We Need More Power, Scotty

The beer train was growing so fast we reached the limitations on how many cars the steam locomotives could pull so we acquired several powerful diesel locomotives. The first was a USA Trains Southern Pacific NW-2 Cow and Calf Unit.  It was the same model as the miniature train at the Goleta Depot the Grandkids love to ride. Next the Aristocraft Dash-9's went into service. Finally we added a SD-45 and U25B from Aristocraft and a LGB diesel track cleaning locomotive. Video footage of large diesel engines delivering the beer on time.

These locomotives are the workhorses capable of pulling 30+ cars. The GrandpaLand record is currently 35 cars (36 if you count the caboose).

NW-2 pulling 20 tap handle flatcars

Original NW-2

USA Trains NW-2 pulling beer train

Aristocraft BNSF and Santa Fe Dash-9

Aristocraft Santa Fe Dash-9

USA Trains NW-2, Aristocraft SD-45, Aristocraft Dash-9

NW-2 Cow and Calf Unit pulling tap handle flatcars

LGB track cleaning locomotive and maintenance cars

Aristocraft U25B

LGB FA and FB (20570, 20582)

Clear LGB F7A, F7B  (20588, 20578) and Santa Fe streamliner cars (36590, 36570, 36580)
We like to run the clear F7's on the 4th of July while the fireworks are exploding overhead

The F7's pull a consist of LGB streamliner cars.  The streamliners are also pulled by a LGB Amtrak Genesis locomotive (LGB 21490) following the fun cross country trip aboard the Amtrak Southwest Chief when we brought Mom back to CA from VA.

LGB Amtrak Genesis engine pulling 6 Aristocraft streamliner passenger cars

During Thanksgiving weekend 2016, we packed up the Grandkids, drove to Williams, AZ and rode the Polar Express aboard the Grand Canyon Railway. Shortly thereafter I won a Great Trains F40PH in a train club raffle. BridgeMasters carried some Great Trains passenger cars with various road names but that didn't matter. Stan Cedarleaf made some custom decals and his friend, Anthony who worked closely with the GCR and was quite familiar with their gold/red/silver color scheme painted the train. It is now marked as GCR Engine 237. It should provide years of enjoyment with the Grandkids as a reminder of all the fun we had on the Polar Express.