PRECISION RAILROAD MODELS UNITRACK From a simple train set and loop of track ... to an exciting multi-track, double crossover �--�----�----�---.-----,----.-----,----, layout with station siding, switching yard and industrial spur tracks in ONE EVENING!!! With reliable connections between track sections, "plug and play" electrical wiring and realistic­ looking roadbed. No soldering of rail joints, no electrical engineering degree and no cork required. HOW???? With UNITRACK!!!!! The above layout can be built on a 4x8-ft. sheet of plywood in one evening with the purchase of the following items from your local hobby shop. Other track arrangements may also be possible. F7 Train Set with K2 Turnout Set UNITRACK #20-832 Choose from C&O, qty.4 D&RGW or AT&SF qty. 1 K1 Standard Set #20-831 qty. 1 Double Crossover #20-210 qty.1 (1) 4-pc. package of 248mm Straight Track #20-000, (2) packages of 62mm Feeder Track #20-041 and (2) 2-pc. package of Bumper Track #20-046/047/048 are also required. For a detailed track plan, send self­ addressed stamped envelope (55¢ postage) to: IItt t� I KATO U.S.A., INC •.100 Remington Road· Schaumburg, IL 60173 www.katousa.com It's not every day you get to control something of this size and magnitude. Train Simulator puts you in command of the powerful BNSF Dash 9, the lightning fast Amtrak· Acela'"Express and 7 other highly detailed locomotives. Choose from 6 world-famous rail routes and over 600 miles of accurately recreated track. Pull into charming stations, pick up freight cars and stick to tight timetables. It's all up to you, because you're the engineer. Microsoft- m icrosofLcom/ga mes/tra insim IN THIS ISSUE: DIESEL MODELING: • UPGRADING FACTORY-PAINTED MODELS� PROTO 2000'S UP EMD SD60, page 14 LAYOUT TOUR: • PENNSYLVANIA RR MIDDLE &- PITTSBURGH DIVISIONS IN 21 X 42 FEET, pale 26 OPERATIONS: • OPERATION SPEED PROFILES WITH DCC, page 22 MODELING I,NDUSTRY: • PHOTO-REPLICA MODELING WITH PHOTO FLAT BUILDINGS, page 52 MODELING THE CITY: • WATER TOWERS FOR CITY SKYLINES, FROM July 2001 . Volume 13, Number 2 WALTHERS KITS, page 8 DIESELS, ONE-DETAIL-AT-A- TIME: ON THE COVER: -Yes, it is possible to fit the Pennsylvania Railroad's • G.E. U23B AS CONRAIL 2744 &- 2751 FROM ATLAS four-track mainline in a basement, HO MODELS, page 48 including a reasonable depiction of MODELING FROM THE PROTOTYPE: Pittsburgh, Altoona, Johnstown • COCOA BEACH PROTOTYPE MODELERS MEET, 36 and the Horseshoe Curve. Doug page Taylor did it, and you'll see his work INTERMODAL MODELING: beginning on page 26 of this issue. • ACF MODEL 5R AND 5C HITCHES, PART 2, page 40 -Robert Schleicher photo RAILMODELJOURNAL is published 12 times a year by Golden Bell Prell, 2403 Champa St, Denver, CO 80205. Price per single copy is 14.95 newsstandi $5.95 direct frompublisher, or 136.00 per year in the U.S.A. Individual copy priceshigher in Canadaand other countries, Foreign subscriptions148.00 for 12 issues, payable in U.S. funds,RAILMODELJOURNAL, ISSN 1043-5441, copyright2001 by Golden Bell Press, All righb reserved, Periodicall Postage paid at Denver,CO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toRailmodel journal,2403 Champa St, Denver,CO 80205, Visit our website atwww.railmodeljoumal.com ODELING from the PROTOTYPE 4 RAILMODEL JOURNAL' JULY 200 1 Modern Freight Car Modeling: E [j N 292094 50-Foot PS-l Box CarsJ page 51 HO SCALE: N SCALE: Locomotive Performance: Modeling The City: Summary of all previous Locomotive Water towers for city skylines, from Performance Test Reports .................24 Walthers, Korber and Vollmers Kits Time Capsule: by II. S. Roseman ......................... ......8 : CW Tower,Hinton West Virginia,August Diesel Modeling: 27,1985, by Bernard Kempinski........ 59 Upgrading factory-painted models, Proto 2000's UP EMD SD60 models, by Steve Orth ...................................14 Locomotive Performance: Summary of all previous Locomotive Performance Test Reports .................24 Layout Tour: ALL SCALES: Pennsylvania RR Middle & Pittsburgh Operations: Divisions in 21 x 42 feet, Operation Speed Profiles with DCC, by Doug Taylor .. .............................. 26 by John Palmer .................................22 Modeling From The Prototype: Modeling Industry: Cocoa Beach Prototype Modelers Meet, Photo-Replica Modeling use photo flat by D. Scott Chatfield ........................36 buildings, by Bruce R. Petty........... .... 52 Intermodal Modeling: Time Capsule: ACF Model A Hitches, Part 2 CW Tower, Hinton West Virginia, August by Jim Panza ....................................4 0 27,1985, by Bernard Kempinski........ 59 Diesels, One-Detail-At-A-Time: G.E. U23B as Conrail 2744 & 2751 from Atlas models, by Louis Marre .............48 E & N 292094 50-foot PS-1 Box Car from InterMountain's kit,by Bob Rivard .... 51 Carborundum 5209 PS-2 covered hopper DEPARTMENTS: What's New ..................6, 7, 12 13 62 from Walthers kit,by Bob Rivard ....... 58 Calendar .............................. ..... :...... �.60 . RAILMODELJOURNAL JULY 2001 5 What's New in HO Scale Bill Mosteller, 2813 Hogan Ct., Fa lls Church, VA 22043 is offering full-color decals to recreate the Canadian Pacific's "Mandarin Orange" box cars for $9.49/set postpaid. Twin Star Cars, 3113 Te epee Ct. Nampa, ID 83686-7932 is producing etched-brass sides to duplicate the Rock Island's "Twin Star Cars." the kit duplicates both the as-delivered 1949 com­ muter cars and the additional cars received in 1950. The kit includes the brass sides and plas­ tic ends, roof and floor, but no couplers or wheelsets for $49.95. MRC is now shipping their EMD F7A diesels painted and lettered for the Pennsy. The models include fully assembled roof antennae (a first for a mass-produced model), with metal grabirons, brass horns and etched stainless steel grilles. The model also has a full cab interior. See your dealer. S & S Hobby Products, P.O. Box 2724, Garden Grove, CA 92842 is now offering a thin plastic sheet with raised safety tread patterns. Two 5 3/4 x 11/2-inch sheets are $6.99. 6 RAILMODELjOURNAL JULY 2001 What's New inHO Scale Short Line Products, P.O. Box267, Pequannock, NJ 07440 is producing decals to match the Santa Fe Tra ils Transportation Co. A set to fit one trailer and tractor is $6.00 plus $1.00 shipping and handling. Westerfield, 53 River Lane, Crossville,TN 38555 has three versions of the USRA mill gondola pur­ chased by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The gondolas include full interior detail and are $30.00 each with decals but less trucks and cou­ plers. Westerfield is also offering carload and side-door containers for BOlO or Pennsy at $20.00 for a carload of six or $6.50 for individ­ ual containers. The Proto 2000 Northeast-prototype caboose has been rereleased by Life-Like with a new lower body and new truck sideframes. The trucks and couplers now attach with screws. The model is available in CNW, Chessie, Conrail, Maine Central, LV and Reading paint and lettering. Downtown Deco, 4319 Rainbow Dr., Missoula, MT 59803 is producing Rutland Car Shops, P.O.Box 64947, Burlington, VT 05401 is now shipping this cast-Hydrocal kit to build two warehouses, one abandoned and one cast-resin kits to duplicate the Rutland Railroad's Standard Wood Freight functioning. The kit includes Grandt Line windows and doors and a laser­ House. The kit is $34.00 plus $4.00 shipping and handling. cut stencil to paint the "Diamante Shipping" signs for $49.95. RAILMODELjOURNAL . JULY 200 1 7 ----------- MODELING THE CITY [ ] ----------- By V. S. Roseman If you are modeling the city, you'll need dozens of water towers to recreate the scene. There's an index of previous articles on modeling the city on our website at www.railmodeljoumal.com he water towers atop they are today, it was enough that some subsequent issue of the Transactions of the commercial and industrial water pipes were laid to clean lakes or American Society of Civil Engineers is of structures define the skylines rivers upstream from the city. With the some interest. The first major tremors of of most cities. Of course, dramatic increases in population made the earthquake immediately ripped apart from many views it will be practical by the railroads, it was becoming the underground pipes of the city's water the lI1surance company necessary that the demands on water system. As the fire later burned the tower to the skyscraper resources be regulated by the use of water structures adjoining the hotel, flames and offices of a bank that show up on the towers on high-occupancy town buildings. airborne sparks would ignite palts of the postcard scenes, but from the train tracks In addition to the obvious function of hotel. The sprinklers activated and put the you will be likely to see more of those regu lating drinking water, another purpose flames out. then more sparks would again water towers against the sky than those of rooftop water towers is to feed automatic ignite the hotel repeating the activation of scenic views you see on postcards and sprinkler systems for fire control. the sprinklers until finally, the water in the magazine covers. At the turn of the last century, an early tower was depleted. If the surrounding With the development of new materials version of one of these water towers was buildings all had sprinkler systems, the that permitted the construction of taller installed on the roof of a large modern great fire of San Francisco might have been buildings (and, later, the elevator) we hotel in San Francisco. This was intended much less severe, and the hotel probably began to see larger and larger structures in to feed a state-of-the-art sprinkler system, would not have burned. towns. Along with the higher occupancy one of the first of its kind.