Weekend Update 9/18/16

[Rich_S]

The answer is not many...

Indiana Railroad still has 14 in service.

CEFX has 30 remaining, some running on Northshore mining. San Louise & Rio Grande and other shortlines  (Indiana's may be part of this total?)

Of CP's 61 SD9043macs 3 are scrapped and the remaining 58 are in storage and up for sale. CP Also had 4 SD90Hmac units that have been scrapped.

NS has 73 units slated to be rebuilt into SD70ACUs, most are in storage.

All of the EMD lease fleet (mostly ex UP SD90Hmacs) is in storage.

Nearly all of UP's ~200 remaining SD9043macs are in storage.

Edit: There are also some units still running in Australia.

That is not 100% correct. The SD90Mac's that have not been rebuilt by NS are in active service, but there numbers are dwindling fast. Here is a list of the SD70ACU project.

http://www.altoonaworks.info/rebuilds/ns_sd70acu.html

All of the NS SD80Mac's are in active service and are not scheduled to be part of the SD70ACU project. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

All of the NS SD80Mac's are in active service and are not scheduled to be part of the SD70ACU project. 

That's because the SD80mac is already the pinnacle of dieseldom. Nothing else could improve on it. Lol.

[Missaberoad]

That is not 100% correct. The SD90Mac's that have not been rebuilt by NS are in active service, but there numbers are dwindling fast. Here is a list of the SD70ACU project.

I will concede to your knowledge... I was basing my post based on this info http://www.nsdash9.com/rosters/7230.html
However I fully admit that the nature of units in storage is always in flux...

Thanks

[GimpLizard]

Rick, I can't wait for the next issue of N scale magazine. Do you discuss all trains operated on your layout in that issues? As for glass sand (silica sand) I believe it is transported in covered hoppers to keep it dry.  Because of the weight of the sand, I believe it's transported in 2 bay or single bay covered hoppers.

I work next door to a glass factory (beer bottles... mostly) here in Burlington WI. They have a 2-track spur at their unloading shed. And while there is only one car in the spur right now (I just ran outside to check) they do get quite a few hoppers of sand each week. The vast majority of them are 3-bay. Though I have seen the occasional 2-bay.

[jmlaboda]

The vast majority of them are 3-bay. Though I have seen the occasional 2-bay.

The new weight limits on cars now allows for such.  What with 100-ton Plus car ratings (can't remember the usual new capacity) larger cars have become more the norm.

[fcnrwy23]

Jerry G:  Instead of putting white trim film on the loco, then applying a blue decal over that, how about printing the decal ON the trim film?  That way, when you cut it out, it will all be backed by white, with no overlapping edges.

I finally got a hold of White "Decal paper".  Using the "Trim Film", the inkjet print, just bubbled-up.
On the decal paper, the blue ink has stayed-put. 

I will have to wait and give the decal coating (glosscote), time to cure.  And then try out the new decals...

Jerry G.
 

[nkalanaga]

Jerry:  So much for the Trim Film idea!  Hopefully the white decal paper will work.

[peteski]

I finally got a hold of White "Decal paper".  Using the "Trim Film", the inkjet print, just bubbled-up.
On the decal paper, the blue ink has stayed-put. 

I will have to wait and give the decal coating (glosscote), time to cure.  And then try out the new decals...

Jerry G.
 

Trim film decal or plain (laser) decal film will not work with ink Jets because it doesn't absorb liquid film (laser printers use dry toner).  That is why the liquid ink beads up. Decal film specifically made for ink jets is coated with an ink-absorbing layer over the clear film.  But since the ink is water-soluble it does have to be sealed with a clear lacquer (after the ink is dry).

[fcnrwy23]

Trim film decal or plain (laser) decal film will not work with ink Jets because it doesn't absorb liquid film (laser printers use dry toner).  That is why the liquid ink beads up. Decal film specifically made for ink jets is coated with an ink-absorbing layer over the clear film.  But since the ink is water-soluble it does have to be sealed with a clear lacquer (after the ink is dry).

The "Decal Paper" is obviously different from Trim film.   I figured that before, but it was all I had at the time.   I did get a pack of decal paper from Micromark, on Friday.
Prints great, sealed great with the Glosscote (Testors) layer.  Same result with just one less step.

Now I can go back to a few other past projects and redo them, with better results.

Thanks again, Guys!!   

Jerry G.

[peteski]

The "Decal Paper" is obviously different from Trim film.   I figured that before, but it was all I had at the time.

Actually the Trim Film is basically similar to a blank decal film for use with laser/Alps printers.  Except the film is usually colored (not clear).