Rock Island Model Rosters

[Wolv33]

Mike,

You could put a small white patch under the decal area where you are going to apply the 'R' logo. The newsletter will be put on the site monthly or whenever I update our operations as soon as it is up and running. This was the only time it would be sent via email. This way you guys can see it whenever you have time or the need. It will be posted on the 'acquisitions.html' page of the site.

I believe the reason for Outlook and OLEX is because most Universities and colleges use Windows-based networks (ie Windows NT and Windows 2000). Plus, they also want to be able to support the users easier, and having you all have the same email client is a really good way of doing that. If you have ever implemented a Windows2000 Server and maintained it, you would know where I was coming from.

At any rate, so much for tech talk. LOL!

George, I use the real name on the newsletters, because frankly having Wolv33 as a CEO sounds a little odd. But, on forums and on-line in general, I use the Wolv33 handle. Phil/NYC said he really liked it, so I just decided to use it instead of my real name.

I hate to say it, but I found an Athearn Southern GP50 NIB and two more Athearn shells for a GP9 (yep, yet another one!) and a GP20. Sooooooooooo.....I guess you can add those to my ROCK roster. I was digging for some magazines and found these babies. Kinda like finding treasure-I forgot I had these!

So, I will have to update the acquisition page again to include these three new units. They will go into the paintshop tomorrow and be added to the fleet by Monday.

Which reminds me, I have to build me a roster of my own and add my different paint schemes to it.

Later guys.

PS I might be willing to help pool resources on decal costs.

 

[rockislandmike]

wolv, I'll add the GP9 and GP20 to your roster. I'll leave the GP50 out, since it's Southern.

I also made an eBay acquisition tonight, an Athearn SD9 dummy, currently clad in SP colors. I think I'm gonna paint it into Rio Grande, since I could use one of those, and they seem to be one of the few roads that used the SD9 (none of the other railroads I model seem to have). Not even the Santa Fe.

 

[Wolv33]

Mike,

Hehehehe.... The GP20 is an ex-CP Rail, the GP9 is an ex-Great Northern, and the GP50 is soon to be an ex-Southern. These will all belong to the ROCK by Monday.

Uhhhohhh....time to make changes. Sorry about this Mike.

Umm according to my trusty Athearn guide and also their catalog....the GP20 is a GP38-2, the GP50 is a GP60, and the GP9 is a GP7...Sorry about that. Guess I was too tired to tell the differences.

So....The GP38-2 is an ex-CP Rail, the GP60 is an ex-Southern, and the GP7 is an ex-Great Northern. There....Whew!

All of these units will belong to the ROCK by Monday. Again, like their sisters before them, they will be awaiting number assignment and decals.

BN used a lot of SD9s, but you said Santa Fe, probably before the merger, so that doesn't count. Most of the BN's SD9s were converted into RSD9s and slugs.

You are correct. I checked all my Santa Fe source rosters, and there is NOT one SD9 listed on there.

Well, gonna go back to my database now. Later.

 

[Wolv33]

Mike and George,

It is 5:45am here....I just finished getting the site and all the graphics uploaded. Though, there are still some pages that need to have information put on them...at least you wont get page is missing error or a 404 error.

http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/wolv33/mwdlrr.html

A couple tips for viewing the pages:

1) Make sure your browser is NOT set to check "for newer versions of stored pages" I tested my IE this way, and it took FOREVER to load all the graphics on the main page. It will take a little while to load 100-some small images, but once it is loaded, you won't have to worry about it anymore. The same goes for the rest of the pages. Once they load, and you have your IE settings to NOT check for new pages stored, you will be able to move much quicker.

2) I setup my site to have POPUP windows for their ads, rather than having the ads inline (in the web pages themselves)...so to get around this, I use a POPUP Ad killer called "Kill Ad". This program is very small, and does not use up a lot of memory, like other ad killers do. You can get this program at nonags.com or I can send it to you via email. Make sure you have that running when looking at my site.

Thanks for your attention, and hope you enjoy the site.

Later....

 

[rockislandmike]

Definitely send me that popup killer via email, wolv. I've been meaning to get one of those for a while.

 

[Wolv33]

Mike,

Soon as breakfast is over. Get a chance to check the site out?

Thanks.

 

[IMRL393]

And I thought I was staying up late ('till 2 AM), Wolv!

WOW! Very professional RR site - I know a couple of regionals that don't have anything so nice! The names and addresses of the contacts make it seem very real (I do wonder what would happen if I try to call them!), as is the information about your RR system.

I look forward to seeing some photos on the site once you get the chance (if there are photos, I don't see them - please let me know if I have a viewing problem).

I really enjoyed the moving trains (esp. the RI train, of course!).

One thing you might add is a map (or maps) of your RR system. If and when I make a site for my regional Rock Island Lines, I will merge the IMRL (ICE) and Iowa Interstate RR (IAIS) maps to show my RIL region.

I already have a pop up stopper - named "Pop UP Stopper" from Panic Ware - another freebee program that seems to work very well (must turn it off to get PMs and open sites in other windows, of course - but that is just a double click on a bar icon).

My system will actually get an error message that requires rebooting the computer to get rid of if I don't close the newer popup window before the main one - and as some pop ups hide behind the main window, I might not know that they are there and have to reboot - VERY annoying!!!

(See what I mean about MicroSoft programs on my computer ???)

Anyhoo, you have a great MRR website, Wolv33 - good work !!!


- George

 

[IMRL393]

Mike -

If you (or anyone else) is interested, here is Panic Ware's website for their pop-up stopper:

http://www.panicware.com/popupstopper.html

On the decal issue, I suppose we could copy Wolv and go to all white locos with a black"R" and blue insert - would match the boxcar I have and the caboose I want!

Of course, I really had my heart set on that black RI F40PH .....

Please add the RS-3 to the roster (no rush - sometime you are adding/changing/changing/adding Wolv's locos!). I'm surprised that no one else has a RI RS-3 (the RI had 35 of them).

Wolv's site is great - now that puts the pressure on to do someting of the same for my RI regional ......

- George

 

[RI541]

Hey Guys,
Just got back from vacation, Got over 500 pics to go through.

I wasn't able to get any good pics of trains though. I did stop in DC and got some pics of Union Station tracks. Thats about it. I did get some of an unknown freight on the way to Tybee Island. I hope they came out I haven't had a chance to see if they came out yet. But at 70 MPH going over a bridge and the train in the distance the out look doesn't look good.

Mike,
I don't know if you can take my motive list off the Picking on the Little Guys thread or not but if you can feel free to do so If not let me know and I'll retype it when I have a chance.

Is this another RI tread? HUMMMM looks like there is a few of them here.

Good Day

 

[IMRL393]

Hi Shane!

Welcome back to the RI madness !!

Glad you had a good vacation !!!

More work for poor ol' Mike, but I find the rosters interesting, especially the differences between us as to models and road numbers (very few overlaps in the latter).


- George

 

[rockislandmike]

If somebody points me in the direction of said 'thread', I'll grab Shane's roster from there. I couldn't find it myself.................

 

[IMRL393]

Mike -

Found Shanes list (from back in Feb '02!):

"George& mike

Here is a list of motive power I'll list in three catagories,running on the rails,paint shop,decal shop.

1- MDC RSD15 low nose#7552
2- 2 LL GP18 painted as GP7 #'s 1271 and 1284
3- LL GP18#1347
4- LL SW9/12 #778
5- LL SW9/12 #541 Painted as Route of The Rockets
6- LL E8 #652
7- 2 LL E8 #654
8- LL E7 B-Unit #632b (repowered)
9- Atlas RS3 #497 former NH #555 painted black and red with wings
10- Atlas U25B #214
11- LL BL2 #429 (installed a flywheel for smoother operation)
12- Bachmann 4-8-4 Painted as #5113

Paint shop (locos that need touching up)

13- LL GP35
14- LL GP35 unpowered
15 Slug Unit kitashed from an Atlas RS1 and 2 donor bodies
16 2 Con-Cor B-units
17 Kato FA1

Decal Shop (locos that need decals)

18- LL GP40 #371
19- Arnold GP7 #4201 (this will be all black with yellow slashs on the rear and nose)
20- Mini-Trix F7

Thats the motive power so far,I have others but their just for parts and pieces.

I havent got a current list or rolling stock yet and dread having to but I need to bring it up to date for my insurace company so I'll do that over the weekend and give you a list.

You probrobly think Ive got a lot of money tied up in locos but I realy dont.Ive only bought maybe seven or eight brand new from the hobbie shops,the others I bought either new or used at train shows at remarkable savings (I love digging threw the "junk boxes")

be back soon
Shane
"
The thread is at:

http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1546&highlight=Picking

He can add new additions from here!

- George

 

[Wolv33]

Hey guys,

Sorry about the delay in getting the ad killer to you, Mike. You should have it by now.

George, no problem in viewing. The only pic I have up is a drawing of the local system map (the actual layout area) on the system map page. Yeah, I have not come up with an overall system map yet. I plan to build me a track display for the motive power to have pictures taken for. Till then, that photo page will remain empty.

I am at a standstill here. I can either number my locomotives by my railroad, which I would use my numbering conventions as I have listed on a link from the roster page, or I can number each unit as per roster for the prototype. Or, I have a third choice-I could number them for both the prototype and the railroad.

Ehhh! Anyone have any suggestions??

Remember, I don't just have RI units in my railroad. Any help is appreciated.

Ohh, and THANKS SO MUCH for the encouragement and kind words on the site. Glad you liked it!

 

[rockislandmike]

I think I would do it based on the prototype if one is applicable. That way, if you change your mind down the road as to how your railroad works, they're still appropriately numbered for the prototype railroad.

If no prototype is appropriate, that's when your own railroad numbering sequence can kick in.

Just my two cents.

 

[rockislandmike]

Hey George, you were right about the black loco - does it ever look smart !!!!!

GE U33C is now painted black with a "bankruptcy blue" nose, steps, and a patch near the rear of the loco. In this "patch" is the typical ROCK logo, black with white center.

Between the patch and the cab is a white "THE ROCK", and the unit number is underneath the cab, also in white. Just to complete the unit, the front is adorned by the same Rock logo as on the side (much smaller of course).

I'll send off some pics as soon as I can. Just gotta install and paint the handrails tonight.

<< PS since the Rock never had any U33C's, and certainly never had this color scheme, I've numbered it 5021 >>

 

[IMRL393]

Wolv -

What I've seen in the "real" world is that the new owners create a new road number, even if the paint scheme stays the same.

Examples are the "patch" BNSF numbered SF blue & yellow Dash 8-40B I have on order, and a blue Rock Island hopper I saw a few weeks ago with "IMRL" and a new road number stenciled on.

But Mikes idea of keeping the original RN also is good if you do change your mind. Maybe use removable r.n.s ?

Mike -

Was the link I posted to Shane's listings what you needed ????

- George

 

[IMRL393]

Originally posted by rockislandmike
Hey George, you were right about the black loco - does it ever look smart !!!!!

GE U33C is now painted black with a "bankruptcy blue" nose, steps, and a patch near the rear of the loco. In this "patch" is the typical ROCK logo, black with white center.

Between the patch and the cab is a white "THE ROCK", and the unit number is underneath the cab, also in white. Just to complete the unit, the front is adorned by the same Rock logo as on the side (much smaller of course).

I'll send off some pics as soon as I can. Just gotta install and paint the handrails tonight.

<< PS since the Rock never had any U33C's, and certainly never had this color scheme, I've numbered it 5021 >>

Neat-o !!!

Can't wait to:

1. See your photos!

2. Try it with a F40PH (NEXT year - my loco budget for 2002 just went to $ 0.00 !!!

(But the RS-3 is in the mail, and the H15-44 is on order along with the Dash 8-40B, so I really can't complain but sometimes I still do !)

Your number choice seems like a good one to me! The 4900 series was the top of the number chain for the old RI (not counting one old GE "By-power"), so I think the next group would be in the 5000s. I'll have to remember that for the F40PH (maybe use a 5100 series number).

- George

 

[rockislandmike]

If we ever do a custom paint job on the same loco, we should number them in sequence.

 

[Wolv33]

Hey Guys,

Think what I will do is KEEP the railroad (MWDLRR) #s on the database, since they are the "overall" numbers...and have the Road's number on the cab (ie ROCK gets a ROCK number, BN gets a BN number, etc.) I will start any motive power that did not truly exist for the road, with the next number off of their roster (ie if the roster ended with 8995, then the next number would be 8996). That system should work great.

On the MOW trains (I will have 4) I am just going to add their herald, their road letters (ie BN for BN, RI for ROCK) and then the numbers 1 and 2 for them. So, the 1st BN MOW train (which will be hauled by a GP38-2) will be designated BNMOW-1, the second BNMOW-2. On the Rock they will follow the same suit, and they will be GP38-2s as well.

It will be a little strange seeing bright orange BN, and all blue ROCK diesels though.

These trains won't be very long, so they should fit in most areas. I am thinking they need a couple of gondolas, a crane, some tie cars, some cars with rail on them, a couple tank cars, and some cars for the workers. I will research this first though.

Now this brings me to a question. Anyone have any pics of RI and BN maint vehicles? I have seen BN in separate orange, green and white color schemes. I have NEVER seen RI MOW stuff though. Any help or URLs would be greatly appreciated here. Plus, where to get these trucks from in HO scale.

Well, I am off to continue work on my shippers database.

Later guys.

 

[IMRL393]

RIGHT, Mike !!!

We can create whole series of new, standardized RI numbers!

*********************************************

Sounds like a good solution to your problem, Wolv !


- G