Hot News from FVM: Multiple New Models

[Leggy]

Not in the single car rotary dumpers? Well that's curious....

[Robbman]

In single car yes... just like any other car can... but they didn't have rotary couplers, so they had to be broken up individually.  I should have clarified.

[Leggy]

Found the clarification Seems the Southern used these to pioneer the unit train concept hauling coal for SEGCO.

[Smike]

SD70-2 and rear ditch lights???? Hot dam! And to think I was just about to strip a Kato SD70 Shell and paint it black...

So the -2 project is real   

[Mark5]

Someone should tell FVM that the Canstock cars have cushion underframes - neither the artwork nor the pilot model (photos in Amherst thread) have cushion underframe.

[Leggy]

Those rear ditchlights will work on both the SD70M-2 for CN and NS and the NS ACes, and if people don't believe me on the CN M-2s...

Scott, better remortgage the house!

[Scottl]

Woo hoo, rear ditch lights!  I see a second mortgage coming...

[Leggy]

Just missing those pesky marker lights for the DPU units....(88xx numbered Iso cab M-2s)

[NARmike]

Those rear ditchlights will work on both the SD70M-2 for CN and NS and the NS ACes, and if people don't believe me on the CN M-2s...

Scott, better remortgage the house!

OOooooo... Leggy, can you tell me if those are ex Great Slave Lake Division lead/zinc ore cars behind that loco... They sure look like em'!

[davefoxx]

Originally built for unit coal service from Appalachia (Westmoreland transloader... home of the semi-famous yellow-ball 70T hoppers used to transfer coal from various branches to there) to various coal plants

This is correct.  Want to see them in action?  Check out this nifty Southern Railway Saluda Grade Training Video, especially 1:10 through 2:15 of the video for a runby of a unit coal train and a description about silversides.

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DFF

[Leggy]

Thanks dave, great video!

And Mike, no idea there, just found the photo via google images for reference.

[jagged ben]

For those of you wondering if the Canstock cars made it out west...

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2455625

...which might mean I have to buy one.   

[Philip H]

Equally important with geography of operation is age - were these still in service in the amid 1990's?

[Mark5]

Equally important with geography of operation is age - were these still in service in the amid 1990's?

Still in service until at least 2007.

http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=35053

Note the couplers 

[Philip H]

Thanks Mark!  Guess this has to go on the Chuck Pack list too . . .