Chip Doors Completed

While I was away travelling this weekend I managed to stop off at a hobby supply store and pick up some of the raw materials I needed to keep my current projects moving forward. A little work this evening and the doors on the two wood chip boxcars are completed.

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Compared to the previous post, the hinge and locking bar details have been added with .025″ rod and .010x.020″ strip to catch the overall impression and look of the prototype photo.

The two cars now just need a minor touch up of body and underframe details, and they’ll be ready for the paint shop this week.

The ACR in 1985

Visitors to my blog may now notice a new “The ACR in 1985” link item in the navigation menu in the page header.

I’ve just posted this new page which serves as an article and discussion on the railroad and its equipment and operations during the 1980s, which is the period that I am targeting with my modelling. It is my hope that this article provides a nice background to my modelling efforts that I am documenting on this blog.

I’ve also used this page to consolidate links to existing train number and roster information pages and I’ve also added one other new significant page/feature. Linked from the “ACR in 1985” page, is a new page listing all of the sidings/locations listed in the employee operational timetable in the mid 1980s. From this listing, I have linked to a couple of prepared articles on significant locations, covering so far Searchmont, Dubreuilville and Mead. I plan on following these up with short articles on other key locations as well, giving a detailed overview of the ACR line to use as reference as some of these articles will provide the background of the locations that I hope to model.

So, without any further ado, you can continue reading here:

The ACR in 1985

Freight Car Friday #32 – Iron Ore Hoppers (GATX)

In the mid to late 1990s Algoma Steel had been acquiring a larger percentage of their iron ore raw materials as pellets from the Tilden iron ore mine in upper Michigan. At the time this was mainly handled by the LS&I from the mine to ore docks and carried to Sault Ste. Marie by ship.

In 1996, Wisconsin Central managed to an all-rail movement of ore from Tilden mine directly to Algoma Steel at Sault Ste. Marie during the winter season. These shipments of pelletized iron ore averaged 40-45 cars daily during the season in 100 ton hopper cars.

When Algoma Ore Properties in Wawa shut down in 1998, WC tried convince the other parties involved to make the all-rail movements year round rather than just winter only, and in the winter of 2000-2001 this became a reality, and this daily movement is still occurring today.

When I visited Sault Ste. Marie in August 2004, the primary cars being used in this service were a mix of WC cars and cars leased from GATX, with GCCX and GIEX reporting marks, and even a couple of AC hoppers were in the mix.

In this post are a few of the variations of GATX leased hoppers that were seen in this service in 2004.

SAMSUNG DIGIMAX 360 SAMSUNG DIGIMAX 360 SAMSUNG DIGIMAX 360 SAMSUNG DIGIMAX 360 SAMSUNG DIGIMAX 360

All photographs in this post August 18 2004 at Sault Ste. Marie, ON.