DRGW & UP G scale Train pulling 36 Coal Cars on Layout

A Joint Rio Grande & Union Pacific G scale 36 car coal train - By Ted Doskaris
An emulated Rio Grande & Union Pacific 1/29 "G" scale coal train with 2 Aristo-Craft SD45 locos and 1 USA Trains SD40-2 loco is shown pulling 36 Aristo 100 ton hopper cars on the layout. (The train somewhat emulates a 1969 era train that operated from the Sunnyside mine in Utah to the Kaiser steel plant in Fontana, California.) The SD45s are equipped with Datum Precision CNC machined aluminum black anodized coupler boxes. The SD40-2 is equipped with 3-D printed "CamPac" body mounted coupler boxes as well as a few cars. Fitted within both coupler box types are Kadee centerset (no offset) "G" AAR E type couplers from 907 kit . The remaining majority of cars are equipped with the larger Kadee 906 "G" AAR E type boxes which are anchored to the car's end sill with a metal clip to prevent flex and to establish consistent railhead height. (The CamPac boxes obtainable for the Aristo 100 hoppers include intrinsic anchoring.)

Note: The SD40-2 has had its wheels with traction tires replaced with conventional metal wheels to augment electrical pickup from track power that I use, consequently, its weight was increased somewhat to about 11 & 1/2 pounds to make up for traction loss. Moreover, current in rush resistor were added in series with each of its electric motors to mitigate wheel pitting (resulting from track sparking) that, also, slows the loco somewhat making it a better speed match to the otherwise slower running Aristo SD45.
For speed match tests using track power, see video (starting time stamp 12:53 near mid point) at link below.
   • G Scale SD45 SD40 2 GP40 Speed Match Evalu...  

If interested in obtaining 3-D printed CamPac coupler boxes or Datum Precision metal coupler boxes, contact Colin Camarillo via his website at Link below:
https://www.camarillopacific.com/camp...

The "Aristo 100 Ton Hopper Cam Pac Box Quick Install Guide" in PDF format is at link below:
https://www.camarillopacific.com/wp-c...

For information about "Aristo 100 ton hopper & Kadees - and more", see link below.
https://www.elmassian.com/index.php/l...