A TGOJ T43 resting for the weekend in Orsa, August 2001. See more in Ollies trainstuff!, all colorphotos by Ollie Ahokas
What is available.
Rolling stock
The last few years has been a boom for Scandinavian models, Untill late eighties there was nothing but 4 firms that produced a RC-class electric and one making Da-electric. Of coarse there was a model of Sb/S2-class 2-6-4 tank produced by Tenshodo, which became a priceless collectors item. But in late eighties things started to change.First a plastic and very basicly modelled railcar of Y6/Y7 came into market with a large variation of matching trailers. The early versions ran poorly, and the later versions got a powertruck from Bachmanns GE-44 tonners, with a slightly improved performance. Lima started to produce a very basic T43 in both earlier SJ-schemes. Both the railbus and the diesel fits right in on this line.
DHJ/Jecos model of the E-class steamer. all images of models by Jeco AB
The first of the steamengine kits from DHJ/Jeco AB came to the market. The first kit that was available as ready to run version was the 0-8-0 of E-class. The engine was orginally built to haul trains of the famous Inland line from south to north. A number of these were rebuilt in to 2-8-0.s and the second kit was this version. I have a model of these engines and they look and perform pretty nicely. There are rumoured for a least one decade that they are planning for a class J 2-6-4 tank. The Swedish firm UGJ also offered the orginal 2-axle Y-class railcar used on the line. The next generation was the enlarged 4-axled versions of Yo, kits of these are offered by Rimbo Grande.
DHJ/Jecos model of the E2-class steamer. all images of models by Jeco AB
One of the engines from DHJ/Jeco that fits right in is their model of E10, orginally these 4-8-0.s was produced in 1947 for Inland line in mind. Brimalm and others has produced models of the impressive 4-6-0 class B. These models were expensive, Brimalms version was based on the orginal SJ design and looked like a beauty. There has been some rumours that they run perfect on straight track but derails on curves and turnouts.... The other has been rather unsuccesful kitbashes basing on drivelines and chassis on available chassies. I haven´t seen any of the E10.s or the various B-classes run except on a testbed straight track. But the E10-looks right and impressive with their smoke deflectors. A number of typical freight cars from steam and early dieselera are offered by UGJ. Roco offers a ex. private line G-class boxcar and a tankcar.
DHJ/Jecos model of the E10-class steamer. all images of models by Jeco AB
If you like to model the line today, it easy today base it on available models. The dominating power is Nohabs in 16 cylinder and in 12 cylinder versions. In early IBAB dyas, a leased TMX from BSX was quite common but in 1999 that company merged in to another road and more and more TMY.s from Tågab entered the scene, all painted in an attractive silver with a red stripe. Tågab repainte one unit into old Great Northern scheme for a movie and this unit has been operate the line since late fall 2001, adding even more color to the trains. All of the units are available from Heljan. And the units are not just great looking, they are great performes aswell. You want more variation, the operator has during the fall added their first own unit to the engine pool, which is repainted in to blue and white with red grafix, and my guess is that Heljan will offer a model of this unit aswell. Sometimes these runs uses T43.s for power.
The leased cars used on the container trains are mostly from Swiss company called AAE, and models which are quite close to these large capacity are available from Fleischmann and Kleinbahn, they need to to be repainted in to something that is close to metalic grey, and are often smeared with grafity. The operator has purchased a number of cars of same design and some has modified with bulkheads and repainted in a mix of purple darkblue with dayglow orange and lettered with the greatest economy, with chalk!! Other cars used are light blue cars close to what Piko is offering and few exotic cars like a lowside condolas of former eastern European designs. Only thing that is standard is that all cars are of 60 foot load deck designs and ride on four wheel trucks.
In 2001, kits of the matching log cars are offered by Tågspecialisten, a typical train consists of the T43 and about a dousin of these cars. Sometimes if the venerable unit is in service or trouble, a IBAB TMX fills in.
y Tågspecialisten, a typical train consists of the T43 and about a dousin of these cars. Sometimes if the venerable unit is in service or trouble, a IBAB TMX fills in. Model of these are offered by On buildings you are on your own, but the buildings are rather few and of rather simple designs, so your scratchbuilding project would be straight forward. For a typcal facsimile station is the before mentioned Polas kit of the station Diö, combined with Heljans small freight shed, Just a piles of fire wood and maybe a snowmobile and a old car you are quite close to detail. A snowmobile riding is common pasttime during winter...
Change of guards
The images are clickable for larger view
A The Great Northern lives in Sweden! The TMY 106 and a T 43 is coupled to the train of empties to Sweg, the train today is extended by a string of empty timbercars. This operation is usual during the spring and summer as the tonnage of containers declines.
A side view of the Great Northern unit.
In summer of 2001 a long loaded train of container has arrived in mora with IBAB.s TMX 1015 and themainstay unit on the southern leg the 1013. IBAB and Tågab keeps the engines well mainteined and are kept very clean.
A change of guards in Mora in April 2002, The southbound loaded container train has arrived in Mora, hauled today by two of the Tågabs TMY.s. The power is switched as today the empty counterpart is hauled by a single orange and blue T43. and the silver painted cabunit is needed to assist the train to the ports in the east coast. Usually this final leg is hauled by a single 6-axle elctric Ma unit. The green T43,which had earlier arrived with a load of timber and the Great Northern TMY are coupled for the trip to north.
The TGOJ T43 waiting for the return to Sweg, August 2001. See more in Ollies trainstuff!, all colorphotos by Ollie Ahokas
This leased container car from CS is loaded typically to cars of less capacity, and are loaded only with a pair of containers placed above the trucks.
The most common car for the container trains are large these high capacity leased cars from AAE.
The logcars shows also a great varity, but most cars are of this custom designed cars. but also typical stake cars of Kbs are used and later Inlandsgods own 4-axle cars rebuilt with bulkheads.