Well we have a favourite locomotive class or caboose but what about that bit of equipment that maintains you’re railroad. Be it the Big Hook (wrecking crane) snow plow or that odd ball bit of equipement but you just gotta have on one you’re layout. So whats yours
Well for me its always been wreck cranes and for me the SAR 107ton (130ton their was 23% overload added in for safety) Cowan Sheldons
Back in the 1980’s I bought HO scale Timber Gang (metal) kit by Durango Press.
I built the models (Tie shear, tie crane, spiker, speeder) in N scale by duplicating the parts in N scale and assembling them. I also built a different tie crane from an article in RMC.
Unfortunately the modeles were stolen off a NTrak layout during a Train Show.
I love my Jordan Spreaders. They do double duty working on a MOW train spreading ballast and cutting ditches or clearing mugslides and snow during the winter.
I have to say that my favourite maintenance equipment is the plain old Russell snow plow, especially the double track versions. I have modified a couple of the older Athearn models, one to represent the Canadian Pacific ‘Shorty’ version, and one to represent a double track plow.
This is the CP Shorty:
This is the double track plow as it currently sits. I’m not totally happy with the plow dimensions so it is on hold until I develop the stamina to redo it properly:
I have several other snow removal pieces. This is an old style snow crab that was pulled backwards to dislodge the snow along the edges of the cut:
This is an old style rotary plow made from a Roundhouse 3 in 1 kit:
This is another 3 in 1 flanger kit:
And another:
And another 3 in 1 plow. Pardon the dust!:
And a 3 in 1 Jordan spreader. It’s a bit crude but I like it:
This is an early attempt at a simple MOW plough. The blade is scratch built brass. The gondola is a kit from whom I can’t remember:
That looks pretty good. Those 3in1 kits are tough to build since they don’t really give you the parts you need and you have to pretty much build them from scratch.
Mine is more, “I have it, but I don’ really know why.”
It is a JNR equalateral wedge plow with air-operated wings, Ki 100. Since it is always more summer than autumn in my little part of Japan, I need a snowmover about as much as I need a toothache. OTOH, with its raised operator position and eight air tanks on the roof, it is a distinctive piece of rolling stock.
So it spends a lot of time in off-layout cassette storage, occasionally brought out to clear plastic foam debris after construction. After the plow moves it off the rails a shop-vac cleans it up.
On the ‘to be built’ list, a firefighting car for the Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo, and a complete fire train for the Kashimoto Forest Railway. In 1964 the only practical way into the woods was by rail.
Very nice. Is this the N scale model? I’ve been looking for one of these in HO scale.
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It is N scale. The crane is scratch built from Evergreen styrene. The car is a modified MicroTrains. I built it from photos I took, and my experience building N scale tie cranes.
There is a N scale metal kit from Railway Express Minatures. I have it (bought after I built my model). It is not a bad model, but I think my scratch built model looks better.
Now about over 25 years later I doubt that I could build them. My vision is not as good and half my thumb amputated making it difficult to manipulate small tools.
I’ve always had a fascination with steam heat trailers. New York Central used several of these in the Grand Central Terminal district since the S class electrics didn’t have steam generators.
In the Amtrak era they were in use around the Buffalo Central Terminal for stand-by heat.
I have a MOW track which doubles as my programming track. The three pieces on it are a rotary snow plow, a big hook, and a kitchen car. They are static pieces that are just a scenic element in my main yard/engine terminal.
GN heater cars were used with electric locomotives in the mountains. They also could be used with diesel locomotives which were not equiped with steam generators.
In these photos below GP7’s are hauling a passenger train with a heater car. The steam generator car is a Rapido model with simulated steam.
