Most Wanted Items

EXISTING RESERVATIONS
(1) Atlas 50 002 152 N NSC 50' Plug Door Box Car GTW #598179
(1) Atlas 50 002 146 N NSC 50' Plug Door Box Car CN/CNIS 1980 #413023
(1) Atlas 50 002 091 N 17.6K Trinity (Corn Syrup) Tank Car Occidental/HOKX #112039
(1) Atlas 50 002 089 N 17.6K Trinity (Corn Syrup) Tank Car DOWX #72042
(1) Trainworx #23062-15 NACC PD3000 NAHX Block 80s-90s #93688
(1) Trainworx #23062-16 NACC PD3000 NAHX Block 80s-90s #93731
(1) Athearn ATH24881 N 57ft Mech Reefer ARMN (UP) #912998
(1) Athearn ATH24878 N 57ft Mech Reefer BNSF #799793
(1) Athearn ATH24870 N 57ft Mech Reefer BNFE (BN) #11702
(1) Athearn ATH24866 N 57ft Mech Reefer FGMR (FGE/Solid Cold) #12824
(1) Athearn ATH12212 N 20.9K Gal Tank Car - GE Rail Services PTLX #120290
(1) Athearn ATH12209 N 20.9K Gal Tank Car - Dow Chemical DOWX #3877
(1) Athearn ATH10197 N 28ft Trailers/Dolly Yellow Freight #122089 & #122114
(1) BLMA #17005 (was 17008) GSC 60ft Flat BN #610189 (was 610207)
(1) Athearn ATH23550 33,900-Gallon LPG Tank/Late, Procor Ltd - Anhyd Ammonia #29784
(1) Intermountain #69348(S)-02 SD40-2 Loco w/Sound Decoder MKT #603
(1) Intermountain #65294-04 4750CF 3-Bay Covered Hopper Producers Grain Corp #34135
(1) BLMA #18007 BX-166 Boxcar ATSF w/o Logo #621493
(1) BLMA #18012 BX-166 Boxcar ATSF w/o Logo #621566
(1) Deluxe Innov #151602 Twinstack Sea-Land/BNSF-Patch BNSF #236104

Down The Road

So I'm gonna play optimist here and presume that I will build my "dream layout" Denver Road in N and that it will serve me well and I will have many great successes with it and will have a good ops group that will benefit.

Yet, I do believe such a layout WILL have a life span, if for no other reason than a possible change of address.   So when/if that happens who knows and whether or not Denver Road N would move too.

But supposing a significant restart, what would be next?  In this post I will tell you.  :-)

The Saginaw Transfer Railroad ... Mothballed

EDIT: This layout is--for all intents and purposes--defunct.  I still have the modules sans track, and will probably keep them in storage for a bit...possibly try to sell them.   But for a "temporary" layout, I have moved on to one that more appropriately meets my current needs.   See "Decatur Hill" entry for more info.  I am leaving this post up for historical purposes.

Welcome to my newest model railroad.   It will very simplistic and set in the late 90's/early 00's era, very loosely based on BNSF and UP in Saginaw, TX.   I say very loosely because there won't be major features included like the interchanges, but the overall feel (based mostly on rolling stock and a grain elavator flat) will be the Saginaw/North Fort Worth area.  (mere minutes away from BNSF's world headquarters)

Towns, Structures, and Scenery

This is somewhat of a "master list" of real things--other than rolling train cars and locomotives--that might be part of my n-scale world at some point.  Also includes some commentary about the likelyhood of inclusion and related criteria.

Roster: Freight Cars/Rolling Stock

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ROLLING STOCK

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153 BNSF Manifest Cars (=)

15% Ctrbm; 20% Box; 20% Petro; 10% Flat; 10% Gon; 5% Hop; 10% Rfrg; 10% Misc

34 UP Manifest Cars (=)

20% Box; 20% Petro; 10% Flat; 10% Gon; 10% Hop; 10% Rfrg; 20% Misc
189 (189)

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36 BNSF Grain Cars (=)

27 UP Grain Cars (=)

22 5161 Grain Cars (=) #471500=473499

19 Corn Syrup Cars (-7)
114 (107)

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42 UFIX Cars (+6): -39 Atlas Coalveyors; -3 Deluxe Innovations Coalporters (ex-SFIX) [19/19 Atlas Coalveyor Stock Loads, 0/2 Kato Bethgon Loads]

21 TXUX Cars (-2):  7 FVM TXUX Trinity RD-4 Hoppers black; 12 FVM TXUX Trinity RD-4 Hoppers silver/black

21 FPPX Cars (-14): 3 MDC FPPX Cars; 2 MDC LCRX Cars (Custom); 2 Athearn LCRX Cars (Relettered Herzog) [3/21 Athearn Stock Loads]

Roster: Locomotives

LOCOMOTIVES

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BNSF Wichita Falls Sub Roster

Atlas GP39M zdBN WF Atlas Stock (Manifest) + BN Ph2 + ATSF GP35 2872

Atlas GP38-2 zdBN ???? Atlas Stock (Manifest) + EMD + BN WF + MKT

Atlas SD60 zOakway (Manifest/Grain) + Oakway EMD3

The Trains: Other

The Trains: Amtrak

Amtrak Heartland Flyer
Symbol(s):  Description: Passenger Train
Locomotives: (1) P42DC, (1) Cab/Baggage F40PH ("Cabbage")
Cars: (1) Amtrak Superliner Coach/Cafe (2) Amtrak Hi-Level 68-seat Transition Coach (ex-ATSF El Cap cars)
P42DC 194 2/2/2002 and 2/10/2002  PhaseV (Alt 822 6/14/1999 PhIII;  5 4/8/01, 21, 122 PhIV; 73 8/31/2001, 188 10/9/2002 PhV)
Transition Coach 39953 - Ex ATSF Highlevel Coach (Alt 39952)
Superliner 35009 - Snack Coach (Alt 35001)
Transition Coach 39957 - Ex ATSF Highlevel Coach (Alt 39940)
Cabbage 90208 10/15/2001 PhaseIII (Alt Shells: 90229 Cabbage PhIV, F40PH 358 6/21/1999, 401 2/13/2001 PhIV)

Kato Releases
P42DC PhIII 9, 53, 21, 46, 69
P42DC PhIV 121, 22, 15, 28, 97
P42DC PhV-trs 61, 80
P42DC PhV 62, 123, 134, 194, 28, 127

The Trains: BNSF Business/MOW

BNSF Work Train
Symbol(s):  Description:
Locomotives: (1) GP38, SD40-2, B39-8
Cars: (4-5) Ballast Hoppers, (3-5) Side Dump DIFCO cars, (1) Caboose

BNSF Rail Train
Symbol(s):  Description:
Locomotives: (2) C44-9W, SD40-2, SD60M
Cars: (17) Welded Rail Cars, (2) Buffer Boxcars, (1) MOW Gon, (1) Caboose

BNSF Business Train
Symbol(s):  Description:
Locomotives: (1) SD70MAC, C44-9W
Cars: (1) exSP Bilevel, (2) exBN passenger cars, (1) Full Dome, (1) Obs Car

The Trains: UP Rock and Coal

The Trains: UP Manifest and Grain

UP Grain 1
Symbol(s):  Description:
Locomotives: (2) AC4400, SD90MAC, SD40T-2, SD40-2
Cars: (14-17) "UP-focused" 50-ft. Grain Cars

UP Manifest 1
Symbol(s):  Description:
Locomotives: (2) AC4400, SD90MAC, SD40T-2, SD40-2
Cars: Avg 50-60ft, (13-16) cars; Misc. "UP-focused" Freight Cars

The Trains: BNSF Grain

The Trains: BNSF Intermodal

The Trains: BNSF Coal

The Trains: BNSF Manifests

For BNSF Wichita Falls/Red River Sub Manifest Freights, there is a large variety of freight cars that are involved in the makeup of these trains.  Without very specific research we can assume a few things about “generic” freight cars such as a wide variety of boxcars, tank cars, mill gons, flat cars, hoppers, covered hoppers, and so forth.

Design Considerations

Design Considerations – Givens and Druthers

Design Considerations – Train Length and Makeup

Train length not to exceed 8ft. (1280 scale feet)

Timeline

This page will denote certain dates in and around my depicted era to help guide roster and layout decisions.

September 22, 1995—Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation was formed as a holding company which then purchased BN and ATSF.

“The Current Plan”

I won't pretend that my plan won't change--as it has many, many times before--but this really does represent the best combination of elements that I have wanted over the years, with few exceptions.    So, the plan will be “North Fort Worth to Wichita Falls”.   That’s pretty nebulous and does allow for inclusion/exclusion of certain elements.  But here is a laundry list of key elements, and a few optional things that will be incorporated if possible.

1.       Saginaw Elevators – In the simplest terms, this includes the three grain/flour elevator complexes, and the Interlocking.   Will likely include the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce office/station, too.  The other industry that ties closely to this “triangle” is the building products spur adjacent to the Con-Agra elevator.   This element will also feature the DRGW switcher and the Rescar CF7’s.

2.       North Yard—the former BN yard will be paramount to allowing for interesting operations for the model railroad.  It also adds another grain elevator, and at least two other additional industries including a signature cold storage facility.  Another key feature is the engine service facilities and yard offices, which will really showcase the variety of power in use during the time period.

3.       Saginaw Yard—the former ATSF yard was still a functioning classification yard during the time period modeled, and also served as the Roadrailer facility in the area which greatly adds to the interest and adds a pretty unique modeling opportunity.

4.       Trinity Plant/Trinity Connection—the Trinity Saginaw facility is another key element to set the location.  BNSF’s 5161cf covered hoppers are among the freight cars being manufactured during the modeling period, which really makes it an exciting industry for BN and BNSF fans.   It will also showcase Trinity’s workhorse powder-blue SW-1 switcher.  The Trinity Connection is the trackage that connects the former BNSF Wichita Falls sub with the former ATSF Texas sub, which permits WF Sub intermodals to access Alliance Yard as well as for other trains to be routed between the two lines, including loaded PRB coal trains routing through Saginaw Yard from the WF-sub.

Overall Layout Theme and Variations

My intention is to model the BNSF’s Wichita Falls and Red River subdivisions and relevant lines as they existed in the years 1998-2003.  This range allows for an extreme variety of railroads, trains, motive power, rolling stock, and modeling potential.  It represents a still fairly early time in BNSF’s life span whereby BN and ATSF stock is still very common, and moves into the beginning of great change in the railroad industry with things like 53ft containers, new freight cars, and other nuances that make for an interesting mix from which to develop an interesting operational scheme, and layout theme. 

The Million Dollar Question, Part 4: Why "The Denver Road 2000"?

The Million Dollar Question, Part 1: Why Model Railroading?

This is a fairly common question over the years.  Being interested in trains is what some consider an odd phenomenon, and I'm not sure I disagree with that assessment too strongly.  So I figured I would "defend" my insanity a little bit to give some perspective and history.