motive power and rolling stock availability
DESCRIPTION
A Quick Market Research for 0 Scale BeginnerTRANSCRIPT
BURLINGTON NORTHERN
Motive Power and Rolling Stock AvailabilityA Quick Market Research
for
0 Scale Beginner
Author: Johannis Likos
e-mail: [email protected]
http://issuu.com/johannis_likos/docs/BN_0_USA
July 28, 2010
1 Generally about U.S. 0 Scale
For better enjoying our model railroading hobby one ad-vantage of 0 scale compared to H0 scale is that we canset up a track layout indoor and outdoor as well. Themajor differences of the American 0 scale compared tothe European 0 scale are the following:
• 1:48 (with compromises in reduced model length ac-cording to quality level)
• alternatively affordable 3-rail1 system available
– provides with better electrification contact
– enables single track return loop
• multiple functionality and special effects even with-out digitalization
1The model railroader can choose between classic shiny 3-railtracks with or without trackbed and more realistic 3-rail tracks withblackened 3rd rail in the middle (with or without trackbed). There areseveral suppliers of 3-rail track material, such as Atlas, GarGraves,M.T.H. and R.C.S., where some of them provide with compatibilitysolutions to competing track systems.
– sound propagation (voices and noises)
– air pollution (steam and smoke)
There are several brands of 0-scaled modern era motivepower, rolling stock, control devices, buildings, bridges,spare parts and further material, such as Lionel (in-cluding K-Line), Atlas, M.T.H., Weaver, Williams andother manufacturers. Some of the manufacturers sepa-rate their model products into quality categories, for in-stanceM.T.H. uses the following brand labels with theirdistinct price levels:
• Railking
• Railking Scale
• Imperial
• Premier
Optionally in most models the hi-rail wheels can be re-placed by proto wheels. Regular 0-scaled models are dif-ficult to find in local shops, so the best way for purchas-ing the desired product is to contact the web-based shopsand to browse through their on-line catalogs. Some 2nd
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hand 0-scaled models can be obtained from internet auc-tions. Demanding 0 scale model railroaders can findalso limited editions of brass2 models clearly at a muchhigher price level, who can then join the Proto:48 ini-tiative. The modular layouts in 1:48 scale can be builtby applying the module specifications either of the offi-cial NMRA3 or of the Independent Hi-Railers or of anyregional 0 scale organization. Some hobbyists restrictand dedicate themselves fanatically and exclusively to asingle operator, while some others mix operations of sev-eral co-operating railroad companies on their 0-layouts.Generally 0 scale provides with a wide range4 of choicesand a plethora of product categories for every taste andbudget. The 0 scale market offers also new opportunitiesfor enterpreneurship as component supplier.
2 About the Operator
A brief background information5 about this particularoperator helps to understand the aimed target and whatit is about in this article. This typical example of thefamous Burlington Northern represent one of severalrailroad company choices in the miniature modeling,which may be major operators or regional ones in localbranchlines.
2.1 History Facts
Burlington Northern Railroad was the product of aMarch 2, 1970, merger comprising the Great NorthernRailway, the Northern Pacific Railway, the Chicago,Burlington and Quincy Railroad, and the Spokane,Portland and Seattle Railway. Consent for this mergercame only on the fourth attempt dating back to thedays of James J. Hill, but for many years they shared
2http://www.car-locomotive.com/new-info.php3http://www.nmra.org4In other documents will be discussed proposed solutions for seg-
mented and modular 0 scale layouts with all applicable track geome-tries for 2-railers and 3-railers (hi-railers) separately.
5The source of the original photos, of the history facts and of theroute description as well isWikipedia.
a headquarters building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, untilthe merger was finally approved. On November 21,1980, the former St. Louis - San Francisco Rail-way was acquired. In 1981, corporate headquartersof parent Burlington Northern Inc. were moved toSeattle, Washington, and in 1988, after its non-railoperations were spun off as Burlington Resources, toHouston, Texas. On December 31, 1996, BurlingtonNorthern merged with the Atchison, Topeka and SantaFe Railway to form the BNSF Railway, whose namewas later shortened to BNSF Railway.
2.2 Route Description
The Burlington Northern traversed the most northerlyroute of any railroad in the western United States. Thisroute started at Chicago, Illinois and ran west-northwestto La Crosse, Wisconsin. From here the route continuednorthwest through Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesotato Grand Forks, North Dakota. From Grand Forks theroute ran west through North Dakota, Montana, andIdaho to Spokane, Washington. At Spokane the routesplit into three routes. The former Great Northern routeproceeded west to Wenatchee, Washington, crossedunder the Cascade Range at New Cascade Tunnel, anddescended into the Puget Sound region through Everett,Washington. The former Northern Pacific proceededsouthwest towards the Tri-Cities, turned northwesterlyto Yakima, Washington, and crossed under the Cas-cade Range at Stampede Tunnel, descending into theGreen River Valley at Auburn, Washington, where itconnected with existing NP lines running from BritishColumbia to Portland, Oregon. The Spokane, Portlandand Seattle also proceeded southwest to the Tri-Cities,then followed the north bank of the Columbia River toVancouver, Washington. With the acquisition of the St.Louis - San Francisco Railway, the route was extendedinto the South Central and Southeastern United States.During the last decades of the previous century (andmillenium) Burlington Northern6 represented one of the
6Observe the green mainline routes of Burlington Northern on theabove depicted railroad map.
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most dominant megamergers before founding BNSF.
2.3 Modeling the Operations
There have been repeatedly published articles by expertsin several magazines on how to model a realistic scenerywith Burlington Northern motive power and rollingstock in various scales. So, we focus here specificallyand exclusively on 0 scale, where the following tablespresent the results of a quick market survey, in orderto indicate, which models are available and at whichprice range they can be obtained. Choosing BurlingtonNorthern labelled models in various green liveries forthe own 0-layout symbolizes the transition of industial-ized U.S.-regions to the modern era. Some hobbyistsprefer to model smaller branchlines, while some othersdo larger mainlines with Burlington Northern modelsin miniature scale.
3 Freight Trains
For the most complete heavy freight train set you needmore than seven meters long tracks to display it at yourswitching yard and many more meters tracks to run iton your 0-layout. Alternatively few short cars coupledto a road switcher is sufficient on a small 0-layout for
Table 1: Freight Locomotives4- and 6-axled hood diesels
vendor catalog number description listed price
Atlas 1160-1 GP-35 (dummy) USD 114.99
MTH 20-2952-1 GP38-2 USD 359.99
MTH 30-2958-1 RS-3 USD 299.95
MTH 20-2217-1 SD40 USD 199.99
MTH 20-2217-1 SD40 USD 229.99
MTH 20-2116-0 SD60 USD 174.99
MTH 20-20082-1 SD60M USD 429.95
Lionel 6-28312 SD60 USD 437.95
Williams 21805 SD90 USD 144.99
Williams 21805 SD90 USD 159.00
Williams 21805 SD90 USD 239.95
Williams U1007 U33C USD 99.99
the simulation of switching activities on a yard in frontof industrial buildings.
3.1 Hood Locomotives
The massive 6-axled diesels can haul long and heavyfreight trains on a larger 0-layout compared to the4-axled road switcher, which behave better on narrowcurves and in switching yards full of switches anddiamonds while pulling or pushing only few cars. Heavyhood locomotives in multiple traction and in elephantformation with plenty of diesel smoke and simulatedvibrating engine noise is the absolutely best this scalecan offer at any exposition or convention. In orderto experiment with sound and smoke effects, at leastone full featured diesel locomotive should be purchasedwhile starting with the 0 scale model railroading hobby.
3.2 Freight Cars
A complete set of mixed freight cars may consist ofover twenty different 0-scaled model products, but itis not necessary to own all of them in order to enjoythe 0 scale model railroading. In order to get a morerealistic touch, some doublicated cars can be detailed,decorated, renumbered with white dry-transfer decals
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Table 2: Freight Car Setvarious freight cars
vendor catalog no. description listed price
Atlas 946C Caboose 10277 USD 11,09
Atlas 6502-1 53’ Double Door Boxcar LN+/Box USD 24,99
Atlas 189030 O Scale 2-Rail Reefer EX-/Box USD 24,99
MTH 30-7456 Double Door Boxcar LN/Box USD 24,99
Atlas 6331-1 ACF Cylindrical Hopper MT/Box USD 27,99
Atlas 6331-2 Hopper LN/Box USD 27,99
Lionel 6239 Standard O Boxcar LN+/Box USD 27,99
MTH 20-97432 4-Bay Hopper LN/Box USD 29,99
MTH 20-97116 Coalporter Hopper Car USD 30,99
Atlas 6376-1 3-Rail Hopper LN/Box USD 34,99
Weaver 456125 4-Bay Hopper EX-/Box USD 34,99
Atlas 6376-2 3-Rail Low Side Cov. Hopper/Box USD 34,99
MTH 20-9701 Coalporter Hopper LN/Box USD 34,99
Williams 47103 3-Dome Tank Car USD 39,95
Atlas 2001016 50’6” ACF Box Cars USD 42,95
MTH 20-98404 Corrugated Auto Car USD 44,99
MTH 20-9200 Tank Car MT/Box USD 44,99
Atlas 810 40’ Hy-Cube Box Cars USD 45,95
MTH 30-73183 Modern Tank Car EUR 55,57
MTH 30-74333 40’ High Cube Box Car EUR 55,57
MTH 20-97171 Ps-2CD High-Sided Hopper Car EUR 55,57
MTH 20-93304 50’ Dbl. Door Plugged Boxcar EUR 61,75
Lionel 6-27440 Cylindrical Hopper USD 67.95
Atlas 8918 Gunderson Stack Cars (A and B set) USD 149,95
Atlas 8919 Gunderson Stack Cars (C, D and E set) USD 194,95
and weathered with dry-brush. Gondola cars could befilled with ballast or scrap or other load, but the gravitypoint should be kept low, otherwise the train maymis-behave in narrow curves by getting out of balance.
Table 3: Maintenance Crane and Boom Car SetE8 A-B-A passenger locomotives
vendor catalog number description listed price
Lionel 6-29885 Crane Car (TMCC) USD 297.95
Lionel 6-29886 Boom Car (TMCC, Railsounds) USD 192.95
3.3 Maintenance Cars
Lionel’s new crane and boom car set is equipped witha high degree of functionality through a digitally7
controlled solution even on an extremely small 0 layout.
4 Passenger Trains
For the most complete passenger train set you need anapproximately six meters long platform to display it at
7TMCC is the abbreviation for Lionel’s TrainMaster CommandControl.
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Table 4: Passenger Locomotive SetE8 A-B-A passenger locomotives
vendor catalog number description listed price
M.T.H. 30-2997-1 E8 A-A set (powered) USD 349.95
M.T.H. 30-2997-3 E8 B-unit (dummy) USD 119.95
Table 5: Passenger Car Set60’ streamlined passenger coaches
vendor catalog number description listed price
M.T.H. 30-67556 coach USD 59.95
M.T.H. 30-67557 full length vista dome USD 62.95
M.T.H. 30-67555 2-car sleeper/dinner set USD 119.95
M.T.H. 30-67554 4-car passenger set USD 229.95
your passenger station and many more meters tracks torun it on your 0-layout.
4.1 End-Cab Locomotives
A complete set of 6-axled end-cab passenger locomo-tives may consist of E8 type 0-scaled model productsin different running numbers. The motive power ofa passenger train may consist of one of the followinglocomotive arrangement alternatives:
• A (shortest)
• A-A (basic)
• A-B (realistic)
• A-B-A (extended)
• A-B-B-A (longest)
4.2 Passenger Coaches
A complete set of 60’ streamlined passenger coachesmay consist of eight different 0-scaled model products,but a shorter set of four coaches for a regional commutertrain is more suitable on a smaller 0-layout.
5 Conclusion
To have on the own modular 0-scaled layout a completepassenger train set, a long heavy freight train set andanother short one for switching, and all of them fromthe same railroad company with all that diesel smokeand all the diverse sound effects, and all that stuff inthe same livery, in this case Burlington Northern, isextremely exciting. But it is recommended to slowlystart first from a short train set of whichever railroadcompany and of whatever model manufacturer, inorder to become perfectly acquainted with the 0 scaletechnology, the modeling requirements and the industrystandards before expanding step-by-step according tothe budget.
6 Sources
Below are listed web links for further investigation of thepossibilities in the 0 scale model railroading hobby.
6.1 Major 0 Scale Manufacturers
• http://www.atlaso.com
• http://www.lionel.com
• http://www.mthtrains.com
• http://www.weavermodels.com
• http://www.williamstrains.com
6.2 Known American Resellers
• http://www.discounttrainsonline.com
• http://factorydirecttrains.com
• http://www.internettrains.com
•
•
•
• http://www.micromark.com
• http://www.trainworldonline.com
• http://www.trainz.com
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6.3 Some European Resellers
• http://www.easygleis.de
• http://www.spur-0-shop.de
6.4 Magazines in English
• http://www.ogaugerr.com
• http://www.oscalemag.com
• http://www.classictoytrains.com
6.5 Magazines in German
• http://www.spurnull-magazin.de
• http://www.012-express.de
6.6 North American Associations
• http://www.nmra.org
• http://www.hirailers.com
• http://www.proto48.org
• http://www.oscalekings.org
6.7 Central European Associations
• http://www.argespur0.de
• http://www.morop.org
• http://www.fremo-net.eu
6.8 American Conventions
• http://www.2010oscalenational.com
• http://www.oscalenews.com/meets.html
• http://2012oscalenational.com
6.9 U.S. Conventions in Europe
• http://www.us-convention-brd.de
• http://www.trainmaster.ch/convention.htm
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