Mesquite-high, dry and dusty

[Zomboid]

That last picture looks like a perfect opportunity to put a diamond in, as kickbacks are generally avoided where possible.

[john flann]

Zomboid, thank you. I agree kick-back sidings are best avoided but it's not a big deal here. I have noted that LPG spurs at facilities are not always in use and that tank cars when present stay a while. So there is not constant movement.

 

But we do have the slurry loading point and here cars need to be moved along frequently. In these circumstances I have observed what's usual is for cars to be moved by chain and a tractor. (Locally at a grain merchants with rail served spurs cars are shuffled about by a four wheeler and the ubiquitous chain.) So that is what happens here at Mesquite and the train engine need only reach in to delver or pullout cars on the main spur. This may all seem a little informal/casual to UK eyes and practices, but it works

 

The photo shows the Consolidated Elevator on the late Providence River where such arrangements also applied. The tractor involved and be seen toward the R at the foot of the small silo. It will be similarly employed at Mesquite.

 

Please continue watching and commenting. I'm always happy to explain/answer.

 

Edited August 19, 2016 by john flann

[john flann]

Zomboid, thank you. I agree kick-back sidings are best avoided but it's not a big deal here. I have noted that LPG spurs at facilities are not always in use and that tank cars when present stay a while. So there is not constant movement.

 

But we do have the slurry loading point and here cars need to be moved along frequently. In these circumstances I have observed what's usual is for cars to be moved by chain and a tractor. (Locally at a grain merchants with rail served spurs cars are shuffled about by a four wheeler and the ubiquitous chain.) So that is what happens here at Mesquite and the train engine need only reach in to delver or pullout cars on the main spur. This may all seem a little informal/casual to UK eyes and practices, but it works

 

The photo shows the Consolidated Elevator on the late Providence River where such arrangements also applied. The tractor involved can be seen toward the R at the foot of the small elevator. It will be similarly employed at Mesquite.

 

Please continue watching and commenting. I'm always happy to explain/answer.

 

Edited August 19, 2016 by john flann

[Zomboid]

To me the diamond is a characteristically American feature and I'd try to get at least one in if I had a vaguely plausible excuse...

 

Sounds like you've got an excuse to have a trackmobile there though, if you're going to have a locally switched kickback.

[john flann]

Zomboid, yes, but I like to keep things simple as there are other considerations related to the switching and operation, for instance there is no run round loop. That at the LH end is to facilitate switching that end-nothing else.

 

Trains are propelled in for S&H with the caboose leading and the loco remains at the head end the whole time. Those for the depot are led in and propelled out.

 

As I mentioned S&H and the depot are treated as two separate entities.

 

Trackmobiles are all very well, but a four wheeler suffices here.

 

All will become clearer as the thread develops.

[john flann]

I thought this post would be more appropriate here than on my Hintock thread.

 

Something of an event in Cache Valley today with the running of a UP loco in course of a longer tour from Pocatello to Ogden.

 

http://news.hjnews.com/allaccess/historic-steam-locomotive-to-stop-at-cache-junction/article_9ebf9fd3-495c-52ca-acb9-18fb0a0daaa6.html

 

Whilst waiting I took these pictures of a loaded grain hopper being moved and unloaded to produce animal feed. I also took some other shots. All I hope will be of interest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine my chagrin when the loco rolled through Trenton at a fair speed through and whistle blowing the battery's

 on my camera were exhausted. So it's off to Ogden tomorrow to catch it there.

Edited April 25, 2017 by john flann

[mullie]

Amazing how open everything is. If that was in the  UK it would be surrounded by fences, warning signs and CCTV.

[john flann]

Yes Martyn, there's nothing whatsoever on any boundary. It's not uncommon here. Mind you there's not much of anything in this wide, lengthy and open mountain valley. Those mountains seen in the background are 8/9000' high.

[F-UnitMad]

Whoever did the weathering on that CRDX hopper did a rubbish job of it!!

 

Capturing the 'open' look of much of the US railroad scene is what's so challenging when trying to model it. Especially in small indoor spaces, many thousands of miles away!!

[john flann]

Yes, in contrast the two UP hoppers were straight of the box and their numbers, higher up please note and maybe out of reach of the tiresome graffiti, were within two hundred of each other. (99,528,99721)

 

Not every car is heavily weathered. On some block grain trains the numbers of  fresh new cars often run more or less, consecutively.

 

Cache Valley is also very open. This valley at around 4,500' elevation is about a 100 miles long by about 40 miles wide.surrounded by mountains to 8-10,000' high and with only four major access passes.

Edited April 27, 2017 by john flann

[Gene]

Hi John, nice to see you again, I hope all is well. ...how I missed this thread up to now I have no idea, but I look forward to following your progress on this great looking project.

 

Cheers

Gene

[john flann]

Hi Gene,

 

Happy to catch up with you once again. Hope all is well with you. I'm OK thanks and enjoying life-as much as I can these days, as I trust is with you.

 

Mesquite is as you see a return to modelling American as I've been busy with my Hintock endeavors in another part of this forum.

 

But it is my intention to now get on with this. I can work it but I need to add the staging yard for full operation. Even so after often weeks of neglect it will run straight away with no hesitations. Scenic work too I intend to start and that I'm really looking forward to.

 

My next post will concern 844 at rest in Ogden plus a little of the exhibits in the railroad museum-including another 833 of the same class.

 

My regards, 

[john flann]

Following up my last about 844 I caught up with her again the next day stationary at Ogden Union Station. There were hordes of people present that made photography a little difficult. The loco itself was a majestic sight as it was also gratifying to see the interest in it.

 

It's not altogether surprising as Ogden is an old rail road town. Not far distant to the west is Promontory Point where the trans-continental rail roads met. Locos too of the same class worked through the town.

 

Also of interest is the railroad museum there. Included in the exhibits is a currently non-working 833. (I intend to visit again and take more photos of the exhibits.)

 

Noteworthy in some of  the images is the proximity of the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[john flann]

I turn to Mesquite on occasions as a complete change to my GWR/SR/S&DR activities and each time when I switch on it's always ready to go.

 

Today when I did so I happened to have my camera with me and these are the result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ron Solly]

Thanks John for pointing me towards the revamped layout - VBG indeed !

Edited May 27, 2017 by Ron Solly

[Conrail76]

Like the photos from your earlier post with the grain hoppers being unloaded, something you don't see recorded all that often. It looks like the 'Bobcat' is being used to pull the hoppers along with a cable attached. Plenty of detail there which can be replicated on a layout.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Conrail76

[298]

 

HTK_0292-1.jpg

 

 

Very nice, I always wondered what UP 296 and 299 look like in Armor yellow as they clashed with the numbering series of my own prototype.

[john flann]

Ron, thanks, glad you approve. Because of my Hintock activities it hasn't had much attention recently. But I will add to it and build the staging yard.

 

It's simple but will provide a sufficiency of interesting enough operation.

 

Conrail: yes that grain facility did look well and pleased you noted the tractor-an essential part of the facilities workings.

 

296: I'm no great expert on UP "stuff" but those two I think look in their armor yellow very business like. It was a sight of a pair like that in the far distances of Nevada that inspired  me to scrap Providence River and re-build it as "Mesquite". 

[NickBrad]

Following up my last about 844 I caught up with her again the next day stationary at Ogden Union Station. There were hordes of people present that made photography a little difficult. The loco itself was a majestic sight as it was also gratifying to see the interest in it.

 

It's not altogether surprising as Ogden is an old rail road town. Not far distant to the west is Promontory Point where the trans-continental rail roads met. Locos too of the same class worked through the town.

 

Also of interest is the railroad museum there. Included in the exhibits is a currently non-working 833. (I intend to visit again and take more photos of the exhibits.)

 

Noteworthy in some of  the images is the proximity of the mountains.

 

 

 

HTK_0206-1.jpg

 

HTK_0207-1.jpg

 

 

 

It's interesting to be catching up on this thread, having just watched a youtube video by Toy Man Television, where they visit this very same museum.