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GP35 action on the Dominion Atlantic

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    GP35 action on the Dominion Atlantic

    Kentville & Eastern Rail Company, may not have the prettiest equipment, but it sure does get the job done. The K&E started shortly after the fall of the Dominion Atlantic, in hopes of keeping the line from failing completely. Today we see K&E's Annapolis Royal Switcher, ARSW-1, switching out the customers in town, as well as put together it's short train. The reason behind two units being up in Annapolis, is account of the train growing in size by the time it reaches Kentville. This is usually around 20-25 cars max, between loads and empties. However for the time being they keep only one unit running, while the other is isolated and shut down until needed.

    K&E #212, former Springfield Terminal GP35, prepares to start switching out the three customers in town. J.D. Irving. Agway Feed & Fertilizer, and Nova Scotia Lumber.




    Spotting the first of three covered hoppers on the Agway track. They requested two Canola Meal cars, and one Soybean Hulls car. They are really hot for Canola, so those will be the first to be emptied.




    Using the NSLC track, KE 212 spots a loaded propane tankcar for J.D. Irving Company. They will offload this car, and ship it out today.




    After spotting up the cars, the ARSW-1 heads back over to the small yard, which contains a run-a-round track, and a small engine fueling facility. It will grab the other cars for the customers and start switching them out on their next loads.




    First switch, was the Agway track, pulling out the empty Canola Meal car, and spotting up the next. This track can hold two cars at a time, however they can only be able to offload one car at a time due to the track limit.




    Next, the 212 switches out an empty for a load on the NSLC track. This second propane car will not be unloaded until the late afternoon.




    After switching out the empties and loads, 212 is now seen shorting out the short train, getting the empty tank car in the middle. Both the tankcar and the flatcar, are bound for Brooklyn, in interchange with CN, while the empty hopper is to be sent via CPRS through Windsor Jct.




    The ARSW-1 grabs the second locomotive, ties onto the train, and checks over the paper work, while waiting on word from Dispatch before heading back out onto the mainline, and becoming ARKE-1.

    Paper work on the train:

    Seq Car LE KD Commodity Consignee Block To Dest
    KERC 212 O D EMD GP35 Kentville & Eastern
    KERC 5014 O D EMD GP35 Kentville & Eastern
    1 AEX 15798 E C Canola Meal AGPro CPRS WIJ WJ
    2 UTLX 952566 E T UN1075 J.D. Irving Co. CN BRO BR
    3 OTTX 93310 E F Lumber NSLC CN BRO BR
    4 SOO 68 C P Caboose Kentville & Eastern CPRS WIJ WJ




    Paper work is matched, and track warrant in place, as ARKE-1 passes by heading towards Kentville to end it's day. They left Kentville at 0300.




    It's a slow and steady pace of 25mph back to Kentville, due to the poor track conditions. There is hopes of getting CWR along the line, bumping speeds back up to 40mph, however that requires some major funds that the company is currently strained on.

    -Shawn K-
    Derby Rail Shops
    Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

    #2
    Nice shots with an interesting story line. Well done.

    Comment


      #3
      Thank you! Here are some more.

      It's 0700, and the crew gets ready to head out with their Kentville-Annapolis Royal job. Leaving the yard with a total of 26 cars, bound for Coldbrook, Berwick, Aylesford, Auburn, Middleton, and Annapolis Royal. The power for today's train is that of, another ex Springfield Terminal GP35, #209, as well as a leased GP15, from LTEX.




      Getting up to track speed, of 40mph. However they will need to reduce speed for their first stop in Coldbrook.



      While it seems that it's out of season for apples or other fruits, there are still a bunch in cold storage, ready to head out, so the KEAR job drops off two reefer cars. Me personally, I prefer fresh..




      The crew drops off a tank car and a covered hopper they will need to pick up later in the day, to spot on the Valley Fertilizer track, as they head back east. (eastward spotting only for this track), and a boxcar that was been dropped off as well for unloading.




      Further down in Berwick, the crew drops off three feed cars for Tupper Feed's. Most likely one or two will be empty by the time they head through on their way back to Kentville, that means they will need to pull the empties.




      Another commodity you think would be simmer during the winter months, but as you probably noticed, the boxcars are that of BNSF and UP, so the peat moss that has been stored, is being loaded and heading to the southern states.




      In Aylesford, the crew has spotted a boxcar as well as dropping off a flatcar of two tractors for Baltzer Equipment. This is another customer that can only be spotted eastbound.




      Shortly down the line, in Auburn, the crew has dropped off four feed cars for Master Feed's. Much like Tupper Feeds, most likely two or three of these cars will be empty by the time they had back through and must have to pull them.





      Rounding the curve, finally able to keep track speed for awhile until their next stop in Middleton. The boxcar, reefer, and two feed cars will be dropped, though the feed cars won't be on the customer track until the crew heads east. The rest of the train will be for Annapolis. After the drop in Middleton, the crew will shut down the GP15-1 to conserve fuel. (Sadly ORTS kicked me out and I never saved, so I currently cannot show off the return trip...)

      -Shawn K-
      Derby Rail Shops
      Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

      Comment


        #4
        Final four for the night.

        An hour later after the KEAR-1 train left, the KEWJ-1 train departs heading to Windsor and Windsor Jct. At Windsor, the crew will drop off a set of cars for the CN interchange in Brooklyn. CN actually comes into Windsor in order to do the interchange, via trackage rights.

        Here we see two relatively clean cars, one of which was recently build as of Nov. 2016.




        Rounding the bend.




        This train is a straight shot to Windsor Jct, interchange point with Canadian Pacific Railway, with only one stop at Windsor, the interchange point with Canadian National. The "local" job's are typically the ones that do the road switching. KEWI/WIKE, as well as WIWJ/WJWI.




        Powering up and grinding around the curve with KERC GP35 #5023, KERC GP35 #212, GMTX GP38-2 #2666, and GMTX GP40 #3010.

        -Shawn K-
        Derby Rail Shops
        Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

        Comment


          #5
          Love that whole first set with Travis's fouling point markers. I am going to slam those in a few places myself.
          Neil

          Chicago Railroading Fan

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by qballbandit View Post
            Love that whole first set with Travis's fouling point markers. I am going to slam those in a few places myself.
            Can't forget about his grain auger in the first picture either!

            I've glad I was able to provide my own personal picture from the rail yard here, for him to be able to do such a small little item. It's a slow process, but I am planning to get them scattered on my own copy of the DARv2 route. So far Annapolis Royal is my only location with them.
            -Shawn K-
            Derby Rail Shops
            Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

            Comment


              #7
              Bringing focus back to the KEAR/ARKE train.

              The crew has dropped off some cars in Middleton, which will be spotted as they head back east.




              Just passing on through, no stops until Annapolis Royal.




              Rounding the curve at Round Hill.




              After arriving into Annapolis Royal, the crew quickly swapped cab ends, and started switching out the customers. Here we see the crew prepping their train, and double checking their paper work before leaving with three empty cars.



              Out of the Yard Limits and back to 40mph trackage. The crew will have to make several stops, to pick up empties, or to pull cars from sidings to spot into the customer track. So far the crew just hit their four hour mark, after originally leaving Kentville at 0700, and now departed Annapolis Royal at 1100, They are good for another 8 hours.

              -Shawn K-
              Derby Rail Shops
              Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

              Comment


                #8
                Shawn, a long time ago, you sent me a GMTX engine - is that the same shape/model? It really looks nice with your paints on it.
                Neil

                Chicago Railroading Fan

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by qballbandit View Post
                  Shawn, a long time ago, you sent me a GMTX engine - is that the same shape/model? It really looks nice with your paints on it.

                  Not sure which unit you mean..

                  The ex Springfield Terminal GP35's shown, are from the Guilford/Pan Am GP35 pack, found on the Elvas Tower download site.
                  The ex CPRail GP35, comes from Vallaypass, BLW, ZT.
                  The LTEX GP15-1 comes from the file library here.
                  and the GMTX 2666 GP38-2, is from the NBSR pack that I uploaded on Elvas Tower as well.

                  The only item shown, which is a future release, is the GMTX GP40 #3010.
                  -Shawn K-
                  Derby Rail Shops
                  Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    You sent me a GMTX # 212.....I don't remember the story behind it, but looks to be the same shape/model as the Springfield Terminal units.
                    #212 is a silver/grey color, with orange striping, and plow.

                    I just liked the way the Guilford paint looked on your shots.
                    Neil

                    Chicago Railroading Fan

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Neil, I don't think that was me. As a matter of Fact, Lou had sent me a #212 with that, as a starter kit for the Guilford GP35's. It was between him and I these were being made. I know that I had sent it to a friend that was suppose to finish the project, didn't, so I returned to it.
                      Going to guess that the 212 had escaped onto others computers without my acknowledgement. Oh well. All Guilford/ST GP35's are available to download, and rumor has it a payware company will be doing them as well....
                      -Shawn K-
                      Derby Rail Shops
                      Maine Central Mountain Division: 25% Track, 12% Scenery.

                      Comment

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