Atlas 3-bays The Atlas 3-bay hoppers are too big. The Grande 3-bays were only 70 tonners and were shorter in length. However, they will do as stand-ins if really needed.
Sure looks like a 70-tonner to me. I'll have to get my book out later. I could swear there were some larger triples in the roster. When'd you catch this one, Tony?
A couple of years ago sitting with the flangers at Roseville. As you can see from the stencils, it was in MOW service. Anyone know where Pleasanton is? There is one quarry near San Francisco owned by Graniterock quarries, along the SP...
Pleasanton was a short, 60 car siding to serve a quarry (limestone??) for the CF&I mill in Pueblo. It was located between Cotopaxi and Vallie about MP 196 and 20 miles east of Salida.
Mike, I think we need to give you a nickname something to the effect of, "Trainboard's Offical D&RGW Encyclopedia". A very detailed description, the only things missing are pics!
Now I wouldn't go that far! There are people that know more than me. But thanks for the compliment. Sorry no pics, I suppose there has to be some somewhere on the internet.
Rod here's some more info: At one time, 1978-mid 80's the #787/788 was the longest haul unit train in the US. It ran from Cameo Mine(east of Grand Jct) to Daniel, MS. in 100 car trains and used new black DEGX cars (as can be seen in the photos). Initially the loads ran as two 50 cars trains from GJ to Pueblo and interchanged with the MOP there. Then they ran full length trains to Minturn where they were split and reassembled at Kobe. Then for a while, they ran the full monster train (for that time period) as one train. Out of Minturn it ran with the head 5 units then 10 midtrain and 3 on the rear. Yes 18 units!! (Remeber this was before the big influx of tunnel motors, so most trains ran with anything from GP30-40's and SD45's with most of the Minturn helpers also being GP's at that time.) Lastly they reverted back to splitting the train at Minturn and reassembling at Kobe. Once more tunnel motors and the MOP SD40's came online the more typical 3-4 on the head end and 6 midtrain were used. Originally there was 3 train sets of 100 cars each and eventually 8 or 10 105-110 cars each in the 90's. Not sure why there is no info after the DRGW/SP merger as we still ran them. Train symbol was EYMSC/MSEYC off the Craig branch, but can't remember the Grand Jct symbols. Early 90's saw the alunimum cars show up. I remember this train as the brakes weren't very good and we put 8 cars on the ground in Byers canyon in 95 due to an remote (DPU) mishap.
This is a perfect place to ask about D&RGW-originated coal trains.. I am researching trains that ran over the Moffat, and am wondering what cars are currently available in N scale (undec or otherwise) that would be close or correct for certain trains? So far, we have CSUX, PSCX, NORX, Blue-end D&RGW gons, quads, Kaiser Coal Liners, (DEGX planned?). Any I missed? I'll quote some Carrtracks site info below: If the car reporting marks are not listed, is it understood that the cars were D&RGW cars? Are Atlas Coalveyors reasonable stand-ins for any of these? Bethgons? 707 from ATSF train 4425 at Pueblo to Colowyo Axial mine with 105 empty cars marked CCTX, PLMX, and OPSX. (what kind of cars were these?) 713 from MP train CUO at Pueblo to Empire mine with 73 empty UCEX and AMAX cars. (is this car correct? http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1487/UCEX80455.jpg) 715 from BN at Denver to P&M Coal Edna mine at Oakridge, CO with 60 DRGW rotary gondolas. (are these the blue-end cars Athearn did?) 725 from ATSF train 4476 at Pueblo to HG Coal at Hayden, CO with 73 empty cars marked SSIX and IPSX. 737 from BN train U57 at Denver to Price River Coal at Castle Gate, UT with 100 empty cars marked AEPX. (is this train Moffat-routed?) 757 from UP at Denver to Westmoreland Coal at Converse, CO with 100 cars. (is this train Moffat-routed?) There's loads of trains listed on http://www.carrtracks.com/drgw.htm; I have mentioned a small portion, and only a few that seem to be Moffat-routed.
OOps! Likely no change, so the info was not listed. See the blue text below.... As for your question, I'll quote the Cartracks site: The following history of D&RGW coal train symbols covers the train symbols used from the 1980 through 1991. This list is divided into sections showing the coal train symbols in use at that time. For the 1984 and 1989 update sections, only symbols that changed are listed. Sometimes these changes are minor, such as an increase in the total number of cars for the train. If there were no changes then the symbol is not listed in the 1984 and 1989 update sections. If a symbol was deleted then it will be shown as no longer in use. The last section covers the change from D&RGW numbered coal train symbols to Southern Pacific five letter symbols.
D&RGW unit coal trains Hi all, Below is a database I am working on. Most of this information was obtained from CarrTracks Home Page Thanks John!!! Please let me know of any corrections or additional information. Thanks.
Research doesn't get much better than that! Thanks, Rod! Now, for correct cars to go with most of those trains.....
Hi everyone, it's been ages since I last came here... As I find RD-4 hoppers from FVM nice to have, I was wondering which reporting marks can be seen on the Moffat Route? Thanks for your help.
Hello, you Grande guys,I wonder whether a circa 1950 Cajon Pass modeler could get a little help here...Back in the day before unit trains, Sunnyside, Utah coal bound for Kaiser Steel in Fontana used to move mostly in composite and steel gons, mostly UP, D&RGW and Utah Coal Route. I also have pics of D&RGW cross hoppers and ballast hoppers in this service. They would come west via D&RGW, UP, and be handed over to the Santa Fe in Barstow, and then head over Cajon, down the 3% grade in cuts of 10 to 20 cars. These trains were limited to so many tons per operative brake and so other cars, often empty reefers bound for California loading, had to be in the train to provide adequate braking power (dynamic brakes of the era were still in their infancy).So my question to you Grande experts is, what D&RGW gondola and hopper classes would be appropriate and what models are available in N Scale? I have a few Atlas ballast hoppers and a bunch of IM composite gons. The Trainworxx gons, while beautiful are probably too new...What other cars would be appropriate? Photos from the era show a variety of car types.Any help would be appreciated.Thanks, Otto K.
Tunnel Motor, I don't have current data for what reporting marks using D-4s travel over the Moffat, but CSUX used to. Remember the Ortner 5-bays assigned to Colorado Springs Dept of Public Utilities? CSUX is their reporting marks. Here's a CSUX car I snagged in Cheyenne, WY, I think it's an RD-4:
Hemi, The CSUX car shown in the photo is an Autoflood II. The key "60mph" difference between these and the RD-4's is the smooth side on the Autoflood II versus the vertical ribs on the RD-4's. So, RD-4's won't really even work as a stand-in for these. I suppose you might be able to laminate an overlay (possibly sides from the LBF Aeroflow, although that would probably be pricey) onto the RD-4 but even then it's a complete foobie. Exactrail did these in HO, so maybe we'll see them in N soon?
