HELP! I've been bitten by the shortline bug!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. Do you mean the tunnel just by the bridge by the Clinton Dam? I would do that, but I go there a lot and I could never live with myself to change it. I think my route will continue up north into either NH or VT, and that’s where my layout would be.

[railroadyoshi]

Yeah, I know what you mean about not wanting to change it. People just cannot bring themselves to do it, because it will always grip their souls when they visit the real thing.

[Dave-the-Train]

You could probably build an interesting short line off of this route, and if it is not a big deal to you change the history that the railroad could not afford a tunnel to be built, justifying your pass. Keep in mind that most of the traffic coming from these resurrected lines would have to be from online industry, versus run-through, if you were intending to follow the prototype railroad economics. You could run commuter service into Boston with your Amtrak fleet pretty plausibly, as the MBTA has historically had shortages forcing Amtrak equipment to be used, especially when Amtrak had the operating contracts. Moreso, this could justify the survival of the line. Even though the commuter service wouldn’t be profitable, if it was run by the MBTA they would have to pay for rail access, which could in turn provide the funds to continue freight services.

This whole development of the OP interests me… Would you elaborate please?

As my posts show I’ve been looking at ways of finding a logic for running some sort of Amtrak service - or a service using Amtrak locos and stock - into the schemes I’m dreaming up while the big scheme has to be on hold.

All the “little” schemes involve urban/industrial settings into which I want to work some sort of commute service.

Any ideas or examples would be really useful…

TIA

[8D]

[Dave-the-Train]

Dave,A lot of the more stable short lines are dumping their old trusty GP7/9 or GP8/10/16 rebuilds in favor of more “modern” locomotives such as GP38s,GP40s,GP38-2s and of course GP40-2s…Some has SD40Ts some sport SD45s or 6 axle GEs!

As you say it all depends on how strong the short line is and traffic hauled and potential traffic growth…Modern short lines are pose and ready for the continuing traffic growth and many has seen that growth in the number of cars they handle annually raise…

Brakie…

I recall an item in Trains Mag years ago (probably when GM announced that the GP60 was going to be the last 4 axle they built) that asked the question “What will short lines do for power”?

I guess that we are getting the answer… keep re-cycling/upgrading. It makes me wonder a couple of things:-

1. About how long will a loco frame last in ordinary service?

2. Can RR get replacement frames for older locos? From the original makers? From…?

3. Can the weight in an SD be reduced to let the loco work over lighter track/structures?

4. What sort of curve limits hit 6 axle locos?

Sorry these are sus=ch vague questions.

Relating to a different thread in which you posted your pet hate of mess around tracks I like the link

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2002062212164724920.jpg&order=byrail&page=2&key=Hoosac%20Tunnel%20%26%20Wilmington

posted in this thread. That’s real neat and tidy lineside [:-,]

[BRAKIE]

Dave,I will try to answer your questions since I am not a locomotive guru…

Also these are not vague questions and should be studied for our choice of locomotives.

1.About how long will a loco frame last in ordinary service?

The frame should last as long as the locomotive…Should a crack appear in the frame,the shop will simply weld the frame.I have seen many such weld spots on older locomotives.

2.Can RR get replacement frames for older locos? From the original makers? From…?

No…Once a frame is bent the locomotive is fodder for scrap or cannibalized for parts

3.Can the weight in an SD be reduced to let the loco work over lighter track/structures?

The SDL39 was such a engine…It was lighter and had a shorter fuel tank with 20.8 tons per axle.However,a SD can troddle down a light branch line because the weight is evenly distributed on the axles.However a light bridge could restrict certain types of SD units.

The thing to remember a SD unit can be used in general service just like a 4 axle unit.

4.What sort of curve limits hit 6 axle locos?

I suppose that would depend on the type of SD unit…A SD7 will go where a SD90MAC can’t because of the overall length between the locomotives…Same would apply to (say) a SD35 and SD70.So, sharp curves will restrict the type of SD units that can be used on a given a main line,branch or urban local.

About clutter…If you notice that clutter is away from the track its self and not close to the track giving crew members and other workers a safe place to go about their work.

[Anonymous]

All right, I’ve completly changed stuff…again! I’ve been conversing on another fourum and we got the brilliant idea of modeling Nashua, NH. My main classification yard will be the one in Nashua, where in my version of reality, my railroad owns and operates the yard, (although I don’t mind changing this to be the other way around) and Guliford just has trackage rights. The yard is different because of a different owner (but that’s just because I didn’t design it to be Nashua.)

Amtrak also runs “Nashua Service” which I have made up and designed logos for on my computer. It runs between Nashua, NH, and Boston, MA

I will update you about this when we’ve made more plans.

Yoshi- I’m sending you a PM about this.

[BRAKIE]

Tyler, Food for thought.Your short line could also lease yard tracks from a bigger connecting road and would serve as a interchange point as well.

[Anonymous]

Yeah. The only reason I did it that way was because I only have 1 Guilford loco, and it will probably be used on my railroad trains. Hang on! Maybe my railroad bought the whole line from Guilford, which dosn’t use it! That way the Guilford unit can just be run-through. Hmmm…