Michael, Yes they are great models and run very smoothe. I always thought that without a MoPac coal train on the layout my Sd40-2's were unjustified lol now I can run them as they did prototypically.
Or you could remove the dynamics and be just fine, too. {This message sponsored by the Prototype Practices Police Patrol.}
47 as of now. To improve the loads I take the plastic insert piece and invert it, then build a "mound" shape inside it out o foam putty or lightweight spackle. Paint the "hump" black, paint on some thinned glue and sprinkle with crushed (real) coal for that proto-appearance. Makes a big difference to my eye.
I am working on a Babyface DR4-4-15. The only problem comes from those pesky three extra feet for the MoPac version.
Maybe some dark grey foam off cuts from Clarke Rubber, Paul? Shape and spray semi-gloss black, or dye black. You could pretty well have an infinite variation in loads.
I know, the wrong thread for these photos, but the coal loads are easy to make! A couple of cents each, tops, including paint! A good TV show, a razor blade, and a chunk of foam and viola! They can be made nearly any shape, and size.. Many thanks to Big T & N Model RR Club of Loveland/Longmont (?) CO! http://www.railimages.com/gallery/album125 has all the photos, and a preview here:
Not exactly MoPac, but... The Ziegler Coal Company in Illinois generated unit train traffic for MP. The gondola is a repaint from the set Hemi just showed us.
I am starting on an SD40 project. Its going to be a up to MP jenks. Anyone have some suggestions on how to make numberboards? Also, is anyone interested in some more Trainworx hoppers? I have some I would be willing to let go of to fellow MOPAC modelers for very reasonable price. Please contact me off list if you are interested. Thanks, Michael
I've been pretty satisfied with using PowerPoint to create numberboards. I use a white Arial 6 point type with a black background. Much easier to keep the numbers aligned this way!
Here's a heavily used International-Great Northern 1937 AAR Steel Boxcar: P.S. Would this've been something seen at a lime plant?
Excellent weathering Matthew however I'm sure MoPac never ran such fitlhy boxcars unlike other railroads I could mention
Then how do I remove it (paint is acryllic and enamel)? Might one of those railroads be the other one shown in the picture?
Matt; Slow down, it looks fine. I have seen Missouri Pacific equipment so dirty that you couldn't see the buzzsaw. Keep on Modeling MoPac MOPHEAD
Eagle2 - love the ZCCX gon. Maybe Athearn will do it along with a long overdue rerun of the GSCX "Consol" gons. Matt, here's an idea: smear some of the weathering off of the roadnumber as if a scale yardhand or brakeman tried to clear it for better viewing. ~Tim
