RAILforum: I invite you to spend my money! What locomotives do I buy for these operations....

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Posted by PTGCP (Member # 2029) on :

Building HO RR layout in era of 50's thru 1965..... It is a walk in/walk around...
Starts in the northeast with marble quarrys
and a sawmill....down the coast line of CT
and NJ and MD to Florida where I desire citrus operations... What locomotives do I buy? I'll need one for marble, logging, operations in VT, one for operations along the coastal locations I mentioned,one for the Florida coastline citrus operations. Tell me what I should buy, keeping the era in mind. I'd like some steam and some diesel. Going to big RR show in Massachusetts this weekend. I want to pick up one or two locomotives....so help me spend my money!!!!

Posted by Challenger (Member # 1298) on :

Here is a generic operating practice applied to your situation.

Steam Situations.

For the logging and quary lines I would use small rod tank locomotives like 2-4-2Ts 2-6-2Ts and the like, or geared locomotives. The rod locomotives had small wheel bases so they could negotiat the tight curves of an industrial and or logging line. The extra weight above the driver caused by the presence of the water bunkers also helped with traction allowing them to take steeper grades. Geared locomotives, Shays, Climaxs, and Heislers, were built specificly with steep grades and tight curves in mind.

For the rest of the assignments I would use medium sized steam locomotives for the mainline runs. 2-8-0s 2-8-2s 4-6-2s and the like will fit nicely.

For the citris brach. I would use a small loco of like 4-6-0 or small 2-8-0 proportions.

Diesle Situations.

For the logging and quary lines I would use small industrial diesel locomotives. Bachmann's GE 44 ton and 70 ton locos immediatly come to mind for this work. Also second hand power like RS1s and Baldwn VO-1000s and S12s downgraded from the mainline may also be appropriate provided if your curves are not to sharp or grades to steep.

For the mainline I wold reccomend using any of the selection of fine first generation 4 axal power available from several companies. You can put ABA F units on the mainline express runs and 3 unit lashups of GP7s on the through freights that go through and set out and pick up cars from towns along the route, with a single GP unit in the locals that do the switching in the line.

On the citrus branch I would reccomend a small light weight yard or early road switcher of the SW1 SW9 GP9 RS2/3 style.

*(DISCLAIMER)* The operating pattern suggested here is only a generic pattern. It does not reflect the operating practices of any one railroad.

[This message has been edited by Challenger (edited 01-30-2003).]

Posted by ocalicreek (Member # 2177) on :

If you're willing to move your time period forward, even occasionally, one interesting operation you could model would be the Tropicana Juice train. This ran from Florida up the coast on ACL...(I think) and was handled by RF&P the rest of the way into Jersey...(again, I think). There's a good video on this operation in Florida, and at least one good article in either Trains or Railfan&Railroad describing operations. It's an at least daily occurrance of big orange reefers up and down the coast.

For loco power, GE U-boats, or even modern CSX comfort cab units, again depending on your time period flexibility.

As for the Florida citrus operations, try to find a good resource text. Should be some good loco pics in there that would generate ideas.

Not sure when Seaboard or ACL discontinued passenger service, but I know they had some beautiful streamlined E unit diesels in colorful paint schemes. I think Atlas may have come out with some smooth running (of course) models of these locos 5-6 years ago. A train show may be the only place to find them anymore, or ebay.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it's going.

ocalicreek