I know that we cannot see into the future, but we can wish the future to look in different ways. So let me make my point.
I'm new to model railroading and I don't live in America so I am looking for a lot of information. I want to build a railroad that is based on the most modern equipment available. I build in N-scale.
Locomotive
For use on the mainlines I have come to the conclusion that SD70/80/90 and AC4400 are the most used and newest locomotive models.
I haven't found any new switchers as models, I have found the 'Green Goat' from Railpower in Canada (as prototype). Are there any other locomotives that are rather new and who make N-scale models of them?
Cars
When it comes to cars I have found out that a lot (or most) cars are for intermodal traffic that means containers and cars carrying truck trailers. In addition there are cars for ethanol ond oil.
But what about hoppers fore grain and (iron) ore what is moder and whats not? Is there a production of new boxcars?
Conclusion
There are a lot of information in catalogs and on the Internet but it's sometimes hard to find it. Can you please help me with comments on what I have written and give me links to where i can find good information?
Thanks in advance.Nils-Olov
Welcome to the forum!!
While I don't consider myself an expert on the modern equipment, I can relate to you what I see in here in the middle of America.
While I think the SD80/90 is very cool, I have only ever seen one. As I understand it, due to their higher initial cost, they are only used in certain types of service, usually coal drags. Most of the locomotives I see are C40-9W and some variant of the SD70. I might add that the majority of the locomotives I see are Norfolk Southern, so I'm sure that colors the mix. It seems that they like to use 4,000 horsepower units around here more often than not. There is still a smattering of SD40s, SD60s, GP38s, and some Dash 8 GEs, but by and large it is the same old same old. The only time I saw any modern high-horsepower locomotives was in a different city, and that's when I saw the SD80 and an AC6000. Both of these were on the CSX, and the SD80 was shortly after the Conrail "merger".
What I see in my hometown is about 50%-75% covered hoppers. We have a fairly good sized grain processing plant in town, and the next town west has 2 larger ones. Last year I took photos of brand new covered hoppers in the yards, so I know they are still making them. In the trains I see, I see covered hoppers that appear to range in age about 30 years or so. By that I mean that I see covered hoppers still lettered for the Southern in the "Big John" scheme, Norfolk and Western cars with the "meatball" herald, brand new cars owned by grain companies, and everything in between. There is a good mix of most other types of cars that roll through, but you will not find any of the short iron ore cars here. They generally have a particular area they operate in, so they don't go around the country to speak of.
If you go to the next town west of me, you find a lot more varied equipment. I work at an automotive maufacturing plant, so we get autoracks in regularly to ship cars out on. There is also a lot of intermodal traffic going through on a different NS line than I generally get a chance to see. This line gets a lot of RoadRailers going through, plus I see a lot of the large, hi-cube boxcars. There is also an Amtrak train that comes through twice a day on the CSX line.
While I don't know if these give you what you are after, here are 2 of my favorite photo sites:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/default.aspx
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/home.html
In particular, I like the first site as it gives me a map option and it is updated with new photos constantly. It allows you to search out locomotives by model, and gives a lot of options on finding the photos you want. The second one is only updated every Friday, but still has a lot of good photos on it.
Good luck in your search, I'm sure there are many others on this forum that will be able to help you even more, as this forum is a treasure trove of good information.
Good Luck, Morpar
Nils, If I understand you correctly, you want to model the present day American/Canadian railroad scene. That can also include Mexico. While you may wish to use only the current GE/EMD locomotive offerings, you could also include some older units such as SD40-SD40-2. This was one of EMD's most successful engines, and many are in daily use on Class 1 roads.
While container and intermodel freight are certainly increasing in volume, there are still many general, or manifest freights. This means boxcars, covered hoppers, pulpwood cars, flat cars etc.
Point I'm attempting to make is this. Don't "paint yourself into a cornor" regarding the era you model. I have a small layout as far as size is concerned, and it's set in the present. Still, quite a few second generation EMD/GE units put in appearences, as do more traditional items of rolling stock.
Somebody IS still building new boxcars, 60-ft and longer. The shorter boxcars I have seen all look old.
your friends - I once (and only once) saw a boxcar with the old PanAm Airways logo painted on it. This would make a good candidate for a unique car.