Over the past few weeks, we have been building a shelf layout in HO which is of no particular prototype but attempts to portray a small ballast quarry. Which switchers and hoppers are most suitable to complete a typical 70’s scene?
Tim
Tim,
I would think you could get away with an Alco S1/S2 , RS2 or EMD SW7 switcher in the quarry depending on how large the quarry is.
Not sure on the hoppers though
Gordon
ORTNER HOPPERS . Walthers makes them.
Flip
Umm, VO’s, SW’s, RS’s, S’s, GP’s, GE’s xx Ton series, and any transition era diesel switcher.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
Nik
70’s huh? I would think you could get by with almost any diesel switcher (except the truly modern MP, MK, green goat GP15D GP20D) or road switchers after the GP35. It depends if the desire is to have the quarry a modern top of the line operation or a left over run down type.
Or in other words:
Alco S1-6, RS-1, RS-2, RSC-2, RS-3, RS-4, RS-5, RS-11, RS-36.
EMD NW2, SW600-SW1500, GP7-GP30, BL2, maybe even an SD7-9
GE U25B or U28B
Baldwin VO600-1000, RS-12, AS-16, AS616, and DRS models
FM H-12-xx, H-15-xx, H-16-xx
Lima had a few also designated only by their horse power
Then there is all the tiny 40, 70, 95 toners from GE, Plymouth
I think the box cabs and earliest offerings by these vendors would be too old.
Personally I favor the Alco RS-1 or RS-3. Atlas has made excellent models of both.
Thanks guys,
http://www.altezeitgruppe.com/quarry.htm
We are building a nondescript diorama as a display for Expos to show what can be achieved in just 8’x1’ but we chose an American theme without knowing anything about the subject- a Walthers gravel loader and a few other junkbox structures. Our problem is a total lack of knowledge of what is a good model switcher and what to avoid. We plan to run DCC with about ten hoppers and a couple of good performing switchers that would be still going strong in the 70’s.
Once again, thanks.
Tim
Your link doesn’t work. Only by me?
I think it will come down to your personal preference as to looks. One thing to not overlook is length for a shelf layout. Shorter may be better. Of more importance is the brand. In HO anything by Kato, Proto 2000 or Stewart will be best in my opinion.
Many industrial firms that had a locomotive or two bought them from either a broker for used RR eqyipment or from a railroad company.
Baldwin or Fairbanks-Morse locomotives retired by the railroads after parts became diffficult to purchace after both BLW and F-M went out of business would be good models to use. Alco lasted until the end of 1969 so the railroads kept them longer. Many roads ran Alco power into the 1980’s
Your time frame will also dictate which locomotives to use.
I have two Proto 2K switchers, an S1 and an SW7. The S1 is an older engine to which I’ve added DCC and sound. The SW7 came with both. The SW7, though, is very light, with weight having been sacrifices for speaker space. To compensate, is has traction tires, but these reduce electrical pickup and can occasionally be a problem on turnouts or less-than-ideal trackwork.
Both of these are great switchers, though, and would be appropriate for your layout.
The Erie engine is the S1, and the Lackawanna engine is the SW7.
I’m partial to Atlas products, so I recommend one of Atlas’s Alco S-series switchers.
http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hos2s43.htm
Nick
Plenty of good advice on the switcher. As far as hoppers go almost any 55 ton 2 bay that are suitable for transition period and later or a three bay version that came on board in the early sixties would work.
If the quarry is directly served by its own industrial railroad, there is a high probability any locomotives would be GE, Whitcomb, Davenport, etc. industrial switchers in the 25 to 65-ton range. Those are pretty rare model wise, but the recent Bachmann release of the GE 45-tonner could be the ideal locomotive. I’m not saying, however, that small general-purpose switchers like the SW series, etc. weren’t also popular.
The book Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Locomotives (400-page volume) edited by Jay Reed (jayreed@sonic.net) lists specific locomotives types used by individual industrial railroads in the U.S. I based the above conclusion after skimming through this book.
Mark
Thanks guys,
The model switcher will need to be small but ultra reliable-no haulage problems as it just needs to spot one or two wagons max. because the diorama is just a glorified shunting puzzle. But how good are the smaller switchers at crawling back n’forth across turnouts?
Tim
For the original question, dedicated 0-6-0 and 0-4-0 switchers were rather rare in the 1870s. More common was an older 2-4-0 or even 4-4-0 being consigned to switching duties. If the run was short enough, a tank engine would be used, with 0-4-0T or 0-4-2T most likely. I’m not sure when the Baldwin logging 2-4-2Ts were 1st built, but if early enough would be a good choice.[}:)]
None of the commercially available HO model locos of that era run very well - they will take some tinkering. And most will need some bashing if an accurate model is desired. Electrical pickup wipers on all wheels, and a decent motor and gearbox can make a huge difference in performance. You will also want live frogs on the turnouts.
The most common car of that era for carrying bulk commodities that didn’t need cover was the gondola - the 1st hoppers were just being developed. A gondola of the time would reach weight before cubing out with most loads. Or the 4 wheel ore jimmies - 8T and 10T - were still in use.
Hope this helps; I’d love to see photos of an 1870s diorama.
Fred W
You can also ask the question on this forum thread. The guy does mostly switchers and has over a hundred of them.
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11992
Bachman just released a 70 ton side rod switcher with just undecorated paint. If your plant is high volume it would either have its own switcher or even a car puller or pole car. The link shows a European switcher that almost looks like a Plymouth diesel industrial switcher. If this is strictly a ballast loading facility than you will need beat up ballast hoppers with ballast drop doors. These would be painted for the railroads MOW colors and heavily weathered. Ballast hoppers are usually older cars that are restricted from interchange with other roads and barely able to hold the load placed in them.
The Glacier gravel plant from Walthers is easily customized into different configurations. You may have to build up the base about 10mm so hoppers and locomotives will fit under the plant.
Pete