Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Train sold separately

Frank writes...

Last week, before the snow arrived, our intrepid cub reporter Jeron Glander sent the above photo of a new piece of track that has been installed alongside Yard 5. This is about where the McKeen trailer sat for many years. Of course the big question is, what is it doing there and why are we building panel track when we have so much non-panel-track around? The answer will shock you - so don't touch that dial!

Update - another of our intrepid cub reporters, Nick Espevik, sends along the below teaser shot to deepen the mystery. Make of this what you will!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooh! I know! Two monorail trains, sitting side by side. Right?

patentable said...

Someone obviously made a mistake. The panel is 2 3/8 inches wider than it should be.

Tim Fennell said...

Hmmm, I wonder if it will be christened with champagne or maple syrup? I'm excited.

Matt Maloy said...

Matt Maloy

Here's what I'm breaking down
1. "hint.jpg" is the photo of the number 4 on the side of. Judging by the condition of the paint work, and the shade of yellow, it's from the side of the Centennial. So could the Union Pacific Centennial be tied to this some how? Are they moving the Centennial somewhere? I can't think of any other engine's that have a number "4" with that style of font, and in those colors.

2. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Let's back up a bit and tilt the meaning. It's the number four, so maybe the number itself is the clue. Four of something? A locomotive or car numbered "four"? Something "for" IRM? Something to do with "Barn 4"? Just a thought.

3. I think the image of the panel track gives more clues, but in turn raises mroe questions. When I see panel track, a couple things come to mind, either:
-something is being donated
-something is leaving
-something that's currently sitting in a really awkward or difficult spot is being moved
Could any of these be factors? ^

4. Could it tie into IRM's plan for their extended trolley loop. Theyaere going to have an extended trolley loop that would go by the new enterance and display buildings. . .but if they were to do that, then wouldn't they be laying more track and tearing up Depot St. so they can put the tracks in? Why would they build panel tracks for that? They wouldn't...would they?

5, CSX said a while ago that on top of donating paint to cosmetically restore CB&Q 114, they'd be donated "something else". We have not heard word of anything regarding that since then. Could that tie into what the panel track is being done up for?

There are a lot of things to ponder here.

Matt Maloy said...

Matt Maloy

Correction: I was wrong to assume it was the Centennial, as IRM's Centennial is 6930. I kept thinking of 6944, which is in St Louis. But it's got a UP/MILW style number font, and it is the right colors for UP/MILW.

Randall Hicks said...

Thanks for playing, but the magic number is actually 4034.