Two Train Day on the Skally!

On Monday I made a run up and down the Skally, I was a little pressed for time, but I had a couple shots I wanted to get. I waited for a bit in Hinckley, but the BNSF Hinckley Local was running behind schedule thanks to a bunch of slow orders on the subdivision. I had enough time to catch the St. Croix Valley bringing todays interchange cars up and putting them on the siding. The clouds broke as ILSX 1345 and 180 came under the Hwy. 61 overpass. These are the higher HP engines on the line and the larger car counts are certainly letting them flex their muscle.

I headed South and got to see a wonderful thing. It was a 2 train day on the Skally! SCXY 1352 and 1363 were switching out Tiller and Zinpro on the south end of the line.It looked like they would have the cut ready to run to Rush City shortly, but I couldn't hang out any longer. I am happy business is going so well on the line.

Welcome ILSX 180!

The Skally Line is booming, so another engine was in order. I heard ILSX 180 was in transit from the ILS shops in Holt about a month ago. I waited patiently and then estimated an arrival in Rush City I figured the 29th of October would be a safe bet. As I passed the stored cars in North Branch I noticed some movement. SCXY 1352 and 1363 with ILSX 1345 sandwiched were pushing a large cut of cars south. It was nice to see the three amigos working together.

Once in Rush City, ILSX GP38AC #180 was waiting. The weather was overcast with snow flurries. I grabbed a bunch of detail photos (you know I have to build it in N Scale now, I already have all the parts, I just need the paint). An ILS mechanic was prepping the engine and was kind enough to answer a few of my questions, thanks Terry! But my scenic shots would have to wait.

Flash forward to today. Heading south from Rock Creek, I caught up with ILSX 1345 and 180 heading north to interchange with BNSF in Hinckley.

I ran ahead to Rock Creek and grabbed some shots in one of my favorite spots.

The lighting was much better today as the two approached the bridge.

SCXY 1363 was sitting idle today in Rush City. This well worked engine has earned a little break.

SCXY 1352 was sitting down at Tiller, waiting to pull sand North. Eventually there will be two engines stationed here for sand power and two in Rush City for flour power. It's a good time to be a Skally fan.

Skally Line Updates

A quick run to Duluth yielded a good opportunity to drive the Skally Line. Chinook Spur (Zinpro) was loaded to the hilt on Thursday. SCXY 1352 was backed up to the derail and 11 tank cars filled the rest of the space. 1352 and ILSX 1345 would be dragging a monster 80 car train to Hinckley on Friday.

Tiller Corp. has finished building a new loadout shed in North Branch. It looks like this should help keep the elements out of the sand. The shed was blocked by loads on Thursday, but was cleared out Friday.

The Hinckley Local was waiting for the 80 car SCXY train, 62 of the cars were sand loads. A pair of veteran SD60Ms (BNSF 8108 and 8105) were waiting on the SCXY spur in Hinckley to make the trade. SCXY 1363 was left in Hinckley, the other Skally engines, running elephant style North started a grass fire just south of Rock Creek. Rush City Fire was quick to respond.

Something to be thankful for...

I was out this morning shooting just North of Rush City and I heard the telltale signs of Geeps in the distance. I tracked the sound to SCXY GP8 #1352 and ILSX GP10 #1345. The duo were hard at work running a cut of Durum Wheat cars towards the Horizon Mill. I chased the duo down for some shots.

I honestly don't remember when I started this build. I know it became a mental block for me because I wanted the engine to be "just right". The Skally Geeps are the centerpoint of the Skally Line after all. Last week my friend HK offered up some motivational help in the way of a build day. We sit down, shoot the breeze and get stuff done on our engines. Knowing the build day was coming, I spent a few hours finalizing details and reshooting paint (my first try at the yellow wasn't bright enough). I used a JnJ Horst air filter, I built my own spark arrestors, BLMA wipers, cut levers, grab irons, lift rings, mu cables, a MbE airhorn, a Sandro Sincair antenna, the plows and bell are Atlas. The plow grabs are bent .010" wire. The decals are custom.

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.

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...

Another day on the Skally Line

A few shots from the Skally Line, one from Pine City. SCXY GP9 1363 and GP8 1352 running a nice string of hoppers back to Rush City. This spring I had no sun, on this day I had almost too much. Just south of the Rock Creek Bridge

A New Arrival

I got a call from a Trainmaster in Northtown of a new arrival to the SCXY. I was pleased to head up to Rush City last weekend and photograph the new SCXY GP10 1352... the MU hoses haven't yet been attached and the fuel tanks are still empty. And while the sun was shining, I figured I'd get some more pics of the oh so good looking SCXY GP9 1363