Recent content by cv_acr

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  1. cv_acr

    Some ho modelers being too rigid

    The layouts I run on are all based on particular prototypes in particular eras, so they run with appropriate locomotives and rolling stock. But occasionally we have a "run what you bring" (in terms of locomotives, we still run the same ops) session, where all kinds of crazy stuff can and does...
  2. cv_acr

    Staging - is it really necessary?

    Are you actually "operating" the layout with realistic switching and train ops, or just "railfanning" moving trains? Staging does two things: 1 provides storage/parking space for trains that aren't "on the layout" 2 represents connections to the rest of the world "beyond the basement" If you...
  3. cv_acr

    Oh boy, I'm going to be in trouble now......

    100% you have an SDP40 model and mismatched instruction sheet papers for two other models.
  4. cv_acr

    Oh boy, I'm going to be in trouble now......

    Nope, the Dominion CENTRAL is someone's fictional railroad and colour scheme. Dominion ATLANTIC was a real railway in the Canadian Maritimes that was absorbed by Canadian Pacific and operated as a division of CP. Atlantic Central is also a non existent name, although there was a Canada...
  5. cv_acr

    Thoughts on proto 1000 and 2000 locomotives? Good, bad or just ok!

    You certainly don't "need" to do anything just because the crowd does it. I will say that DCC allows much better control of sound and lighting functions, so if sound/lights are what you're into, DCC might be good even on a small layout. I'm not sure what you mean about the "hands on" part...
  6. cv_acr

    Who Needs a MRR Anymore, When:

    I would disagree with you there and say the point is to BUILD and RUN trains. If all I want is to watch then yeah, I suppose I could just browse videos. But there's also something different about watching things "live"...
  7. cv_acr

    Alternate mast position searchlight heads

    "A" plates are (only) used at passing sidings in ABS (APB). Single head signals in general are far from rare. They show up everywhere as intermediate signals between control points in CTC or in ABS. Double head intermediates are only needed on the approach to interlockings or control points...
  8. cv_acr

    The mystery of "Gauge"

    There's a ton of O Gauge models that aren't remotely to any actual scale, and are virtually disqualified from being considered "O scale".
  9. cv_acr

    Covered Grain Hoppers

    For grains coming from Canada, this 4-bay cylindrical design was the common car: These are 4550 cuft and were built by several Canadian builders.
  10. cv_acr

    Covered Grain Hoppers

    In the 1980s the quintessential grain car was the Pullman-Standard 4750 cuft and AC&F 4600/4650 ACF 4600 (4650 is similar just slightly different dimensions): PS 4750: Some older smaller capacity cars in the 4000-4700 cuft range were also still common in service through your period.
  11. cv_acr

    Covered Grain Hoppers

    vs. a standard gravity discharge outlet, where the hopper just dumps straight into a put below the rails. The mechanism allows the "door" to slide out of the way and the material falls out.
  12. cv_acr

    Covered Grain Hoppers

    This is the discharge connection for a pneumatic hopper. The cap is removed from this connection and a vacuum hose connected to suck out the product. The product is not simply dumped out, it must be sucked out.
  13. cv_acr

    Covered Grain Hoppers

    Size, discharge outlets, loading hatches. Covered hoppers are specialized cars and come in a variety of sizes and discharge hardware. Grain cars tend to be 4000-5500 cubic foot (size increasing over time, new hoppers being built today are just over 5400 cuft and 110T capacity) with standard...
  14. cv_acr

    Anyone Familiar with the Vermont Rail System?

    This is a car I shot a couple years ago. The placard 3475 indicates gasoline/ethanol mixture. This is a modern (2015+ build) car representative of what is in service today and very clearly has bottom operating valves. https://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?o=gbrx&i=gbrx703618_2
  15. cv_acr

    Anyone Familiar with the Vermont Rail System?

    Untrue. Bottom operating values are entirely routine on general-service design tanks. (Gasoline, diesel, ethanol, and other oils would be shipped in such.) Compressed gas cars (propane, chlorine, etc.) obviously would not have bottom outlets. Most acid service cars do not have bottom operating...
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