Building a small N scale layout. Looking for suggestions for a small “industrial” engine for loading the 33’ coal hoppers in the yard. Have a string of 5 cars. Was thinking the Bachman MDT Plymouth, but have heard a lot of mixed things on them. Any thoughts welcome 
Five 55 ton cars? Capstan and a winch. Front end loader and a chain. Two guys will a pinch bar and hand brake. A 1/4% grade and one guy with a handbrake.
A lot of modern industries use SW1’s or SW7’s. But then if you are unloading 55 ton cars its not a “modern” industry.
For reliability, I would go with a 4 axle switch engine or an 0-6-0.
It’s going to be roughly 1920’s mining camp/small town landscape but post WW2 and serviced by diesel. Have a nw2 switcher for servicing the town. And a F3a for the mainline when I just want to watch it. (technically a passenger engine but like the looks of it) Also thinking about adding few 70t ore cars for the “coal dealer” in town.
The MDT is a rather poor choice - the model has poor electrical pick-up. The Bachmann 70 ton switcher is a good runner, though you will need to have powered frogs on your switches so it does not stall. Your prototype ‘load’ for 5 loaded 2 bay hoppers is about 400 tons. I think the prototype Plymouth MDT with it’s hydro-static transmission may be at the limit of it’s capability with that much tonnage. Actually an Atlas GP7/9 would be a good engine as they run excellent and are heavy enough to run reliably through switches.
Jim
Thanks Jim I’ll look at those. The layout is going to be a rough copy of the “coffin mountain and Columbia” from the 9-12 MRR issue but brought into the diesel era
By the way, you don’t really need three engines – and there may not really be room to store three engines out of one-another’s way on that layout. A small switcher like the NW-2 could handle both the coal mine and freight switching with the F-unit for “mainline” trains.
If you are planning for DCC, note that you will need decoders in each engine. If you are planning for traditional “analog” DC, you’ll need to think about separate electrical blocks to operate multiple trains at once – or at least, isolated blocks where you can park the engines that aren’t in use.
I’ll be going DC analog
Uh, it’s your railroad, but…
To be picky about it, an F-3 A-unit by itself is NOT a passenger engine.
I understand from my Santa Fe research that EMD F-3 A units did not have the steam generators needed to power heat and lighting for passenger trains. F-3 B-units had steam generators in the space occipied by the cab on the A-units. For passenger operation, F-3s ran in some combination like ABBA or AB or ABB.
I made the mistake of running an F-7 A by itself to pull a short passenger train on my layout in 1993.
But alas, I have had 20 years since then to ruin my innocent enjoyment. But then you said you were going to use it for freight. That’s good. I HAVE heard of F series A-units used singly on short freight trains. And anyway, it’s your railroad. Happy railroading.
Not to be picky about it, but the WP F-Unit he bought IS actually a passenger engine. Note that the Original Poster is not talking about running a passenger train, but hauling a freight train behind an F-3 that is painted in this Western Pacific passenger scheme. (Your technical point about steam generators in B-units is correct, but doesn’t really apply to the Original Poster’s needs).
As noted in his other thread, the WP did actually haul freight behind its F-3s, so the Original Poster is fine.
Not to pile on, but the Rio Grande also ran lots of F-units in passenger duty, in fact, they replaced every other form of passenger power used (except for the odd GP-40 with steam heater car when Fs weren’t available in the latter days of pass. service.)
Of course, it was the B units with steam generators, as that was the most common F unit configuration for pass. service…but hold the presses, because apparently a couple of the A-units were so equipped at one point for some reason that either my CRS or the original hazy documentation may be responsible for me not recalling right now. So detail 'em how you like or according to protoype, but Fs do count as passenger power on some RRs.
Actually steam generators were an option on F3A units. (I think on F7A’s too) The Western Pacific bought their F3’s for passenger service. They were initilly run ABBA all with the same number followed by A, B, C, D (that is 801A, 801B, 801C, 801D) A was equipped with a steam generator, B & C were B units and D did not have a steam generator.
In the 1950’s the Royal Gorge was run with a single steam generator equipped A unit coupled to a tender from a retired 4-8-2 to supply boiler water.
Latter are also boiler equipped FP7A. They are longer than the standard F7. There are no FP7B’s. The F7B wad used.
As far as chosing an industrial switcher, consider the Bachmann 44 tonner or the Bachmann 70 tonner.
Back to the OP’s question (and welcome by the way!), why not the Atlas Shay? Typical late in service use as a local industrial switcher, there were a few of those here in BC when geared loggers were being phased out for trucks. Just a thought.