Greetings to all, I am just getting into the planning stages of what I hope is a fun little layout. I would like to model a large locomotive servicing facility. I havent been able to find any good pictures of one that has already been built to help guide my thinking. ( Very familiar with 1:1 scale shops, but 1:87 requires a very different mindset). Thought I would probe the mind of the experienced and willing to offer thoughts. Thanks
Here's a diesel shop that I built. Really looks good with a detailed interior and lights.
https://www.walthers.com/diesel-house-kit-9-1-4-x-16-7-8-x-6-1-2-quot-23-5-x-42-8-x-16-4cm
Joe
I just Googled Locomotive service facilities, and looked at images. Lots of pictures of models and 1:1 facilities, along with lots of track plans and drawings.
I don't have a service facility on my small layout. A tank truck refuels the switcher from a track in the transloading area, and the crew fills the sand boxes by hand, from a fork lift.
Mike.
My You Tube
Thanks, I would like to model it with an open side to show the innards, I still need to hunt around to see if I can find models of a sanding crane and fuel racks. may I ask if you run any unpowered units? I basically plan to use make a switching layout but using locomotives instead of cars, having all of them powered seems like a waste, other than athearn BB units I have yet to find anyone that makes dead units.
IA, I sent you a message on your PM box.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
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Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Nobody makes the "unpowered" versions, like Athearn did. You can still get body shells off Ebay at a reasonable price, and you'll find a lot of Athearn BB unpowered units, along with frames and chassies to build your own.
mbinsewi Nobody makes the "unpowered" versions, like Athearn did. You can still get body shells off Ebay at a reasonable price, and you'll find a lot of Athearn BB unpowered units, along with frames and chassies to build your own. Mike.
Other than the aforementioned eBay, the best place to look for unpowered, or dummy, locomotives would be train shows. There's a listing of shows in the back of each issue of Model Railroader.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
IAFarmerI basically plan to use make a switching layout but using locomotives instead of cars, having all of them powered seems like a waste, other than athearn BB units I have yet to find anyone that makes dead units.
A few years ago Jason Shron of Rapido Trains said the difference in manufacturing cost between dummies and loco's with engines is so small it is just not worth it. I think they will be hard to find. Given that I can order 500 LED lights from China for $2.80, I would think loco motors would be very cheap as well. I would be curious to know what they would cost if ordered directly from China.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
You could include the service facilty as an "industry" and send locomotives there routinely as part of your operating scheme. Or, are you planning to display the locomotives with open service panel doors and connected fuel lines, so they would be purely static displays?
I also think you should check out train shows and swap meets for dummy engines. I've found dummy A and B Athearn F-units. You can find old powered units for a few dollars, too. Most aren't worth running, but the shells are OK and they can be gutted. With a cheap sound-only decoder, you can add some realism by having the engine "idling" in the service facilty.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasleyYou could include the service facilty as an "industry" and send locomotives there routinely as part of your operating scheme. Or, are you planning to display the locomotives with open service panel doors and connected fuel lines, so they would be purely static displays?
That was the goal, a busy service/shop complex can keep several hostler crews working. I would like to make a couple units in states of various heavy repair so I would have to find a way to make a model of the engines/alts and various under hood bits, but that is part of what makes this all fun.
Thanks for the help on un-powered units, may just have to start scouting the shows or looking for units that are broken down. Thanks!