The Rip Track

We start this episode with a look at the preparations for the Snow Train at Mid-Continent Railway Museum.  Then, we review the legacy of the "last great railroad fair" which occurred in 1948 and 1949.  Finally, in the Modeler's Moment, we discuss tips and strategies for building a prototypical freight car fleet on a model railroad.

• Mid-Continent Railway Museum
  • Plow train consist was (from front to back): locomotive #7, flanger, locomotive #1256, caboose #C-74
  • Photo book of the preparations and operations should be ready in a month or so
• Chicago Railroad Fair
  • The Railroad Hour - Salute to the Chicago Railroad Fair
    Originally aired on June 27, 1949, produced by the National Association of Railroads.  The complete 1948 Official Guide Book is available through archive.org.
  • Preserved equipment mentioned in the show:
    • Pioneer - Chicago History Museum; Chicago, Illinois
    • William Crooks - Lake Superior Railroad Museum; Duluth, Minnesota
    • General - Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History; Kennesaw, Georgia
    • Illinois Central 201 - Illinois Railway Museum; Union, Illinois
    • Empire State Express 999 - Museum of Science and Industry Chicago; Chicago, Illinois
    • Pioneer Zephyr - Museum of Science and Industry Chicago
    • Replica Best Friend of Charleston - Charleston, South Carolina, chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
    • Replica Atlantic - B&O Railroad Museum; Baltimore, Maryland
    • Replica Tom Thumb - B&O Railroad Museum
    • Replica John Bull - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania; Strasburg, Pennsylvania
    • Replica Jupiter - Golden Spike National Historic Site; Promontory Point, Utah
• Modeler's Moment: realistic freight car fleet
  • Define prototype and era
  • Majority of cars should be "home road" cars
  • Majority of foreign cars should be from connecting railroads
  • Pay attention to the area of the country you're modeling
  • Include your prototype's signature equipment
  • Official Railway Equipment Registers
    • Published periodically
    • Used copies can be purchased for cheap
    • Some available on Google Books: 1913, Vol 28, No 5; 1917, Vol 33, No 1; some others in snippet view only

Listen to Episode 12