Freight car loads pt6, rail ties

Even if you don't hand lay your track, you can still find a use for those ties offered by various manufacturers...

A train with "track supplies" on the head end. Ahead of the gondolas loaded with ties are flatcars loaded with track panels -a prototype for sectional track on our layouts!

A close-up of another load of new ties. Note the blue-grey color; they are not black or brown when delivered!

Here are two gons with replaced ties. Note the ones in the first gon are banded together, while the ones in the other gon are simply piled up inside. Also note the rusty appearance of the ties.

Finally, if you don't want to try and match the colors of the newly treated or old, used ties, then you can always load up a gon with freshly cut, untreated ties! These are local products; these gons were delivered empty the day before. Meaning if you have a sawmill on your layout, then here is another product they can ship by rail!

Car load photos pt5, tank loads!

Here are some photos for all you military guys out there...

Tanks on DOD flatcars! Now you see why these cars have six-wheeled trucks.

A detail shot of the tie-down chains securing the tank to the car. Note also the cable wrapped around the tank's barrel to secure it as well -and what appears to be cardboard covering openings on the front of the tanks! As far as I know, the only model of these DODX cars was a brass import from several years ago, and I'm not sure how easy they are to find now (or who imported them). The M1A1's are available in HO scale from Herpa.

This car appears to be a converted 89' intermodal flatcar. Or it may have been built in this configuration for the DOD. Either way, it can only hold one tank, despite its length, due to its conventional four-wheeled trucks.

Another detail shot of the tie-down chains. Visible under the tank, and at the top of the photo, are intermodal-style container pedestal tracks and stowage; these can also be seen on the end of the other DODX car as well. Apparently these cars also haul military containers as well.

The other side. Notice that these cars are painted red instead of green like the six-wheeled cars. And notice also, that these cars don't seem to get the graffiti that the boxcars in the background have!

More tanks. They were being delivered to the Pennsylvania National Guard, fourteen in all.