Work trains

Hello Pete, nice setup !!!!.

I wish MTH would come out with a Wreck Steam Crane that would operate with the current DCS remote.

With sounds and a few heavy puffs of smoke out the stack when you are winching up or swinging the house would be cool.

I could see many hours of setting rolling stock or other items on the railroad with an operating crane.

Might even place a car or two off the side of the railroad just so the crane crew would have to be dispatched out and have to winch the cars back up on the rails !!!!!

I am sure it would be expensive crane, but what isn't these days !!!!!

K-Line Foreman's car, Weaver covered hopper sand car, kit bashed shortened Lionel caboose atop K-Line flat car with light lifting gear from a BB-157 tow truck and last is a Williams observation car with some of the passenger area removed.

John in Lansing, ILL

bigtruckpete

I have one on order too.

How do you like it.

Does it work well, like Lionel says it does ? 

Good Luck , John

MarkStrittmatter posted:

Hello Pete, nice setup !!!!.

I wish MTH would come out with a Wreck Steam Crane that would operate with the current DCS remote.

With sounds and a few heavy puffs of smoke out the stack when you are winching up or swinging the house would be cool.

I could see many hours of setting rolling stock or other items on the railroad with an operating crane.

 

 

Thanks Mark! I like your idea about the MTH crane with smoke that would sure add a nice feature. 

The crane does provide hours of fun and the Lionel Cab1 with its red dial is perfect for spinning the crane cab around. 

rattler21 posted:

K-Line Foreman's car, Weaver covered hopper sand car, kit bashed shortened Lionel caboose atop K-Line flat car with light lifting gear from a BB-157 tow truck and last is a Williams observation car with some of the passenger area removed.

 

John in Lansing, ILL

John, That is a great looking work train. Your half passenger car half flat car is a real bit of creative genius!!! One of the coolest cars I've seen.

I will plan on adding a hopper car too. You never know when your crew may need some ballast! 

NYC,SUBWAY TRANSIT SIGNAL posted:

bigtruckpete

I have one on order too.

How do you like it.

Does it work well, like Lionel says it does ? 

Good Luck , John

 

John, the Lionel crane car works awesome! Mine is from the original run and it has functioned flawlessly. The sound is great and I even like to crew talk feature that has a foreman and crew member dialog. 

Two items to be aware of to fully enjoy using the crane.

1. In regards to the operation of the outriggers. Be sure to have full power to the track in order for them to all fire. 

2. The chassis of the crane runs very low to the track. Because of this I can not run it over my Ross Switches that have the switch machines mounted on the top. It catches on the little metal "s" hook that connects the machine to the track slide. Next layout will incorporate under table mounted switch machines to remedy the issue. 

I have collected cars from most of the manufacturers to put together a nice PRR work train.  However, they are all in storage until I can get around to painting them gray.  With the exception of my Weaver car, they are mostly yellow, a color the PRR did not use until the 50s.  I need to start looking for a gray paint that matches the Weaver car, and new decals, and get this project done.

My Norfolk Southern switch replacement train. It consists of two Lionel NS GP35s, The MTH NS Switch cars offered in a set (I bought the set without the engine), the 2015 MTH Club car, and a really nice MTH NS Bay Window caboose. 

MAXRAILROAD

Have the caulking under the Tracks make it run quieter ? 

Good luck, John

bigtruckpete

Thanks, for responding back. I'm only using MTH Tracks.

All of my Trains our NYC, Subway Type. 

I'm planing to set up the Crane Car and caboose on a siding on my Layout.

Not, planing on running around the layout.

Good luck, John  

NYC,SUBWAY TRANSIT SIGNAL posted:

MAXRAILROAD

Have the caulking under the Tracks make it run quieter ? 

Good luck, John

Yes, a lot quieter. You can only now hear the sound of the wheels and the cars and the sounds of the engine. It looks great now that I have balanced over the cork.

MAXRAILROAD

I wished I installed back when.

My layout was started back in 2005 

If I had known I would of  install it.

 I didn't know that.

It's a dedicated Train Room.

Only for my trains.

So if a little noising it's OK .

My Bed Rooms are on the other side of House.  

Thanks. John

I have a work train as well, it is a collection of some Lionel rolling stock that I was able to buy with a Lionel U-23B diesel engine, cab # 8962.  The cars are a crane car, searchlight car and a caboose.

Lee Fritz

I have a work-in-progress Jersey Central wreck/service train that I started building a few years ago.  Four cars are finished...two tool/blocking/cable cars, a crane and a crane tender/spare truck car.  Three more cars to go when I find the time to get back to it!  Here's a video for now.  Will try to post some still photos--including the prototype I'm attempting to model--when I get a chance.

Here is an ATSF road switcher with a cut of bridge gang cars ahead of the waycar.  The boxcar is PRB, K-Line foreman's car, Weaver ex-baggage repainted by myself, and an MTH water car which I have recently replaced with a touched up RK tanker of a more appropriate size and style (the Premier car is nice looking but too tall to be "right").  In the future I plan to add another tool car or a bunk car.

Almost have everything to build this one -- the locomotives (I'm using U25b's instead of C30-7's because I don't want to buy a pair), the crane, a spare set of heavyweights. Just need to get the appropriate scale-wheeled heavyweight trucks and a couple of flat cars and I'm good to build.

The Newton KS ATSF Derrick (Crane Car) had a cut down heavyweight as a tender.  In fact, only the center of the car was left on the frame.  Looked like a transfer caboose on droids!

If you ever completely "blow it" on a paint job, just make the project into a MoW car:

Gary Stuebben photos

Hey! Dominic  did the Newton Wreck crane tender look something like this?

I built the tender from 2 Lionel gon's and a Williams car. From the 2 ends to the Williams car I built a yard office.   Most of the time this is a wreck train and not a work train, but is used to set in bridge sections on new and rebuilt bridges.

This American crane is used in most of my work trains.

Rob Leese posted:

If you ever completely "blow it" on a paint job, just make the project into a MoW car:

Gary Stuebben photos

I don't think Santa Fe painted a MOW box car with silver paint that was not "watered down".

bigtruckpete posted:

rattler21 posted:

K-Line Foreman's car, Weaver covered hopper sand car, kit bashed shortened Lionel caboose atop K-Line flat car with light lifting gear from a BB-157 tow truck and last is a Williams observation car with some of the passenger area removed.

 

John in Lansing, ILL

John, That is a great looking work train. Your half passenger car half flat car is a real bit of creative genius!!! One of the coolest cars I've seen.

Jim Policastro did an article on making one of those, was in a past issue.

Pete

I have a Monon wreck train on order from Mr Muffins...   

https://mrmuffinstrains.myshop...th-monon-wreck-train

AGHRMatt posted:

Almost have everything to build this one -- the locomotives (I'm using U25b's instead of C30-7's because I don't want to buy a pair), the crane, a spare set of heavyweights. Just need to get the appropriate scale-wheeled heavyweight trucks and a couple of flat cars and I'm good to build.

 

I hope you have a no-nonsense wrecking boss, a good cook and plenty of steaks, Matt.    

rboatertoo posted:

I have a Monon wreck train on order from Mr Muffins...   

https://mrmuffinstrains.myshop...th-monon-wreck-train

That is one cool set! Never saw that announcement. Thanks for the link. 

AGHRMatt posted:

Almost have everything to build this one -- the locomotives (I'm using U25b's instead of C30-7's because I don't want to buy a pair), the crane, a spare set of heavyweights. Just need to get the appropriate scale-wheeled heavyweight trucks and a couple of flat cars and I'm good to build.

Matt, That is going to be awesome!!! How about a video when it's up and running??!!

CBS072 posted:

Hey! Dominic  did the Newton Wreck crane tender look something like this?

I built the tender from 2 Lionel gon's and a Williams car. From the 2 ends to the Williams car I built a yard office.   Most of the time this is a wreck train and not a work train, but is used to set in bridge sections on new and rebuilt bridges.

Here's a good shot of a SF tender. Not sure if that's specifically the Newton crane, though, but the tender is probably fairly standard. Picture taken in Clovis, NM.

Here is a video of one of my work train.

I first saw the Newton Derrick in black and silver.  Lionel's first TMCC crane car was in this Newton livery.  Later, after 1974, it was painted blue and yellow.  I prefer the zebra!

When Amtrak had both the LONE STAR (TX CHIEF) and SW LIMITED (now SW CHIEF) come into Newton, I had plenty of time to study the wreck train.  It was parked across the tracks from the stations.  As long as you kept OFF of it and did not FOWL the tracks, life was good waiting between the NB LS and WB SWL.

I have seen flats like the ones above, but the Newton Derrick had the cut down heavyweight car.

Dominic Mazoch posted:

I first saw the Newton Derrick in black and silver.  Lionel's first TMCC crane car was in this Newton livery.  Later, after 1974, it was painted blue and yellow.  I prefer the zebra!

That first Lionel zebra Newton derrick is the one I have. Interesting about the repaint - I was not aware that it was repainted blue and yellow after '74. 

Here is a small work train on my layout.

Also a short video.

CBS072 posted:

Here is a small work train on my layout.

 

That's a great looking work train! It's the right road name too!!

I have added several additional cars since this photo session.....but 

I have cranes/derricks in Lionel red, Lionel black, SP grey from K-Line, PRR and Amtrak from RK!  Plus I have an SP Rotary Plow, and PRR snowplaw!

Added this puppy recently...formerly an original issue NYC, converted to CN by NVSI in Kanata. 

The boys put her to work immediately, changing a flat on the boss's deuce coupe.

Bruce

Here's a work train doing "real work"....

Peter

Here is my CNW with other road name cars. 

This Madison Diner car was produced by MTH as part of a Pennsylvania Work Train.  See also MTH set #20-90005.

I mentioned above that I've collected some scale cars for a work train on my PRR themed layout, just need to get around to painting them gray.  I've also put together a traditional sized NYC work train pulled by a Lionel LC+ Mikado that I take to shows where my club, National Capital Trackers,  has a layout setup.  I like to use the LC+ engine at these shows because it is easy for visitors to use, and most seem to enjoy running the train.  Who knows, maybe I might get someone new involved in the hobby.  The work train also has two Williams operating cars that are control by their handheld, the boxcar that throws boxes out (really far) and a log dump car.  These are also fun for the visitors.  This train, as well as others operated by the NCT, can be seen this Sunday afternoon at the Beltsville Day Festival,  Beltsville Community Center.

CAPPilot posted:

I've also put together a traditional sized NYC work train pulled by a Lionel LC+ Mikado that I take to shows where my club, National Capital Trackers,  has a layout setup.  I like to use the LC+ engine at these shows because it is easy for visitors to use, and most seem to enjoy running the train.  Who knows, maybe I might get someone new involved in the hobby. 

Brilliant!!! That is one huge advantage of the LC locos-a very straight forward looking device for the non-initiated to use and have fun with minimal training.

Nice work train too!