A lucky photo

 Sometimes we just get lucky.  Today I came across a photo that ended up in a scroll on the Facebook page, and realized something familiar about the image.  It was another Conrail unit from a location in Harrington, Delaware, a spot with lots of Conrail activity back in the day.  

Wait - I know that number!  That's what is so familiar.  Athearn about 10 years ago did a nice looking release of EMD SD40 locomotives, a model on the prototype that was the predecessor to the famous SD40-2.  Conrail had a number of SD40s that were handed down after the consolidation merger and 6286 was one of them, a former CNJ nee-B&O locomotive, and Athearn chose this one to be part of that release.  

This photo, by Ken Carden and posted on a Conrail photos group, went from just another Conrail image to one that shows important details.  First, it was taken in August of 1994, which is exactly my era.  Conrail SD40s were rare by then but this one was still out working.  It also has nice clean paint and black-on-white numberboards, without the white frame stripe, which makes this one a 1989 or early 1990 repaint.  I will need to do new numberboards as Athearn's are the original white-on-black, but besides that my version is ready to go.

What this shows is the importance of keeping our eyes open as modelers, all the time.  You never know when you'll find a helpful photo or text that suddenly verifies what you're doing, or gives you new information so you can better do what you do.  Progress comes in many forms!

It's getting better

 It is a common theme here on the Onondaga Cutoff blog, but it is worth reading again that this hobby is getter better and better.  Month by month there are new products coming out that help us to replicate our favorite equipment across nearly all eras.  

The new Rapido Trains CP and CN rebuilt intermodal flatcars are some of the latest to arrive.  These are the cars that were once boxcars and flatcars and were rebuilt from the frame up to handle piggyback trailers, and later, containers.  Open deck grating was included to cut weight as possible and the cars had a very distinctive look.  Some of them on CP lasted until the late 1990's, and they showed up on not only CP trains but also D&H and Conrail.  

Even just a quick look like this shows the specific prototype detail possible now in a new car.  Weathering is underway and once the car is added to the fleet, I will include a few more photos for you.  Stuff like this really adds some flavor to any intermodal train, and it will be nice to include some variety on the OC in piggyback operations!  

While any of these could certainly have been kitbashed, the availability of them commercially allows modelers to assemble a fleet of them, and also enables all of us to have more time for the railroad and for weathering as opposed to having to kitbash these cars.  From my view it is a win-win to have cars like this available to us all - and another sign that the hobby is healthy and getting better.