Model Railroading > The many colors of MRL, 8924 ex. VMV SD45

Finally got my MRL decals the other day to finish some MRL locos. Here is MRL 8924 on the layout in all it's crummy VMV glory.


fotoz - http://www.pbase.com/mrmrl/mrl_action

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Here's a couple more of MRl 651, a rebuilt SD19-1. This unit started out as EJ&E SD9 no. 601 back in March 1957. The MRL bought it in 1988 and rebuilt in to a SD19-1 in 1991. It is basically a SD9 upgraded to Dash-2 standards similar to many of MRL's SD45s now SD45-2s even though they retained their flared radiators. Modifications included chopping the nose down, adding a modern cab from one of MRL's wrecked SD40s MRL 205, replacing the fuel tank with one from a GP38, and replacing the 36" dynamic brake fans with 48" versions.

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OK, one more of 7556 for all the Kodachrome fans out there.

later!

Mr. MRL

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MrMRL, your models look like c**p, just like the prototypes. Great modeling, outstanding weathering. really captures the feel of the prototypes.

webercanyon Wrote:
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> MrMRL, your models look like c**p

I couldn't have said it better. <G>

Kudos for the awesome work!

I haven't modeled in years, but I come over to this forum just to see stuff like this. Amazing!

Yeah, I especially like the 8924--a good old "Clydesdale". That's what she was known as in Hamlet, Waycross, Raliegh, Richmond...

I am awestruck every time I see your stuff.

Ooooh-kay, where in the H*ll did this one come from?. You were hiding it, weren't you? Since the number appears to be ex-CSXT, was this an ex-Clinchfield unit? As usual, a superb model. You'll soon have every SD45 that MRL owned!

Chet

mp_eagle Wrote:
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> Ooooh-kay, where in the H*ll did this one come
> from?. You were hiding it, weren't you? Since the
> number appears to be ex-CSXT, was this an
> ex-Clinchfield unit? As usual, a superb model.
> You'll soon have every SD45 that MRL owned!

SCL 2024/SBD 2024/SBD 8924/CSXT 8924/VMV 8924/MRL 8924
CRR didn't purchase any SD45's (at least new), although they did trade their
U36C's to SCL for an equal number of SD45's.

Mr. MRL:
I know this is the Model RR discussion section, BUT I know you have the answer to this. Is the REAL MRL getting rid of some of their SD-45's?? Are they going to the same fate as the ex-WC units??

mp_eagle Wrote:
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> Ooooh-kay, where in the H*ll did this one come
> from?. You were hiding it, weren't you? Since the
> number appears to be ex-CSXT, was this an
> ex-Clinchfield unit? As usual, a superb model.
> You'll soon have every SD45 that MRL owned!
>
> Chet


What?!? you missed it? Oh, that's right you left early on Tuesday.

This unit never wore Clinchfield paint, that would be MRL 8940 & 8941. This model started out as SCL 2024, then SBD 8924, then CSXT 8924, then VMV 8924, and finally MRL 8924.

History lesson Time!!

The MRL purchased 10 SD45s from VMV Enterprises in March 1995. The numbers were as follows; 8905, 8907, 8910, 8918, 8924, 8925, 8929, 8936, 8940, & 8941, all ex. CSXT numbers. Only three were renumbered and painted MRL blue & black including 8907 changed to 377, 8910 to 378, and 8929 to 382. The VMV SD45s spent 10 years roaming the MRL in Helper sets, LM/ML power, lease units to other railroads like the BNSF & NS, and even made a stop over at the I&MRL before it's demise.

The first sign of trouble for these units came in 2001 when 8936 (along with many other I&MRL units) was sold to the IC&E. In February of this year four more units 8907 (now painted 377), 8910 (now 378), 8918, and 8940 were sold for parts to Progress Rail. Today only five remain, MRL 8905, MRL 8924, MRL 8925, MRL 382 (8929), and MRL 8941. I hope the MRL fat cutting stops for a while, I think the VMV SD45s are probably my favorite on the system.

Mr. MRL

GP30Frank Wrote:
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> Mr. MRL:
> I know this is the Model RR discussion
> section, BUT I know you have the answer to this.
> Is the REAL MRL getting rid of some of their
> SD-45's?? Are they going to the same fate as the
> ex-WC units??


You bet the MRL is in sell-SELL-SELL!! mode right now. Actually they are just thinning out excess. Most of what they have sold or scrapped over the last 8 months or so have been damaged units.

Here is a list of the scrap/sell activity that has happened over the last year.

Scrapped Units - 10
SD40 216
SD9 600, 601, 607 (the SD9s were sold to Progress Rail but were too damaged to be shipped)
SD45 345, 366, 369, 388, 1718
SD45-2 312

Units Sold to Progress Rail - 16
F45 391, 393
SD45 348, 357, 360, 362, 367, 368, 370, 372, 373, 374, 377, 378, 8919, 8940

It hurts to see 367, 377 and 607 go. I have models of these three units. I will especially miss 367 the ugly duck ex. CNW SD45 :..(

Mr. MRL

Love your photos of your models. What brand camera and type (focal length) of lens are you using? Probably stopped down as far as it can go with a longer exposure, I assume. Great depth of field and perspective.

Oh, by the way, you did a fantastic job on the models too.

C.C.Chas.

MrMRL Wrote:
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> OK, one more of 7556 for all the Kodachrome fans
> out there.
>
> later!
>
> Mr. MRL

yaaaay!

choochoocharlie Wrote:
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> Love your photos of your models. What brand camera
> and type (focal length) of lens are you using?
> Probably stopped down as far as it can go with a
> longer exposure, I assume. Great depth of field
> and perspective.
>
> Oh, by the way, you did a fantastic job on the
> models too.
>
> C.C.Chas.

I use a Canon Powershot S2 IS. The shots were roughly 3 second exposures at iso 50 and f8.0. & thanks for the compliments.

MrMRL Wrote:
> Here is a list of the scrap/sell activity that has
> happened over the last year.
> SD9 600, 601, 607 (the SD9s were sold to Progress
> Rail but were too damaged to be shipped)

Robby,

What damage did the SD9's have? As they were being scrapped in Livingston, the pictures I've seen, there was no apparent damage that I could see.

Tim Harris

I'm gonna miss 377 - its one of only 2 unrebuilt ex ACL SD45's left. It was one of the last CSX SD45's I ever saw (in SBD paint as 8907) and had her in consist on NS twice (cranked her 20 cylinder 645 up once and she purred like a kitten).
Larry

timharris Wrote:
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>
>
> Robby,
>
> What damage did the SD9's have? As they were being
> scrapped in Livingston, the pictures I've seen,
> there was no apparent damage that I could see.
>
> Tim Harris


Tim,

IIRC the SD9s were sold to Progress Rail, but the frames were too damaged from Remote Control switching to travel on the BNSF. Basically, BNSF deemed the units unsafe to travel on their rails, so the sale of the SD9s ended and they were/are being scrapped on site.

Mr. MRL

Robby,
I get allot of kidding because I use white cotton gloves to keep fingerprints off my models after I paint them .
You are just the opposite! You have to put gloves on to keep grease off your hands FROM your models!
Nice work.

Ed

Seeing pics of this layout and all the cool detailed MRL units makes me like the road more and more! Excellent work!

>>MC>> 70ACes soon? LOL...

mc5725 Wrote:
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> Seeing pics of this layout and all the cool
> detailed MRL units makes me like the road more and
> more! Excellent work!
>
> >>MC>> 70ACes soon? LOL...


Patiently waiting for Tower 55 on that one. I sent Brian Marsh 30 photos of the MRL ones campaigning the downright coolness of the units. Suposedly OMI is working on painting one right now. They have already done brass SD70ACes for the major RRs like UP but haven't released the MRL ones yet. I won't be getting the brass version, I don't make that much ca$h on the BNSF yet.

Mr. MRL