Although these tank cars look identical, they are not, and therein lies a lot of operational potential. Looking up the placards, I could see that as a minimum, we have diesel fuel, ethanol, and carbon disulfide. The cars need to be blocked in the yard and spotted at specific locations within the Exxon Mobil complex. […]
A very recent (April 2025) Google Streetview image of Arrow Reload Systems. Note the variety of car types. YouTube videos filmed on other days show a large volume of flat cars carrying steel products. Prompted by a recent email from a blog reader, I thought now would be a good time to discuss operations on […]
For some time, I’ve had the nagging feeling that it’s time for a new adventure, a new primary layout. The question is when and how to go about it. The theme would likely be BNFS’s Harbor Subdivision, shown above. I’ve been wallowing in modeling limbo the past year or so. It’s a place I don’t […]
When doing prototype research for layout design, we all rely heavily upon online aerial photos. Such imagery is invaluable. However….it’s crucial to understand the limitations of this approach. You miss a lot. The above shot, taken in Vernon, CA shows where the Harbor Subdivision splits off of the main near 25th and 26th Streets. At […]