Railfanning the BNSF

A special thanks goes out to my friend Hans, who was able to show me some great spots to catch trains yesterday. The Twin Cities has such a great mix when it comes to railfanning. Here are some of the highlights...

The Hinckley Local L-TWI8171-21I led by the Dynamic Duo of BNSF GP28Ms 1525 and 1527.

One of the finest engineers on the system, Frank Jordan using the elongated cab BNSF GP50 to get the Monti Local rolling at Northtown.

Snoot nosed SD39-2 1896 working Midway Yard.

BNSF Dash 9-44CW 701 leads the Z-CHCLAU9-20M into the south end of Northtown.

The M-ABENTW1-20A led by BNSF Dash 9-44CW 4888, the BNSF version of a "Bloody Nose" paint scheme.

The BNUP led by GP38 2710 pulling an all grain unit past the bluffs.

A meeting of the Grain Trains. The BNUP meets one of the Pigs Eye MP15AC Bandits.

Blast From the Past

Here is NP 105 (now a MNTX engine) pulling the first boxcar my Dad ever bought me, so many decades ago.

Grass Is Growing

A special thanks to my Dad for picking up the Silfor I needed at the train show in Milwaukee. It has allowed me to fill in the swamp scene on my Sandstone module. I have also painted and installed the first fascia board.

The Northbound local pulling an Atlas Thrall 4750 c.f. hopper.The Southbound Local pulling an Exactrail Trinity 5161 c.f. hopper.

ILSX GP9 1363 is back on duty following a completion of repairs to the Snake River Bridge in Pine City. Thanks to ILSX for putting her in a paint scheme more suited to her assignment. Sorry the picture isn't better, I ran out of daylight.

Layout progress

Two of the layout sections I have been putting the most time into lately. The top one is the Sandstone swamp scene. I need more trees yet and some long grass (probably Silfor) to cover the brown area. This section is the revised North Branch scene. Since I took this picture I have finished the land forms, painted and put ground cover (grass) over everything but the cork area where the Peterson Co-op will sit.

The lines get longer

BNSF GP39-2 2716 handles some duties around Northtown Yard while the lines of returning FURX SD40-2s stretch on into the distance.

Hinckley Power at Sunrise

This morning I came across the power for the Hinckley Sub at MNNRs Yard A. The GP28's, 1527 & 1525 were going to be working the yard job today in Northtown. I'm glad I was finally able to catch up to these two. Maybe soon I'll be able to catch them working the Hinckley Sub.

It only rains on the unloved

I didn't realize that I never reposted this set of pictures from this fall... they were just sitting in my draft folder. A little late, but nevertheless... enjoy.

TC&W GP20C pulling some grain hoppers out of MNNR Yard A. BNSF Snoot nosed SD39-2 #1896 with GP38 #2196 assigned as Midway switch power in the St. Paul rain. Thanks for the correction Hans!

BNSF C44-9W #966 waiting to pull away from MNNR Yard A on a soggy day. In the background you can see MNNR RS27 #316 getting ready to pull out with the Hennepin Ave. turn (yes, he runs backwards up through Park Jct.).

Flour City

Northtown Yard last week, the SD40-2s are starting to stack up, every paint scheme BN and BNSF ever ran is sitting there right now.

A pair on the CP line waiting to take the bridge West.

Progress on the Sandstone Swamp. Belt Line Jct. Will hopefully get wired tomorrow. One piece of track left to install (pics soon). North Branch has been torn up to make the track configuration more prototypical. (again, pics soon). Enjoy...

And that is my Breast Cancer Awareness Car, which is a real car on the WSOR.

Rush City

I worked a little more on Rush City this weekend. I have almost completed the SCXY Corporate HQ. I just need to add details and signs. I was able to shoot a couple shots just as the switch crews were returning home for the day.

Horizon Milling

I thought I should give a modelling update...

I have made a little progress on the layouts largest industry, Horizon Milling in Rush City. I should have taken the picture after I put the windows in the head house, but I was busy running hoppers in and out of the mill.

This weekend I hope to finish the benchwork on my first corner module, Belt Line Crossing. We'll see how far I get.

Box of Chocolates

I saw GP38 2288 sitting at Rice Point Yard in Duluth a couple weeks ago, so I took my daughters by it to get a picture. I noticed some odd smoke coming from the normal switching engines so I drove around to get a better look. Some days you just have no idea how lucky you're going to get...

River Sioux Iowa

There was an unusual stop in Iowa, the town of River Sioux. My buddy and I had been running parallel to the UP Main line so we decided to get off the freeway and set up for a shot at the local grain elevator. This was the sign at the top of the ramp... a little spooky...


My friend comments on how odd the town is, no cars, no people, so we hurry and get out pictures and go...

So we headed back to the freeway. The ramp back onto the freeway was closed. You have never seen two people drive as fast out of a town the other way as we went that day...

A couple shots from Grand Island. I think the red stands out nicely amongst all the corn in NE.

Sunrise in Iowa

I believe this was Sioux City, but my friend Brian and I covered 1500 miles in 2 days and it is all a blur now... DPU unit on an East bound coal drag.

Mavis is a little diesel on the Thomas show...

MNNR 42 on the Skally Line

I took this photo July 28, 2009. This is MNNR SF30B #42. In our house she is known as Mavis. Here Mavis is heading up the old Northern Pacific "Skally Line" from White Bear Lake to Hugo, MN.

Things are a little slow on the little RR, so I was given the good idea to post some of my prototype pics (Thanks K1)

This is St.Croix Valley Railroad (SCXY/ILSX) GP-9 #1363 the "City of Rush City". I took this photo March 29, 2009 after enjoying a nice breakfast at the Eagles in Rush City.

Hello and welcome! I am beginning a new adventure. I am modelling the Northern Pacific "Skally Line" in N Scale.

The Skally Line originally ran from St.Paul to Duluth, MN. Today the line is used my BNSF, Minnesota Commercial (MNNR) and the St.Croix Valley Railroad (SCXY). I'm not a big fan of smoky Alcos, so the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad will be taking the place of the MNNR in my world.

The layout is modular, following construction techniques of David Barrow's Cat Mountain and Santa Fe as well as Tony Koester's Layout Design Element (LDE) style of design.

I will be posting more as I get photos taken, enjoy.