A few months ago I wrote about a boxcar storage shed in Crookston, Minn., my hometown. During that same visit my friend, then an employee of Minnesota Northern RR (since retired) gave me a tour of the rest of the yard. Sure, I spent time photographing the usual things — locomotives, rolling stock, structures, and right-of-way details. But I also took notice of MNN’s roster of loaders and trucks. Here are some ideas for railroad vehicles you can model.
When you think of railroad vehicles, hi-rail trucks probably come to mind first. See the June 2012 Model Railroader for an article on how to model one. Yes, there was one on the property the day of my visit, as you’ll read about below. It was joined by a variety of special-duty equipment, including wheel and compact track loaders, a material grapple truck, and a dump truck.
Even if you don’t model the MNN, I hope it serves as inspiration as you look for railroad vehicles you can model.
Hi-rail truck
The hi-rail truck is probably one of the most common vehicles you’ll find on a railroad. The trucks can drive on the road, but are fitted with hi-rail wheels for doing track inspections and getting to remote locations not accessible by traditional means.
The St. Croix Valley RR truck shown above is a Ford F-250, but other brands and body styles are used. Refer to prototype images to see what hi-rail trucks look like on other railroads.
Common features on hi-rail trucks include the railroad’s herald on the driver and passenger side doors, vehicle number, hi-rail wheels, a warning beacon on the cab, a truck box for tools, marker guides, floodlights, and sometimes a speaker.
In HO scale, Details West offers a cast-pewter hi-rail detail kit as item HR-918. Custom Finishing Models hi-rail set 7009, designed for Trident and other vehicles, has insulated wheelsets that can be raised and lowered. Atlas produces 3-D printed hi-rail wheels for its Ford F-150 pickup in HO and N scales. Showcase Miniatures offers two front and rear hi-rail bumper kits for N scale vehicles.
Wheel loader
The next stop on our tour of railroad vehicles you can model is a wheel loader. Minnesota Northern has a Caterpillar 966D that, based on the manufacturer’s logo, is from the 1980s. The versatile piece of equipment is used to move supplies around the yard and at work sites. During the winter months, it’s also put to use keeping the road through the yard clear of snow.
Railroad modifications to the wheel loader are few. There’s an orange strobe light on the front edge of the cab. Though hard to see, there’s also a railroad herald to the right of the ladder leading to the cab, just above the rear tire.
Similar wheel loaders are available in HO scale from Diecast Masters and GHQ Models.
Compact track loader
If I were to ask you what was on your list of railroad vehicles you can model, I’m guessing a Bobcat T300 compact track loader probably didn’t make your top 10. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to find this during my tour of the MNN railroad yard either. I’m not exactly sure how the railroad uses the loader. However, based on where it’s parked, it looks like it’s used to move palleted loads. The bucket attachment suggests the loader might be used at work sites and to help in the railroad’s snow fighting efforts.
Circus City Decals offers a 3-D printed kit of a Bobcat T190 compact track loader in HO scale. The kit includes two standard buckets, a snow bucket, fork, and grapple bucket, as well as decals with manufacturer logos and railroad heralds.
A traditional skid-steer with wheels is available in N scale from GHQ Models.
Material grapple truck
The material grapple truck wears the heralds of Minnesota Northern and sister lines Dakota Northern and St. Croix Valley, suggesting the vehicle is shared between the three railroads. The Western Star 4700 truck has a 22-foot flatbed with rail racks, strobe lights and a speaker on top of the cab, a Serco 8500-series loader, and hi-rail wheels. In addition to rail, the material grapple truck can be used to haul ties and other track supplies.
To re-create a truck like this in HO scale, I’d start with the 3-D printed truck bed and hi-rail kit offered by Circus City Decals. The manufacturer lists truck and loader options for the kit on its website. In N scale, check out the hi-rail grapple truck from Showcase Miniatures.
Dump truck
Dump trucks are the Rodney Dangerfield of railroad vehicles — they don’t get much respect. However, they’re an important part of almost every railroad’s vehicle fleet, especially if bulk materials need to be transported.
Minnesota Northern’s Ford L-series dump truck was acquired secondhand. The outline of the previous owner’s logo can be seen underneath the MNN herald on the passenger side door. In addition to a rooftop warning light, strobe lights are attached to the mirrors. The dump truck has hi-rail wheels, so it can operate over the road or on the rails as needed.
An off-the-shelf dump truck, such as the International 4300 offered by Wm. K. Walthers Inc., would be a good starting point for modeling a similar truck in 1:87.1. The vehicle will need to be modified with hi-rail wheels from the sources listed above. Don’t forget to add a warning light, strobes, and horns.
If you model in 1:160, check out the ST-class hi-rail rotary dump truck kit from Showcase Miniatures.
That wraps up our look at railroad vehicles you can model. If you have other sources or ideas for the vehicles listed above, please leave that information in the comments field below.
