My Bachmann Spectrum started out as a DRGW that I removed the lettering. It now belongs to a local company,Prestage Tool & Gear (PT&G) and handles the shifting cuts of cars left by the MKT or CB&Q for the PT&G’s Machine Shop, Wharehouse, Powerhouse & Scrap Dock.
What do you use on your layout for local industries?
That would be my H16-44.
Local switching at Tomikawa is the realm of the JNR DD13 diesel-hydraulic switcher, of which I have several. The two non-JNR connections that run locomotives use whatever’s handy - a Baldwin 0-4-2T on the Kashimoto Forest Railway, teakettle tanks (0-6-0T, except for one Baldwin 0-8-0T) on the TTT. The TTT 2-6-6-2T is unit coal train power.
At the other end of the TTT, the colliery switcher is an ancient Hanomag 0-4-0T.
JNR catenary motors don’t do any switching, and JNR mainline steam does very little. The two pure passenger traction operations are all self-propelled cars - no switching required - and run on incompatable track gauges in any event.
Chuck (modeling central Japan in September, 1964)
For a prototype you probably haven’t heard about the Laclede Steel Company in Alton Illinois just outside St. Louis. They switched the entire steel complex with 44 ton engines and 44 ton slugs. They just cut them off at the frame and added some billets for weight. They were radio operated and the guy running then would ride the footboards. Laclede made wire products so and had some electric furnaces with a billet caster. They did no hot metal transfers. Just billets and various stages of wire and rod as well as scrap.
I am planning on having a large Talcum mine and it will be switched by a 44 tonner, much like the one you have right now.
I must say those ge 44 tonners are flat out my favorite loco.
bill
We do not get too many US prototype industrial locomotives in N.
B-mann has recently upgraded its Plymouth three axle to the point where it does not run too badly, but it requires the extra strong pulse of the MRC 2500 to get it to creep properly. It also has that problem that plagues all short wheelbase N scale power: stalling on plastic frog switches. I have addressed that problem with the B-personns by hardwiring a pair together.
Another thing that I do in N is hardwire electrically live cabooses to short wheelbase power. Kato sells a number of electrically live JNR brakemen’s vans that can be bashed into convincing North American industrial hacks with a minimum of knifework, sanding, scratched details and painting. I have done this with some of the Asian steam power (that also required alterations to appear North American).
Much of the older N scale power was prone to motor frying. Much of the diesel power will still roll if you remove the motor. The steam is another question, but much of the old B-mann Standard Line power does not have bad gearing. The motors had a life expectancy of about seven days, but the gearing was pretty good. Since LL has offered a split metal frame FA-2, the power chassis has been an excellent base for a cheater boxcar. Couple the depowered locomotive to the FA-2, and you have a nicely creeping switcher. Some of the powered locomotives also work well with this, such as the LL 0-6-0T. It creeps nicely, after EXTENSIVE break in, but it will stall on plastic frog switches. Its throttle response is similar to the FA, so they mate well. When the tank switcher decides to stall, the FA has enough OOMPH to get it across the plastic frog and get it going again.
For the planned quarry I have a Fairbanks Morse H12/400 (theoretically re-engined- possibly a Zombie) and two GP18s because the shortline the quarry is on is power hungry - so the pair work block trains through the loader and down to the interchange.
The distillery has an aged S1 for backup and a GE44Tonner for day-to-day work.
The city’s terminal/switching road has one each Alco S4 and S13 and GE 66ton and 70ton for their yards and spur operations as well as all sorts of odd ball locos picked up cheap (in practice as well as theory) for transfer traffic. These include one of my favourites the Alco T6.
This is a lot of locos… I like locos! [^]… but it means that I can ring the changes rather than seeing the same thing all the time. Everything has its logic… as in the busy distillery having a regular loco and a scruffy old backup… The S1 paid for itself years ago… it isn’t up to constant work but it’s kept alive to save hiring in power when the GE needs more serious maintenance. When business gets really busy both locos can work.
The quarry locos are big (relatively) to handle the heavy loads.
I have another GE 70ton that makes smoke [%-)]… If this is dead I might use it as a second power pick-up for the other 70ton… whether to make it a “calf” or “slug” or not… ? I think that a calf is more likely… maybe it (theoretically) lost its cab in a crash?
All this is H0.
I used to work at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co in Newport News VA about 35 years ago. They had a number of Vulcan center cab locomotives that looked similar to the GE 44 tonner. This was a big place, with a 2 mile long waterfront and a lot of heavy stuff to move around.
They also had a bunch of Brownhoist rail cranes - one was steam powered and the rest diesel. The steam crane was preferred for delicate and precise lifts over the diesel ones.
All industries on my layout (now finally in construction) will be switched by a GP38-2 or smilar Geep or an MP15. They all use CSX power, no industries on my layout big enough to own their own engines!
That’s beautiful!
Is that H0?
Where’d you get it?
I want one! or two [:P]
The model is and On30 Bachmann gas mechanical. Dressed up with a Backwoods Miniatures detailing kit, and lightly weathered.
Here’s where I use my 44 tonner:
The coal Mine has an either a Southern Painted SD24 stationed there for Mine shifting, the Metal Stamping Plant has an Ancient NS SD9 stationed or an NS GP38-2 Both industries don’t own the Loco, but have so much switching that they NS deemed it necessary to station a loco there.
Bob,
Even before I scrolled down and saw your sig, I knew that had to be one of yours! Great work!
-George
Electric Boat used a pair of 44 tonners in the yard there from the 70’s until this year when they gave them to the Danbury Rail Museum. There is still track all through the facility but it is not used.
The Arizona Rail Museum www.azrymuseum.org has a Marmon that is unusual in that it has both rubber and steel tires again for industrial use.
As long as we’re on the subject of 44 tonners, what can be used for decoders? I can’t fit my favorite D13SR in either of mine - just not enough room. J.R.
The urban portion of my layout is siwtched by an ALCo RS1 and an EMD SW1500 belonging to the International Port Commission (called Interport.)
However on the rural portion two GE 70 tonners work the logging camps in the mountains.
Cheers!
~METRO