Now, I know many people do this with passenger, such as famous ones like the Empire Builder, the Hiawatha, the SP Daylight etc etc, what about freight trains? For example, I'm trying to build a BNSF grain train that runs through my area, nicknamed the earth worm. Has 3 engines up front, usually 3 ES44DC's, then dark red grain cars with the new swoosh as far as the eye can see, and trailing is a DPU, usually being a SD70M, or Dash 9... Anyone else try to build certain freight trains they see?
Building Certain Trains
- Thread starter Wildcatfootball
- Start date
ony my layout i would like to do special backdating runs during WW2 and create "americas pipeline".which was on C&O tracks and was a giant train of petroleum tank cars headed for the east coast.thats about as far as id wanna go...--josh
Those are called unit trains. I see them frequently here in Montana,possibly the same trains that you see, both Eastbound empties and Westbound grain loads. No reason that you can't build up one. The cars are available in 6 packs. Unless you have a lot of mainline you will have to shorten the consist to about 25 cars but it should look pretty good. Another possibility is the coal unit trains that operate Westbound and return to Wyoming and eastern Montana empty.
The only actual trains I plan to model (and they'll be shortened) are a few of the MOW trains I see regularly, which don't seem to get broken up much (and won't be on my layout). These are a ballast train (2 engines on each end, and a lot of 'Herzog' ballast hoppers), and a continuous welded-rail train (like the attached pics, though mine will be UP). I'll scratchbuild the rail holders and laying equipment on top of short, old flat car models, just like the prototype (hello Tyco flatcars!). I just have to figure out how to model the rail with something that is flexible enough to go around curves and looks somewhat like rail - maybe rubber wiper blade inserts? Or maybe flextrack rail will work, I just have to try it out.
