What would you do?

Run8Racing Apr 4, 2016

  1. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    Hello !!! Haven't been here for a while thanks to incompetent internet providers. First, I hope everyone had a great bunch of holidays !!! Second, wellll...I'm purchasing M/T's weathered MOW set. I have the other MOW sets, so I have no choice, ya' know ??? The set comes with no locomotive. My question is, " What Diesel's would you use to pull this train ???" I can usually figure this stuff out on my own, but I'm really stuck on this one !!!
    Talk to me, TB !!!
     
  2. steamghost

    steamghost TrainBoard Member

    814
    15
    20
    So we gotta ask:
    1) Which railroad [if not your own)?
    2) What time period are you modeling (if any?)
    3) Is the MOW train going to get any bigger?

    It can depend on what locos the proto road had and what you may have or can get. If you don't care or you are freelancing, then it will probably be something older than whatever time period you're modeling and probably something relatively small if the MOW train stays at about 5 cars. RRs would often be looking to use existing older power that wouldn't be used anymore for mainline trains. Prolly wouldn't be an F-unit, either; the power is more likely to need freight-type gearing in the real world and better vision all around. But somebody's gonna always do what they want even in the real world.

    I'd go for a first generation diesel (GP-7, SD7/9, RS-3) particularly for a small RR in any time period. A major RR in recent years would be more likely to have more modern stuff like maybe a GP-35 or SD-40.

    So maybe still too many choices(?) Even better (or worse), I've seen a Herzog tie replacement train along with ballast hoppers and related equipment all pulled by a hi-rail dump truck.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2016
  3. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

    13,396
    12,182
    183
    Depending on the amount of equipment and era maybe no more than a elderly SW or NW type or similar switcher. Maybe a pair of them if the consist is fairly heavy. Then again I have seen dozens of photos of M of W outfits parked on a siding for days and no power in sight. In some cases the power was cut loose and sent back to bring in supplies as needed for a long term job.
     
  4. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

    4,587
    16,153
    90
    And yet another choice! Around here on today's SF, oops, BNSF, they just use whatever power is handy. I saw a ballast train sitting, and working, with practically new GE's on it. A buddy was on the crew, and he said that it was very nice enjoying the new loco cab aroma's while doing a lot of sitting with occassional dumps and moves! Kinda like being in a new car!

    So, again, choices!
     
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,562
    22,735
    653
    Just about anything. Time period, specific railroad, etc, can influence your options.
     
  6. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    WOW !!! Now I KNOW I've been away too long !!! Forgot all the important stuff !!! I'm in the early to mid '70s. The train is the new M/T MOW heavyweights. The other M/T MOW sets just say "MOW". They are basically generic, ya' know ??? No plans on expanding the train ( unless M/T changes my mind !!!). An SW or NW wouldn't seem to be the choice for this. A pair of GP- or RS- somethings might be right. BTW, Metra has (or had) an F unit in MOW service. I saw it in New Lenox, IL a couple years ago. Prettiest locomotive they will ever own !!! Thanks for the kick to get my head back in the right direction !!!
     
  7. Kenneth L. Anthony

    Kenneth L. Anthony TrainBoard Member

    2,749
    524
    52
    sp_alice.jpg

    sp_hook.jpg
    Some photos of a Southern Pacific work train at Alice, Texas about 1980.
    I don't understand Run8's comment "No plans on expanding the train ( unless M/T changes my mind !!!)." However, I approach my interests from a prototype/operating point-of-view. I have little interest in any set AS offered by manufacturer. I think of almost all trains EXCEPT passenger consists as changing makeup every day/ every time they run. A work outfit might have some regularly assigned cars, but then with however many ballast cars, or rail cars or whatever are needed added, for a particular job. And from whatever manufacturer makes the kind of cars the prototype used.
    As I say, that's how I run. If one is collecting a "train set" as an example of a manufacturer's offering, that's a whole 'nuther thing.
     
  8. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

    2,310
    1,731
    53
    Any older diesel would work. Usually the oldest piece of junk diesel on the property was pressed into MofW service since nobody wanted to use it or run the MofW train. The worse the shape, the more likely it would be used.
     
  9. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

    13,396
    12,182
    183
    An interesting point brought up is the consists of M of W. The bridge and building gang would have one set of equipment particular to their job while the track gang would have another. Then back before the contractors and their side arm cats was the wreck train. Everything to service the big hook plus a wheel car, railcar and ties, ballast, and last the outfit cars plus an old diner. Add the old sleepers and diner, plus water car, when the various crews where going to be someplace remote for a few days to weeks. That wreck train got its power assignment from whatever was ready on the engine track that had the tractive effort to pull it.
     
  10. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

    2,879
    7,585
    71
    If those MOW heavyweights will need heat, then the loco should be equipped with a steam generator.
    Since your era is the early to mid '70s, maybe an old torpedo-tube GP-7/9 (displaced from passenger service duty by Amtrak) would be appropriate.

    For example, here's an old IC unit still around in the '70s:
    [​IMG]
    http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ic/ic-loco.html
     
  11. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    Point353, I was actually considering a pair of TT GP7/9s with SGs for this !!! I know where I can get a couple Undecs. Kenneth and John, I have all the M/T MOW sets. The heavyweights are the 4th one !!! There is a ballast set, a wreck set, and a track set. I run them all seperately and don't combine them (Because I said so. THAT'S why !!! Ha,ha,ha !!!). The other sets all have LL SW-9s, but something that small wouldn't be pulling heavyweights and providing heat. BTW, GF suggested I use my American Freedom Train GS-4 to pull it. She laughed hysterically as she was once again evicted from the train room !!!
     
  12. Jerry M. LaBoda

    Jerry M. LaBoda TrainBoard Supporter

    1,285
    59
    29
    Most passenger cars reassigned to MofW service would never have need of a steam generator since a road would make these cars as self-contained as possible. For heating there would be a couple of coal heaters (or oil, especially so if modeling a western road), one towards each end of the car's main compartments, that would be used to provide heat, with a smoke jack protruding through the roofs at these locations. No AC used either...
     
  13. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

    13,396
    12,182
    183
    All the wood cars I have seen that were converted to outfit cars always had stand alone heating units as Jerry noted and the old passenger cars the same. Some had propane heat. I have also seen window AC units installed in some. Plain old home window ACs. Most likely run off of generators but may have tapped into trackside power lines. It wasn't until the advent of the of the modular housing on flatcars that it became common though.

    One other car that would have been present on long term projects was the water car, maybe several. Old tank cars no longer in revenue use that had been cleaned and marked potable water. And a number of scrapped steamers had their tenders retained for that purpose, both to feed the steam big hooks and the kitchen car, or even a shower car. Some old tenders were mounted on flat cars and in some cases just the slope back portion of switcher tenders.

    When I modeled my M of W fleet I used several old tenders for that purpose. The one below was modeled off an SP&S car that ran with a steam crane.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2016
  14. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

    2,879
    7,585
    71
    Can you identify the location of a "smoke jack" on either the 'bunk' car or the 'foreman' car?

    [​IMG]
     
  15. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

    13,396
    12,182
    183
  16. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

    2,310
    1,731
    53
    To the railroad uneducated, the American Freedom Train could be mistaken for a M of W train...a bunch of different old passenger cars along with some flat cars with different 'vehicles' (concession stands) on them...so I am trying to see her point.

    Eviction (and possibly banishment) seems like the correct call.
     
  17. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

    1,018
    609
    29
    Point353, THAT is the exact set that I'm getting !!! I already have the other three sets.
    JMaurer1, she knew exactly what she was saying, which is why she chased out....AGAIN !!! Ha,ha,ha !!!
     
  18. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

    2,310
    1,731
    53
    Then it should either be elevated to banishment or worse...make her HELP when you are working on your trains.
     
  19. Jerry M. LaBoda

    Jerry M. LaBoda TrainBoard Supporter

    1,285
    59
    29
    Can't point out something that simply isn't there... after all this is a foobie run by MT and nothing more... not actually based on any protoype cars, just painted up gray so someone might buy it, slap some reporting mark initials on it and run with it. As John so graciously provided the prototype photo is what usually was done with these cars when heaters were installed... though you could probably get a few of those nice looking MT smoke jacks that are used on their cabs to dress the cars up a bit.
     

Share This Page