January 1999 $4.50 Higher in Canada XTRA Re-Pigs (lCG),p . 48 1930$CGW I ntermoda� p. 69 CSX's Paper Cars Bridging the Gap Diesel Detail: CRI&P F2A 01> Model PRR X45 50' Boxcars Kitbash Ellis Engineering (N) Model Mobile's Docks (Pt. 3) Operational Friendly Turnouts o 74470 91672 7 Model C& WC and CN&L GPls \ Ready fo r something completely new in railroading? An accurate, ready-to-run set? That's built in 114" scale and goes on HO track? Putting larger trains in a smaller space is the concept behind Bachmatm's three brand new On30 train sets. Offered in the Silver Series® line, these narrow gauge sets run on HO track (per prototype!) and are accurate passenger train reproductions in 114" scale. This is the first time 114" scale models are available at such an affordableprice. Collectively, each set's locomotive, combine, coach and observation car have eamed four NMRA Confonnance Warrants (Warrants 98-69, 98-70, 98-7 1 and 98-72, respectively). The locomotive features a completely hidden drive train, see­ through clearance under the boiler, a precision 5 pole skew-wOlUld can motor (with hardened carbon brushes), numerous metal detail parts (including the headlight mount), a finescale pilot, and sprung center axle for superior tracking performance and electrical pickup. In addition, the short-coupled tender features a hand-tooled coal load, and the Jackson & Sharp narrow gauge passenger cars all feature removable roofs and full, painted interiors with lighting. The early buzz on these sets has started us planning for the future of On30. In 1999, look for new set roadnames, separate sale motive power, separate sale coaches and four styles of freight cars. Sound exciting? You bet it is. It's Ready, Set, Go for On30. On30 Silver Series® sets include a Spectrum'#! 2-6-0 steam locomotive and tender, three Spectrum® passenger cars, the snap-fit nickel silver E-Z Tracfl® system, a Spectrum® power pack, and helpful VHS video with assembly instructions. #25001 Wonderland Express #25002 Colorado & Southern #25003 Pennsylvania Bachmann In dust ries, Inc. 1400 Ea st Erie Aven ue Shipping Now • Suggested Retail Price: $250.00 Philadelphia, PA www. bac hmanntrain s.com MODEL RAILROADING January 1999 VOLUME 29 NUMBER 1 FEATURES 22 ..... DIESEL DETAIL CLOSE-UP 48 ..... MODELING MODERN INTERMODAL Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific F2A XTRA Re-Pigs (Part 1) ... of the Illinois Central Gulf by Rich Picariello by Gary Walton 25 ..... Pennsylvania X45 50' Boxcars - 54 ..... Kitbashing Ellis Engineering - Modifying Accurail's 50' AAR Model A Dollar Stretcher Project in N or HO! by Greg Martin by Art Fahie 32 ..... Royal Purple - Part 2 58 ..... Upgrading a CN Jordan Spreader ACL Subsidiary GP7s: C&WC and CN&L by Bob Boudreau by Jim Six 63 ..... ON TRACK 38 ..... BEHIND THE SCENES Operational Friendly Turnouts - A Background Bridging the Gap: The (Scenic) Dilemma by Jim Mansfield by Margaret Mansfield 64 ..... The Waterfront Series Project 40 ..... FREIGHTCAROLOGY Modeling Mobile's Alabama State Docks CSX's Paper Cars Part 3 - Layout Development by David G. Casdorph by Bob Beaty and Mike Broadway 44 ..... John Farrell's N Scale 69 ..... Early Intermodal - Rio Bravo Industries - A Challenge Part 3: Chicago Great Western by John Farrell by Larry E. Smith, MM DEPARTMENTS 5 ..... Editorial 9 ...... Letters to the Ed itor 12 ..... New Products 17 ..... Society Page 19 ...... Book Beat 20 ..... Product Reviews 72 ..... Dealer Directory 78 ..... The Boys in the Basement 81 ..... Your Trek Plan 86 ..... Advertiser Index ABOUT THE COVER Bob Boudreau created this yard-clearing snow scene on a diorama, using flour as snow. The structures are DPM kits, and the diesel is a eN GS- 413a "Sweep" - a combination of an SW 1200RS switcher with a GP9 hood (SW + Geep = Sweep). Turn to page 58 to see how Bob enhanced Wa lthers' Jordan spreader kit to more accurately represent the prototype. Photo by Bob Boudreau. INSET: Space is always a challenge for mod­ elers. John Farrell shows us how he responded to that challenge with his Rio Bravo Industries layout starting on page 44. Photo by Paul Temp/w·. WhyisMRC's DCCsystem the best you can own? VERYS IMP l E MRC's Command 2000 DCC system, ' jor up to 10 decoderequipped locos you can", controlspeect, direction, momentum acceleration rate, momentum deceleration rate, starting voltage and tum/oco IIgbts011 or off szmjJle. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Witll MRC's system, if you like, you need MAKES DCC SIMPLE AND AFFORDABLE. never wire a decoder into a loco, Just buy Here's how simple it is, Hook up two wires additional MRC decoder equipped locos. Or buy from your power supply to the Command 2000 locos witll tlle NMRA DCC connector installed No decoder installation and two from the Command 2000 to tlle track. atld simply plug in your decode!: necessary. That's all tllere is to it. Your hook-up is that Command 2000 simple, CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES. Then put one of your standard locos on tlle is available with decoder Now locos Catl work in synch, mnning track as well as tlle decoder equipped loco that equipped loco. smootllly at tlle same speed allowing for comes witll MRC's Command 2000, , ,press two mUltiple lash ups head-to-tail or even tail-to-tail; buttons, move throttle one and throttle tlu'ee manage track work previously impossible and you're mtming two locos on the same and enjoy more realistic yatLi track, at two differentspeeds and if you want in operations witll0Ut concentrating two differentdirections. Your initial "set-up" is on rotatyswitches or tllrowing tllat simple, block toggles to deliver power to Then, in 30 seconds, by pushing a few different engines, buttons and adjusting tlle slide controls you can SeeMRC's Command 2000 at your progranl acceleration rate, deceleration rate hobby dealer and you'll enjoy and statt voltage, Then push one more button railroading realism, tllrills and sheer to give your DCC loco an address atld you're pleasure you've never known, , ,it's just that finished, Progranumng is that simple. simple, And you'll be atTIazed at tlle renmkable price, No BLOCK WIRING. Now you Catl independently control the operation of up to 10 locomotives on the same For details call 732-225-6360 or write: Model Rectifier Corporation, line, going at differentspeeds, in different 80 Newfield Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837 Plus Hand Held Walkaround 2000", directions without conventional insulated http://www.modelrec.com using tbe optional bandbeld blocks or the complex, time consumlng wiring walkaround, two people can bave tllat goes witll it. And witll0Ut separate independent control of tbeir locos at controllers for each loco and witll0Ut switches tbe same time, to tlu'ow whenever a loco enters or leaves a block section, MODEL RAILROADING EDITORIAL EDI TOR I PUBLISHER Randall B. Lee CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Two Fallen Flags David A. Bontrager uesday's mail on December 15th, brought the usual array David G. Casdorph of pre-Christmas items ...a biIL .. lots of junk maiLmy De­ Doug Geiger, MMR cemberT NMRA Bullelil1 .. and several Christmas cards. There Patrick Lawson, MMR was a card from Tom Watson, a good friend from England who, Jim and Margaret Mansfield like me, models the Union Pacific. Another came from Don George Melvin Strait, my friend and colleague here at MRG. Still another came Rich Picariello from Ervin and Bobbie Chaim, long-time friends from the Denver HO Club. But the Larry J. Puckett last one caught me off guard .. .it was from my dear friend of more than a quarter cen­ Jim Six tury, Carrie Arnold, and her husband Sam. It caught me off guard because Carrie had Larry E. Smith, MMR died two days earlier, at 2 AM on Sunday morning. She was 54. In October she learned she had inoperable and terminal lung cancer. Although accepting the inevitability of ART DIREC TORS the outcome of her disease, she kept her spirit and flew off to Europe for an already Donna Pacheco planned trip with Sam even though she knew she might not returnalive. She did return, but even as her strength waned and the pain became worse, she continued to think of Michelle Ruffner others, right to the end. Carrie didn't know how to do it any other way. CIRCULATION I OFFICE MANAGER But the arrival of Carrie's card also made me think of a Christmas letter I wouldn't Donald R. Strait be receiving .. .from another friend of long standing, Fred Bruchmann, who died just three weeks earlier, a few days before Thanksgiving, of a brain tumor. Carrie and Fred NATIONAL SALES MANAGER were both special to me for many reasons, but one of the most notable reasons was the role that each played in making the Rocky Rails '77 NMRA National Convention one Chris Lane of the most successful in the history of the NMRA. As Host Chairman for that conven­ 1-888-338-1700 tion, I was the one that got most of the spotlight, but it was really Carrie, Fred and about a dozen others that made it the success it was. Volume 29, Issue 1. MODEL RAILROADING is published 12 times a year by Highlands Station, Inc., 2600 S. Parker As Publicity Chairman, Carrie was responsible for promoting both the convention Rd., Suite 1-211, Aurora, CO 80014, (303) 338-1700. and the train show. The numbers tell how well she did. With 3,200 attending the con­ Price per single copy is $4.50 in U.S.A. Subscriptions are vention, Rocky Rails set an attendance record that stood for 17 years. Valley Forge in $34.95 in the U.S.A.