MOdeling the CB&Q/BN/BNSF in and around Chicago in N Scale

Hi all,

The last few years I have re-entered myself into the hobby of model railroading (N Scale). My intention is to build a couple of NTrak modules that will incorporate into a future layout that depicts the CB&Q/BN/BNSF triple track "racetrack" from Chicago to Aurora and beyond.

I'm not restricting myself to any particular era, but I want to collect appropriate engines and rolling stock from CB&Q steam to Burlington, BN and BNSF diesel equipment. The question is -- what engines are important to collect that best represent the different eras of what ran on this stretch of rail?

As as passenger service, I think Burlington and BN EMD E- and F-units are what to look for, along with a Chicago Metra F40PH if I can find one. I know that COnCor makes the bi-level commuter passenger cars in both Burlington and Metra. And as far as steam, well, unfortunately I believe my options are somewhat limited - I've got a Burlington 4-4-0 American, 2-8-2 Mikado, 4-6-2 Pacific, 4-6-4 Hudson and 4-8-4 Northern. Anything else I should get and will be able to?

The real question is in the freight diesel era in all 3 roadnames. With probably 100 different models out there, which ran (or currently run) on this line and which are the most common/important to collect?

Thanks for any and all help.
Bob

 

At one point the NP's NCL and GN's Empire Builder ran into Chicago as one combined train, hauled by CBQ E units. I would model one of those trains, plus one of the Q's own stainless passenger trains (to represent all the other passenger trains) to cover that period.

Freight F units should cover your freight trains for that era, they also had GP7's and GP9's, so they would be possibilities too.

Later, in to the 60's the Q bought SD24's, GP20's, 30's, 35's and 40's in the new red & grey scheme, which is pretty cool by most folk's standards

Jumping up to the 70's, the newly formed BN was at first buying and running F45's and SD45's on it's long distance trains, and after the first couple of years of the 70's the SD40-2 started to appear as well (the SD40-2 would come to dominate BN's motive power.) In this era the U30C was a common unit on coal trains, along with the new SD40-2's. C30-7's also got added to the coal train pool in the 70's too.

In the 80's BN got GP50's and GE B30-7AB "B units", and later took on the LMX B40-8's and Oakway SD60's (mostly working coal tains with the SD40-2's and C30-7's to start with) into the fleets. The GP50's and a few other units got "tiger stripe" orange and black noses during this time, but they had turned into whitefaces by the end of the 90's.

The late 80's and early 90's see BN adding SD60M's to the coal train fleet, then the mid 90's sees SD70MACs start taking over these duties. The "whiteface" scheme appeared during this time as well, and the 70Macs arrived in the dark green & cream scheme.

For the present day, a BNSF manifest or intermodal is most likely to have dash-9's or SD40-2's as it's power, whilst the coal trains are likely to be behind SD70MAC's.

This is all rough generalisation, as the BN and the BNSF have lots of other loco types which could and likely do show up on this line, stay away from BN's Alco's though, they tended to be stuck in the North West.

Hope that helps.

[ 07. November 2002, 09:51: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]

 

<font color="336633">thats the unit that I most assiociate with the BN, well them and worn out old F units....... </font>