Sandro- very tempting, some great work there, I am a big fan of your white Soo line SD's. Fortunately for my bank account, my expansion of the layout plans are to expand the port and do away with the north end, meaning I will be running more or less a pair of locos on my layout- my CP GP38-2's: my layout is becoming even more of a pure switching layout if that happens! My best, Jan
Jan, Maybe you should consider a GP30C-ECO. They are starting to replace the GP38s with these beauties... A little kitbashing with some GP60 dynamics and a couple extra cab windows and viola!
Karl, If only I could combine your skill....and ambition...to me!!!! Nice loco, you thinking about giving it a go?
Thanks Jan! I might try it later this year, but I'd probably do the SD30C-ECO (the 6 axle version) first. I have zero need for it, but I think it would be a fun project.
I have begun work on another small module, this one representing Pier 78 at the Port of Philadelphia. This pier has tracks on both sides of the building between the ship berth and the loading doors on the building, so the rails are right up against the sea wall. The real thing can hold upwards of 13 or more boxcars per side and upwards of 13 truck bays on the front of the building. I have had to shorten the building so that it will handle 6 or 7 boxcars per side, but can still handle roughly 13 trailers on the front. I am constructing it out of "FOR RENT" signs (.97 each!) and have cut out the loading doors and glued in strips of .060 x .080 styrene to create the door setbacks. I am playing around with using a photo superimposed on styrene sheet with additions for the front and rear of the building, a Lance Mindheim concept. More on that later on. Here is a photo of the building sides so far: The top side shows the outside while the bottom shows the inside with the support strip glued in. It will all be painted blue per the actual building.
NS intermodal drag westbound South of Albany, NY: One more NS intermodal drag with a SOO SD60 paying back hours:
Here is a straight-on side view of a similar unit (described as a GP20ECO): http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=130121 Not sure if this model is identical to the units in the picture or not, but the hood is indeed slightly higher than the cab. The snoot nose also adds to the effect. Nice to see this new burst of activity Jan - looking good! -Gary
Another couple of shots from last night while I was fooling around with some lighting at the Ameriport yard: my best, Jan
Empty Cement hoppers wait to be pulled back to Ameriport after being pulled from Railtrans: my best, Jan
Hi Karl, Just got back from 4-days in greater New Orleans, so I am catching up on posts here! I promise you that none of what I am working on is anywhere near as nice as the grain silos you have coming along on your modules, wow you have some nice work there! I am still working on a short pier wharehouse module for the port of philadelphia, although with my recent nearly constant travels (I was in Washington before that) I barely have time to even pull out the materials. I am acting on the plan to retire the northernmost modules and create more port of Philadelphia switching, and as always, using the lessons of mistakes on prior modules to make these better. So yes, more modules coming, but they may be awhile! Jan
That is one of the reasons I love building layouts in sections, you can grow and evolve, keeping the ones you like, adding new ones and upgrading all the while. The added switching should be fun!
CP switcher at the CP "office" at Ameriport. CP ops at Ameriport are the southernmost point on the D&H division. Only one GP38-2 is stationed there full time with one switch crew. A small, but busy operation!
