Interstate Railroad - Appalachian coal hauling in 1952.

[nathan70000]

Fascinating choice of prototype. Definitely a challenge in terms of finding accurate equipment for the era you've chosen, though!

 

I assume you've visited this website? Looking at the photos I think the Spectrum 2-8-0 should be a good stand-in for those used by the IRR in later years. It would have been almost all steam in 1952 apart from a single RS3 demonstrator, the first cream/orange/grey units were not delivered until 1953.

 

Proto 2000 offered a 2-8-8-2 similar to the Interstate examples. They are hard to find and expensive though.

 

You'll discover that a lot of steam-era US models are simply "representations" due to the overwhelming variety of road-specific designs. Particularly if you're not modelling the PRR, UP, SP, or ATSF. Prepare for a lot of kitbashing!

 

[DanielB]

Well, it's been ages since I've posted, but that bonus never materialised so the layout/gaming room is still in a state of flux.

 

The lack of the promised bonus was the last straw for me from my frankly awful now-ex employer, so I quit and found myself a new job at a much better company.

 

I've been there almost a year now, and as such had been focused on life more than hobbies.

 

That said, the gaming side of my hobby room has been the focus, and I'm almost sorted in that regard.

 

Just waiting for a custom gaming table to arrive sometime towards the end of the month, and once that's set up I'll know how much room I'll have to fit the Interstate into.

 

The photos attached show the pile of stuff in the corner that will be where the layout will likely end up being homed.

 

I also picked up a few freight cars at Mansfield to add to my collection, a couple more 55T hoppers included.

 

The other stuff will be for a new US exhibition layout that I've got in the works.

[doctor quinn]

All the best with the new job - Glad to see you back on here with the Interstate project.

[DanielB]

Okay, so I've been pondering possible track plans, and I think I have a rough first draft.

 

I've been wracking my brains trying to figure out how to fit as close to what I wanted into the space that I have, and I THINK I've figured it out.

 

I think the only way to fit a decent sized coal mine into the layout without it being the entire layout is to split the trackage - at least for now - into 2 levels that don't actually join. One for the mine on the hillside, and one to serve the mining town below it.

 

The town will have a few industries as shown on the plan, and the two levels will be joined by a dirt road that will run parallel to the tracks from the town and up to the mine. It's likely that the road will be lined with coal camp houses/shotgun shacks.

 

Staging for the mine will probably be a couple of tracks which will sit on a narrow shelf above the lower level staging (likely 3 tracks). That way the shelf will be narrow enough that it shouldn't interfere with the gaming table below it.

 

Once my gaming table shows up I'll be able to figure out exactly how to do this, but this plan may just work. It might end up being re-drawn multiple times before anything gets built, but the concept should work.

 

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Edited March 18 by DanielB

[stivesnick]

Hi Daniel

 

I think the plan has great potential. A couple of things to keep an eye out for. The reach across the board to and stock at the coal mine or even filling up the coal hopper if you intend to load the wagons. I would also try to extend the passing siding in the town if possible. Ideally the mine would have a spur for deliveries of equipment and other supplies, perhaps off the run round loop. 

 

Although the two sets of tracks are seperate, you could use a cassette system to allow coal trains to move from one level to another. 

 

Regards 

 

Nick 

[DanielB]

Thanks Nick. Once the gaming table turns up and is in place, then I'll have a better idea of the space available.

 

Once I do I'm going to print out a bunch of Peco turnout templates and get out a reel of paper and plan the layout out in full size.

 

It should give me the opportunity to account for space and potential reach issues.

 

In the mean time I've been going over my fleet of coal cars and making an inventory of what I'll need - Kadee couplers, metal wheels, etc.

 

Here's the overall view of the fleet as it stands, minus 6 other cars I'm currently repainting.

[DanielB]

On 05/06/2023 at 19:01, nathan70000 said:

Fascinating choice of prototype. Definitely a challenge in terms of finding accurate equipment for the era you've chosen, though!

 

I assume you've visited this website? Looking at the photos I think the Spectrum 2-8-0 should be a good stand-in for those used by the IRR in later years. It would have been almost all steam in 1952 apart from a single RS3 demonstrator, the first cream/orange/grey units were not delivered until 1953.

 

Proto 2000 offered a 2-8-8-2 similar to the Interstate examples. They are hard to find and expensive though.

 

You'll discover that a lot of steam-era US models are simply "representations" due to the overwhelming variety of road-specific designs. Particularly if you're not modelling the PRR, UP, SP, or ATSF. Prepare for a lot of kitbashing!

 

 

I'm terribly sorry but somehow I missed this post!

 

Yes, I practically live on that IRR page, it's a goldmine of information - along with the "Wolfe Trilogy" of reference books.

 

I have a list of the IRR steam fleet in 1952 and suitable (to me at least) representations in HO:

 

Athearn's Old Timer consolidation will do fine as IRR #1-4

 

Bachmann's Consolidation works as IRR #5-8

 

MTH's PRR H-10 is a perfect IRR #9, which I have in my collection already.

 

Walthers/Proto 2k 0-6-0 will work fine as IRR #10  (which was gone from the roster in 1950 but as most of the fleet will be inaccurate anyway does it really matter?) with the addition of a slope tender. Again, this one I already have.

 

Broadway's PRR L-1 is a perfect representation of IRR #14-15.

 

Walthers/Proto 2k 2-8-8-2 mallet will have to do as IRR #20-21

 

Likewise, the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is the best I can get for INT #22-24, as I'm not paying brass prices for three N&W Z-1a/Z-1b - if I could even find them!

 

Finally IRR #25-28 would need to be brass as well, as the Southern KS-3 hasn't been produced in anything else. So the Bachmann consolidations would have to do as stand in locos instead - and what's the point if I'm going to be using those for #5-8 anyway?

 

 

[DanielB]

Lunch break well spent today. One down, twelve to go. 🤣 

 

Excellent decals from K4decals.com. If only they did Interstate steam locomotive ones. 🤣

 

Edited March 20 by DanielB

[DanielB]

After a bit more effort, I've got 9 Interstate hoppers ready for sealing and weathering, and 9 more that need decals. :)

 

 

[DanielB]

Further to my previous posts about the steam fleet for the layout, I was looking at what I have to work with in my collection so far.

 

MTH H-10 - will become INT #9

 

 

Proto 2k 0-6-0 - will become INT #10

 

[DanielB]

Following on from my last post, I do have some power from two of the Interstate's interchange railroads.

 

Whilst I am trying to hunt down a pair of Pennsy L-1s Mikados to add to the Interstate fleet, in the interim I do have a Louisville and Nashville J4 Mikado from BLI with QSI sound:

 

 

From the Southern, I have a USRA 0-8-0 switcher which I'm sure I can use on either some through freight or Hill crew work as a borrowed engine. This one is a Proto 2k model with Tsunami sound:

 

 

 

[DanielB]

This evening I've been having a go at weathering a couple of the hopper fleet.

 

Pretty happy with how these have turned out. :)

 

 

 

 

Edited March 24 by DanielB

[DanielB]

Two more down. :)

[DanielB]

Six hoppers finished today. Until I can afford to have the layout built, I'm enjoying making progress on the fleet. :)

[DanielB]

Three more coal cars weathered today. I didn't see much point in working on the trucks on the fleet until I've got metal wheels and Kadee's for them all. Then I can weather the wheel sets before I swap them out.

 

Included in today's batch is a car which has been 'chalked' with the inaugural "First Coal Loaded..." lettering for Renima Mine. The Stonega Coke & Coal company did this to 'Christen' new mine tipples, and there are a few photos of such cars in Ed Wolfe's second book on the Interstate.

 

Renima will be the name of the mine and coal camp depicted on the layout. It was the name my late grandfather gave to his home.

 

He was a coal miner for most of his life, and as some of you may have spotted, Renima is 'A Miner' spelt backwards.

 

My layout will be set in 1952, so the year was set in stone already, however the day was always going to be December 2nd - his birthday.

 

There will also be a few HO scale geese on the layout once it gets built, as Goose was the nickname we gave him when I was a child, due to my young cousin at the time pronouncing Grandad as 'Ganda'.

 

The date chalked on the car should also give clues as to the scenery that will appear on the layout - winter trees, dead grass and a lot of snow. :)

Edited March 26 by DanielB

[DanielB]

Not a lot of progress to mention at the moment, however I have made an inventory of all my rolling stock - for the 1950's I have around 60 freight cars that I can use on the layout, though a lot of them need metal wheels and kadee couplers before they can see use.

 

I've also ordered a twin pack of Walthers C&O wooden caboose, as these are about as good a starting point as I can get for Interstate cans without spending $80 a pop for craftsman kits of accurate INT cab models.

 

Also, a gentleman in Tennessee is shipping over 8 more 50T hoppers lettered for the Interstate. All I'll need to do is change up the road numbers and they'll be good to go.

 

Once those arrive, my coal car fleet should be pretty much sorted. :)

[DanielB]

Over the last couple of days I've been working on turning a Walthers C&O wooden caboose I bought from a train show back before lockdown, into an Interstate prototype using images found on the INT fansite and in Ed Wolfe's books.

 

The two I have on order will become another couple of examples, but this one will end up as pre-rebuild #10, as seen in the attached photo from the fansite.

 

At the moment it's about 50% finished as far as the kitbash goes. I need to add wire handrails, correct ladders, Kadee caboose trucks, and the underframe tool boxes.

 

Once the kitbash is complete I'll paint everything accordingly - red body, yellow steps and handrails, black roof and underframe - then add modified coal hopper lettering from my stash from K4 Decals.

 

[DanielB]

The kitbashed caboose is now ready for cleanup and paint. :)

 

really happy with how it's turned out.

 

 

[DanielB]

Cab #14 painted and lettered, and ready for weathering. :)

 

I think I'll have a go at 3D printing the ladders and steps on the two other C&O cabs I'll be kitbashing. 🤣

 

I've also ordered a Bachmann 2 axle bobber caboose to kitbash into a representation of INT #4 - the sole 2 axle cab remaining on the INT roster at the time I'm representing.

 

It was kept around due to the tight clearances at the Stonega tipple, the other three examples being scrapped due to their terrible ride when used on the end of hill jobs hauled by the INT's powerful mallets.

 

The Stonega job was often done by consolidations so #4 wasn't so rough a ride for the crew.

Edited April 1 by DanielB

[DanielB]

INT #6012 and #7088 fully completed and ready for their first loads.

 

Now they'll return to their boxes to keep them safe until I can afford to get the bench work, track and electrics finished on the layout. :)

[DanielB]

Minus the correct trucks which will come at a later date, INT #14 is ready to roll. :)

[doctor quinn]

2 hours ago, DanielB said:

Minus the correct trucks which will come at a later date, INT #14 is ready to roll. :)

That really looks the part.

[DanielB]

Thanks Nick. I just got an email saying Ellis Clark have dispatched the double pack of C&O caboose so I should have a couple more to work on later this week.

 

In the mean time, I received 8 more Accurail coal cars lettered for the Interstate this morning from a gentleman in Tennessee - $120 shipped and they arrived in less than 5 days.

 

As such, I've started renumbering them using what's left of a pack of K4 Decals.

 

Tonight's night shift efforts should see more progress done on the fleet.

[DanielB]

Not a lot to show lately, but a few things to report.

 

The renumbering of the additional coal cars has been completed, and three extra caboose have had their factory road markings removed with Isopropyl Alcohol and Q-tips ready for painting/lettering, though two will need the same treatment as cab #14 before I can get to that stage.

 

I've also received and replaced metal wheels on 9 more freight cars, I've a pack of Kadee #5 couplers waiting to be fitted, and another order of metal wheels and a few more freight cars coming from Kent Garden Railways.

 

Hopefully I can have some more photos up on the thread later in the week.

[DanielB]

Interstate #4 has had it's lettering applied. If this rain stops I might be able to seal it ready for painting.