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A Tour Of - 'Colonels Crossing & Benson'

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Posted: 17 Jul 2014 06:14 am

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161^st Post

Si.archived
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Hi Peter

Top notch as usual !

Esp. love the low-angles, with your super-real concrete-seams !

Nice pickup !

All the best.

Cheers

Si.

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Posted: 18 Dec 2014 10:46 am

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162^nd Post

Broadoak
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It has been a while since I last posted any pictures so here are some recent ones I have taken of a few operating sessions.

Interstate & Western High hood GP7 #7 is seen arriving at Benson and passing Arkansas Feeds mill with a Hubinger black tank car. She spots the car in the east yard, then makes her way to the Trisco Flour Mill to pick up some loaded box cars.
An Athearn blue box model with a few added details.

Not the prettiest locomotive maybe, but I find them very attractive in a no nonsense workman like way.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 19 Dec 2014 04:47 am

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163^rd Post

Broadoak
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The Santa Fe GP50 #3814 I won in an NMRA raffle and although it is not a road I had any particular interest in, I must admit it grew on me. So I bought some detailing parts to finish it off. To justify its appearances on the layout it is assumed it was working off horsepower hours.
The three shots show her with an incoming grain train at Benson.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 19 Dec 2014 05:56 am

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164^th Post

Broadoak
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The GP38-2 #2375 in Kodachrome colours I bought second hand and although rather bright I like it.
Because so many locomotives were painted in the colours of a merger that never happened someone suggested SPSF meant “shouldn't paint so fast”.
Here we see her working in the west yard at Benson.

Peter M

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Posted: 21 Dec 2014 05:53 am

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165^th Post

Broadoak
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It is probably not generally known but the Rock Island Railroad virtually invented the road switcher with the Alco RS1. It is a concept that today dominates the industry.
It began simply enough with a request to Alco for a 1000 hp switcher on a lengthened frame with road trucks and room for a short hood behind the cab. The engine end being considered the front, as per switcher practice.
The first unit called an RS1 for road/switch 1, was delivered in March 1941, followed before the outbreak of war (for America) by three more.
The original four were requisitioned by the War Department for urgent use overseas.
My version is lettered for the Talbot Valley Rail Road and is an Atlas model.

She is seen shuffling cars around the yards at Benson.

Peter M

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Posted: 21 Dec 2014 11:01 pm

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166^th Post

dwyaneward
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great looking loco's, Peter :2t:

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Posted: 22 Dec 2014 08:05 am

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167^th Post

Broadoak
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Thanks Dwyane, Alco locos are very popular over here.

Regards Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 23 Dec 2014 05:20 am

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168^th Post

Broadoak
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The next locomotive featured is a bit like Marmite I think, you either love it or hate it.
So we have what is not the most attractive locomotive it must be said wearing one of the prettiest colour schemes.
The BL2 was a strange beast and when the Rock originally purchased them they were without steam generators. These were installed and the locos used in Chicago suburban service until 1953 when sufficient GP7's were available to take that over.
In the condition that the model is in, without the boiler installation they worked in the Cedar Rapids division on freight.
The BL stood for branch line and due to the lightly built frames could not be used in lash ups.
I must admit I find them rather attractive but I'm not sure why really.

The model an early Life Like example was always popular in my exhibition days in the early 1990's because people had heard of the Rock Island Line.

Here is a selection of pictures RI BL2 #429 shuffling cars around Benson.

It is odd but after taking the photos this loco has started making ominous clonking sounds which apparently is caused by the gear train breaking up. I'm told this model has a reputation for suffering with this fault, I suppose I'm lucky the problem has only just arisen.
I have solved it by replacing the trucks with some Athearn ones I had in stock, that are practically identical.
It now runs better than it has ever before.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 25 Dec 2014 05:09 am

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169^th Post

Broadoak
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A selection of pictures showing a Life like Rock Island SW9 #775 and the BL2 #429 making a welcome return to Benson.
The original Life Like trucks fitted the Athearn side frames perfectly as I suspected they might.

Life Like really did copy an awful lot from Athearn it would seem.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 31 Dec 2014 09:59 am

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170^th Post

Broadoak
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Southern Pacific #3897 is an EMD SD7. These handsome locomotives are known by the crews as Cadillacs because they are so comfortable. She was used on the exhibition layout to haul ore trains, nowadays she is used on general transfer work.
The model is an Athearn blue box model with an ocver scale width hood and growls most realistically, it always has from new. Despite being rather noisy she still runs smoothly and slowly.
I must admit I rather like the profile of these machines and find them most attractive.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 1 Jan 2015 04:56 am

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171^st Post

Broadoak
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SP SD45 #8803 is another locomotive that could be found on ore trains on Colonel's Crossing in its exhibition days. Now she is used to transfer freight trains from The I&W to the southern Pacific main line. These massive machines were fitted with a 20 cylinder diesel engine.
The model is another Athearn blue box model with a few added details and weathered to look well used.

Peter M

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Posted: 1 Jan 2015 12:35 pm

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172^nd Post

W C Greene
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Really nice detailing, those older Athearn locos are still the best! Thanks for keeping us informed and we can always use more photos.

Woodie

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Posted: 1 Jan 2015 01:32 pm

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173^rd Post

Broadoak
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Thanks Woody, I have some more pictures in the pipeline.
I like the old Blue box Athearns, much more robust than the current stuff, less expensive too.

Happy New Year All

Regards Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 9 Jan 2015 11:18 am

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174^th Post

Broadoak
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A Great Northern EMD GP30 #3016 still wearing a coat of Omaha orange and Pullman green, and looking very pretty to my eye arrives at Benson with a small train. I know the GP30 shape is not attractive to all but I rather like their Humpty Dumpty appearance. On March 2 1970 GN became part of the Burlington Northern the result of a merger with Burlington, Northern Pacific, and Spokane, Portland and Seattle. Many locomotives still carried the old livery until they went into the shops later and emerged wearing a coat of Cascade green and black.

Peter M

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Posted: 9 Jan 2015 11:22 am

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175^th Post

Broadoak
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#3016 spots the empty pulpwood flats in the loop and uncouples the GM&O covered hopper which it propels to the Farmers Co-op elevator in the east yard. It removes an empty Cotton Belt hopper and waits in the yard for the yard goat an GN SW7 #145 to pick up the empty flats and propel them to the pulpwood loading track.
While the flats are being loaded the GP30 runs to the west yard and collects an empty Burlington covered hopper from the Continental Grain Elevator.

Peter M

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Peter M

Posted: 9 Jan 2015 11:25 am

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176^th Post

Broadoak
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When the flats are loaded the SW7 switcher pulls the cut back into the main loop and uncouples. The GP30 backs onto the pulpwood cars with the two outbound covered hoppers and departs for Hope.

Peter M

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Posted: 9 Jan 2015 11:27 am

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177^th Post

Broadoak
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Here is an example of a BN SW1500 #307 wearing the cascade green and black, probably more practical but not so attractive as the old GN colours. She is seen arriving at Benson with a minimal train in tow.
An Athearn blue box job with added details and work stained.