georgiaroad
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Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 10:56:48 GMT -5
A couple of years ago, I got a chance to go to Montgomery, AL and do a day of railfanning on the CSX division yard there. It had been years since I had the chance to check out the yard. I managed to catch one of radio control platforms working the flat switching yard, and though it would be a neat model in HO for the Georgia Road. Here is the prototype, in S&N Yard in Montgomery in 2007:
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:02:23 GMT -5
This unit allows the crew to throw switches and operate the power by use of a belt pack. Typically, the work off a long lead that has access to inbound tracks and the yard ladder. This picture shows the train sorting cars. The units are behind me and all you see is the long string of cars to be classified. The yard bowls out to the right of the cut, and the engineer and trainman are all working at the switches. They work cuts of about 50 cars or so, and the lead could easily handled twice that before it ends.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:10:55 GMT -5
I though this would be a neat and seldom modeled operation, and to do it, I had to come up with my own platform. I wanted to emulate what is happening on CSX, so I decided to do just like them and convert a pulpwood car to a radio control platform. The platform would allow any unit coupled to the platform to be controlled remotely. In captive yard service such as this, it provided a great deal of flexibility from what I observed. I had one of the original release Walthers SIECO pulpwood racks laying around. I had actually removed the bulkeads by shortening them at the angle with the idea of making a coil car. This seemed perfect for conversion into the platform, and followed the CSX prototype. Georgia Road uses these platforms at secondary and major yards over its system. On my final layout plan, I model a yard similar to the prototype in Montgomery, AL in the Birmingham area named Lareda Terminal. It mainly sorts local traffic and builds local trains along with servicing and swapping power on long distance road trains as a major running service point. A little playing with drawings by Michael Eby gave me what I was looking for in the model. I am a freelance modeler, so my version is not exact to the CSX version and is not intended to be.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:14:24 GMT -5
Since Georgia Road began as a large regional spin-off of NS, it gained many high hood locomotives on its start up roster. Like the current NS, Georgia Road is rebuilding much of these high hood units to low nose forward operation. Those missing the program have found themselves drawing more yard assignments. It will likely be years before the last high hood leaves road service, but as they say, "times are a changing." This is a typical configuration at Lareda. More units can be added as needed, and the service pad uses one to help hostle road power around to the inbound and outbound yard tracks as they swap out power needing servicing and inspection
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:50:33 GMT -5
One major deviation from my model versus the CSX platform is the addition of an actual locomotive pilot and steps. CSX simply used beefed up stirrup steps typical of any freight car, adding appropriate heavy caboose like handrails and grabs on the platform area. I think they wanted to discourage riding the car by making it a task to climb up on it, or maybe they just did not want to spend a lot of money on the design. Georgia Road was well aware of the issues in RC operation. They rebuilt affected yard areas with the long lead which could only be reached by opposing crossover switches. These were interlocked and set a few more feet away from main and running tracks to guarantee visibility. They also wanted the crews not to have to struggle to board their version, called a Radio Remote Control Platform (RRCP). For the model, I used the nose of a old Blue Box SD40T-2 shell I had laying around. I like the fact that that it had a squared off anticlimber which gave a good standing position for the R/C crew. I liked the idea of leaving part of the rear bulkhead as a reminder of the car's original design. This also gave me a vertical surface to mount the MU cables. CSX does not seem to spend the effort to set up the rear of the car like one would expect to find the MU cables. They are just hung off connections from the rear edge of the car. I wanted mine to resemble typical layout on a locomotive pilot also. The firs thing was actually mounting the pilot at the correct height. I cut and glued styrene shims on top of the metal coupler box on the former pulpwood car until the pilot matched that of a locomotive I had laying around. Here is a close up of the bottom. The white is the styrene shims. You can also see them sticking out of the cut end (seam with cab nose) of the locomotive pilot.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:55:17 GMT -5
Also notice I used styrene strip to bridge the gap between the cut end of the car and the T-2 pilot. This keeps everything square and makes the assembly a single unit. Next came the platform extension back to the upright equipment locker where the Radio control equipment resides. This was simply a piece of Plastruct the same thickness as the pilot. I angled the cut with a NWSL chopper so it would fit snug.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 11:58:24 GMT -5
A few more with most of the heavy scratchbuilding done. The equipment locker is built close to that of the CSX prototype. I used the same styrene as on the platform extension since it made a good solid box. I let the seams be on the front and rear face. This way, I can lamiate a thin sheet with a cut out area for the nearly flush mounted Cannon doors. When complete, the seams are not evident.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 22, 2009 12:00:21 GMT -5
More later as I start detailing and adding all the "bells and whistles" . (Pun intended)
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Post by riss2509 on Oct 22, 2009 13:08:29 GMT -5
very cool, cant wait to see more!
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Post by Randy Earle on Oct 22, 2009 14:47:56 GMT -5
Very innovative!
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Post by icghogger on Oct 22, 2009 14:56:00 GMT -5
That is sharp as a tack! Anxious to see it finished, and a working headlight and strobe would be extra
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Post by mountaingoatgreg on Oct 22, 2009 17:05:38 GMT -5
Good thing the NS didn't come up with this idea...They would have built an office on the flat car with windows all the way around it so they could watch everyone all day.
I think you should put railings up on the flat car part and set up provisions for a tent or other cover. You could bring aboard some coolers and BBQ grill and hold all your company parites on your new "Party Barge"
Great modeling and keep us posted with your progress!
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Post by RunningExtra on Oct 22, 2009 22:38:31 GMT -5
That kicks butt!!
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Post by superfleet93 on Oct 23, 2009 16:15:35 GMT -5
Very nice indeed! Perry
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Oct 28, 2009 22:42:56 GMT -5
I located the picture of the major parts donors. Look back to the first few posts to see how I came up with the parts to build this unit.
Hank in AL
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Post by NCCR 2580 on Oct 29, 2009 2:22:20 GMT -5
I like this, dunno why! Nice job, Hurry and finish it!
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Nov 3, 2009 23:34:59 GMT -5
After a day of work, here is the current state of the RRCL. I found a pair of air tanks from an Athearn U-boat and added these along with a rear pilot and associated conduit and piping. I also added a service walkway from a Walthers P2CD grain car that is morphing into a ballast car. The horn stand is also in place.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Nov 3, 2009 23:37:39 GMT -5
The access doors are from a section of an Atlas GE and still nneds the final edges to flush it out.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Nov 3, 2009 23:39:23 GMT -5
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DRLOCO
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We can Railroad, Yes we can!
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Post by DRLOCO on Nov 8, 2009 21:19:00 GMT -5
THose platforms started out as former CSX Bulkhead Flatcars. They are technically considered locomotives, (Since they house RCO equipment and can MU to and operate another locomotive) and have FRA Bluecards and daily inspection sheets. In the end, the blurred lines between "freight car" and "Locomotive" made this confusing for employees and therefore an odd duck on CSX's system. In addition, the sudden glut of new GE's and subsequent retirement of old 4-axle dash-7 'tote boats' meant that CSX could use the old GE's as RCPH-4's (Radio Control Platform-4axle) radio control platforms--complete with enclosed cabs to keep the operators out of the elements. They've had their guts removed, and all the Doors removed and sheet steel put in their place (Like the emd slugs). There is at least one 6-axle RCPH that i've seen, at Walbridge yard in Toledo, Ohio. The platforms like this that I've seen all have "Must not ride when moving" stenciled all over them.
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