What is your favorite piece of rolling stock and what type of railcars do you see in your area?

[MTsteamfan]

My town is right on the BNSF mainline and this is coal country, so we get lots of full and empty coal trains daily. We see lots of grain hoppers, tankers and stack cars too. Really a little bit of everything. A lot more lumber cars lately (I'm guessing due to the hurricanes down south). Plain old boxcars are probably the least-seen item.

I can't say I have a clear favorite model rolling stock. Lately I've been trying to buy more scale detailed items. Lionel's new reefers are great. (I have the Borden's milk car.) I like flatcars with interesting loads and tankers too, really anything depicting the 1950s or '40s. Northern Pacific is my favorite road name and we see an occasional NP car around here -- rare, but it happens.

[Birds]

The most common I see are coal, box, wood/wood products, and intermodal.

The most interesting was this summer - a consist of flatbeds carrying a variety of military vehicles.

[Jumijo]

I bought a Lionel Hood's milk car a few weeks ago. That's my new favorite.

Jim

[phillyreading]

I like the Lehigh Valley quad hoppers from the 50's, I have them in; red, black and maroone, have some two bay Lehigh Valley hoppers. Have other quad hoppers in Reading Lines and two Reading & Northern quad hoppers by MTH with different numbers on them. Next favorite would be gondolas, have them in NYC, Lionel and Reading Lines. Also have some passenger cars, a set of six Williams Sante Fe luxury liner/plated passenger cars pulled by a three F7 diesels.
Have a partial set of Reading Company passenger cars by Lionel # 15104 & 15106.
The local trains around here are FEC & CSX & Tri-Rail. FEC does a lot of sand hauling for the cement companies in Palm Beach & Martin Counties, other common frieght are auto loaders and TTAX cars, even five unit container cars and trailer flat cars. Some times in Stuart FL you will see maintenance equipment on the rails, about every five to six weeks. From what I can see about track repair and upkeep I would prefer to travel on FEC tracks, on CSX tracks you can see the spikes sticking up that hold the rails to the 8 by 8 ties, one or two every ten feet or less, the area is near 10th Ave & I-95 in WPB.
Have seen Norfolk Southern on FEC tracks about once a day or so, was told that NS runs from Atlanta to Miami on FEC in FL. The locomotives are SD-40's to SD-70-2's for FEC and GP-60's and newer for NS, CSX runs a whole bunch of different locomotives because of buying out many railroads to include older Conrail. CSX ruins Conrail frieght cars that have been oversprayed with Conrail, example is NYC with Conrail overspray, reason for the overspray was to save Conrail money.
Was at a train show about two years ago and heard that Conrail was down to 10% of what they used to be because CSX and Norfolk Southern and BNSF were buying off parts of Conrail.
Lee F. in West Palm Baech FL

[Anonymous]

1. Anything NOT covered with that gawdawful urban grafitti. I like tankers and flat cars with interesting loads.

2. Many coal hoppers, full and empty.

wolverine49

[drums1427]

Growing up near Lambert's Point in Norfolk, VA I got to see a lot of coal trains. I geuss that's why coal hoppers are my favorite. Nothing better than a long coal train.

tgovebaker - I live in Northern VA & it's kind of funny you mention seeing a NS out there in CA with some UP's. At least 7 to 8 of the NS trains that come through here each week have a UP engine with the NS ones.

[FJ and G]

tanks

[thor]

In Britain, where I lived, I got to see a lot of short trains of mixed freight and our station yards were often quite busy because of the numerous branch lines that were fed from it as the nearest mainline depot. Before the Beeching axe fell (a heartily loathed man brought in to make BR more efficient) my home county of Hertfordshire was riddled with short branch line spurs and a lot of it was as if the clock had stopped in the 1920's. I saw all kinds of short wagons with company names, some familiar, many now out of business, and they also ran some glorious old coaching stock, some of it quite archaic but still in good shape.

Then in the 80's I went on vacation to Munster, W.Germany and found another treasure trove of old rolling stock (like the ETS stuff) and took a lot of pictures meaning to model it some time in the future, if I ever find them I'll scan some.

I grew up with steam, went to school on steam hauled trains and hung out at railways all over Britain whenever I could but I wasn't really a 'train spotter' collecting numbers, I was more an artist trying to store impressions and memories, I've painted quite a few of them actually.

There was, to me, something very solid and at the same time poetic about steam. The sight of all that complex machinery, the glorious smell of coal smoke and hot oil. When and if I ever find a place of my own to build a decent sized layout again, this time in O, I'll try and recreate that slice of time except not prototypically, more artistically. I want the flavour of the time, not the facts.

I even write my own stories starring my very own branch line which explains what American steam locos are doing in Britain, its a very little known railway.

The little girl I'm bringing up for her hard working parents is always asking questions about my past, we've built models of wooden blocks and Lego of my town and using her favorite toys and episodes from stories she likes, so the trains have a logic all of their own and the tales I tell are, I'll admit, somewhat loosely based on any recognizable reality but it makes sense to us and thats all that matters.

Those familiar with Thomas will recognize the sort of atmosphere I'm familiar with and trying to create for her amusement. The private owner wagon S.C.Ruffey for example is the sort of rolling stock I'd like more of, I could buy half a dozen troublesome trucks but they're a bit pricey for what they are, I think I'll build my own of basswood, my hardest job is locating suitable running gear.

Lionel used to make short wheelbase tippers, I'd like a few of them, operating wagons are where its at from a childs point of view. The reason why I said I dont like boxcars is because they're boring and they're too big. You can't see whats in 'em, you can't put much in 'em - unlike a gondola - and two or three is half a circle of track whereas short wagons you can have the illusion of a decent train load.

My little partner wants to put some pretty oversize loads in the rolling stock. Right now I'm using a coach with the roof removed. We send each other loads of Lego, wood blocks, to build our seperate empires with and exchange train loads of assorted overscale passengers.

So my comments about rolling stock should be seen in this light, I'm really a toy train person.

[mickey4479]

cnw1995: One of my 4 brothers has over 20 years in at CNW/UP. He lives in St. Charles, ILL. My parents live in Glen Ellyn, and 2 sisters in Wheaton and when I visit, I see the Metra often. Some nice photo ops there.

I like heavy weight passenger cars, wood billboard reefers, cabooses, and that MTH snow plow car that resembles a blend of box car and caboose. My son gave it to me for Christmas several years ago. Mine is PRR. I run early to middle steam. I like the Atlas single and double sheath wood cars and the steel rebuilts as well. And of course I like box cars with interesting logos. Here in KC I don't see those often, mostly coal trains, intermodes, tank cars and car carriers. We have NS, UP and BNSF yards in this area.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jefelectric

Laz, I don't think they ship beer in refers anymore! [swg]

Well they should! lol.brrrrrrrrpppp!

[jefelectric]

Laz, I don't think they ship beer in refers anymore! [swg]

[tgovebaker]

I had to take a phone call in the car the other day so I pulled into the CalTrain station in South San Francisco. That modest platform sits in the middle of a small UP switching yard, which is now home to two SP and one DRGW switching engies, along with one UP diesel. The rolling stock assortment is pretty broad: funnel flow tanks, boxcars, ore cars, reefers, cylindrical hoppers, Centerflow hoppers, I-beam flatcars, and wood chippers. Pretty good railfanning, as well -- I started to zone out of the conference call...

[laz 57]

BEER REEFERS again!
laz57

[dwiemer]

Mostly boxcars. I like the ones with neat paint schemes. When I grew up, we were a good walking distance from a NYS&W yard. Got to see and take photos of the Susie Q boxcars, real pretty. Now I have both the Lionel and K-Line versions. Where I live now, we have a NS yard near the hospital. I see the rolling stock every day. Mostly boxcars, pulpwood hoppers, and assorted other freight. No trailers or double stacks and no auto carriers. Also, we do see the occasional circus train and military train. A few tank cars for local businesses. One last thing are peanuts, lots and lots of peanuts.
Dennis

[Buckeye Riveter]

Favorite rolling stock: Double Stacks, they are part of one of the largest transportation systems changes in the last 20 years.

In Central Ohio we see ever conceivable type of rail car ever made, except maybe ore cars.

[jefelectric]

I like Cabooses, or is that cabeese. Any way I have way to many to run them all and when I see a good one that I don't have in my road names, I usually buy it. Don't see many freight cars near home as I live about 3 miles from the Harrisburg-Philadelphia Amtrak line. I can hear the horns on the electrics quite well from my house. Their passenger trains here all look about the same. Occasional local freight by NS but they do not use this line for through freights. They use the old Reading line which is about 25 miles away. Cars I do see locally are mostly covered hoppers serving feed mills. Not many businesses use rail locally anymore.

Doug Murphy, Have you ever taken pictures of the MOW equipment? That is another of my interests. Right now I am assembling a PRR work train.

[thor]

Well to be brutally honest, I don't like American rolling stock much but the only ones I do like are those that Lionel sells which I've never seen, those steel slag and molten steel containers, interesting, different stuff like cranes, MOW equipment.

Growing up in the UK I saw lots of short wagons, private owner ones were my favorites, they were colorful and interesting because of the paint jobs, names, logos and such. I really do not like bogied rolling stock at all (stuff with trucks) the ETS catalog has a lot of European wagons such as I used to see a long time ago, those I like.

For shunting on a layout, four wheelers are much more reliable, less likely to derail. I dont usually like modern image at all, diesels especially, I'm strictly a steam buff. However those Lionel ones are getting to me I have to admit. I like the electric engines in particular but some of the more brutish looking diesels are beginning to appeal entirely beause of train sounds. Without it and smoke, they're boring, with it they come to life.

I like Lionels old tinplate stuff but to me boxcars are boring, open wagons are preferable because you can see the loads and change them. I wi***hey'd produce some honest British wagons to go with Thomas, relabelling American stuff doesnt cut it.

In fact were it not for Lionel I'd have had no interest in American trains at all, save for the steam locos. Hope no one gets offended, no offence meant.

[Anonymous]

My father worked at the GE Power transformer plant so I have always been interested in transformer cars. We used to see them all the time as kids. My favorites are the Schnabel cars used for the large transformers.

Where I live now in central mass I see lots of air slide hoppers for food an plastic pellets, Auto racks (the articulated versions have been showing up a lot lately) and tank cars for corn syrup vegetable oil are also common.

[Anonymous]

I like those autocarrier cars trainmaster7209. I can't seem to find those model cars anywhere.

Around here where I live, we have alot of coal hopper cars that goes through town each day. And there's usually a long line of them too, only to go pretty slow while going through town. And of course I have seen all the other freight cars as well.

I love tank cars....in fact theres a new tank car set I was looking at in the 2006 catalog that I plan to order soon. I do like the flatcar and spine set cars too with the containers. Boxcars are always a favorite. I know I am going to try to build as much rolling stock as I can. It's so awesome just watching them go around the tracks.

On rare occasions I have seen semi-like trucks fitted with rail-trucks that have been on the rails too.....but those have been a rare sight so far. I did see one about a week ago though during one of my stops. I sure hate I didnt bring a camera with me that day.

Chris

[Anonymous]

Trainmaster you are the pic master now :D

Nice layout, ballast looks good.

[Anonymous]

in Ohio we see lots of the corrugated auto carriers. I have begun collecting some of them. pulled by what I also see around here a lot... Norfolk southern. Ijust learned how toi send pictures so here goes.

[Anonymous]

My favorite is the Gil Finn Trout ranckhcar of course.

Mostly we see coal hoppers on the side of the river, and tankers and covered hoppers where the chemical plants are.

Seldom see a box car travleing thru.





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[cnw1995]

Now that I think on it, I'm pretty fortunate - get to park every day less than 6 ft from an MP15 AC and usally a bay-window MoW (ex-C&NW) caboose, huge crane, and all sorts of bizarre looking MoW equipment in the UP lay bang next to the Metra parking lot. My favorite MoW piece of equipment is a genuine CGW caboose I can usually spot somewhere along this line during the summer. The UP runs only a few freights but there are usually awesomely long autoracks ...

[Anonymous]

Hello All: You name it I think I see it, I live within 100 miles of Ford, G.M., Chrysler, Toyota, Honda,Cami,Two major steel mills, National Steel Car(make new & rebuild train car's), & live 45min. from the U.S. border at Niagara & as an I.B.E.W. member I have had the privledge to work in these plants. Living in southern Ontario does have it's advantages. Regards Steve

[macdannyk1]

tgovebaker: as to your NS lash-up with the UP power, I've probably seen them (as well as many other combos) because I'm in the SF Bay Area as well (Fremont). I see the screened auto carriers heading to and from Milpitas all the time. Along with boxcars, tank cars and the myriad of TTUX cars. I like them all! I've seen Rio Grande/SP/UP lash-ups aroung here. Since I'm also near the US Gypsum plant, I see a lot of the i-beam flat load carriers full of sheetrock.

[Anonymous]

I love 'em all, but my favourite types of rolling stock are passenger cars and cabooses. I've been a caboose nut ever since I was a little kid and saw some of the last ones in regular use and I've always had a fascination with passenger trains.

Unfortunately, I seldom see either where I live. Of course I do see freight cars of all types, but hopper cars are by far the most common. Most are Canadian Wheat Board cars and potash hopper cars. I live on the prairies where farming is really big and there's lots of potash mines (my dad works at one). The ratio of hopper cars to other freight cars is probably at least 3:1 here.

[palallin]

Passenger cars are long gone from this stretch of Frisco main; we see almost all types of freight cars, though. BNSF "M" trains (mixed freight) are common; "Q" trains (tofc/cofc) are, too.

My prototype favorites are MOW equipment--especially older heavy cranes--and cabooses. Naturally enough, we see few of either.

On the layout, I like varnish--heavyweight passenger equipment (though some of the prettier streamlined stuff is awfully nice, too). The mix of freight/passenger stock I own is dictated by availability: I own all the passenger equipment Lionel has made in Frisco (none), MoPac (5), and T&P (6), but the freight cars outnumber them by 5 or 6 to 1. I have 'bashed a local, drover-type caboose out of a baby madison combine that once ran on the Frisco. I need to get decals for it the next time i order from Oddball's.

[cnw1995]

Neat website, Doug. Great question, macaste. My personal favorite on the layout is boxcars with doors that slide open - I have ones that range from the 1920s to a few years ago. I see mostly bi-level passenger cars and F40s...I also see CN newsprint cars, beat-up gons and Big John hoppers.

[Anonymous]

I just found a new favorite, but I don't own it--yet. I followed Dennis Brennan's email address to his website, then from there to to Chooch, where I found a model of a 1913 built box car for a mere $100.oo. Even at that price you have to build it yourself and put trucks on it. The site is not clear, but it looks like you might have to paint it too. But lord what a beauty. As I have said elsewhere, I grew up looking at cars like this every day.

http://www.choochenterprises.com/html/669_soo_line_box_car.html