Heritage Units

Well, not exactly Skally Line Heritage Units, but a pair of engines painted in the BNSF H1 paint scheme.

The SD9 is going to be numbered ILSX 202, to take the spot vacated when ILSX 1344 was renumbered. This engine is based off of ex-BNSF 6158 that I photographed in the metropolis of Hills, MN.

 I still need to number it and add reporting marks, but I am making progress.

ILSX 1338 is based of the a newly acquired ILSX SD40-2. This engine is currently being leased with the real ILSX 1344 to the E&LS while E&LS GP38 400 is in Bethel at the ILS shops getting some work done. Once I get the decaling done I can finish the cab details and start final assembly.

 You can see the prototype in this fantastic shot by Jim Elbe in Howard, WI.

Westminster Cab Rides

I want to thank pkeppel for uploading the great cab ride videos from the Westminster. Part 2 starts off running by a pair of my ILSX SD40-2 in the Valley Park Yard, then makes it's way around to a my modules (MN Transload and Rush City). Thanks for the great clips!

The Last of the Missabe

While attending the DMIR Convention this year I decided I wanted to see the last two DMIR painted engines in service on their home rails. Leave it to friends to make it happen.
DMIR SD38-2 215 was working Proctor Yard on our way north, one down one to go!

 

We came across DMIR SD40T-2 403 the next day a little further north and just like that, I was content.

But it got better, the 215 and repainted sister DMIR (not CN) SD38-2 211 were working the Proctor Yard again on our return trip. Long live the DMIR!

Two Harbors

Recently I attended the Missabe Convention in Virginia, MN. On the return trip, my traveling companions and myself took a little side trip to Two Harbors, MN to get some pics of the ore docks. My friend Brian commandeered a boat to get us onto the big pond to shoot photos of these massive structures for an upcoming modelling project. I took 250 pictures in 30 minutes. Here is a brief overview:

The South Dock us no longer used, but you can see the huge ore storage piles in the background.

 Dock 2 houses the large conveyor fed loaders to load the big boats as quickly as possible. To give perspective the tires at the base are over four feet in diameter each.

 Dock 1 is the best known by tourists, with a DMIR Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 and the Two Harbors Depot hiding in its shadow. This dock is for transferring ore directly from trains to boats, with 4 off-loading tracks on its deck.

Progress Report

In between chores this weekend I did manage to make a little progress on three of my engines.
The modified SD9 was my test platform for soldering handrails. I added a new conductors side step in front of the cab and I also installed the lift rings. This one may sit a bit as I wait for a Miniatures by Eric three chime airhorn and MLE all weather windows to show up in the mailbox. I included I shot I took of the prototype for reference.

SCXY 1352 received a new handrail as well. Soldering the brass isn't to bad once you get a couple practice runs out of the way. This GP8 only had one battery box removed from the conductors side. I still need to add a step back in for my N Scale crews.

I stole the frame I had started for SCXY 1363 to finish ILSX 1345. So I am starting all over for the GP9. This worked out well as I had missed a couple things the first go around. The smaller item was an engineers side grab iron, the larger item was the very unique electrical cabinet behind the cab. The cabinet location also cued me into an added louver. In this photo they stick out pretty well as they aren't painted yet. I made the cabinet out of styrene and the louver is from a GMM GP7 detail set. I will chop the front battery box off and add handrails to this frame later this week.

ICE storm in July

I love railfanning in Minnesota. I have always enjoyed seeing Iowa, Chicago and Eastern (ICE) and Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DME) motive power. The last few weeks the St. Paul area has been crawling with them. It has been nice seeing so many of these colorful SD40-3s around town.
ICE 6410 was on a Rip-Rap train in Red Wing.

 ICE 6438 was leading a manifest through Pigs Eye Yard.

ICE 6210 was working the Cottage Grove auto unloading facility..

 ICE 6421 has been the Hastings power for a couple of weeks.

 ICE 6100 and one of my personal all time favorites DME 6089 were getting serviced at Pigs Eye.

So many projects...

I have been re-evaluating by current project lineup. I am prioritizing 5 engines and setting myself a deadline (we'll see what day I pick to get these done).
ILSX (NREX) 6158 is a Spartan cab SD9. The prototype for this engine is in Hills, MN. I'd love to see it on the Skally Line, so that build has begun. It will be in H1 paint when I finish.

 ILSX 1338 is the second H1 engine I'll be doing this go around. It is an ex-CN SD40 so it will also have a set of those sweet MbE intake snow shields. I've already gotten the brake wheel in the proper position, a different cab on the engine and Trainworx radiator screens installed. The grab irons are BLMA.

 ILSX (LTEX) 213 is an ex-DMIR SD38-2 that would really help on some Skally unit grain trains. There will be a scheduled grain train called "The Main Streeter" and I'd like this 38 in the consist.

SCXY 1352 is way behind schedule. I need to build 1 handrail (the side not pictured) and repaint the yellow to something brighter. The decals are made, I just need to get it done.

 SCXY 1363 is in the same boat as 1352. I need to chop the front battery boxes off, build handrails, fix the pilots and so on. I also need to add the funky electrical cabinet on the conductors side and because I waited so long I need to repaint the airhorn silver. So much to do and so little summer left...