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  1. J

    Locomotives Ringing Bell While Traveling Though a Grade Crossing

    In Illinois it's state law covered in the vehicle code: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh%2E+18C+Sub%2Dch%2E+7&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&SeqStart=187600000&SeqEnd=190100000
  2. J

    Plywood + Foam, just plywood, or just foam?

    I have foam over plywood. The terrain I model (South Central Illinois) is pretty flat and the foam allows me an easy way to model the small variations in the ground. I opted for 1/2" plywood under the foam on the advice of a local friend who has an older layout all on plywood. I think he was...
  3. J

    What is happening to the Forums?

    I think the slowdown in traffic is just how we interact with each other evolving. Before the internet, people who shared like interests gathered at local clubs, maybe at their local hobby shop, gun shop, performance car parts dealership, race track, etc. and read print magazines. Then the...
  4. J

    Scratchbuilding WT51 Water Tender

    I'd look on ebay or at a train show for an old tender about the right length and use that as the frame. If you get a styrene one you can cut it down to the right length and truck spacing. Jeff White Alma, IL
  5. J

    Passenger v Freight?

    Centralia, IL. Town was laid out by the IC in the 1850s. In the year I model (1955) it was home to an IC Division Point roundhouse and locomotive shop, had a large freight car shop where they built cars for their own use and for other railroads. The IC had a double track mainline running...
  6. J

    Passenger v Freight?

    Thanks Doug, I was able to find more info on the M&I there. I also found a link that led me to some photos of their only passenger equipment (a motorcar and trailer) and a head on wreck between an M&I stem loco and an IC steam loco that had to have occurred in Centralia on the couple miles of...
  7. J

    Passenger v Freight?

    Thanks for the info Doug. The M&I (along with the MOPAC) are long gone. In fact of the 4 roads I model in Centralia in 1955, none of them exist today. The IC which is the main focus of my layout is now the CN. The CB&Q is now BNSF and the Southern is now Norfolk Southern. All passenger...
  8. J

    Passenger v Freight?

    Don't forget the head end traffic that paid for the name trains that usually didn't carry it. Besides mail, there were express reefers and boxcars. Many trains might have only had one or two coaches but 15 or more cars full of high speed freight of some type. The IC and the PRR interchanged a...
  9. J

    Passenger v Freight?

    I model the IC from Centralia, IL to Effingham, IL in 1955 so passenger operations are a big part of my layout. Four railroads operated in Centralia in that era. In addition to the IC passenger traffic, the CB&Q served Centralia with a gas electric in that era. The Missouri and Illinois had...
  10. J

    Does anyone use Krylon dulling spray (instead of Dull-Cote)?

    It was a light coat to seal the minimal weathering. It didn't react to any other paint that way, but it hates whatever silver paint Red Caboose used on that car.
  11. J

    Wooden Box cars on a 1959 railroad

    The IC ran single sheath wood boxcars into the 1970s. There were a lot of wood sided cars still in service on various railroads in 1959. A little research should be able to match up your cars with a railroad that was still running them.
  12. J

    Does anyone use Krylon dulling spray (instead of Dull-Cote)?

    Test it on sprue or some other scrap first. I used Krylon with good effect on cars I painted and on factory decorated cars that I weathered. Then I used it on a Red Caboose tank car that was factory painted in a silver color. It crazed the paint and ruined the car. It's not compatible with...
  13. J

    Just for Fun - Facts in Five

    This is what the book says about the Cotton Belt: Cotton Belt freight heading west into St Louis would have been moved by the TRRA. Looking at the map, the Cotton Belt passenger trains would have taken the McKinley bridge from Valley Junction into Union Station.
  14. J

    Just for Fun - Facts in Five

    The Terminal Railroad Association of St Louis TRRA was formed by the B&O, CB&Q, Rock Island, Big Four (NYC), GM&O, IC, L&N, MKT, MP, Pennsylvania, SL-SF (Frisco), St Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt), Southern and Wabash. It had connections to all railroads into St Louis on both sides to the...
  15. J

    Just for Fun - Facts in Five

    According to Trackside Around St Louis 1952-1959 with Jim Ozment Nickle Plate trains 9 and 10 ran via Bridge Junction and the TRRA Venice Line to Relay Junction and then across the Eads Bridge into St Louis.
  16. J

    Baggage cars on short Amtrak routes

    No I don't think they are being moved for storage or scrap. They are running in both directions. Been in Kansas visiting my son who is home on leave from Korea. I'll try and shoot some pictures later this afternoon when the Northbound goes past. (Just missed the Southbound, didn't hear it...
  17. J

    Baggage cars on short Amtrak routes

    I live on the old IC (now CN) mainline in Southern Illinois. Tracks are 100 yards from my front door. The City of New Orleans and a couple runs (The Saluki and another) from Chicago to Carbondale, IL where Southern Illinois University is located go past the house daily. In the past week or so...
  18. J

    Horse Shoe Curve - Blah

    I live on the old IC (now CN) mainline. Traffic is down from usual but I'm still getting 25 trains or so a day. One thing I've noticed is that the Amtrak Chicago to Carbondale IL trains are now running 3 old streamlined baggage cars ahead of their usual 3 to 4 coaches. Makes me wonder what...
  19. J

    Cornerstone Cattle Pens - What Color to Paint?

    I would weather it to look like bare wood that had been out in the weather. A nice gray/silver color. There are several techniques out there that work pretty well on styrene. I use this one with good results: http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/rough_weathered_plastic/
  20. J

    Hobos?

    Apparently they are still out there: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3026064/Photographer-Kevin-Rus-train-hops-American-Southwest-iPhone.html




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