Tomorrow is the Mt Pleasant Train Show

I am so looking forward to the train show in Mt. Pleasant tomorrow. I will be going with my wife Sandy. The hope is that I will be able to find some rolling stock in HO for the following railroads: Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, and BNSF. I would really like to pick up a Union Pacific caboose. I am so close to completing the grand kids layout I can taste it. Hopefully they will have a couple of 9 inch straight Terminal rerailers in Nichol silver EZtrack. I am also looking for a BNSF Tshirt and cap.

The Grandkids Layout Is Coming Along Just Fine

Work has been halted on The Union Pacific loop but the other 3 loops have been completed and are currently running.

The Norfolk Southern loop still needs some rolling stock which I will be looking for at the Train shows in the area.

The CSX Loop is complete and running smothly.

The BNSF loop could use some more rolling stock which I am also looking tto pick up at the train shows.

The Locomotive On My T Shirt

I have a T Shirt with this locomotive on it that I got at a train show. It is an ES44AC-H.

Adding Locomotives To The CSX Loop

Road number 5934 currently exists on the layout

Road numbers 5956 and 5933 are being added to the layout to aid in the pulling power of the freight train. All 3 locomotives are B40-8's and really enhance the layout.

CSX Transportation has a duopoly with Norfolk Southern Corporation serving the Eastern United States.

The CSX Loop On The Grandkids Layout

So far I have been commenting on the Norfolk Southern loop of the grandkids layout. today I will concentrate on the CSX loop. It is pulled by 3 GE Dash 8-40B locomotives.

Dash 8-40B (B40-8)

UP B40-8B, #1869.

In 1988 and 1989, a total of 150 units of this model were produced.

Substantial orders for the model came from ATSF (40 units), Conrail (30 units), New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (24 units), and the model's biggest customer, St. Louis Southwestern Railway (54 units).

There were also small orders from Providence and Worcester Railroad (4 units), the United States Department of Energy (Savannah River Site), and a GE demonstrator unit.

They represent the central loop on the layout and at the moment pull 5 freight cars and a caboose.

The Dash 8 Series is a line of diesel-electric freight locomotives built by GE Transportation Systems. It replaced the Dash 7 Series in the mid-1980s, and was superseded by the Dash 9 Series in the mid-1990s.

All models of the Dash 8 Series are powered by a 16- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, GE 7FDL 4-stroke diesel engine.

The Grandkids Layout Update

I am 4 Packs of 26inch radius track away from completing the layout for the grandkids 1 pack completes 1/4 circle. 4 packs will give me a complete circle.

This last circle will complete the 3 loops that make up the entire layout for the grandkids.
the inner loop I will run the BNSF freight train.

The middle loop I am running the CSX freight train

and the outer loop I will run the Norfolk Southern freight train.

The 2 inner loops are all set and running now. The last loop is just about there.

Completing The Norfolk Southern Loop

Hanukkah is coming up in 5 days and rumor has it that I will be getting a Norfolk Southern GE ES44AC locomotive to complete the last loop of the grand kids layout. I thought this would end up out of my reach but Hanukkah Harry must have read my letters and posts on the internet. The only other thing I still need to complete this effort is the track which I can pick up slowly using my bottle and can return money.

The three loops will represent the trans contental freight train picture as it exists in the United States today.

BNSF Railway

System map (trackage rights in purple)
BNSF C44-9W #5498 leads a container train on theSouthern Transcon near Williams, Arizona
Reporting mark	BNSF
Locale	Midwest and Western United States
Dates of operation	1996–Present
Predecessor	Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Burlington Northern Railroad
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length	32,500 miles (52,300 km)
Headquarters	Fort Worth, Texas
Website	www.bnsf.com

CSX Transportation

CSX system map; trackage rights in purple
CSX headquarters building in Jacksonville, Florida
Reporting mark	CSXT
Locale	Alabama Delaware Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Mississippi New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Ontario Pennsylvania Quebec South Carolina Tennessee Virginia Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin
Dates of operation	July 1, 1986; 29 years ago–present
Predecessor	Chessie System Clinchfield Railroad Seaboard System Railroad Conrail Baltimore & Ohio Chesapeake & Ohio Louisville & Nashville Railroad Monon Railroad
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge
Length	21,000 mi (34,000 km)
Headquarters	Jacksonville, Florida
Website	csx.com

Norfolk Southern Railway

NS system map; trackage rights in purple
Reporting mark	NS
Locale	Eastern United States
Dates of operation	1894–Present (founded as theSouthern Railway)
Predecessor	Norfolk and Western Railway (last railroad absorbed into the system, completed in 1997) Absorbed half of Conrail in 1999
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	21,500 miles (34,600 kilometres)
Headquarters	Norfolk, Virginia
Website	nscorp.com

The CSX Loop on the Grand Kids Layout

I am test running the CSX loop on the grand kids layout and all seems to be running well. I picked up a couple of freight cars at the Lansing Model Railroad Club Train Show and Sale yesterday. The place was packed with collectors and venders. I was able to get a pulp wood gondola and a boxcar to add to the rolling stock I am using on the layout. I can't wait for my grandson Jack to come over so he can see the train running.

Still Plugging Away At The Grand Kids Layout

I am still figuring for 3 loops. So far 2 are nearly complete. The BNSF loop is the most complete. I would like to get another locomotive to pull the freight train and maybe replace some of the track sections as they are not in the best of shape.

The central loop is the CSX loop I can currently run a freight train on this loop. I have an old CSX locomotive I can run, it needs repair. I have 2 dash8 locomotives and some rolling stock on hold at Mountain Town Hobbies that I need to find the money for. This loops track is all set and ready to go.

The last loop I am just starting to put together I still need all the track the transformer and 2 ES44AC locomotives on hold at Mountain Town Hobbies. The transformer I plan to pick up at the train show in Lansing Michigan this fall in Mid November.

All 3 of these railroads represent the freight service that currently serve the mainland 48 states of the USA. I still need to pick up 2 4x8 sheets of plywood to put the track on. and I have a Dairy Queen restaurant That I need to buy and put together to support the layout.

I Now Have 2 of the 3 Loops Running on the Grand Kids Layout

Currently The BNSF and CSX loops are up and running on the grand kids layout. The outer loop for the Norfolk Southern Railway is still on the wish list and I need everything to make it operational I have most of what I need on hold at Mountain Town Hobbies in Mt. Pleasant Michigan.

I Might Down Size The Grand Kids Layout

I was thinking I might have three mainline tracks on the grand kids layout. Now I am starting to think that 2 mainline tracks might be enough. The debate as it exists now is which line will I eliminate. My choices are BNSF, CSX, or Norfolk Southern. So far I have not made a decision. they all interest me. BNSF seems to be the most likely candidate. The locomotive I have is a cheeper Bachmann and it uncouples often Plus it is the only railroad in the mix that does not go through Michigan.

Trying To Incorporate The CSX Dash 8's

The CSX loop will be pulled by 2 Dash 8 locomotives. They are both on hold at Mountain Town Hobbies in Mt. Pleasant Michigan. Once I have secured these I will be able to run this loop on the grand kids layout. I will slowly be adding the rolling stock to the freight train.