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O-gauge:  1/4 inch to the foot. R Gauge (Real Gauge)  12 inches to the foot! How many of you operate on your O-gauge layout equipment that in real gauge you rode or ran? Rich Melvin, for sure, assuming that is he has an O Gauge 765. 

I've had the great fortune to ride a lot of trains, and also for a 10-year period was a volunteer engineer at Baltimore's B&O Museum.  I'll be sharing some of my "run, rode, and ran"s here. Hopefully others of you who are or were engineers will share yours as well. Also, share if you had a favorite train you rode and now run in O.

 

First; B&O RDC-1. Real: 9913, O- Lionel 400.

 

Back in the 1960's, single unit RDC's were common between Baltimore and Washington. I rode one each morning from Riverdale to Baltimore in 1966-67.

 

 

 

rdc1964

When I built my first layout in the 1980's, B&O #400 had to be on it.

 

 

lionel003

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During my time as engineer, 1991-2001, RDC 9913 was restored to operation. What a treat to be able to run a car similar to what I had commuted on daily almost 30 years before!

 

 

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Of course today, the RDC 1 remains an important part of my layout.

 

 

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RDC400photog

 

The idea for this thread came to me after Alex M sold me the Western Maryland F7 #236. More on that later, but how about others?  What do you run in O that you rode or ran in real?

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Last edited by BANDOB
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Pere Marquette SW1 #11 is now in retirement at the B&O Museum in Baltimore. Prior to the roof collapse, it was the museum's "go-to" engine. It was PM 11, then Chessie/C&O 8401, then back to PM11 at the museum. I rode behind it many times in the early years, perhaps even with B&O Bill at the throttle. 

 

I've got the PM 11 in Chessie 8401 paint from MTH. I've also got the C&O Yellowbelly from MTH. Unfortunately, I've never ridden behind the real one and probably never will (but I can dream!). 

 

 

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Other than a GP30 (I ran WM 502), I don't think models of the things I've run are out there. In addition to the GP30, I've run TTC PCC Trolley #4602 and the CP Huntington trains at the local park. 

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I will transition from RDC 9913 to my favorite engine, Western Maryland F7 #236, with this shot of the RDC from the cab of the F7. It was one of the days when we were switching the yard. Here's a view of the F control stand as well.

 

 

9913fromF7

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There were a number of interesting views from the cab at times. Here's CSX bringing in the elephant cars for the circus. We had to hold our regular runs until they completed the moves.  There are worse ways to spend a Saturday morning than sitting in the cab of an F7 watching railroad operations!

 

 

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End of our 1-mile run. that is the CSX Mt. Clare Branch on the left.

 

 

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During the time WM F7 #236 pulled the museum excusions, it wore the original WM fireball paint scheme.

 

 

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You'll note in that last photo that when this photo was taken, the RDC was being used as a passenger car. I think one engine of it was down, but I can't be sure. Here's a group photo taken at the end of runs one afternoon. All the volunteers in that day posed. These were and are great people.

 

236 and group

 

Today the locomotive wears the WM Speed Lettering. I have not seen it operate in some time.

 

 

wm236engside

 

You can probably understand, them, why I am so excited to finally get the Lionel Legacy version.  Here's some photos I took this morning downstairs on the CB&L. (Crappy Basement & Layout.)

 

 

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Thanks again so much, Alex M., for making this available!

 

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Yes.  I have models of three trains or locos I have ridden on 

 

Union Pacific City of Los Angeles 

  • Real: Sometime in the early '50s, before Disneyworld opened whiole it was being built and the show was on TV,  our were living in Cheyenne and went to California on the City of Los Angeles to see relatives.
  • Toy: I have an Legacy E9 A-B-A set and eight MTH 18" cars represented as close as I can get to this train.

ATSF Super Chief:  

  • Real: Several years later we went back to see Disneyword, taking the train from La Junta, Co to Los Angeles.
  • Toy: I have an A-B-B-A set of Warbonnett F3s and twelve 15 inch aluminum cars with interiors.  

 

ATSF F3s and 2900 Northern

My uncle worked for ATSF for about forty years, and was what he called "an engine driver" for Santa Fe during WWII, and after the war operated helper engines back and forth on the 28-mile section over Raton Pass.  (He said it was slow and dirty work compared to driving the Chief or Super Chief, but it meant he slept in his own bed every night.)

  • Real: In the early '50s he took me with him on oneclimb up the pass in a big 2900 Northern helping pull a train of diesels (I don't know which number 2900 it was).  It was a monster.  Several years later I rode in the cab of the lead F3 on the same route.  It was quite a contrast.  These trips would never be allowed today.  
  • Toy: I have 3rd Rail's 2929 and MTH's scale 2921.  I also have seven Warbonnet F3s.
Last edited by Lee Willis

On my O gauge railroad, I have the following Santa Fe engines that I ran:

  • Alco-Ge S2 switcher (two of them, and I actually ran both road numbers).
  • GP7.
  • RSD5.

And, I have the following Santa Fe engines that I rode behind:

  • 2900-Class 4-8-4 (which was double-heading a bobtail rednose F7 in 1952)

I have, on order from Sunset, bobtail rednose F7 A-B-B units that I rode behind as well as ran.  I ordered road number 307, which I actually ran at 90 MPH on more than one occasion, and thoroughly enjoyed, as it was an outstandingly good runner.

 

I also ran Alco-GE RS1 2394, which Atlas has just produced, but I really don't have use for an RS1 out on the plains.  The real 2394 was a "dog" anyway.

 

And I think Atlas produced EMD SW1200 2437 several years back.  I do not have the engine, but, in real life, I "made" my Engineer seniority date on the 2437, on the top end midnight switcher at Hobart Yard, in Los Angeles.

Last edited by Number 90

As a young kid the engineer invited into  the cab of a SW1 ( the station switcher at Camden Station in Baltimore ) and he let me ride as he switched coaches from one track to another. BIG THRILL for a 3 year old kid!!!  

 

Later I was invited by the conductor aboard a B&O GP7 which was doing some switching at a Westinghouse distribution center in my hometown of Savage, Md.  I rode with the crew and got to blow the horn as the GP7 approached the grade crossing at RT 1.  FUN TIMES!!!

 

I rode RCD cars ( as BANDOBOB did ) from Camden Station to Laurel Maryland, on what is now called the Camden Line.  I also rode a B&O passenger train from Camden Station to Jersey City back in 1956.  AGAIN BIG FUN!!!

 

I was invited by the fireman aboard a B&O steam locomotive when I was 2 ( I still remember it quite vividly ) 

 

I rode a 23 car Pennsylvania Railroad excursion to NYC in 1966 with my 8th grade class. This train was pulled by two GG1s!  AWESOME!!!!

 

On my layout I have a B&O SW1( MTH ) , a GP9 ( not a GP 7 but close enough ) ( MTH ) , 3 RDC cars ( Lionel ) and two scale GGIs ( by Williams one powered#4876  and one dummy ). I have a B &O Atlantic ( Lionel ) and a B&O Hudson ( Williams ), and a ABA set of B&O FA2s ( MTH ).   Yes I run what I rode.

 

 

Last edited by trumptrain

Spent many many hours with this shay......

 

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I have the Lionel version.

 

Many miles on this.....

 

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And own a set of Williams Superliners and locos to make my own Southwest Chief.

 

Rode these well into the Amtrak era.....so I bought Weaver units

 

 

 

srre8A

 

And after a trip behind 765 on the Horseshoe curve.....

 

SAT14

 

 

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You get the idea......many others...611, 1218 Amtrak Cardinal....etc

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I was going to take a few pics of what I model and what I rode back in the day but I just did my yard work and I'm beat so I'll just tell ya.

 

When I was a youngster my family and I went to downtown Pittsburgh several times a year to shop for new school clothes for me.  We used to take the B&O RDC from McKeesport to Pittsburgh, PA.  As soon as I was on board I used to plant my face against the door window between the cab and passenger section of the car.  One trip the engineer looked back and saw me and waved me to come forward.  He hoisted me onto his lap and told me to nudge the throttle forward one notch.  Then blow the horn one time.  I rode the whole way to Pittsburgh that trip working the throttle and blowing the horn.  I don't remember him letting me work the air though. So, needless to say I do have an RDC1 in B&O in G scale.

 

When my son was about 9 or 10 I took him to Pittsburgh on the train.  By this time the RDC's were gone and they had, I believe, was an F3 A unit as the PAT (Port Authority Transit) train.  We got to town very early in the morning and found out the first train back home was not til around 2 or 3 that afternoon.  Much longer than I wnted to stay in town.  So, we got right back on the train and took a seat.  The engineer was headed to the engine and stopped to chat with us and when I told him we were train fans he invited us up to see the engine.  This time it was my son that got to ride on the engineers lap and work the controls while I got to ride the conductors seat.  Again, the F3 is my favorite engine to this day.

 

Later in life I got the opportunity to work for NS as a conductor working the coal trains from Elrama, PA to Altoona, PA.  So, obviously, I have a coal drag with SD40-2s (old, dirty,  noisy and usually too cold or way too hot) in the lead hauling 100 ton hopper cars ready to go on the loop.

 

Rick

 

Last edited by RICKC

I used to be Superintendent of the East Troy Trolley Museum in East Troy, Wisconsin.  We opened for the general public in May of 1972 (What is that?  43 years ago, now!) and we used Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee interurbans for our excursion rides.  The first car that was readied was #757, a Standard built, 50 ton interurban car built in 1929.  the second car that we restored was #763, a sister car to the #757 but we painted them differently.  The first was in the last paint scheme of the RR, a red letter board and window area with a striped silver lower section.  The RR called them"  "Silverliners".  The #763 was painted in the pre-WWII colors which were called "Greenliners" by railfans. 

 

Since I had many happy hours at the controls of both of these cars, when 3rd Rail came out with their three car sets of these wonderful, high speed interurban cars, I had to have a set of each.  The models are really great, detailed models of the original North Shore cars, and i do enjoy putting on a few miles on them on my layout, but it still doesn't replace the pleasure of actually handling the controls of the real cars!  I should have been a motorman!

 

Incidentally, the following year we completed CNS&M #411, a former parlor/observation car, and thus we had three samples of cars from the RR.  We were the first trolley museum to actually MU three of these big interurban cars for museum operation.  That was a big deal to us, back then!

 

Paul Fischer

I have collected a few of the models that I ran on the Missouri Pacific. Funny, I do not collect any of the Union Pacific units, but then I try and limit my time period to the late 1950's early 60 and then the late 1970's, in the era of the Mopac's Screaming Eagles. I had run the  U30C's may a time up Kirkwood Hill on the Labadie coal trains. The U23B's (I think there were 7 of them before the MP bought a horde of B23-7s) and GP35's were common power around St. Louis. (St. Louis's Ewing Ave shop was the repair point for the GE fleet.)

I would have bought the MTH Mopac SD40, but they made them in a more modern scheme with the large numbers, not the big Eagles on their flanks.

Dan 

 

 

 

 A pair of MTH U30C's roll a coal drag.

 

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An Atlas U23B and an MTH GP35  sit on the service tracks.

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