NP2626 cacole NP2626, Spell Missabe correctly when you search, and you may get better results. Actually no, as Ebay caught my mistake and corrected the spelling. Right now there are 52 itesm for Duluth Missabe & Iron Range.
cacole NP2626, Spell Missabe correctly when you search, and you may get better results.
NP2626,
Spell Missabe correctly when you search, and you may get better results.
Actually no, as Ebay caught my mistake and corrected the spelling. Right now there are 52 itesm for Duluth Missabe & Iron Range.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain NP2626 cacole NP2626, Spell Missabe correctly when you search, and you may get better results. Actually no, as Ebay caught my mistake and corrected the spelling. Right now there are 52 itesm for Duluth Missabe & Iron Range. I get 267 results. Rich
I get 267 results.
At this moment, I have a search at Ebay that is showing 104 results and although my criteria states HO, there are Lionel tin plate O-27, N Scale and S scale items included. I did another search just now using everything the same and I get 52 results! So, search results vary from minute to minute! There were even 2 Yellowstones which showed up in the above searches: One is a Precision Scale model for $4,500.00 and the other by MTH for $1,199.95
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
tomikawaTT While the DM&IR had some noteworthy locomotives and some interesting infrastructure, northeastern Minnesota is neither a major metropolitan area nor a major tourist destination. To most people, it's rather like Antarctica - we know it's there, but we seldom think about it in general, never mind in detail.
While the DM&IR had some noteworthy locomotives and some interesting infrastructure, northeastern Minnesota is neither a major metropolitan area nor a major tourist destination. To most people, it's rather like Antarctica - we know it's there, but we seldom think about it in general, never mind in detail.
Ah, but at the same time, the DM&IR Texans were second hand from the B&LE, which did serve a major metropolitan area and funneled iron ore into the steel capital of America. Bessemer's fleet of Texans represented one of the largest fleets of 2-10-4s around, which would make it more reasonable that B&LE Texans are available and a minor redecaling makes them DM&IR. Only the PRR and T&P had more of them. There's no shortage of OTHER B&LE power on the market (for instance, the Athearn SD45T-2s, which is a miniscule fleet of less than seven), which does make the lack of a suitable Texan for the DM&IR curious.
The question really is "why isn't there a B&LE Texan, which can be used as a DM&IR Texan?"
tomikawaTT Going all the way back to the OP's original statement: Imagine if you grew up with one picket fence between your back door and the Podunk and Northern, in an area where the entire population wouldn't fully fill the Rose Bowl. Would it surprise you that models of P&N #10 (2-8-0, Baldwin catalog loco built 1896) are, to put it kindly, uncommon? While the DM&IR had some noteworthy locomotives and some interesting infrastructure, northeastern Minnesota is neither a major metropolitan area nor a major tourist destination. To most people, it's rather like Antarctica - we know it's there, but we seldom think about it in general, never mind in detail. For that matter, I doubt that anyone notices that the Six Companies Railroad isn't modeled, even though it had some interesting infrastructure and rolling stock, and, for its rather brief existence, very heavy traffic. Of course, it was located in the approximate heart of nowhere, and I doubt that the locals, all of whom were busy building Boulder (now Hoover) Dam, ever gave it much thought. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - not far from the heart of nowhere)
Going all the way back to the OP's original statement:
Imagine if you grew up with one picket fence between your back door and the Podunk and Northern, in an area where the entire population wouldn't fully fill the Rose Bowl. Would it surprise you that models of P&N #10 (2-8-0, Baldwin catalog loco built 1896) are, to put it kindly, uncommon?
For that matter, I doubt that anyone notices that the Six Companies Railroad isn't modeled, even though it had some interesting infrastructure and rolling stock, and, for its rather brief existence, very heavy traffic. Of course, it was located in the approximate heart of nowhere, and I doubt that the locals, all of whom were busy building Boulder (now Hoover) Dam, ever gave it much thought.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - not far from the heart of nowhere)
The above post is the epitome of “Big Town Chauvinism”!
Simply put, the allies would not have won the second World War without the hard work and effort of the of the miners mining the Iron Ore in North Eastern Minnesota, the railroads and shipping companies hauling this ore to the processers at the mills in the east, to make steel from. The reality is that the mining of Minnesota Iron Ore was one of THE most important industries in the world.
Why is it, in today’s day and age, does this mentality that “I live in the East, so we're the best” come from? I’m a Texan and everyone knows everything is big in Texas! The West is the BEST! Who CARES?
While it is certainly true that North East Minnesota is less populated than Japan; or, NY, NY, this area and its’ industries where/are significantly important! And, thank you very much for the less populated!
If your premise is correct that railroads operating in the huge metropolitan areas are the most popular, why does the big Western lines seem to be so popular; or, the Narrow Gauge lines which operate through some of the most sparcly populated areas?
Of course a manufacturer's right to market items it feels will sell well, is without question here. To state that as the reason that a particular line is not well represented, would be fine. The rest is simply editorializing, meaningless and less than friendly!
The Bessemer/Missabe 2-10-4's were offered as Japanese-built brass locomotives around the 1960's, and they sometimes show up on the used market. Missabe's ex-Union R. R. 0-10-2's were produced by United (P.F.M.) around the same time. Heavy U.S.R.A. 2-10-2's, as used by Bessemer, have been available from several sources in both brass and plastic over the years. Bessemer had another class of 2-10-2's that bore a superficial resemblance to B&O's 2-10-2's, but they have never been produced as commercial models. Bessemer's 0-8-0's looked like USRA 0-8-0's on steroids. They were larger in all dimensions, but looked similar. Bessemer's very numerous 2-8-0's were not quite like any other 2-8-0's so it would be quite a job to model one. But they had a unique appeal, heightened by the fact that so very many Pa. shortlines bought them and used them second-hand.
Tom
You can't be serious... Northeastern Minnesota is one of the premier tourist destinations in the Midwest... hundreds of thousands of people come to the area in the summer months...
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
"Hundreds of thousands" isn't a lot of tourists, really. Minnesota is a fairly low population, low density area that most of the country sees as a snowswept tundra full of Scandinavians watching hockey and ice fishing.
The "Missabe" was a railroad primarily built to haul iron ore (and later, taconite- low grade ore) to the portside loading docks in Duluth, for shipment to the manufacturing centers- Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, etc. Ore cars- identically alike, unless various road names were mixed in, were the dominant makeup of each train, either full en route to the docks or empty, returning to the mining range areas. Not a lot of visual "flash" there. Great Northern also served the Duluth and northeastern Minnesota area- with trains of mixed content.
Besides, once you've seen the Split Rock Lighthouse and the ore docks, other than a little fishing- what else are you gonna do in Duluth, Sherman?
Cedarwoodron
cedarwoodron Besides, once you've seen the Split Rock Lighthouse and the ore docks, other than a little fishing- what else are you gonna do in Duluth, Sherman? Cedarwoodron
If the following video doesn't do anything for you, you may not have a pulse!
NP2626 If the following video doesn't do anything for you, you may not have a pulse! http://mrv.trains.com/videos/layout-visits/2013/02/video-jeff-ottos-ho-scale-missabe-northern-ry
Sure ore trains look alike. So do passenger trains, coal trainbs, oil trains, intermodal, log trains, and subways.
Keeping track of those hundreds of ore cars is an operator's dream (or nightmare!)
Missabe in particular interchanged with CN, GN, NP, Soo, Milwaukee, and CNW, all in Duluth-Superior. Their online industries include everything from explosives to sawmills to a steel mill and all manner of commercial businesses. Their main lines were intertwined with GN and CN's DWP, joining up, splitting off, crossing over, and crossing at grade in many locations.
Traffic was heavy, trains were long and pushed the limits of railroad technology at the time, and the locomotives were huge. Their lines ranged from the heaviest of double track CTC main lines to two streaks of rust through the weeds.
And I'm really more of a GN ore operations fan.
Redore, I agree, to underestimate the importance to American industry of any of lines you mention, is a demonstration in how little is known about the hard core railroading which took place in North Eastern Minnesota. Turnabout is fair play and I will freely admit to not knowing much about what is/was going on out east, as I simply lack interest. However, I’m not stupid enough to belittle what happens in any of these great United States! My interests in railroading are all in the west, however.
I guess Cederwood Ron's post was a joke as he used to live in Minnesota and made many trips to Duluth and knew full well how big railroading is/was to the area.
I think one of the reasons that the railroad isnt seen in the Model railroad as much was due in part as to actually how small of an operation it was (even though it ran some the greatest ore trains in the USA) I work out of two harbors as an engineer for CN. From two harbors to Iron jct is 74 miles. The missabe sub (Proctor MN to T bird North) 68 miles. Minntac sub (Wolf to Minntac plant itself) 8 miles. Keenan sub (keenan to BNSF connection) 20 miles. There was also some trackage that was ripped up, such as the line out of Alborn MN that went to Hibbing MN (25 miles) Bear creek (Superior wisconsin) to the top of steelton hill where it connects to the missabe sub is about 20 miles that is still used, just not by the Missabe. All in all youre talking about 250-300 miles of mainline at one time. There were many little mines that the railroad serviced along its original route so operations wise it can be a stunning little railroad.
But someone mentioned earlier that Modeling companies may not get back what they spend on painting and detailing these engines just for the simple fact that there is a very small community for it. And what is made is typically expensive. Myself being an O scaler, to purchase a Yellowstone from Precision scale would cost me $4500.00. And most of the Missabe people I know live in Duluth, MN.
It was a stunning railroad at one time with industries basically every 10 miles along the railroad. Keenan taking in all commercial work (Hoppers and tank cars for the mines and bomb plants) Along the Iron range sub you had major pick up and setout points at Sparta, Biwabik, Allen jct, Skybo, and waldo before dropping down into Two Harbors. On the Missabe Sub you had, (north to south) Minntac and Minorca and Fairlane ore plants, Keenan, Alborn, and proctor being the major ore classification yard were trains would either go down to docks 5 and 6, steelton, or interchange with railroads at rices point.
The lines that disappeared where the Alborn connection from Hibbing where multiple tac plants and commercial setouts were made and the major tac plant at Hibbing. The Ely line, that only has about 12 miles of track left, is used for interchange with the North shore mining railroad which is one of the smallest railroads in northern Minnesota. The ely line serviced the towns up to Ely MN where the railroad at the time was the only life line. That portion of the railroad was ripped out sometime in the late 50s or 60s... cant quite remember. Its now called W11. There was a line out of Sparta, that split off and went through virgina and I believe connected with tower MN and Ely again. Thats been gone for sometime as well.
90% of the small industries are gone as well, with only the major tac plants being serviced. But now you know why its not as looked at as some railroads. As impressive as it was, the modeling community for it is small and far between so those who do model it are scratch building there own models.
Modeling Avery, Idaho 1971
P48 O scale
As of 26 December 2014 there's an Athearn DM&IR SD45 T-2 HO scale locomotive for sale on e-Bay.
E21 I think one of the reasons that the railroad isnt seen in the Model railroad as much was due in part as to actually how small of an operation it was (even though it ran some the greatest ore trains in the USA) I work out of two harbors as an engineer for CN. From two harbors to Iron jct is 74 miles. The missabe sub (Proctor MN to T bird North) 68 miles. Minntac sub (Wolf to Minntac plant itself) 8 miles. Keenan sub (keenan to BNSF connection) 20 miles. There was also some trackage that was ripped up, such as the line out of Alborn MN that went to Hibbing MN (25 miles) Bear creek (Superior wisconsin) to the top of steelton hill where it connects to the missabe sub is about 20 miles that is still used, just not by the Missabe. All in all youre talking about 250-300 miles of mainline at one time. There were many little mines that the railroad serviced along its original route so operations wise it can be a stunning little railroad. But someone mentioned earlier that Modeling companies may not get back what they spend on painting and detailing these engines just for the simple fact that there is a very small community for it. And what is made is typically expensive. Myself being an O scaler, to purchase a Yellowstone from Precision scale would cost me $4500.00. And most of the Missabe people I know live in Duluth, MN. It was a stunning railroad at one time with industries basically every 10 miles along the railroad. Keenan taking in all commercial work (Hoppers and tank cars for the mines and bomb plants) Along the Iron range sub you had major pick up and setout points at Sparta, Biwabik, Allen jct, Skybo, and waldo before dropping down into Two Harbors. On the Missabe Sub you had, (north to south) Minntac and Minorca and Fairlane ore plants, Keenan, Alborn, and proctor being the major ore classification yard were trains would either go down to docks 5 and 6, steelton, or interchange with railroads at rices point. The lines that disappeared where the Alborn connection from Hibbing where multiple tac plants and commercial setouts were made and the major tac plant at Hibbing. The Ely line, that only has about 12 miles of track left, is used for interchange with the North shore mining railroad which is one of the smallest railroads in northern Minnesota. The ely line serviced the towns up to Ely MN where the railroad at the time was the only life line. That portion of the railroad was ripped out sometime in the late 50s or 60s... cant quite remember. Its now called W11. There was a line out of Sparta, that split off and went through virgina and I believe connected with tower MN and Ely again. Thats been gone for sometime as well. 90% of the small industries are gone as well, with only the major tac plants being serviced. But now you know why its not as looked at as some railroads. As impressive as it was, the modeling community for it is small and far between so those who do model it are scratch building there own models.
It’s likely modelers of every road, other than the Union Pacific, New York Central; or, Pennsylvania RR feel that their chosen line is under represented!
Therefore, it is important to be able to re-detail, paint and decal locomotives and cabooses for your chosen line. It appears to me that in today’s day and age, people seem uninterested in acquiring these skills! However, I find doing so is a part of the fun of being a MODEL railroader!
And don't forget that the big M-3/4 Yellowstones of the Missabe Road spent quite a bit of time wandering off-road during the winters of WWII when the ore docks were frozen. In fact, the M-4's were delivered straight from Baldwin to the Rio Grande, which rented them and claimed that they were the best steamers ever to grace that Colorado/Utah line. Other railroads that leased them were the GN, NP, and one was even rumored to have been working the Western Pacific's Eastern Division between Elko, NV. and Salt Lake, UT. Rather interesting, as the M-3/4 2-8-8-4 design was based upon the big Baldwin 251 series 2-8-8-2's built for the Western Pacific in 1931 and 1938, respectively. I model Rio Grande standard gauge during the WWII/Korean period, and have 3 Akane Missabe Yellowstones "on loan". Terrific locomotives. Those beautiful 2-8-8-4's are my all-time favorite steam locomotive.
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!