Christmas 2013 Arrivals

So what did Santa bring this year..... 5 rail cars actually, caught all of them on December 27th, 2013 already in service at Upper Huron, MI heading east toward Port Huron, MI / Sarnia, ON on the M-BAPH-27

 Athearn Genesis 57' Mechanical Reefer (with Soundtraxx) in BNSF marks
   - What an awesome addition, the dimension that the reefer unit sound provides is a nice change compared to what we are use to hearing from our diesels. I look forward to seeing if any of the other manufacturers release the larger 64' Trincool reefers with sound.

These units in prototype service have been retired from the BNSF at current press so its safe to say a patch job may be in the works to make it a "Cold Train" NRDX car.

Atlas Type 10 and 20 Saddle 20,700 Gallon Non-Insulated Tank Cars in GATX marks
   - These cars will be in service moving raffinate by-product from the sugar beet production process.

Intermountain Railway Trinity 19,600 gallon Tank Car in TILX marks
   - Car will serve in molasses or corn syrup service depending on leasee.

Walthers Trinity 6351 4-Bay Covered Hopper
   - Car is leased by Saginaw Valley Sugar Cooperative for Sugar Beet Pulp Pellet service.

Saginaw River Bridge Part 2

I wanted to focus on getting one particular scene of the layout completed and considering its a layout design element or LDE I decided on the Saginaw River Bridge Scene.  

December to do tasks:
- Cut in foam terrain and weather bridge abutments
      (A.I.M. Products Abutments for Central Valley Bridge)
- Assembled the two kitbashed bridge 1/2s into one solid structure
      (Atlas Code 83 Truss bridge - 2 kits + Plastruct parts)
- Built the center bridge pedestal
      (PVC drain cover wrapped in Chooch Flexible Stone Wall)
- Painted Foam Core base that will be the "river" - Installed the backdrop - cutoff the sky
      (Sceniking - Eagle Lake Scene)

                                                   Roughing in the bridge and abutments

 

                                                               Riverbed masterpiece

To the left and below are progress photos as of this point - we threw in a few Timberline Scenery Trees to see how they would look to get an idea. As this bridge crossing models an active river that is transited by "Lakers" off the Great Lakes you can see the background river and shoreline in both views. 

January to-do tasks:
- Put up clear styrene along backdrop for resin dam
- Scenic around river (ground, trees, etc)
     (Transition to west staging)
- Add wood piers to river for bridge safety
-  Finish detailing and paint / weather bridge
- Scenic river (riverbank talus / rip-rap)
- Set and seal iver bed for resin pour
- Pour "Magic Water"
- Install bridge structure with rail track
    (Removable for maintenance of area)