From what I can see, there are four people that will be awarded certificates for participating on this challenge:

Steamtrain for completing the challenge gets a "completed" certificate. Congratulations, a fine job
Ralph, also completed his challenge, and is awarded a "completed" certificate. Fantastic job Ralph.
MasonJar gets a "participated" certificate for his efforts in getting a good portion of his challenge completed. congrats.
Trucklover also got a lot done, but not quite all he said he would, so he also gets a "participated" certificate. Nice work.

Thank you all for your efforts, if you would please PM me as to what name you would like on your certificate, your screen name, real name, or both, I will then send you yours by email. For some of you I already have all the info I need, but just in case, let me know.

Our next challenge will be a bit less demanding, and I think, something you would be doing anyway, so I hope that more people will enter this time.

Hi guys, i just posted a thread about my new CSDU/CSDPU coal hoppers that i got. I have 14 of them, with one duplicate number.

After doing a little quick research, i found out that CSDU stands for Colorado Springs Department of Utilities. The reporting marks on the hoppers were CSDX and had the letters CSDPU on the sides of them in yellow print. The CSDU train consisted of 5-bay Rapid Discharge Hoppers that had a capacity of 110-Tons each and were a simply black body with yellow data, reporting marks, and CSDPU lettering with a lightning bolt on either side of the "CSDPU".

This long unit train served Colorado Springs' two coal-fired power plants, Drake (downtown) and Nixon (south of Fountain). It loaded on the Moffat branch near Craig, traveling loaded through Steamboat Springs and Bond, thence eastward through the Moffat Tunnel to Denver, and finishing its trip via the Joint Line along the front range. After unloading, it would return empty over the same route, to do it all over again.

CSDU first started in 1979 being served by the Rio Grande, then the Southern Pacific Line, and later the Union Pacific. When the CSDU Coal train first started, it was originally a 73 car train but later increased to a 105 car train in the 1980's from the purchase of a number of second hand cars. Before the equipment was sold in April of 2000 the there were a total of 125 cars for the CSDU, 115 being run and 10 being kept as spares.

Originally the cars were lettered with a "P" making them CSDPU with the reporting marks CSDX, but around 1986 the "P" was deemed problematic by the legal department so the cars had the "P" removed from the sides. This also made the CSDU centered better on the car.

6 Of the cars had no large CSDU lettering, and only reporting marks and data, they were 79113, 79120, 79121, 79122, 79123, and 79124

Quote:This train was so large that it traditionally required helpers. In Rio Grande days, that might have meant a couple of GP40's tacked onto the rear, and in the later 1980's included a swing helper cut in about 70 cars back. Up to 1995 it was common for the train to run east with three or four 6-axle units on the front, two or three in the swing helper, and even a rear helper of a couple more SD's.

After that, with AC locomotives, it usually ran with distributed power both ways (remotely-controlled locomotives)-- two on the head, one or two mid-train, one or two on the end.

Hi guys, i finally got a chance to snap some pics of my new SP AC6000 and my 14 Roundhouse CSDU/CSDPU 5-BAY RAPID DISCHARGE Hoppers. The hoppers required ALOT of work, and i spent about $60 to fix them and make them work right, this was ontop of the $80 i paid for the set of 14 LOL. I had to drill out the holes in the metal frames, tap them with a 2-56 tap, screw some new screws in to mount the trucks and couplers, and put lock tight in the screws to keep them from turning. Good only Roundhouse tooling i guess.... Have had a problem with every single roundhouse kit i have ever built, yet i keep buying them

Anyways, here are a few pics that i just snapped off





































Just thought i would share with ya guys

I'm pretty excited. Tomorrow, my wife and son will experience their first ride behind a mainline steam locomotive. It'll be the NKP 765 along with a string of Jerry Jacobson's (Ohio Central) coaches and then Jerry's FP-40 (it will be a push-pull deal). Its in North Judson, IN...which is in north of Lafayette...between Chicago & Indy...there will be a couple weekends of excursions there...followed by the run to Train Festival. While I have seen the 765 run in the past few years, I haven't ridden behind her since before her big overhaul...I rode the tool car on her way back from Hunington, WV in the early '90s.

I'll post some photos...

Here's what's happened in the past 10 years...

Bye bye to the cab...from the ex-Virginian 200ton wrecker. It is a diesel...it was built as a steam crane.


The big lift


Look at those drivers! The most expensive part of the overhaul. The jacking pads were installed when the building was completed...1991(?)...and the 765 spent the previous two winters in the Lima Locomotive Works...I clearly remember Tom Stevens working on the boiler...he was engineer at least 50% of the time back there as well as CMO...he's a darn good guy.

Here are a few of the other special people whom have made it happen:

Glen Brendel is the current President...and he's been an active member since the founding. While most railfans have never heard of him, you could say that he managed the most recent overhaul.


That's Steve W. and Gary Bensman admiring the Syphons. If you've ever been up to the shop, you've seen Steve. He's there every week...despite the fact that he lives a couple hours away. And Gary was a volunteer many years ago. He grew up with the NKP's St. Marys, OH wye in his backyard. My father and him used to stay in the wooden NKP caboose 141 every weekend so that they had two full days to work on the 765 during the initial overhaul (the 1970s). Of course, he's now better known for his full time work...I can recall when he had the Burlington 2-8-2 #4960 outside the OLD 765 shop back in the 1980s.

I don't have anywhere close to enough photos of the many good people whom have helped on the locomotive...I've contributed very little (I also live 4 hours away...and get up there around once a year). A major overhaul of a mainline steam locomotive such as this requires excellent leadership, plenty of dependable volunteers, and a Brinks truck.


That's me...


after she was once more sitting on her own wheels


The glorious test run 3 years ago.

Soon, I'll post photos of tomorrow's excursion.

Hi guys, in case anyone is interested, i have re-listed all the stuff that did not sell from last time. I have not grouped items together and placed them at LOW starting prices for the lots:

1. Walthers 20', 40', & 48' Container 10-Pk. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204446138

2. Walthers Gold Line 4000 CU-FT Coal Hopper 6-Pk w/loads - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204897595

3. Walthers RTR and Gold Line NSC 53' Well Car 6-Pk (SIX (6) 3-PACKS OF 53' WELL CARS - 18 CARS TOTAL!!!!!) - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204898240

4. Walthers RTR 16K & 23K Gallon Tank Car 6-Pk - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204912485

5. Athearn RTR Boxcar 10-Pk. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204915430

6. Athearn Blue Box Boxcar 3-Pk. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204916450

7. Athearn/Rounhouse 54' Covered Hopper 9-Pk. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204917791

8. LBF & E&C Shops Boxcar 5-Pk. - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204919007

9. Accurail/Athearn/E&C Shops 55' Centerflow/Gondola 5-Pk - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0204920217



Thanks for looking!!!

What would you do here ? I need advice, please.
The track on the bottom goes to the table on the left, and the upper area could be a industry of some kind.
The original plan was to put a water feature of some kind, with a industry up above, and maybe a bridge or trestle, but it seems to me there are lots of other possibilities here. One is a coal dealer with a trestle for unloading on the upper track. Or, the track for the upper siding could drop down to the table on the left at a 3% grade. I don't know why that would be done, just an idea. The area measures 24x78 inches.
So, what would you do ?

Loren

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Did some railfanning on the SMS Rail Lines at Bridgeport, NJ. They provide rail service for the Pureland Industrial Complex in Bridgeport.
554 a Baldwin AS616 setting out ethanol cars at the truck transfer track    
9069 a DS4-4-1000 drilling Heritage Bag    
554 picking up ethanol cars at the Conrail interchange    

Bruce

I was reading a book this morning (it happens occasionally), and I saw a picture of the Chicago L. The picture was of a corner above the intersection of E Lake St. and N Wabash Ave. in the downtown loop. It appears that when traveling north, the track briefly curves to the right before making a 90 degree curve to the left creating an S curve. My best guess is that they did this because the radius was too tight but it seems like there could have been a better way. Upon looking around, it also appears this is the only curve to have been built this way. Does anybody have more information on this curve and why it was built like this? The operators have got to have a special name for this curve but I have been unable to find any information.
While none of the pictures I was able to find are from the right angle, I did manage to find a few that showed this curve however subtle they are. Simply for the sake of comparison, this is a normal curve...


The next two pictures show the S curve...
one from down low...


...and one from up high...


And just for the sake of interest, I found a couple more that are not related to the curve but interesting shots all the same....

Hi guys, i have a pair of Athearn RTR GP38-2's lettered for BNSF for sale.

Both were bought off ebay a few months ago and they both ran great according to the previous owner of them. I have never had a working layout or power in my tracks, so all these locos have done is sit on the rails of my photo diorama for pictures. Both came without handrails from the previous owner, but i have installed and painted handrails for both of them. One is missing the horn but otherwise they are in great condition and complete. Both have knuckle couplers installed. Neither of them have a box, but will be wrapped in bubble wrap and packing with lots of packing peanuts for safe shipping to you.

Athearn RTR BNSF GP38-2 #2094 (ATH7992)
Athearn RTR BNSF GP38-2 #2257 (ATH7993) (Missing Horn)








Im asking $100 for the pair shipped to you via USPS Priority Mail anywhere in the USA.


----TERMS OF SALE------

1. Payment by PayPal (Preferred), money order or personal check (held till clears my bank).
2. If sending payment by check or money order, payment must be made within 7 days of the shipping quote, if any longer, you will forfeit your items and they will be listed for sale again.
3. Shipping By USPS Priority Mail and is FREE anywhere in the USA
4. I can be reached by posting here, PM, or email @ <!-- e --><a href="mailtoteelmillmodeler@aol.com">steelmillmodeler@aol.com</a><!-- e -->

This is my first video with my Cannon A590 I got last November and first youtube video.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cvWSx2o7Lo


I think I will break down and buy a HD camcorder..