Conrail Modelers

[3rdrail]

"...but all those great B-B locomotives simple don't like right to me in blue paint."


"So, I guess you don't care for B&M either...?"

Had me worried there for a minute until I took a look at the links... your talking about the REAL B&M, not that Guilford counterfit.  The blue B&M is what will always be the REAL one to me, especially so with bunches of GP7s/GP9s/GP18s running around!!!

Hmmph. The real B&M painted its Diesels either black with red stripes or maroon with gold stripes. 

[GonzoCRFan]

Hate to say it but there were far more B-B units than C-C on the Conrail roster.  While some lines saw heavy use of C-C units even the B-B units showed up on those lines.  The only time I got to visit Horseshoe Curve had boo-koos of B-B units, including a funeral train full of Baldwins.

Well, it really does depend on what era of Conrail you're talking about. In the beginning, you're absolutely correct, there were FAR more 4-axle units than 6-axles. But by the end of Conrail, the numbers still favored 4-axle units, but 6-axle units weren't far behind.

[Bob Bufkin]

I think the reason for more 4 axel units is that you could buy more of them for the money than 6 axle units.  Conrail and the roads that made it up needed all the power it could get with older 1st gen units on it's last legs and costing money to maintain and units from minority builders which were long out of the business.

[David Leonard]

In the spring/summer of 1977, Conrail seemed to lack sufficient motive power for some reason. They leased a bunch of CN M628's, 630's whatever--maybe other stuff. I saw them in Youngwood PA while I was job interviewing, but by the time I got the job and moved to western PA, they had been returned to CN, so alas, no photos.

[Wlal13again]

In the spring/summer of 1977, Conrail seemed to lack sufficient motive power for some reason. They leased a bunch of CN M628's, 630's whatever--maybe other stuff. I saw them in Youngwood PA while I was job interviewing, but by the time I got the job and moved to western PA, they had been returned to CN, so alas, no photos.

They had major reliability issues with their motive power fleet.

[GonzoCRFan]

In the spring/summer of 1977, Conrail seemed to lack sufficient motive power for some reason. They leased a bunch of CN M628's, 630's whatever--maybe other stuff.

They also leased a bunch of BAR geeps, as well as a bunch from Precision National.

[SecretWeapon]

[Dave V]

What's not to love?

[Wlal13again]

Exactly..

[Ed Kapuscinski]

[ai5629]

Very nice paint outs!  Might I offer one suggestion in regards to the Atlas FGE's.  Remove the Atlas stirrups and brakewheel and replace with Micro Trains stock car stirrups and miner brake wheel.  (Don't forget to notch out the underframe in the four corners to make room for the stirrups.)  This improves their appearance tremendously.  I do this with all my Atlas FGE's, no matter the road.  It makes the car on par with their "Master Line" series of cars IMHO.  Thanks.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

In the spring/summer of 1977, Conrail seemed to lack sufficient motive power for some reason. They leased a bunch of CN M628's, 630's whatever--maybe other stuff. I saw them in Youngwood PA while I was job interviewing, but by the time I got the job and moved to western PA, they had been returned to CN, so alas, no photos.

I just found a pic of one: http://thecrhs.org/?q=node/2053 while I was going through tagging stuff for the foreign power gallery.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I also just finished writing this up tonight too:
http://thecrhs.org/?q=WhatMadeConrailSpecial

[ai5629]

Ed,

You are doing some really great work with the CRHS web site.  I especially enjoyed all of the early 80's (80 to 84) photos of diesels.  (We need more photos of that era!)  That brings back memories.  On my first two trips to the Curve in August and October  of 1984, I saw some of those same diesels.  That is the era I am trying to model to a tee.  Everything was mostly Blue, but you had an occasional black engine out there.  The CRHS web site is going to surpass the CRCYC site soon in terms of content and usefulness.  No offense to Bob, but the CRHS site looks like it will be the best Conrail site out there in short order.  A thousand thank yous. 

Jeff

[Virginia Atlantic]

For me, my love of Conrail was very simple.

I grew up on Long Island in the 70's/80's, and Conrail in all it's blue glory was all I ever saw when it came to freight trains. 

It's the same reason the old Blue/White Long Island Railroad diesels still hold a VERY warm place in my heart too.

Had I not been so dedicated to freelancing, I would be a Conrail (and Penn Central) Modeler.