The Roundhouse - 1975 Era Operations - Motive Power - Locomotive Programing - Signalling

The Roundhouse at Preston Miller

 

Before moving on to another topic, I thought I would include a up to date picture of the roundhouse at Preston Miller.  I started working on the roundhouse during the first week of June.  I started working on the scenery around the 12th of June.  The scene, as of the 5th of July, still isn't complete, but its about 80% done and presentable.  I still need to add figures, a few more vehicles, and other small details.

 

The change to 1975 Era Operations

Originally, I envisioned the MBG&C as a semi independent 1995 era Class III railroad with close ties with the CSX.  Unfortunately, in 1975 that scenario doesn't work very well.  The CSX merger didn't take place until 1986 and the area I model was dominated by the Louisville & Nashville.  In 1975 the L&N, like most major railroads prior to the Stagger Rail Act of 1980, had not really started to abandon or spin off secondary or redundant rail lines to short line or independent operators.  So, where does that leave the MBG&C? 

I have always been a fan of the Central of Georgia.  In fact, it is the only historical society I currently belong to or have donated to in the last 4 or 5 years.  So from both a fan's point of view and a logical point of view, the MBG&C beaome a subsidiary of the Central of Georgia and/or Southern Railway.

The Central of Georgia Railway reached Chattanooga (the Southern end of Madisonville Sub) in 1891 through the purchase of the Chattanooga, Rome & Columbus Railroad.  And, in my version of history, it reached as far north as Bowling Green and then Madisonville, KY prior to the turn of the last century.  In 1963 the Central of Georgia was acquired by the Southern Railway and in 1971 the Central of Georgia Railway was combined with the Georgia & Florida Railroad, the Savannah & Atlanta Railway, and the Wrightsville & Tennnile Railroad to create the Central of Georgia Railroad.  Following the merger, the Central of Georgia from the track side point of view, slowly started to fade into the Southern.  Interestingly enough, even after the Central of Georgia lettering on the side of locomotives was changed to Southern, locomotives still carried "CofG" lettering beneath the cab side numbers well into the Norfolk Southern era.

The 1975 era MBG&C Operating Schematic.  Note that the Madisonville Sub has been extended north, via L&N trackage rights, to a connection with the Penn Central at Evansville, IN.  In all likelihood, in 1975, the Illinois Central and Louisville & Nashville in Madisonville would not have been a friendly connection for the competing Central of Georgia/Southern subsidiary.  In exchange, the L&N has trackage rights over the Madisonville Sub to reach the east end of the L&N's Sparta, TN branch. 

 

Along with the above mentioned changes, I plan to give the railroad a more "rural" feel; somewhere between a branch line and a secondary mainline.  This, again, is consistent with my preferred "laid back" type of operations. 

This SD-9 paint scheme pre-dates the 1971 merger but, on some units, itlasted much longer.  This is a custom painted and detailed Proto 2000 shell mounted on a Walthers Proto chassis.  It is equipped with a Tsunami2, KA1 keep alive and a TCS speaker & enclosure.

Here is a Proto 2000 factory painted SD-9.  The 3 digit number indicates ownership, probably for accounting purposes, by a Southern subsidiary.

 

And in this case, its another Central of Georgia SD-9

The last new locomotives purchased and lettered for the Central of Georgia were 10 EMD SD-35's in 1966.  The 222 is a factory decorated model from Atlas.  It is also equipped with a Tsunami2, KA1 current keeper, and a TCS speaker and enclosure.

Central of Georgia # 130 is a Athearn Genesis factory painted GP-7.  These are extremely difficult to find so I took what I could get and bought a non-sound version off ebay.  I added my standard Tsunami2, TCS KA1 Keep Alive, and TCS speaker & enclosure.  Athearn also made a version lettered for Southern but with CofG sub-lettering under the cab number.  Eventually I hope to find one of these.  Other Southern models have also been done with the CofG sub-lettering.  When it comes to Southern subsidiaries, models are easy to spot.  They normally, but not always, carry a 3 digit number instead of the customary Southern 4 digit number.

 

 

Tsunami CV Settings

 

Several people have sent me questions about my "basic" Tsunami and Tsunami2 programing.  Every one of my locomotives get the following changes before they ever get on the layout.  I also program CV17 and CV18 for the long address.  There is a simple program on the internet for determining these values (http://www.ruppweb.org)

 

The following table list the values for CV67 through CV94 (user loadable speed table).  These values closely match those associated with CV25, value 11 on the original Tsunami and provide a much flatter speed curve at lower speeds.  And the combination of momentum and a flatter speed curve will result in excellent low speed performance and realistic notching of the prime mover.

 

Once I am done with the initial programing, I make some further adjustments on the layout. I usually lower the prime mover volume (CV 131) to around value 100, the bell volume (CV 130) to around value 65, and the whistle volume (CV129) to around value 85.

 

And finally, I program my locomotives to respond as realistically as possible; they seem heavy, real heavy,  and there are no jack rabbit starts or stops possible.  Its not for everyone, it takes a little practice, but I think everyone should give it a try.  Oh, and while I haven't tried it, I think Loksound decoders feature user loadable speed tables.

 

Atlas Searchlight Signals....  At Last!

 

Yep... They finally arrived after over a year.  Atlas announced them in November of 2019, I ordered 12 of them in January of 2020 and they arrived today (July 11)  They are based upon the old BLMA signals and are exquisite.   I now have all the components to install the signal system including the signals, signal control boards, cabling, and block detectors for 7 ABS blocks and one interlocking/CTC section protecting the helix. 

Speaking of block detectors, I found these from Parkdale Hobby on ebay.  They are similar to the ones offered by NCE but include a couple of enhancements; a time delay circuit and a pot for adjusting sensitivity. 

Mixed Train Preview

 

In addition to the Cumberland, #3 and #4 mentioned in the last post, I decided that a mixed operating between Bowling Green and Sparta would make a nice addition to the Madisonville Sub.  

 

Several railroads, originally chartered in Georgia, were required to provide passenger service in order to retain state tax credits.  The Georgia Railroad was one such railroad.  Not wanting to risk the loss of those tax credits, the Georgia Railroad maintained mixed train service until 1983.  Most of the Georgia mixed used old heavyweight coaches or combines. 

 

A Georgia Railroad mixed at Camak, GA circa 1964.  Roger Puta Photograph

A couple of weeks ago, I ran accross an old AHM combine at my local hobby shop.  It was inexpensive, about $10.00 as I recall, so I bought it with the thought of changing out the trucks and couplers and placing it in mixed train service.  It's currently on my desk undergoing the conversion.  In addition, I also discovered a Bachmann heavyweight combine in my stack of left over store inventory.  As a bonus, the Bachmann combine is already lettered for Southern.   I should have them ready for service and photographed for the next post.

As always, your comments and suggestions are always welcome

Email me at sdepolo@outlook.com