JDLX, Thanks for the info. I know that the geographical location of the line determines the type of equipment run. You give a very good account as to the whys and howcomes. Is there a website that would show the flangers in operation and also is there a site where I could find a steam tender that has been converted to a plow somewhere? I know I am not the only one who would like to see this. On the aside I have seen pictures of derailments that were caused by no more than an inch or two of snow on top of Ice. Is that common? How does the real world combat that problem?
John, As for weight an plow blade movement. I done away with that junk rubber band drive an fitted a F-7/ 9 powered unit frame to the body of the snow plow, an took the gearing out of the trucks an ran bearings an shaft work to the blade rotor shaft that the motor spins, an uses the electrical pick ups factory to the powered F unit frame. Then with the weight of that powered unit frame, an the motor not a real big difference but makes the blades work none the less, an with a powered unit pushing it, propells the pluw unit, while the motor in the plow only spins the blades, BUT you could make it so that you have a motor strong enough to power the wheels of the plow, and the blades, an run a powered unit coupled behind the plow. an even run some dummie units in that as well being they ran the plows with multiple units pushing in most cases. HTH
John, There is an artical in an old MR that shows how to hook up a motor to your rotary plow and power it off the tracks. (no rubber bands) also if you go to www.donross.railspot.com go to the Milwaukee Road section and you will find a picture of a steam tender plow and MR march 2001 has plans for a steam tender flanger. hope this helps
Andy, I went an designed my own way an all. Works great! Just with the old frame to it wasn't enough to weight it an with an old F unit powered frame, worked great for weight an already had the trucks, so all I had to do was pull the gearing from the trucks just to have the motor power the blades, BUT you could leave the gearing just to have it able to be self propelled. IF strong enough, it can be used with dummie loco's an look prototypical. But I made the one I made to just power the blades, not be self propelled.
Yea John, I guess it would be better with the F unit weight. I may just look into this myself!! The only thing in the MR artical was that the blade would turn at the same speed all the time no matter if the engine was moving or not. The MR issue is Jan. 1981, the circutry is hidden in a steam tender behind the plow.
Andy, Like the snow plow I done, add a microswitch under the frame, make it come though the frame at some location like right in front or right behind the fuel tank an make it so that the switch turns off the power to the motor, (If done right this can be also used to turn off the power to the motor only) so that the lights still work in its travels, OR that it kills all the power to the unit. THE ONLY way you can do this! IF you choose to make the motor power the wheels of the trucks, you can't do this as it will lock up the trucks so that its hard to pull, see?
John, Think I will build it to just run the blade and push it around with an engine. But I do see what you are saying in your last post!!
On the sub album on page three of my album I have loaded some photos of a portion of my small M of W fleet in N scale. Some are based on SP&S equipment. Have somewhere around 60 M of W cars on the roster now. Album is under John Moore
Andy, Yes I did it that way so that I wouldn't run into problem in using it at diiferent times. So.... But your thoughts on using the motor only to power the blades makes the unit even more prototypical as a real one! being thats how the real ones worked the motor or steam engine inside, was only to power the blades! NOT the weels till they went to dieselizing the units then they made the unit that it had a "yard creeper" traction, so it could move around a yard under its own power. BUT not power it when the "business end" was in use, see? John, Looks GREAT! thats a decent fleet you have going there!
Now all I have to do is figure out if I want it steam or diesel!! From the plans I have I can mount the motor in it's original frame. If I keep it steam I just have to repaint and decal it. If I go diesel I have to erase the steam parts and add some grill work. With the era I am modeling it could go either way!
Well I think I'm going to go diesel. This way I can run it with my few steam engines and still be able to use it if I decide to get some newer diesels.
I have the following in N scale: 2 rotary snow plows 1 SP Jordan spreader 1 Russell snow plow 1 120 ton Brownhoist Crane & tender 1 250 ton Industrial crane and tender 2 water cars 2 boxcars/tool cars 3 85' Mof W outfit cars 2 ballast cars 1 crew car 1 heavy equipment car 3 tie gondolas & crane 3 flat cars 1 flat car with office trailer on it 1 flat car with panel track 2 diesel fuel cars As you can see I love M of W stuff. All is in GN,NP,BN,SP&S paint. Bill
Sorry to dig up a really old post, but I stumbled across it on a search engine, and this was exactly the kind of thing that I was interested in. I am another MW fanatic, and I have about as much MoW as rolling stock on my small roster. I model NS, CSX, and a pair of GA shortlines. I'm fortunate in that the shortlines have about a dozen fallen flags in original paint, and an enormous amount of surplus MW junk that they aquired at CSX auctions! I also have a huge selection of pictures including most MW operations. And what I'm most proud of is a complete set of NS and CSX tie gangs. So if any of you need anything specific for modeling, feel free to email me... I don't have a lot of time to model right now, but one day I hope to do an entire CSX tie gang. I caught one coming into town on 89' flats, with a Kershaw ramp car at the end. I figured that this would be the perfect way to model them, and be able to move them around the layout. Now I guess the only problem I have is the cost of it all. Those are a lot of brass kits, and a bunch of scratchbuilding! But I may plug at for long enough it and eventually get it...
Hello, I've wanted a MOW train for awhile now and haven't came up with anything. I've been looking for modern equip. as I'm modeling todays era in N-scale. I also seen atrain go through town here and really cought my att. ! It was just one locomotive( GP-38 or 40 couldn't tell for sure but it was a 4 axle), I think about 5 or 6 tank cars all hooked together with hoses running from hatch to hatch on top and lines running down the lenght of the train and a white boxcar of some kind on the rear of the train. I' sure it had to be some kind of a weed killer train as it was spraying the ground along both sides of the track, from what I could see. It was a really neat looking train and eversince I seen it I've wanted to build one I just never have done anything with it yet. Happy Rails, Rick
M of Way Equipment I have created two pieces for my 1:20.3 scale garden railroad (equipment this year layout next year). One is a snowplow using a Bachmann 1:22 flatcar and Aristocraft snow plow. There is a small battery in the box area on the flatcar and a led in the headlight (made from an electrical connector and piece of wire to hold the light socket to the plow). There is enough weight to keep the unit on the tracks when fighting 1-2 in. of snow. The Bachmann 45 tonner is battery powered using Locolinc and Soundlink. The other piece of equipment is a track sweeper. This used an Aristocraft track cleaner car with a battery driven motor and sweeper brush (runs in reverse). To add some motion I installed two blinking red leds in the roof and tun them off the same battery (7.2V 2500mAh). Works great at keeping leaves off the track.
