Foreign Model RR Equipment - Part 1

Taking a break from my Proto 2000 GP38-2s Tsunami sound install, we are going to touch on a neat subject that really happened more by coincidence this evening.

As a Proto freelance model railroader one of my primary objectives is the placement of my fictional class II regional into the modern day North American rail system. Plausible placement allows my railroad to do it's intended to purpose; Moving freight as a common carrier. Having the opportunity to be friends with other modelers who share this vision allows for paper interchanges between layouts and also the opportunity to share equipment with each other. More on the MCIS network and its role in a future post but onto the meat of the post.

The conincidence happened to be finding a few foreign model RR cars blocked together at Bay Yard.

Walking the yard I captured three 50' double door boxcars decorated for SRV (Saginaw River Valley Railroad) and VMID (Virginia Midland Railroad). These cars are empty awaiting the next M-BAMC that will take them north to Mackinaw City and across the straits for loading at the Superior PlyCo OSB plant. 

Saginaw River Valley Railroad - SRV

Two double door SRV boxcars showing off the large and small logo variations of their corporate scheme. These cars were recently shopped and repainted at Fogelsinger Rail Services, but it will not take long for the elements to give them a nice layer of grime and dirt dulling the shine. It is 2015 so reflective tape is a given.

These cars are in building product service  most notably hauling OSB, plywood, and other sheet type materials. While the MCIS does not interchange physically with SRV, these cars come to and from via the Y-BA05 transfer job to the Huron Eastern which in turn hands off to the SRV for delivery to the building supply company at Buena Vista, MI. Depending on demand for product out of Superior PlyCo the MCIS on occasion short term lease these cars to supplement customer demand.

Railcar instructions showing return to Saginaw Yard when empty.

The real SRV is a modular model rairoad club in Mid-Michigan that one of my fellow friends who paints MCIS equipment for me belongs to. Their website is provided below. As a kid I remember seeing their modular setup at the Tawas Railroad Days. A unique item was their setup featuring custom painted Michigan railroads that in the 90s you would never find in hobby shops. Never imagined some 20+ years later I would have two of their cars on my layout and have a great friendship with Fred Fogelsinger who has provided 20+ engines and 40+ cars painted for my Michigan Interstate. Remember those custom paints on the modular layout from the 90s I mentioned, those were done by Fred I just hadn't met him yet.

http://srvmodelrailroad.org/index.html

Virginia Midland Railroad - VMID

The other car we are going to talk about is this Virginia Midland double door boxcar. Once loaded at Superior PlyCo it will head back south on a M-MCBA connecting here in Bay Yard to the M-BAPH. At Port Huron the car will hand off to the CN who will haul it to NS Bellevue via Flat Rock, MI. Once off to the NS it will lastly interchange at Orange, VA.to the VMID for delivery on home rails to a building products wholesaler. The Virginia Midland is the railroad concept of good friend Shannon Crabtree. His modeling skills are fantastic along with some great weathering and custom painting work he has completed for me over the past few years. You can find a link to Shannon's VMID blog in my web links if you view this post in the website format. For those in mobile versions, just copy the address into your browser:

http://virginiamidlandrr.blogspot.com/

We have covered two railroads this post, future posts will cover more foreign model railroads that ply the Michigan Interstate St. Clair Sub. Just as foreign equipment operate here, so to does MCIS cars also roam beyond the walls of my home.

Have a great week

GM