Model Railroading > Preserving the SP in HO scale: S P 6744 West

Stepping back to late 1965 we catch the 6744 west struggling
its way into Summit with a heavy manifest train.

The 6744, a GE U25B built in 1964,was delivered new to
the Espee as part of a 68 unit order.

When the roundhouse assembled the power for this
"it will get there when it gets there" drag freight,
they didn't count on the L&N 1405, a pool power Alco C628,
dropping off line leaving the 6744, Veteran 302, an aging F3 on
one of its last runs, and F7s 6180 & 6354 to do all the work
getting their train over the road.

Its mostly down hill from Summit for the rest of the run,
so the D.S. desided not to set the 1405 out for any repairs.

I got the weathering itch Sunday morning so I dirtied up the
1405 some along with a few box cars just for the fun of it.

The Trona box car is an Ex Navy car they modified with 6 axle trucks
before it was aquired by the Trona for bagged chemical goods service.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/14 07:07 by P5r24.

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Last three,

Gary

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Was there a prototype for the trona boxcar?

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

LOL :-))

I was waiting for that question Ted.

Alls I can say is:

years ago 1962? when I was way younger,
My Dad and I took a drive way out to the
middle of nowhere Desert, so he could meet
an old friend.

That place it turns out is called China Lake Naval Weapons base
next to Ridgecrest Ca.

As we got close to the main gate of the base I remember seeing
two 50 foot box cars parked on base that strangly had 3 axles on
each truck. I even asked my Dad "How come those box cars have the
passenger car wheels".

I remember him saying "the Navy guys modified them to carry something heavy
around base".

Now without getting to detailed,
China Lake has an extensive railroad system that use to be connected
with Espees Lone Pine branch.

With the branch now gone north of Searles Junction, the Base now uses the
Trona RR for all its rail shipments and no longer has an outside world
railroad connection.

The freelanced Trona model is an old Tyco car that I installed 6 axle trucks
from a Tyco heavy duty tank car.
Alls I had to do is trim the under frame some - other than that the big
trucks snapped right in.

The Trona decals are Microscale.

So the short and long answer to your question is Yes and No.

Yes, I saw two of them but they were painted all white from what I could see.
I doubt they ever left the Base for travel to the outside rail world.

No, there is no proto type box car like mine on the Trona R.R..

Gary

Who makes that P5R24 Gary?
Tom