NTW Yard 7-7-12

I do love stopping by Northtown Yard (NTW) which lies partially in Minneapolis and partially in Fridley, MN. Even on a Saturday afternoon there was so much going on...
Some runthrough NS power (C40-9W  9039) on a WB manifest.

 Hump power, this is my favorite sett, two SD40-2s and BNSF TEBC6 #258.

 A little graffiti on a BNSF Dash 9 5278 getting hostled around.

 Dash 9's, a snowdozer (BNSF 972500), a rotary plow (BNSF 972551), the reamin of the Fridley wreck (BNSF 4663).

 BNSF GP38 2218 getting some front end work. Notice the new plate steel, lack of handrails and a missing numberboard. I wonder what she hit.

Little Updates

Things have been a little busy lately, so I haven't been hitting any big projects, but I have been catching up on little ones. I finally finished adding the sill striping to ILSX 1384. That finishes this one, for now.

I've also been continuing on my rolling stock upgrades. About 2/3 of my fleet has been converted to metal wheels. Graffiti has become more prolific on the line (I am a modern modeller), I've been adding more crossover platforms and the weathering continues. I'm trying to get between four and six cars done at a time.

I've been trying graffiti by different suppliers and haven't found one that's all around great. I've tried Micro-Scale, Blair Line and even some random ones off eBay. If anyone has some they'd like me to try, let me know, I'm game.

As for upcoming projects you'll be seeing:
1) I'm nearing completion on my SCXY Jordan Spreader.
2) I have started a scenic domino for the Skally Line, Rock Creek will debut soon.
3) Work has started on a Clinchfield "Tie Car" for Ken Borowski's Blue Ridge Subdivision.
4) I'm hoping to start work on a very special SD9 this month.

 And I think that is enough teasers for now.

ILSX SD40-3 1340

Another beautiful engine has been assigned to the Skally Line. ILSX SD40-3 1340 has been paired up with sister ILSX 1341 for hauling loaded sand trains to the BNSF interchange in Hinckley. Tiller Corp. in North Branch is loading out covered hopper loads of sand headed for a North Dakota fracking operation. New power is always a welcome sight on the line.

 

This engine started out as a Kato Mid-Production SD40-2. The snow shields, air horn, bell and light housings are MbE. The wipers, cut levers, cab shades, mu hoses and air lines are BLMA. The fans, and lift rings are Trainworx. The Sinclair is by Sandro. The paint is Milwaukee Road Grey and Engine Black. The decals are Microscale.

Tiller Corp.

The new sand loading facility in North Branch appears ready to start loading railcars. The tallest structure on the property is around 7 stories tall. It will take an amazing volume of sand to keep things moving here. I look forward to the action starting. The first cars should have arrived by the time this post airs, wo be loaded out for Oasis Well Service a North Dakota company.

Rush City Memorial Day

 As I drove to spend Memorial Day with a Veteran of the Korean War, I decided to swing through Rush City and check on the current motive power. SCXY 1363 and 1352 were lashed together, enjoying the day off, while the newest arrival to the line sat nearby, waiting to jump into service. ILSX GP10 1345 (ex-BN 1418) has been brought to the line to help with the expected traffic generated by Tiller Corp, a large new sand loadout facility in North Branch.

I can only hope the 1345 stays on the line for a while. If they need help painting it in Skally colors, I'll definitely volunteer to help!

ILSX 904

The weekend before Memorial weekend I had a couple hours to go rail fanning. I took my youngest daughter and we had an amazing 2 hours. Her favorite parts was getting waved to and honked at by the friendly engineer of a candy apple red SOO SD60. I shot close to 200 pictures, seeing more than 20 trains with CP (and subsidiaries SOO and DME), UP and BNSF motive power. Besides catching a half dozen different SD40-2s, my prized catch of the day was a simple SW1. ILSX 904 has been working the Malt One Elevator in Minneapolis for as long I can remember. I do believe it was the first ILS engine I ever saw, and I got my best shots of it on this day. The overcast conditions weren't ideal, but it worked, and I am happy about it.

213 on Deck

I usually wait until I finish a project to post all about it, but I do have an interesting one that I've begun. Most of my ILS units are based on prototype engine, even ILSX 201 and 203 were based on SLRG engines that ILS owned, even if they never put their reporting marks on them before selling them. But one of my upcoming engines will be a little more freelanced. ILSX 213 will be my first SD38-2. I am using a Mark4Design long hood and a Kato Early SD40-2 nose to get the look right on a Kato Mid-Production chassis. I have already attached the Miniatures by Eric bell to the long hood. I'm getting excited already!

The prototype for this engine is an ex-DMIR engine that has been residing at Larry's Truck and Electric in McDonald Ohio for the last few years. When done the engine will be painted in DMIR colors and wear mostly DMIR decalling, patched out for ILSX. The SD38-2 will fit right into the roster that is rapidly filling with SD40-2s. This ex-DMIR unit will be a great puller on the Skally line and will help with the all-rail ore trains we are negotiating to get.