Barry's Model Railroad

Introduction

I have prepared this Web Site to detail the on-going construction of my HO guage model railroad.
This site consists of a list of all items in the collection including relevant information about its aquisition, construction, modification and the prototypes thereof.
The model is based on a US railroad (hence this site's title "Railroad" rather than "Railway") set in the late 50's. While it might be easier to prototype from local information and even location visits (I live in Australia), I chose to model an international railroad because of 2 reasons:

1. I am starting (this is my first model train since I was about 10 when I had to return the train set to the next in the family) my modelling on my father-in-laws layout which is populated totally by US locos & rolling stock, and

2. Some degree of imagination is involved, and basing it in a distant place make it that more interesting (romantic?), albeit I have had some (1991) experience on US railroads having worked with them indirectly (Burlington Northern & Union Pacific specifically) while developing electronic systems for engine monitoring and cab displays.

I have chosen also to begin with Diesel locos, as I feel I have a better understanding of their operaration than Steam, though I'm sure I will delve into steam sooner or later - one of the reasons I selected early model diesels rather than contemporary units.

This page is broken into 3 sections, describing Locos, Rolling Stock and the Layout itself. I hope it can help others in the persuit of thie hobby. Just click on the link to go to the relvent section. I have attempted to include much in the way of photos and information, tips andmistakes (to avoid) to assist in construction and modification.

Locomotives | Rolling Stock | Layout

	Model		Prototype
Designation	History	Photo	Photo	History
EMD GP9 MkII SP 5892 Proto2000	Purchased: Tom's Hobbies, Aug 06 $69 (bargain). Prototyped: yet to research Weathered: : MRRC, Sept 2006 - SoundTraxx DSD-100LC $65. (Details)	Actual model, no weathering.		The EMD's GP9 was manufactured between Jan 1954 and Aug 1963. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated 1,750 horsepower (1.3 MW)[1]. This loco type was offered both with and without control cabs; locomotives built without control cabs were called GP9B locomotives. The GP9B locomotives were built between Feb 1954 and Dec 1959 It was was used on, among other lines, SP's Peninsula Commute route between 1954 & 1985. SP ordered 8 passenger GP9's #5600-5603 and #5622-5625 between Jun 54-Apr 1955. At the cessation of passenger service on T&NO Lines, 4 dual control GP9's (#280-283) were transferred to Calif. and joined the commute fleet, renumbered #5892-5895. (Courtesy ESPEE Railfan) In 1965 all surviving GP9's were renumbered into the 3400-3727 series.
Alco S3 SP 1025 Proto2000	Purchased: Tom's Hobbies, Aug 06 $60 (bargain). Prototyped: January 2007 (Details) Weathered: : - SoundTraxx DSD-090LC ($110 MRRC, Nov'06) (Details)			The ALCo S3 switchers were produced by ALCO and Canadian licensee Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) between Mar 1950 and Nov 1953 (MLW until 1957). Southern Pacific Railroad operated 10 with S3s with road numbers 1023-1032.
EMD BL-2 WM 81 Proto 2000	Purchased: Toms Hobbies, Jan 07 $80? (out of production). Prototyped: Weathered: : SoundTraxx DSD-101LC EMD 1st Gen. ($92 MRRC 2007)	Original model Weathered & lights		Western Maryland only operated 2 EMD BL-2, #81 & 82. The BL stood for "Branch Line", indicating the locomotive was suited for light traffic as well as switching. Used for both freight and passenger service, the latter identified by the exhaust stack for the steam generator located between the two windshield panes. The BL-2 was of limited success, as the engine compartment was difficult to access, the carbody lacked the full-length walkways making it difficult to move from one end to the other during switching and frame weakness when combined with MU operation, reduced its lifespan. Also the visual design never quite caught on. Only 59 were ever put into service. WM 82 was later renumbered 7182, and late in it's life it was paired with Alco slug 138-T, and was used in the Hagerstown, MD yard.
Alco Slug WM 138-T Kitbashed from Atlas Alco S1	Purchased: Toms Hobbies, Jan 07 $50 (out of production?) Prototyped: WIP Jun 2008 Weathered: : MRC Sheer Brilliance 0001638 Mini HO docoder, EMD Large ($ MRRC) SoundTraxx 810112 Oval Speaker ($ MRRC); Mashima 1224 motor ($37 MRRC)	Original model Work In Progress		Alco slug 138-T was built from S1 #102.
Fairmont Speeder SP xxxx Bachmann Spectrum # 160-16946	Purchased: stand unknown (Hurstville show), Oct 06 $110? Prototyped: (well, close) May 08 Weathered: May 08 : NCE Z14SR ($45 MRRC, Nov 06). DCC drives motor, headlight, rear lights, rotating beacon	Maker's sample Model DCC, weathered		I haven't a lot of info on the SP Speeders yet, though the sample picture shows them painted SP Orange rather than Yellow as per model's supplied colour.

Rolling Stock | Locomotives| Layout

	Model		Prototype
Designation	History	Photo	Photo	History
Wood Caboose SP 667 Walthers Goldline #932-7606	Purchased: Nov 2006 (MRRC) $40 Prototyped: Dec 06 (Details) Weathered: Dec 06 (Details)	Actual model, lightly weathered.		Info from Pacific Southwest Railway Museum.
Bay Window Caboose SP 4742 (police) Athern ready-to-run #74667	Purchased: Dec 2006 (Tom's Hobbies) $23.95 Prototyped: Weathered:	Not actual model. Maker's sample only		Info from .
Pullman "Sub" SP xxxx [brand]	Purchased: planned Prototyped: Weathered:	to come		Further info to come
Overland Coach SP 2164 Athearn #2449	Purchased: Oct 2006. (unknown- Hurstville show) $13.90 Prototyped: Weathered:	Actual Model	SP 2175 at Sacramento, CA.	AAR Type M500 passenger coach. See also Hisory of the Overland
Daylight car - Observation SP ---- Athearn #1828	Purchased: Oct 2006. (unknown- Hurstville show) $13.90 Prototyped: Weathered:	Maker's sample		Southern Pacific rolling stock
40' wood Boxcars SP 4112 Accurail	Purchased: Toms Hobbies Sept 06 (qty 2) @$19ea Prototyped: Weathered:			as a MOW car MW1354
42' steel Flatcar SP MW1540 Walthers #932-5562	Purchased: Toms Hobbies Nov 06 (qty 2) @$8ea Prototyped: (just assembled) Mar? 2008 Weathered: Mar? 2008	Maker's sample. Actual model.	to come	Info to come
Jordan Spreader SP MW4034 Walthers Kit #932-5354	Purchased: Tom's Hobbies $15.00 Prototyped: Weathered:	Manufacturer's sample.		While the model kit bares little resemblance to the actual prototype, I plan to kitbash the 4034 into a something bearing a close similarity to the 4033 of Cacades. My thanks to Joel Ashcroft's Southern Pacific in The Cascades web site and my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE for some great photos from which to model .
K180 Ore Car MR 76399 IHC	Purchased: (qty 1): Toms Hobbies May 07 $8.00 (qty 2): Toms Hobbies Jul 07 $8.00 Prototyped: 1xJul 07 Details Weathered: 1xJul 07 Details	Original Finished	Not MR but best photo I could get	AAR Type K180 Ore Cars were used by the 1000s over the US, but I haven't been able to find any information about Milwaukee Road's. All information I have came from RRPictures and other sites. While I was not planning to model yet ANOTHER road, especially from yet another totally different region of the US, I couldn't pass up these great little ore cars which were well detailed for the price & possible to bash. They are also small which works well for the small layout I was likely to build Photo courtesty Railroad Picture Archives (see link on right)
Wrecking Crane SP MW7090 Tichy #4010	Purchased: Jan 2008. eBay- Steam In the Bush AU $45.00 Prototyped: Weathered:	Sellers's sample only		The MW7090 is a 120-ton capacity derrick which was built in 1912, was once the San Luis Obispo derrick. Now located at the Orange Empire Railway Museum. This museum also has the following cranes: SP No. 7070 Bucyrus-Erie Co. 1944 Loco Crane SP No. 7080 Industrial Works 1906 Loco Crane SP No. 7113 Bucyrus-Erie Co. 1944 Loco Crane Info courtesty Brian Norden, Rail Preservation News See also Southern Pacific rolling stock roster at the EORM & ESPEE Modellers Archive.

Layout | Locomotives | Rolling Stock

	Model		Prototype
Item	Description	Photo	Photo	Inspiration
Track	As yet, my layout consists of only 2 parallel tracks and 2 turnouts on which to test locos. As it will eventually form part of a complete layout, I have chosen use Micro Engineering weathered flextrack, Code 70, becuse of its realism, flexibility, reasonable cost ($59 for 6 x 900m pcs) and they also make a very nice N-Scale track when I want to add some distant lines to force perspective.		.	.
Control	For control I have chosen to start with DCC. I did much research and came up with the NCE Power Cab as the most suitable. It is relatively cheap to start up, has all the advanced features and the flexibilty to expand for easily future needs.		.	.