Firefighting trains, Idea thread!

[delamaize]

As a Firefighter, I have always been intrested in stuff that crosses over from my Career to my hobbies. Extrication, and general auto construction has crossed over into my hobby of working on cars. Lately, Fire trains have sparked my intrest in modeling, and I started looking at BNSF's fire trains. Most look pretty simple to model. Eventhough It's out of my era, I'm looking at maybe building one of their trains that frequents Washington state. It looks to be just a couple of SD50s? 3 modified bulkhead flat cars, and a caboose. Another one of their trains appears to be simular power, with 3 older Low pressure tank cars, one with a gangway and monitors built on top, and a caboose. See images.


https://www.friendsofbnsf.com/content/bnsfs-innovative-firefighting-railcar

I'm thinking this might be a fairly easy, and quick project. I may build one of these two trains in the near future, Because.....N-trak. lol

So, what does or did your railroads use?

[brokemoto]

Southern Pacific had one in the Sierra Nevada for years.  Even after diesels had come to that part of the railroad, two T-class (ten wheelers) were its power.  At certain times of the year, they were kept under steam around the clock.  I do not know how long it lasted after SP got rid of all of its steam, though.  I have not seen a photograph of it in years, but I seem to recall that it looked much like and auto rack with tank car tanks on it.

[Blazeman]

Joe Fugate would require trains traversing a section of his now dismantled layout to stop and tack two water tank cars behind the locomotives and drop them when leaving that section to replicate the SP's train orders during fire season.

[Philip H]

Both of those BNSF trains are on my long term project list as well.

[JMaurer1]

Actually, UP STILL keeps a firefighting train in Roseville (light green tanks at far north end of yard). They have gas powered pumps that pump the water out of the old (1950's era) tank cars mounted on a platform on top of the tanks. I'll try to swing by and take some pictures...

[sp org div]

Joe Fugate would require trains traversing a section of his now dismantled layout....

News to me.

[Philip H]

There's this on the UP train:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4492738

[C855B]

News to me.

January 2017 issue of MRH. He now spends a lot of column-inches proselytizing the virtues of small layouts.

[jnevis]

There is this...
https://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/NSE_SR_Pages/NSE_Fire_Fighting.asp

[nkalanaga]

BNSF's train on Marias Pass in Montana saw a lot of work last year? year before? in the big fires there.  For at least one fire it was the only way in other than by air, as the fire was on the Glacier NP side, and the road is across the canyon.  They were hauling various fire crews to and from the front, as well as providing water and railroad personnel.  The Flathead Valley papers covered the fight to save one of the big trestles.

[screeh]

One of the designers on Shapeways has offered two versions of BNSF's refitted bulkhead flat plus the water tanks:

The car (v2) https://www.shapeways.com/product/JG4BDPUEK/n-scale-bnsf-929999-v2?optionId=58479019
The tanks (as a set of 3) https://www.shapeways.com/product/25GUSYTJL/n-scale-bnsf-929999-tank-3x?optionId=58478999

[up1950s]

[chicken45]

http://www.billspennsyphotos.com/photos/PRR-Photographs-Lost-to-History/EE%2014283%20%20Fire%20Fighting%20Equipment%20Car-side%203-43%201024x.jpg.jpg

That's a PRR Foamite car. Three cars in one!

[Lemosteam]

http://www.billspennsyphotos.com/photos/PRR-Photographs-Lost-to-History/EE%2014283%20%20Fire%20Fighting%20Equipment%20Car-side%203-43%201024x.jpg.jpg

That's a PRR Foamite car. Three cars in one!

I love that!

[chicken45]

I love that!

It prob wouldn't be that hard to do. I have an old Kato USRA tender what looks like that. Don't know about the flat car, though. I think it's an F41. Anyone make anything close to that?