mmathu,
Beautiful spreader and nice action shot! Nice weathering and it's not just the snow. Yeah, I'll bet you had some great material on the set to get that shot.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
... and here is how I staged the photo in my driveway last weekend:
Here's my HO scale Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western Jordan spreader.
Gary:
I have installed front couplers on a couple of HO scale snow plows, and I have also installed a number of N scale knuckle couplers on my HOn30 rolling stock.
My suggestion would be to buy some Red Caboose N scale knuckle coupers like these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-Caboose-N-Knuckle-Coupler-Long-Shank-8-pc-Black-RCB51020-/330909734949?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item4d0bc1d825
First, cut the original coupler off leaving enough of the shank in place to allow the new coupler to be positioned properly on the front of the plow.
Then cut the perpendicular flat plate off of the coupler box end of the Red caboose coupler. File the remaining shank round and drill a hole into the original coupler shank the same size as the now rounded shank on the new coupler. The rest is obvious.
I will qualify my suggestions by admitting that I have never done this myself. I am merely suggesting a possible solution. The shape and size of the original coupler shank may preclude what I am suggesting. If so, you can file this post in the waste basket.
Also, I know that the Red Caboose couplers mate successfully with themselves but I don't know how they play with other operating knuckle couplers. If you want to do switching that will require the use of the plow's front coupler obviously you should check that out.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Yeah, looked like it was stuck on there pretty good. It kind of depends on whether it bothers you as I've run into similar situations where something was OK until one day out came the rail nips...then I figured out the followup.
In this case, the most important thing other than the aesthetics is whether you plan on doing a lot of switching. In that case, putting an operational coupler on it could make sense, at least it would make more sense than a non-operational coupler on a piece of rolling stock that often didn't have the front coupler installed even if it was capable of it. Of course, you need an out of the way spot for it if you go couplerless.
If you do that, then the rail nippers could make short work of it. Then dress the wound with files and putty best you can. The tricky part would be paint. Fortunate thing about plows is they looked all pristine like that one in September, but by February, they looked like heck. A beat up paint job on the the face of the plow would do the trick and save a lot of matching paint, etc.
But it's a good looking plow the way it is, no need to change it unless that front coupler is going to cause problems.
it's dummy coupler on the front but, I'm not sure how to remove it or swap it out without irreversible damage.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
Gary,
That's a very plausible plow. Maybe that big ol' Rapido up front could be replaced with a M-T or maybe even a scale dummy is the only thing I'd try to fix, presuming that was easy (and it may not be.)
I don't know when Russell plows were last produced, but if they were built somewhat later, they very well could've reflected what appears to be a somewhat streamlined design. It's not so much for speed, although that can be involved, but to help move snow away from the track rather than building up on the plow or blowing back into the newly cleared track. I suspect the Japanese produced plows somewhat later than in the US, since they get a bunch of snow by being so near the water in lots of places, plus being mountainous also causing lifting that helps it snow.
There are rotary plows(I need to get another kit because My first one didn't turnout very good.)
regular spreaders and plows are few and far between, I know someone made an N scale version of the Walthers model(orit was a walthers model)
I also have a heater car, that I'll be pairing with the plow. I have a very plausible reason for the two being together.
Burlington Northern #24 I'll take a couple more pictures of it, I'm certain though it's been modified a lot from its base version. "Americanized" I suppose would be the proper term.
I'll take a couple more pictures of it, I'm certain though it's been modified a lot from its base version. "Americanized" I suppose would be the proper term.
More pics would be appreciated. It might solve a problem for N scale snowfightin'. Are there plow models available in N? HO is pretty well provided for, although we could always use new variants, too.
I've always planned on getting a Rio Grande Models HOn3 kit of the Rio Grande's narrowgauge Jordan (OU I think, IIRC) and building it. I belatedly realized I needed a standard gauge version, too.
Burlington Northern #24When I can some day, I'd love to build the NP Jordan Spreader from Toppenish Wa. that was built right around the turn of the century.
Yeah, Jordan spreaders are cool. I'm still kicking myself for taking a pass when Walthers brought out their somewhat crude version, which has been mostly unobtanium since. Crude is better than unaffordable brass. Maybe that one is on the update and re-release list?
Did Walthers ever produce a N scale Jordan?
When I can some day, I'd love to build the NP Jordan Spreader from Toppenish Wa. that was built right around the turn of the century.
Cool, gotta know what I'm looking at. I'm clueless about N scale, but know there are some interesting prototypes that can be credibly repurposed as standins which are done in N by various players in the Japanese market, where N is huge vs in the US.
Maybe someone else knows what brand it is, for reference purposes?
The wife speaks fluent Japanese, even her computer runs on a Japanese version OS, and she's somewhat of a railfan. Japanese is a crazy difficult language to learn, more diffcult than English with all its various permutations. So I guess I'm saying I can learn a little Japanese N-scale as I was never a wiz at languages, picking up rudimentary German after living there almost 4 years and Spanish on my own then formally in college when I went back some years back. I can speak neither, but can still sort read them, but am fairly fluent in the RR aspects of things with both, probably because RRs make it interesting enough to make my brain want to learn and retain it.
She's traveling there in the spring to act as an interpreter for her sister and her family when they travel there. I sorta got to know what to ask for in terms of tiny souvenirs (given the limited selection and priciness of HO in Japan, as well as fitting the luggauge full of other stuff), as I'm not going, maybe next time around. We've been planning a rail adventure when we do. The new Shinkansen has just been testing to take the tunnel to Hokkaido, so you can get everywhere pretty fast in the very near future.
mlehman Great angle. Speaking of Godzilla, is that a Japanese plow?
Great angle. Speaking of Godzilla, is that a Japanese plow?
Well, sorta? with one piece of snow fighting equipment we'll be in a bit of a bind for a bit, thankfully an extra large employee(Godzilla) our trains won't be too late.
Chris,
It's still a beautiful model, even if I've seen it before
Mike,
Love your LGB DL535. I've always wanted one of those, but me, my moeny and one for sale have never been in the same room at once. I have built two from PSC kits in HOn3 and your post reminds me I added one of those since last winter, so it's another piece of snowfighting gear, considering they were planned with built-in snow removal capabilities.
#64 in the lead was built this year, trailing #60 was built a couple of years ago.
My new garden railway will be ready this year. Just bought this LGB 2155s with its brutish pilot plow to deal with winters wrath on the railway. Constant mineral train traffic keeps the drifts at bay. Just a pic of her from the shop she came from, they are just under a new name/owner. I highly recommend Zionsville Train Depot for anybodys G and O scale needs. I will get pics when the snow returns, right now its wet and muddy at the railway. Mike
Silly NT's....I have Aspergers.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Thanks Dave!
Chris:
Nice model. Really nice weathering.
I know you've already seen this one, Mike, but for everyone else...
It's mid-October and the SPV is gearing up for the winter of 1907. In the Utah mountains, it's not uncommon for the first snow of the year to come early in the fall. Nothing heavy yet so the rotary is still sitting idle on a weedy siding near the roundhouse, but the plow on #19 is sufficient for clearing a few feet of snow if necessary.
That's a Precision Scale plow on a backdated Blackstone C-19.
Chris
rrebell Snow, whats that!!!!!! LOL
Snow, whats that!!!!!! LOL
I also live on the West Coast and we never get snow.
The canine nose plow. No oil change required.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I've got several 'Mogs, including a narrowgauge 'Mog, but no snow blowers. I see they do make one now and it is tempting, even thoughh I'm not a fan of the blue paint on this one: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/405-14997
rrebell:
Nice move!
We are sort of fortunate in that we live just below the snow belt in central Ontario. We do get lots of snow but we don't get buried like the city of Barrie regularly does. Barrie is just 40 km north of us. None the less, I do own a snowblower, and it has come in handy many times. The strange thing with our winter weather is that the snow blower sat for two years without being needed. That was in 2010/2011 IIRC. Last year I was out every few days all winter long. Go figure.
By the way, the neighbours love it when I blow out the snow piles on their driveways left by the plows. Once you learn how to control the beast it isn't too hard to use.
That reminds me. I need to change to oil. Craftsman should be sued for making it such a difficult and messy procedure. One wheel needs to be removed. OK, that's simple enough. However when you remove the drain plug the oil has to run across the top of the frame before dripping messily into a tray of some sort. Stupid design! You can improve the process by installing a length of threaded pipe in the drain hole that overhangs the frame and then putting a cap on the end of the pipe, but you still have to go through the sloppy draining procedure the first time before you can put the pipe in. Big time PITA! Ya, you guessed it, I haven't changed the oil in five years!
Sorry! WAY OFF TOPIC!!
My bad. Thanks for letting me rant.
hon30critter rrebell: Just ask anybody living in Buffalo! Dave
Just ask anybody living in Buffalo!
Dusty SoloA good friend, a member of the OPP must have upset sombody, because at one time he was posted for a time at a remote place called, Pickle Lake. He used to tell me jokingly that the weather forcast was either for snow or poor skiing.
Believe me, they have summer there, too. Temps were in the nineties when I worked there many years ago, and the mosquitoes were the size of pterodactyls. 599 was a gravel road (perhaps still is - the driving time to Savant Lake, just over 100 miles, shows as about 3 1/2 hours), but we, fortunately, flew in.
Other than that, a nice place, near what may have been one of the ends of the earth.
Wayne
Unimog! Now there's a machine! I had a Matchbox one when I was 7 or 8... been in love with them ever since.
New York Central had several models of their home-made jet engine snow BLOWERS. Not too sure how well one of those would be recieved in a residential area ... Would be a fun scratchbuild broject, though
We still talk about the winter of 1978 around here! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1978
Yes, the model railroad is the Great Escape! Ed
Yeah, I can definitely see the compromises at work. I know the front mounts are a lot more hassle. I've always had a fascination with snow removal, I guess from living through those late 70s winter around here -- when folks up your way got hit even harder. I almost talked a buddy into buying a Unimog with a blower back then. He would made a killing that first winter -- and then gone broke for 4 or 5 years. Lately though, our percipitation events have grown pretty intense and regular, so I figured it was time to take the plunge. Wife was OK with that, her back has its own share of issues.
Maybe we should make this the official winter survival thread? Model railroading is a big part of that for me. So long as there's power...
I live just east of Cleveland in what's affectionately known as the "Snow Belt" in 2005-6 we had 157.58 inches of the fun stuff! Not quite as bad as Buffalo... but close. The Ohio National Guard was called out to load trucks and haul the snow south! We didn't have anyplace to put it.
This will be the first season I'll be using the monster. I'm not thrilled about running backwards but neither am I thrilled about the cost of a front mounted blower and the pain to remove the front end loader. I'll let you know how I feel in April!
My old tractor setup was nice. I had a Meyer's 6' plow with power angle and I made a sub frame for it and it was very effective. There's NO one easy solution for snow removal. Some days you just need a light scrape and others you're dealing with 5 foot drifts...
Again, If the Mail and UPS can't get through my layout would shrivel up and die! (Me too!)
Thanks for your reply! Ed
Great pics, everyone. Gotta get some of that fake snow to experiment with.
gmpullman Keep 'em coming! Ed
Ed,
Hah, I knew someone would post a pic of "off track equipment."
I was ready for that, since we also bought the best insurance against it actually snowing enough to need it around here, a snowblower. I'm really glad I don't have to crank my squirrelly neck around to run it, too.
mlehman Bob and Dave, Really outstanding modeling, guys. I'm sure glad the Canadian contingent ain't afraid of snow
Bob and Dave,
Really outstanding modeling, guys. I'm sure glad the Canadian contingent ain't afraid of snow
I'm sure they are not. A good friend, a member of the OPP must have upset sombody, because at one time he was posted for a time at a remote place called, Pickle Lake. He used to tell me jokingly that the weather forcast was either for snow or poor skiing.
Dusty