Benson Arkansas

[Broadoak]

The loco propels the Rio Grande hopper to the long siding at the front of the layout that serves the Mutual Service elevator and Farmer’s Co-op elevator. Here it picks up an SF covered hopper and a loaded DRGW covered hopper. The DRGW car is then attached to the cars spotted on the far siding in the fiddle yard. It now re-spots the SF hopper at the Farmer’s Co-op and Rio Grande hopper at the Mutual Service elevator.

 

I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos.

 

Peter M

Edited April 29, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

The AD&N CF2 then couples onto the outbound train from the fiddle yard and pulls it into the main loop, uncouples and runs round its train. It couples onto the front of the train and carries out a brake test then sets off out of town for the RI main line. We see the locomotive as it is caught in the late afternoon sun.

 

I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos.

 

Peter M

Edited April 29, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

It’s early morning and we find a Rock Island GE U33B #286 picking up a small train of pulpwood bulkhead flat cars from the east yard at Benson. She pulls the cars out of the siding and into the main loop, here she uncouples and runs round the train. Once on the point she sets off for the Rock main line and ultimately the Continental Can mill at Hodge in Louisiana. Here the pulp wood is used to make pulp for the paper making industry or used in the manufacture of particle board.

In reality the Rock had 25 of these large 4 axle hoods and all were assigned to the Southern Division where they were a common sight in Dallas as well as the UP pool to North Platte. They were geared for 79mph, so not that suitable for branch line work. They also had a reputation for spreading the track due to their weight on only four axles.
In 1977 13 of these locomotives were re-geared and became the control units for slugs. This down grading of high horsepower high geared locomotives to slow speed service reflected the deteriorating state of the Rock’s permanent way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

The first train of the day to arrive at Benson is a grain extra hauled by another four axle U-Boat. This one is a U28B four axle road switcher belonging to the Illinois Central. Overall she is in good condition if a little dirty. In fact the locomotive is on loan to the I&W who are trying it out. If they find it suitable they may very well buy it, a decision not popular with all the crews as many prefer the smoother running of the Blomberg trucks fitted to most of their the General Motors geeps.

Note: Both U boats are Athearn Blue Box models with added details. They are both well over twenty years old and still run quietly, smoothly and slowly.

IC #5004 pulls her train of empty covered hoppers into the Flour mill head shunt track and uncouples the cars. Here the loco and train will be left while crew will take a break at a nearby diner.

 

 

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

I&W # 105 an ex Rio Grande Alco S2 runs into the west yard and into the back siding to pick up two cars spotted there loading. This will clear the track so that the full grain cars in the siding at the Redwing Milling elevator can be pulled out to make up the outbound train and make room for the incoming empty cars.

 

The Alco S2 is an Atlas model and although by modern standards poorly detailed it is a superb performer, and at normal viewing distances looks fine I think.

 

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Peter M
 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

The black end cab switcher # 105 then couples onto the rear of the three loaded hoppers in the Redwing Milling siding. The cars are pulled out of the siding and pushed to the fiddle yard where they are uncoupled and left.

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

The little Alco switcher then runs back into the yard and couples onto the empty hoppers that the IC U-boat brought in. She pulls the cars into the main loop and runs around the cars, having coupled up she manoeuvres the cars into the Redwing siding and spots them there ready for loading with grain. The switcher then waits in the siding while the U-Boat makes up her outbound train of grain filled hoppers.

 

 

Peter M
 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

IC # 5004 makes its way to the fiddle yard and picks up the three cars standing there. She pulls them back into the loop and runs round the cars. She then couples onto the front of the train and having completed a satisfactory brake test sets off for the RI main line and ultimately the gulf port of Galveston.

 

 Ivery much regret these photos no longer exist.

Peter M

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

After the U-Boats departure the I&W Alco S2 uncouples from the empty hoppers in the Redwing siding and runs to the main loop head shunt to pick up the two cars spotted there. These are then re-spotted in their original places so that the loading of them can continue. She then parks the loco by the west yard yardmaster’s caboose and waits for her next job.

 

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak
missing pics

[Broadoak]

My old buddy and long time helper at exhibitions Andy Knott came up to fix my ailing computer, as usual he brought a few locomotives with him for me to weather while he worked on the PC.

We found a photo of the GBW Alco RS-27 loco and used this as a rough guide.

Andy took some photos of it running on Benson.
Having photographed the loco he retouched the picture adding telephone wires and smoke that most Alcos seem to produce on starting to move.

 

 

 

 

Peter M
 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

The RS27 Andy bought second hand and already had some rather poor weathering done to it. I have tried to improve with a few thin washes and a little work with a dry brush. Like all his models it is all singing and dancing, with lights and sounds.

An un-retouched picture of the GBW Alco RS27 rolling over the grade crossing in Benson west yard.

 

 

Another view of the GBW Alco showing the other side of the loco.

 

 

 

316 in the east yard by the weigh bridge office.

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak
missing pics

[Broadoak]

At the stage these photographs were taken the buildings at this end of the layout were only temporarily positioned because I was still checking the operating possibilities.

 

 

Arkansas Feed Co, a picture taken on a Sunday morning with no activity at all.

 

 

A D&H Alco# 404 on a track of the fiddle yard next to the pulp wood loading track. Andy favours eastern roads hence the visitors at Benson.

 

 

D&H Alco #5023 on the pulp wood loading track, the man on the front porch seems to rolling a cigarette.

 

Peter M

 

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

 

Volvo pulpwood loader working in the east yard.

View of the two track fiddle yard which just looks like part of the yard.

I’m rather pleased with this arrangement as it works well but is unobtrusive. The smaller original Benson was L shaped and had a fiddle yard hidden behind a scenic break. It looked fine but was not very practical for making up trains.

 

Peter M
 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak
missing pics

[DanielB]

I'm very much enjoying your cataloging of your switching operations, very informative.

 

Plus they include more layout photos, which is always a good thing.

 

Keep 'em coming!

[Broadoak]

Thank you Daniel I'm glad you are enjoying the saga. Due to being diagnosed with PMR my hands are not as dexterous as they used to be so I do much more operating nowadays. It is good fun and I really enjoy it, the secret is to have a purpose with all the structures and industries on the layout.

I am nearly at the end of this sequence but then I shall go back some fifteen years to how Benson and its connection to my old exhibition layout Colonel's Crossing came about.

Peter M

[Broadoak]

Up until now all the photographs I have taken were done using my wife's compact, unfortunately it cried enough and had to be replaced.

These are a few pictures using my new camera, just trying out its capabilities really. I'm very pleased with it so far given its modest cost, it was on offer at half price.

 

 

 

 

The photos show an EMD SW1500 wearing Missouri Pacific livery which it carried for a short while when the UP took over Missouri Pacific. The loco is seen pushing cars around Benson West yard one morning.

 

 

 

A St Louis South Western, better known as the Cotton Belt GP60 is seen lurking in the yard at Benson. These powerful four axle road switchers were used mainly on high speed piggy back trailer service trains.

 

 

The brakeman is seen getting train orders from the yardmaster's grounded caboose.

 

Peter M

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

My old buddy Andy Knott came up a few weeks ago and brought with him his latest acquisitions. He took a few photos of them working in the yard at Benson.
They are all DC Atlas models.

 

 

 

Peter M

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

When I first retired Colonel's Crossing following a house move I built a small L shaped switching layout called Benson. Unfortunately I did not take any still photos of the layout.
A change of job allowed another move to a bigger house and
this meant I had room to combine the two into one terminus to terminus layout.
To allow for the doorway CC had to be shortened and the hidden siding disguised behind a rock face that hid a tight curve.

The following photographs show what the layout looked like before Colonel's Crossing was finally dismantled a few years ago.

The whole point of any layout is to provide transport for the various industries served by the railroad.
The main industry on CC was bauxite which required frequent trains of short ore cars these were handled by the SP and the RI. The other industries served were agriculture and lumber.

Thus allowing plenty of switching with loads in and out.

 

 

Track plan showing the various industries served by the fictional I&W and TVRR.

 

Peter m
Benson was much the same with a flour mill being the biggest user of the railroad. There was also grain elevators, feed merchants and the local farm cooperative. There was a cement silo that served local builders and a team track that allowed pulpwood loading direct from trucks.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[DanielB]

That's a cool layout there Peter, but I feel like the layout you have now is much more focused around the industries it has, and therefore the operations seem more personal.

 

Like... if Benson was a freemo module, it'd be someone elses job to bring the trains to you, and you would then switch the cars around and assemble an outbound train for them to take away.

 

Very impressive.

Edited November 27, 2014 by DanielB

[Broadoak]

Thanks Daniel, I have tried to make the industries believable just like a real railroad. It makes operating more interesting, I think using a simple card system for both cars and their destinations also helps.
 

 

 

Peter M

Edited April 30, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

Thank you Simon,

 

I have always had a soft spot for photographs of a model but not having a locomotive in the picture.

 

There will be a few more as  photographically we wander round south west Arkansas.

 

 

Peter M

Edited November 28, 2014 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

As bauxite ore was the main source of traffic it makes sense to start with a few pictures of this operation.

 

 

 

An I&W EMD SW1000 switcher working a cut of ore cars through the loading facility. The empty cars are brought in by an SP or RI road switcher, they spot the cars in the loop and park the road switcher next to the depot and go to a local diner for a break. An I&W switcher collects the cars from the loop and works them through the ore loader. When full they are pushed back into the loop to be picked up by the road switcher who then departs for the interchange with either the SP or RI.

 

 

 

A pair of SP F7's coupling up to a cut of full ore cars in the loop at Colonel's Crossing prior to departing to the interchange.

 

 

 

The rock face behind the ore loader served to hide a two road fiddle yard on the original layout. The cars were loaded from behind with loads made from real iron ore glued to a plasticard base using a special tool made for the job. Canvas drapes hanging down ensured the viewer couldn't see how it was done. We usually showed youngsters how it was done but not their mums and dads.

 

 

 

I added a small freelance powdery material loader made from scrap in the spares box to give another reason for spotting a covered hopper on this track. It also serves as a team track and pulp wood is loaded here directly from trucks.
In the background an SW7 end cab switcher is working cars through the ore loader.

 

 

Peter M

Edited May 3, 2018 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

A Pennsy gondola loaded with agricultural limestone spotted on the team track. The car is waiting to be unloaded into a farmer's truck, then it will then be spread on his land to improve the soil quality.
The bucket on the loader needs changing from the pulp handling grab it is fitted with now. The rock face hides a very tight curve in the tunnel, which can he accessed by removing a panel.

 

Peter M

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

 

A RI SW1500 #947 with a grain extra has just passed the minimal locomotive servicing facilities at CC and is seen next to the KAP yard.
Car repairs are carried out here for other railroads so this provides some extra traffic and tractors etc. are repaired at KAP's yard.

In reality this locomotive was a slug mother and worked at Armourdale Kansas.

 

 

An I&W chop nosed GP7 standing over the inspection pit. It is a blue box Athearn that I modified myself loosely based on a D&I Railroad locomotive.
It is fitted with dynamic brakes which are not need on the I&W but are useful if the locomotive is hired out to another road that does need them.
In the background an SP GP60 can be seen with a train of pulpwood flatcars.

 

 

 

A TVRR GE 60 ton switcher standing over the inspection pit. This model was made by doing a cut and shut job on two Bachmann 44tonners by my old friend Bill Gates some years ago.
She is used mainly for MOW jobs on a Sunday morning.

 

Peter M

 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Broadoak

[DanielB]

It's not THE Bill Gates is it?