, the 2 turnouts and the threeway can work out to the same price..

[faraway]

I'm just asking because I was wondering about the Walthers/Shinohara 3 way turnouts. I'm with you though, I prefer 2 turnouts together, although, the 2 turnouts and the threeway can work out to the same price..

I looked it up in the internet. It is Peco for sure. I see the support of the little springs Peco uses. I removed the springs but the supports are still visible on the ties.

[Mike Kieran]

That might be why you're having trouble. The Peco turnouts are a shorter radius than the Walthers/Shinohara turnouts.

[faraway]

That might be why you're having trouble. The Peco turnouts are a shorter radius than the Walthers/Shinohara turnouts.

Not really trouble but it looks like a #4 turnout. So if you have a chance and the space you should use a longer one (e.g.Walthers/Shinohara).

[Mike Kieran]

I agree with you though. I prefer using 2 turnouts.

[faraway]

....Are you switching to a generic inner city industrial railroad. I would put the reporting marks inside the Burlington Route herald like SCIR (South Chicago Industrial Railroad) or ISL (Industrial Short Line).....

I got another idea how to get a lettering with a similar impression.

"Central" "Illinois" from Illinois Central with about right size but wrong font and "City of Chicago" is "Ralph" + "Alice" from a graffiti decal. Wrong text but similar font. I am afraid you have to have my poor eye sight to like it
The large black patch is a nasty thing. Depending on the light is the patch invisible or very disturbing.

[Painkiller]

Reinhard, I happen to like the patch... It adds a bit history to the model....

[faraway]

BNSF stepped in when ICRY quit serving the lumber district in summer 2010.

[lajry]

Reinhard
Here's some pix from RR Picture Archives of your BNSF 2776 (nee ATSF 3644 GP39-2) in both Santa Fe & BNSF colors:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locopicture.aspx?id=30619">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locopi ... x?id=30619</a><!-- m -->
Depending on your time frame the roof details changed. Didn't see a good picture of the antenna platform but it would have had a "skate" antenna in it's Santa Fe days & the whistle was move back towards the rear by BNSF. The prototypes sure make it hard on us modelers to keep up w/ all the changes they make!

Here's one from '09.

   

[faraway]

We had nice gras, weeds and some shrubs growing at the road side along the wall. Nothing fancy but quite nice.


Do we need anything "nice" in a run down urban industrial area.... ?
Probable not! We got a long boring concrete sidewalk, dark gray gravel and some dry weed

[dave_long]

Reinhard
I've been a big fan of the CIRY for a good few years and have 3 p2k sw9/1200s including the CB&Q version to create 1206, the third sw9 was going to become one of the CIRY's SW14 with a bit of bashing and canon parts. I've a detailed order ready to go to a printers in the UK for decals for all 3, as I too found nothing similar, however I see your version and it does look good.

There are plenty of other locos that have made a turn down Cermak road, a BN green gp50, BNSF GP39-3 (exGP35) and EMDX GP38-2. There are some good youtube videos on the Ciry too.

I'm planning a micro Chicago layout that will use a selection of Chicago's finest small switching locos, and a few bigger ones too. Your layout has come on leaps and bounds since I last dropped in to BB, topped of nicely with 1206.

Kind regards
Dave

[faraway]

Dave, that part of Chicago along the Cermak all it's way until the tracks cross the south branch of the river is very interesting. But I see the area is changing dramatically fast. Google street view becomes obsolete soon and we can use older photo etc. only.
The are a bunch of nice clips on Youtube about the ICRY and also about the BNSF based operation after 2010. One of the clips is about the BNSF (orange) GP50 3136. On UK ebay was the Athearn BNSF GP50 3144 some days ago. I hope it will arrive until xmas. I intend to put the shell on a Trainman GP3x drive. The problem is the headlight. Athearn put it in the cab. I has to be in the nose. I am unsure what to do without ruining the perfect factory painted nose.
My first intention was a orange BNSF GP39-3 but I could not find a matching GP30 (BNSF orange) as a base.
Anyhow, that area might be a good prototype to build a layout after.