I've been going around to posting a photo and have only now taken a shot for this topic, In the lead is a GP20E Cotton Belt followed by a GP20 SP then two SP SD7's the final unit is a SD35.
Hmm, interesting . . . provided I can still buy the ME flex track in about a month (a few online retailers seem to have it in stock), I think I'll mirror your configuration. It took a lot of scrutiny but I think I can see a difference in the ME track compared to Atlas based only on photos of it (ties are wider and slightly irregular, rail spikes smaller). I think I was in fact able to source their tall viaduct kit, along with the parts needed to extend it to 500+ feet. I've been studying your pictures of the one on your layout. But yes, track is important to me! I agree that we're in the minority, but it's good that ME track is still floating around out there.
This awesome thread deserves be kept alive. Here we have an SD45, two tunnel motors and a kodachrome SD40 struggling to get 40 cars up the grade.
Plus you have to simulate at least three of the Espee units shutting down due to lack of maintenance.
Everyone knows what an oxymoron is, right ? Well I visited one once at the SP West Colton hump yard. It was called " a wash rack "
Yeah I've kind of got nothing better to do at the moment than set up stationary trains to avoid doing math homework. College, it's like work, only without pay.
Plus you have to simulate at least three of the Espee units shutting down due to lack of maintenance. </font>[/QUOTE]How about this one, sure looks the part....
Wow! Jeff, that's some sweet shot. It looks like you could substitute the train, and it could be Rio Grande's Big Ten curve....
Thanks.... the pictures really needed to be doctored because I have such bad lighting. So when again were you planning on building your Moffat route layout?
Great shots everyone! HemiAdda, I really like the backdrop in that photo with the T-motors! Especially the effect with the clouds/fog in front of the mountains. Russ
Thanks Russ! It's really simple, I used a tutorial from The Gauge. Jeff, When I move to a house with a basement. Could be as early as March or April when I move, and construction will commence soon after.
This is such a cool topic. I guess I will have to break down and post something. Train #310 was made up of a gas-electric doodlebug, a Harriman baggage car and a T&NO Harriman coach. It departed Kenedy, Texas at 4:25 AM and stopped at twenty two locations before traveling 179 miles to arrive in Houston in late afternoon. Its twin, identical train #309 ran the reverse each day. Both ran over an old San Antonio & Aransas Pass route and were discontinued in April of 1950. I built the doodlebug from parts of an old kit, Rivarossi heavyweight cars, and a streatched Atlas U25B chassis. The cars are Bachmann shorties with J&J brass baggage car sides, Harriman roofs and a bunch of bashing on the coach to get the windows right. I got the idea to model this train from page 9 of David R. Sweetland's Southern Pacific in Color, from Morning Side Books.
Great to see all the awesome Espee modelling! Russell - you've got a one-of-a-kind model there for sure. Very cool. FD - looks like Cuesta to me! That scene's gonna look awesome when you get that bridge in. Gotta love that weathering, Hemi! I agree w/ 4X2DSP - this is one great thread. Long live the SP!
I sure do miss the Southern Pacific. Used to love to pace those guys north out of El Paso on Highway 54 to Alamogordo..
Great pics everyone. A bit off topic now, sorry. How can you get email notification of a topic, such as this one, without replying to it just to get the notification??
Thanks Hemi. I still see the SP now and then around Dallas/ Fort Worth . But most of it is tainted by armour yellow paint.