Which rainbow fleet would you model?

[Charlie Conway]

I'm considering leaving the steam-to-diesel transition behind and modeling the contemporary rail scene here in the Pacific Northwest.  Modern equipment is interesting and varied, and I've found that it's fun to duplicate prototypes I've seen in service in model form.  I also like the 'rainbow fleet' that BNSF is currently operating: a hodge podge of locomotive and rolling stock liveries from pre-merger railroads.

To show you what I mean, here's a photo I took this summer of activity on the ready tracks at Interbay/Balmer yard in Seattle:

Still, I haven't quite made up my mind to model the BNSF in 2007.  There's another, earlier rainbow fleet that is very appealing to me: the BN immediately after the merger of the GN, NP, CB&Q and SP&S.

Although chosing the early '70's would mean I'd be back to modeling from memories and old photographs, there are aspects of the earlier era that I prefer over the present day.

My question is:  If you had to choose between modeling the BNSF in 2007 or the BN in 1970, which would it be, and why?

Charlie

[Ulrich]

Tough question... I would probably go with BN in 1970 because of the variation in motive power as well as paint. You've got an all Alco fleet thanks to SP&S...including those C636s, first generation RS models and FAs...you've got U25Bs GP35s, cowl units...the list goes on and on. Same goes for the rolling stock...back 37 years ago you had cabooses and a variety of rolling stock that isn't so common today.  Furthermore, in 1970 passenger trains were still owned by the roads..and that is an interesting component that would be totally absent if you modelled BNSF today.  

Don't get me wrong...BNSF today would be great to model too...but the motive power is less diverse today, and the rolling stock is basically double stack or unit coal. My vote: BN in 1970.

 

[jguess733]

if you wanted to get really crazy you could model the period right after amtrak was formed. You could then have all the nostalgia of operating the rainbow fleet of the BN merger plus you can mix and match passenger trains with just about anybody's equipment. It would make for a very colorful layout to say the least.

[Texas Zepher]

The most rainbowy fleets I know of would be the Rock Island and the Minneapolis & St. Louis (Mini Lou).  Seems like both those railroads had a paint scheme of the week club and there were no mergers involved.   

But to your question, there would be no contest for me.  BN merger was much more colorful and intersting than the BNSF.   Don't forget the C&S they got a shipment of SD40-2's right before the merger.   There was more interesting and diverse locomotive types around at the BN merger (still Alcos & F units).  The rolling stock was more interesting and diverse (still reefers and stock cars).  The foreign road names avialable for interchange were more diverse.   

[Charlie Conway]

Ulrich,

Thanks for your comments.  Chalk one up for 1970.  I do love those SP&S Alcos.

I don't see too much in the way of unit coal here in Seattle.  Lot's of intermodal and grain hoppers (both of which I find interesting).  Otherwise, the freight fleet is pretty diverse.  I took this photo from the Dravus street overpass this summer:

[jguess733]

Charlie, your over in Seattle huh? I'm just across the water in Bremerton. The only railroad we have out this way is the Puget Sound & Western (I believe thats the name). They only run to the Navy Bases, and I've never seen a single train. I do hear one from time to time though.

[Hawks05]

I would say the modern day. You don't have to get the most modern power. By the pictures you've given you can use some SD's and GP's and have a few of the newer bigger locomotives too. You can't do switching with the big power...

I also love the mix of freight now and the variety on the trains. Living online the CP line I see a huge variety of trains. Today we had single AC4400 go through with a string of autoracks and the rest was boxcars, gondolas, and hoppers. Just that variety puts me in ahhh. I enjoy seeing the modern power and how things are changing now, just sad there isn't more railroads out there.

You can also throw in some of the local and regional railraods. Like for instance we have mostly CP stuff go through, but a lot of SOO and DM&E. Also seeing a lot of leaser units being used. So you have that option of not only the colorful BNSF roster, but also regionals, some older power that hasn't been repainted/relettered yet, and the leaser power.

I'd say go with the modern era BNSF and go to town with it. I hear the northwest is beautiful for train watching. Hoping to make it out there someday for awhile.

[aloco]

There's another, earlier rainbow fleet that is very appealing to me: the BN immediately after the merger of the GN, NP, CB&Q and SP&S.

My question is:  If you had to choose between modeling the BNSF in 2007 or the BN in 1970, which would it be, and why?

Charlie

BN after the merger, hands down.  Not only do you get a lot of different colours, but also a wider variety of locomotive body styles.   The BNSF era is full of those boring low-nose diesels.

[twcenterprises]

My vote?  BN in 1971, in and around Chicago.  Why?  That's when I was born, and where I was raised.  Cabooses and private passenger trains were still in service, Alcos were still around and there were simply more RR's in general.

Brad 

[Charlie Conway]

Sentiment seems to be running five-to-one in favor of the early 70's for lots of reasons I'd thought of and some I hadn't.  Jason, thanks for mentioning Amtrak.  I had not considered the passenger fleet rainbow that caused in 1971.

Here's a photo I took this summer of a grand old lady from the '50's who has seen it all.  Queen of the Balmer hump yard, SD9-3 1711:

Pity about the nose job.

Charlie

[onebiglizard]

Charlie,

In your shot from the Dravus St. overpass, there are some gons with ribbed covers in the lower left of the frame.  I've never seen a gon cover like that in my neck of the woods (Michigan).  Do you know what the cargo was, and what the point of the fins on the cover are?

Thanks,

Bill Field 

 

 

[Charlie Conway]

Hello Bill,

Gons with covers like these are fairly common in the Seattle area.  They are made of fiberglass, and they are evidently intended to protect ore concentrates, structural steel or coil steel from the elements.

The projecting ribs allow the covers to be stacked when not in use.

Here is a link to Ecofab, the manufacturer of the covers in the photo.  The site has a lot of interesting information about the covers:

http://www.ecofab.com/default.htm

Here are two more photos of the cars with the Ecofab covers:

Here a photo of a slightly different cover, perhaps by a different manufacturer:

I've never seen these covers offered commercially, but if I decide to focus on the modern era, I'll definitely have to find a way to model them.

Charlie

[Ulrich]

Maybe stretch realism a bit and model both! I did that with my CP layout....I have my M630s, RS-18s, and F7s running alongside my newer AC4400s.. It doesn't look bad really as all models are otherwise lettered and painted correctly.

To me anyway, streching reality a bit is one of the funner aspects of the hobby.  

 

[Charlie Conway]

Maybe stretch realism a bit and model both! I did that with my CP layout....I have my M630s, RS-18s, and F7s running alongside my newer AC4400s.. It doesn't look bad really as all models are otherwise lettered and painted correctly.

To me anyway, streching reality a bit is one of the funner aspects of the hobby.  

 

 

A splendid idea, Ulrich.  I don't think I would be comfortable mixing eras, but it might be possible to design a layout with interchangable structures and details so I could operate it as 1970 one day and 2007 the next.

I would especially enjoy modeling long-lived locomotives and rolling stock like good old 1711 as they appeared in both eras.

Hmm . . .

Charlie

[Dave Vollmer]

Early Conrail.  So, in addition to blue Conrail and platinum mist Amtrak, I would have Penn Central black, Erie-Lackawanna gray and maroon, Reading green and yellow, Central of New Jersey green, Lehigh Valley red, and PRSL Brunswick Green.  It doesn't really get any more rainbow than that.

Plus throw in a few Pennsy (Tuscan and Brunswick Green), New York Central (black and jade green), and New-Haven (McGinnis orange, white and black) pre-PC locos and cars, and you've got a veritable child's party napkin of color.

[potlatcher]

My question is:  If you had to choose between modeling the BNSF in 2007 or the BN in 1970, which would it be, and why?

Three more good reasons to go with BN circa 1970 in the PNW:

1)  The Milwaukee Road would still be a viable interchange partner, which adds even more variety to your motive power selections.

2)  If you model any portion of the Seattle-Portland mainline, and you want to see similar variety in your passenger train consists, I believe the "pool trains" (GN, NP, BN, UP) were still running previous to May 1, 1971.  Or, go with the earlier suggestion to model the immediate post-Amtrak era with some really weird combinations.

3)  The best reason, I think, is that you can still model the "traditional" railroad scene with more depots, towers (only a few in the PNW, but still an important part of things in 1970), maintenance sheds and equipment, semaphore signals in some locations, etc . . .

In the end it's up to you, so take anything the rest of us say with a grain of salt and do whatever feels right to you.

Tom

[Mark R.]

I model the D&H in the mid to late seventies and that was a colorful time on the D&H ....

• blue and gray lightning stripe
• solid blue with a myriad of yellow trim
• ex Reading in green and yellow
• ex Lehigh Valley in cornell red
• ex Lehigh Valley in gray and yellow
• ex Erie Lackawanna paint-outs
• ex Providence and Worseter white, brown and orange
• ex Vermont RR in solid red
• ex Lehigh and Hudson River light blue and gray
• subsidiary Greenwich and Johnsonville in orange

.... now THAT's a rainbow. Want to add the strays that came through Bingo as well ???

Mark. 

[Anonymous]

I'd say 2007 as that way you can duplicate the prototypes you see in service and you can still model locomotives in various pre merger schemes. Plus contrary to what the crowd is saying it isn't all GEVOs and other big locos you still need smaller stuff like switchers and santa fe's down powered geeps for local switching service.

[zgardner18]

I model BNSF now because I wasn't around before '76 but if I was then I probably would model BN merger and Milwalkee Road through Montana.  I only model what I see and know.

Good luck

[Texas Zepher]

Jason, thanks for mentioning Amtrak.  I had not considered the passenger fleet rainbow that caused in 1971.

Amtrak's rainbow fleet was still going strong in 1974.  I saw my first Amtrak black E8 unit in Garden City Kansas in 1978.

[trainboyH16-44]

If I wanted to model a rainbow fleet, I would also choose post-merger BN. Unfortunately for the people who make those models, I prefer my 90% CP roster! (Speaking of BN...I have a pair of C30-7s in "BN" and a GP20 in GN!)

[dehusman]

Early Conrail also.  Very colorful and the range of units was amazing.

Dave H.