Maid of all work...

doctorwayne

Active Member
...might be an apt description of Grand Valley Mogul 34. Normally seen on the Lowbanks mixed, or doubleheaded with sister 2-6-0 37 on a freight, today she's working a switch turn in downtown Dunnville.

Here, she's backed into Coffield Washer's siding with a carload of new automobiles destined for the Walnut Street team track's unloading ramp. Looks like the 34 is not the only thing backed-up. ;)
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As the boxcar starts into the teamtrack, leased CNR 0-8-0 8414 rolls by on an adjacent track with a train of empties, destined for the yard at West Dunn.
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Both horse and iron horse wait patiently as the air is pumped up. There's an empty reefer at the ramp that needs to be pulled before those autos can be spotted.
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Reversing back into Coffield's siding, there'll be just enough room for that reefer to clear the switch without the tender moving the cars already spotted at Coffield's loading dock.
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As the cars on the other track continue to roll over the crossing, the 34's hogger quickly accelerates his charges forward, an unseen switchman preparing to pull the pin on that reefer...
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...which continues to roll. Meanwhile, quickly reversing again, the 34 shows why she's a favourite of crews on the line.
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And in no time, she's got those autos rolling towards the unloading ramp. It looks like the boys from car maintenance will have to tend to that low coupler before the emptied car will get pulled from the siding. :eek:ops:
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Later, a carload of castings is spotted at Bertram's Machine Works.
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After picking up some empties from Creechan's Fine Fuels, the 34 will gather up the rest of her cars: a few on the tank and these hoppers on the pilot, then head back to the Highline, handing them off to the Grand River Southern for interchange to parent road EG&E.
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I hope that you've enjoyed this vignette of the Grand Valley at work.

Wayne
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Outstanding!!!

OUTSTANDING PICS showing the switching moves of #34 Wayne!:thumb::thumb: I really liked the story:winki: , and it was a FANTASTIC way to show off the STUPENDOUS JOB you have done on your engine, cars, and town:worship: , :bravo: Wayne, :bravo: . :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

BTW, i noticed a UP box in two of the pics:winki::mrgreen: , VERY NICE TOUCH!:thumb::mrgreen:.
:deano: -Deano
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Thanks for letting us ride along Wayne! I always like photo stories about switching moves.
Ralph
 

Gary S.

Senior Member
Me too Wayne. I love your stories that go along with the pics, both for the entertainment value and for the learning experience that comes from reading "railroad talk". Thank you!
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Thanks, guys. It's been a while since I've done a thread like this, and there were about the same number of pictures that filled out the story, but were unuseable because of cobwebs on the 34, around the stack. I guess that the fireman needs to run with a hotter fire. (Or I need to pay closer attention!) :eek:ops: :rolleyes:
Dean, there were two different UP cars there: one a doubledoor automobile car, and the other a regular boxcar lettered for the Los Angeles & Salt Lake. :-D
Kurt, all of the vehicles, including the horse and milkwagon, are from Jordan kits, except for the green sedan that's first in line at the crossing. That one is a Sylvan resin kit. I have an order in for some more '30s vehicles from Greg's Garage, when the new owner resumes production. These are solid castings in clear resin, and are more suited as background models, but at five bucks a pop, much more affordable than Jordan ($7.00 to $10.00) or Sylvan, Athearn, or MiniMetals at $10.00 to $13.00 each.

Wayne
 

w8jy

Member
Your posts are always an inspiration to the rest of us. You do things the way they should be done, and in the process, educate the rest of us. I, for one, would be ecstatic if I could even come close to your realistic effects.

Thanks for all the posts.
 

spitfire

Active Member
Wayne, someone should do a book of your railroad stories! They're so realistic that they almost seem like one of Ian Wilson's books. Not to mention the gorgeous eye candy!!

:goldcup: :goldcup: :goldcup: :goldcup: :goldcup:

Val
 

Gary S.

Senior Member
One of my goals, someday, is to do a similar story, using my completed layout and trains as the backdrop. Doc, thanks for being the inspiration!
 

cn nutbar

Member
hi doc---i came across a picture of #34 hauling a freight train through lowbanks---hope you don't mind if i add it to your story---nutbar

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MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Gotta say it once again - love those smaller, branchline locos. Nothing captures the spirit of railroading like a Mogul or Ten-Wheeler with a way freight or mixed train rolling through a small town.

Great stuff guys!

Andrew
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Thanks again for all of the kind words, folks. Sorry that I haven't been able to say so sooner, but I had a bit of a computer problem.

Wayne
 

cn nutbar

Member
hi doc---glad to see your computer glitch has been corrected and you're back on line---i came across a few more pictures of the "fair maiden"---hope you don't mind if i add them to your story---nutbar

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doctorwayne

Active Member
Thanks for posting those photos of the old girl. The 34 is my only brass loco, originally a B&M class B-15 Mogul. I changed out the original Fox tender trucks for a pair of Vulcans of unknown origin, adding leaf springs, and later, NWSL solid nickel-silver wheelsets. The loco, as acquired, wouldn't run due to various binds and a very small, poor-quality open-frame motor. Because of the extemely narrow firebox, I had to mount the replacement Sagami can motor in the boiler, then connect it to the axle gear via drive shafts and universals. Re-assembly requires tweezers to align the universals, but it's well worth the effort, as she's an excellent runner and pulls surprisingly well for her diminutive size. The can motor affords excellent low speed capability and an extremely low starting voltage. She also runs well when doubleheaded with her larger 2-8-0 sisters, although when teamed-up with her usual running mate, the IHC Mogul pictured below,
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the 34 will drag the 37 and the train until track voltage rises enough to start 37's motor turning. Once moving, the two run well together. The 37 may eventually be re-motored to correct this problem.

Wayne
 
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