Mayner

GSR/CIE 650 Class superheated round topped boiler Inchacore cab MGWR Ks/GSR 650 Class superheated round topped boiler round canopy cab, open coal rails tender as running 1916-Mid 1930s I am accepting expressions of interest in this loco kit for release in mid-late 2017. The design of the loco is at the final stages updates include (non working) inside valve gear and slotted valences for locos in CIE condition. Jeremy Suter is preparing the patterns for the castings which are also suitable for the Midland Standard Goods & Achill Bogie. Jeremy once produced a small range of Irish wagon kits and prepared the patterns for the castings for the JM Design MGWR Vans. The kit is designed for OO or 21mm gauge and can be assembled in late MGWR early GSR condition with canopy cab saturated or superheated round topped boilers or GSR/CIE condition with Inchacore cab and superheated boilers. The 650 Class worked DSER suburban and main line services, in addition to MGWR branch and main line workings.

The GNR (I) 16T cement wagons, CIE Pallet Vans had RCH brake gear. I am not sure if anyone does a rtr 10' wb chassis with this form of brake gear.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/302419/kiwirail-considered-ending-all-freight

Indo article on IE plans to run longer freight trains http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/freight-trains-almost-half-a-kilometre-long-set-to-enter-service-34842434.html

Interesting piece in a recent Trains magazine some American Class 1 railroads are increasing train lengths to 250 cars with distributed power in order to remain profitable in present US economic conditions. 27 bogies is a step in the right direction, does anyone know if any of the locos are re-geared of fitted with traction control equipment to limit wheel slip

The Brexit out vote like the Trump phenenomum in the US and calls for Texan independence is probably as much about public frustration with the political establishment than anything else. Difficult to predict the effects on the Dublin-Belfast line, the Irish Government was quite zealous in enforcing its customs barrier with Northern Ireland with Customs Officers at Dundalk and Connolly up to the early 1990s Theoretically there might be more money for public services in Northern Ireland as the UK paid more into the EU than they received from Brussels, but possibly less in the EU Regional fund for the Republic. I think the long term future of the Enterprise services is likely to be open to question when the existing rolling stock wears out. Four tracking is needed at both ends of the line and a deviation between Knockmore and Poynzpass to provide a competitive journey time with the motorway and there are more pressing demands for public money in health, education and pensions than a rail service used by relatively few people

Starting to sound like a group of "Whinging Poms" than sporting Irish

Starting the train by the guard giving the driver a hand or flag signal as opposed to physically starting the loco. This would have been handy for doing a brake test after coupling up if the van was coupled next to the loco. From memory the MK2D coaches were built with a miniature brake compartment so that the Generator van could be marshalled at either end of the train.

Proposed models are announced on the Irish Models or Manufactures section of this site, New Irish Lines or the Irish Section of RM Web. Orders by personal message on this site, RM Web, JM Design Facebook page, by e-mail to majral@xtra.co.nz or snail mail to 16 Kitchener Street, Claudelands, Hamilton 3214 as advertised on New Irish Lines. Preferred payment in $NZ by Paypal or Stirling cheque.

Not as big a problem as the Treasury advising the Government 12 months later to close down most of the rail system. Part of the underlying problem is falling commodity prices lead to falling rail traffic with a glut of dairy products, timber and coking coal on the world market. The asbestos problem (same thing happened with Chinese supplied locos in Australia) was an interesting time for rail fans with some interesting consists as locos were shuffled around to replace the temporary withdrawn DLs.

I will do a press release and an announcement on this site when the pattern making is complete and I can confirm cost and release date. Both the 650 & flat wagons were announced a number of years ago on this site, New Irish Lines & RM Web which also generate the most sales . 650 Class http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/2482-650-Class-Preview?highlight=MGWR+650+class Flat wagon http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3099-CIE-25436-25982-Series-Flat-Wagon?highlight=series+flat+wagon.

Kevin. The 650 Class 2-4-0 & CIE 20T flat wagon are next in line for release before any further development work on the coach kits. The artwork is finalised for the loco and wagons and a pattern maker is preparing the masters for the castings.

The C&T has a great feel of the old West, the open range, the four legged and iron horse. Sheep on the open range approaching Lobato (Wolf) Creek Trestle iron Horses at Chama View from the Saloon Going home from the Saloon HW 17 Chama

[video=youtube;aU4hd9en-Zg] A westbound 2 engine photo charter freight over most of the line from Antonio to Cumbres Summit. Freight cars are cut in between the two locos to spread the load over trestles. The pipe gondolas and idler cars are typical of traffic in the late 50s 60s when the railroad carried in materials to construct pipelines from the local oil fields

Fire train following Eastbound! Windy Point from HW 17 Crossing It gets a bit more challenging to maintain a max 4% grade on the final approach to Cumbres Pass the highway and railroad loop around approx. 180° between the final grade crossing and Windy Point (best described as the rim of a Mexicans sombrero) and the summit [video=youtube;w-D00hywkBY] Inspection and water stop at Cumbres Pass During the final years of freight operation the east bound load out of Chama to Cumbres was limited to approx. 20 cars with large 2-8-2 road locomotive and pusher. 1st day was spent working train in 3 or 4 sections to the summit where cars were combined into a 60-70 and worked eastwards singleheaded to Antonio and Alamosa on the 2nd day.

Need to be careful in the Golden Years of the GNR Mac Arnold had a tale of a German POW becoming mighty upset when he saw a dainty looking JT passing Tanderagee on a goods train. The POW a railway man expected something with 6 or 8 coupled wheels. The combination of plasticard overlays with the nylon 3d body seems to be a good idea. Kieran did you use Mekpak or superglue to stick the overlays to the body?

At 64 miles the Cumbres & Toltec on the border between Colorado & New Mexico is the longest heritage railway in the United States. New Mexico & Colorado purchased the line and most of the locos and stock when the Rio Grande shut down narrow gauge freight operation in 1969. The railway basically climbs at 4% (1:25) for approximately 10 miles from Chama to Cumbres Pass (10,022ft), before descending on an easier gradient to Antonio "Mudhen" K27 463 descending Cumbres with the 1st Westbound train on 2016 (May 28) 463 approaching Chama The K27s were the first of the Rio Grande narrow gauge 2-8-2s most were withdrawn or converted to switch engines following the introduction of the larger K36 & K37 Class 2-8-2 in the 1930s The Cumbres & Toltec coaches were built in house on converted standard gauge freight car underframes as the majority of the Rio Grande car fleet was in use on the Silverton line. K36 489 waiting to depart Chama for Cumbres and Antonio May 30th Chama has retained most of its original infrastructure including depot & freight house, loco shed and coal stage, freight yard, oil and livestock stock loading facilities. The Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec have restored a representive selection of freight stock including repatriating oil tank cars exported to the White Pass & Ukon when the oil traffic ceased in the 1960s 489 climbing the 4% to Cumbres

Silverton looks like the set for a Western though modern cars and SUVs destroy the illusion. The economy appears to revolve around feeding and entertaining the passengers off the Silverton Train which runs in two sections in summer. We went for a stage coach ride around town and had some old time pictures taken, for some reason I ended up looking like a railroad baron posing with his family. The railroad offers the option of train or coach one way for visitors who don't want to spend 6 hours on the train. GE 80ton ? diesel switching at Durango The Durango & Silverton is a well polished operation pretty much one mans vision of a steam passenger railway, further east the Cumbres & Toltec is a horse of an entirely different colour

Hi David We arrived home safe and sound in Hamilton on Sunday evening after a hectic week travelling by automobile, train, planes, and automobile, now have t get used to driving on the right hand side of the road again

Denver & Rio Grande Western found that they had a money spinner they did not quite know what to do with when tourists discovered the Silverton Train in the late 1940s. The Rio Grande eventually sold the line to Charles Bradshaw Jr a business man who vowed that the Silverton would never go diesel, who invested heavily in improving the line and restoring/improving locos and rolling stock. The railroad is now owned and operated by American Heritage Railways as Mr Bradshaw felt it was the only company he could trust with the railway. D&SRR K36 482 awaiting to leave on the 08:45 to Silverton The K36s were built by Baldwin in the late 20s roughly equal in terms of pulling power to the GSR 800 class allowed heavier freight trains to be hauled than the smaller 2-8-2 & 2-8-0 locos then in use on the DRGWR narrow gauge lines. The box car (generator van) coupled immediately behind the loco adds a nice touch to the twice weekly mixed train that operated in the 40s & 50s. Staff dressed to look the part, with brakemen awaiting the conductors call. 482 on the famous "High Line" above Los Animas Canyon The railroad basically runs alongside the Los Animas river except a section of the canyon which was too narrow and twisting to provide a footing for a railroad. The loco is leaving a horseshoe curve where it was claimed the engineer and rear end brake man could shake hands across the canyon. 482 "blowing down" from a trestle in the canyon A practice to remove impurities from a locomotive boiler, usually carried out on a high embankment or bridge in a remote place to avoid scalding anyone/scaring livestock. Disintegrating stock cars Non-essential freight stock does not appear to have received much maintenance since DRGWR days, seasoned timber and ironwork stands up well in a low humidity climate. Volunteer input on the DSRR appears to bee mainly limited to the theatrical aspect of railway operation train guides and people in period western costume.

Dun Laoire was basically a hub for mail traffic from London & the Midlands to the United States, Southern & Western Ireland, with mail trains running through to Cobh and Galway with connecting services from the Cork and Galway main lines to other provincial centres. Through passenger trains ceased to run between Dunlaoire Cork and Galway when the connection to Carlisle Pier was disconnected in connection with the DART electrification works in the early 80s. NIR later extended some of the Enterprise services through to Dun Laoire to connect with the "Mail Boat" but could not compete with the frequent low cost air services between the UK and Northern Ireland

Traces of the mines, depot and trestles have disappeared from the Ophir area though sections of trackbed are in use as forestry access roads. http://www.ridgwayrailroadmuseum.org/photos.html The once remote Trout Lake water tank appears to have been one of the signature photo spots on the RGS. Trout Lake Water Tower We ran into a thunder storm between the water tank and the trestle but unfortunately no ghostly apparition of a Galloping Goose or a hard working steam loco on a stock or ore train. Trout Lake Trestle Luckily the snow was not heavy though we missed out on a photo of the mountains at Lizard Head pass, our next stop was at the replica depot and RGS Motor Car #5 at Dolores (pop 925) Dolores Depot & Galloping Goose #5 Dolores was once an important depot on the RGS the terminus for trains operating on the northern section of the railroad to Ridgeway, the depot was demolished and yards transformed into US Highway 145 The replica depot and demonstration track was constructed by a local historical society in the early 1990s and the Goose restored in 1998 and has since operated on the Durango & Silverton & Cumbres and Toltec railroads. Goose 5 represents the final evolution of its type, rebuilt with a war surplus GMC engine & Wayne bus body and the van section converted for tourist operation after the railroad lost the mail contract. Durango "In Durango, In Durango The Spaniards did fandango, In Durango, Where the sun goes down at Noon" D&SRR train waiting to leave town before noon May 27/16 The RGS used the DRGWR depot, yard and roundhouse at Durnago. Durango always was and still is a railroad town although Durango & Silverton tourist trains run northwards to Silverton, the main line eastwards over Cumbres to Alamosa (the last steam operated main line in the USA)and the branch to Farmington NM closed in the late 1960s The passenger depot and yard give the impression of big time railroading although the freight yards at the east end of town have disappeared under road development

In some ways the highlight of the trip the journey from Montrose to Durango with a side trip to Cortez & Mesa Verde took in the remains of the Rio Grande Southern in south west Colorado. The RGS which connected with the DRGWR at Ridgeway (True Grit) and Durango abandoned in the early 1950s served a rugged and remote part of South West Colorado using mainly cast off DRGWR equipment, & like the Donegal pioneered the use of internal combustion railcars for passenger and mail traffic. Its said that the 162 mile RGS was built because of the impossibility of completing a direct line over the mountains between Silverton & Ridgeway. Despite its early closure a surprising of RGS artifacts survive to this day. RGS 2-8-0 #74 at Colorado Railroad Museum The largest of the RGS 2-8-0s ex-Colorado & Southern #74 purchased by the RGS from a Denver scrap dealer in 1948! Replica Ford inspection railcar Ridgeway Replica RGS Motor 31 Ridgeway Railway Museum The community at Ridgeway (pop 924) have established a railway museum which includes a short demonstration track for RGS1, full size and models of freight and passenger rolling stock, the museum and tourist information centre is operated 100% by volunteers, restoration and models to a very high standard. View of San Juan Mountains from Dallas Divide The Divide was the 1st major summit crossed by the RGS out of Ridgeway the Silverton terminus of the DRGWR is on the opposite side of the mountains. Although the day started out clear snow started falling as we dropped down to the San Miguel River and cleared off as we approached the former mining town now fashionable ski resort of Telluride (To hell you ride). Telluride Depot Possibly sole surviving standard RGS house style depot with freight shed. The depot may have been re-sited closer to the river, to make way for apartments and units. Bridal Veil Fall at head of canyon Telluride is in a box canyon, the line extended a mile or so to Pandoro Mill where silver and metal ores were brought down by arial tramways and later roads from the top of the canyon, a bit steep and windy for a hired car. Back on the road again, snow at Trout Lake May 26 16 The RGS was most famous for its long and high trestles on the climb out of the San Miguel river valley around the Ophir Loop to Lizard Head Pass. The majority of the high trestles had collapsed and Ophir disappeared under road improvements but the folks at Ridgeway said that trestle and water tower at Trout Lake were still standing

Try CPS http://cspmodels.com/abante/index.php?rt=product/category&path=65 or High Level Kits http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/they may be able to supply a suitable funnel for the Guinness Loco.

After the Georgetown Loop a drive across the South Park to see the remains of the Colorado & Southern narrow gauge lines(Denver South Park and Pacific) on to Montrose & San Juan Country to ride the Durango & Silverton & Cumbres & Toltec lines before returning to Denver. Georgetown Shay & GE diesel at Silver Plume depot & museum closed to public on day. C&S mogul on display Beckenridge (LGB Mogul!) This loco was restored to service for one season on the Georgetown Loop, but withdrawn & put on public display as a result of mechanical problems Como Depot & Hotel One time hub of the South Park system, more or less became a ghost town when the system finally closed in the late 1930s. Como roundhouse and township The roundhouse was designated a "National Historic Monument" meaning the owner is expected to preserve the building at their own expense. Trestle original DRGWR main line Black Canyon Newly re-painted DRGWR 278 C16 2-8-0 at Cinnamon National Parks Service depot 278 was placed on display on the trestle at Cinnamon when the original DRGWR narrow gauge main line through Black Canyon closed in the late 1940s. I am not sure if the National Park Service plan to re-mount the loco on the trestle or display the loco at Cinnamon. The original 3' gauge Denver and Rio Grande main line followed a round about route from Denver to Grand Junction via Pueblo and Montrose where it linked up with the Rio Grande Western. The main line was shortened in two stages and standard gauged bye passing Montrose and later Pueblo to form todays Union Pacific main line from Denver through the Moffat Tunnel and Glenwood Springs to Salt lake City