For the purposes of this Web Site, I classify "Modern Diesels" as 'second generation' or newer. Dire warnings aside, the six-wheeled truck diesels and the 18-inch radius track on the BRVRR's sidings and reverse loop seem to get along fine. I have had no problems. I find myself concentrating on the mid-1950s and the transition era more and more lately, so the 'modern diesels' are getting less and less running time, an unforeseen problem. I'll soon have to make up my mind about the 'two era' scheme of operations. Pulling it off is getting to be more complex than I thought it would be.

After I installed a Soundtraxx DSD-101-LC decoder in my Santa Fe FP-45 #5941 a few months ago, I was so pleased with it that I began looking for another FP-45 to pair it with. Unfortunately, after several train shows with no luck finding one in Santa Fe Warbonnet livery, I decided to make my own. I purchased the Athearn BB FP-45 in Milwaukee Road livery, stripped and painted it. After the paint had dried for a day, I applied the striping, lettering and numbers from Microscale Decal sheet No. 87-599 and finished with a coat of Dull Cote to seal them in place. I made door handrails from some .015-inch steel wire I had on hand and installed them and the handrails supplied with the kit at the front and rear. I put Details West MU hoses and Kato air hoses on the front and rear of the locomotive. Next, I brush painted the trucks and frame silver with Testor's enamel. I installed two Model Power 12-16 volt, .03-Amp incandescent bulbs, in custom holders made from styrene tubing for head and backup lights. I installed a Soundtraxx DSD-100LC sound decoder and a 1-inch Soundtraxx speaker and enclosure. I weathered the loco with thinned acrylic browns and some black and several layers of Bragdon Enterprises' adhesive powders. I hand painted the door handrails silver and the front and rear handrails with Testor's yellow. A final coat of Dull Cote sealed the surfaces. The installation the original glass and Kadee couplers, front and rear, finished my model. The thumbnail at left shows my new SF FP-45 on the lead as it rounds the curve near the Farmers Union grain elevator on the West End of the BRVRR layout. It runs and sounds as good as its brother! I am quite pleased with the results.

I purchased this Proto 2000 GP-20 at the Toledo Train Show in 2009 for a bargain price. After attaching a few extra details and painting the handrails and grabs, I installed a Soundtraxx DSD-101LC decoder and a small oval speaker. I set up the speed range to my liking and matched it to its running mate, a Mantua GG-20, that has been on the layout for some time, with DecoderPro. It runs smoothly. The sound is much better than I expected with such a small speaker. A welcome addition to the BRVRR power roster. You can see a larger photo of the loco by clicking on the thumbnail at left.

I bought this ALCO RS-32 loco in December of 2008. It is an Atlas Trainman Model. I installed Soundtraxx DSD-101LC decoder and a mini-oval speaker. Then I applied a Cal-Scale Detail Kit No. 190-527. Once everything was in place, I painted the grabs, release levers and the MU hoses by hand. I programmed it with DecoderPro and my home computer to match the performance of its running mate, NYC RS-32 #2030. This is my third Atlas locomotive and so far, I am very pleased with all of them.

This additon to the BRVRR locomotive roster, NYC #2030, is an Atlas ALCO RS-32 Trainman model. I purchased it at my favorite local hobby shop in November of 2008. I installed a Digitrax DH163 decoder I had on hand. This is the second Atlas locomotive model on the layout. It performs beautifully at all speeds. Eventually, it will be part of the power for my NYC "meat train". These priority trains were habitually powered with ALCO locomotives on the Central.

At left is my Atlas GP-40 NYC #3083 purchased in early February of 2008. I consider it to be a 'late Christmas present' to myself. This is my first Atlas locomotive and I am quite impressed with it to date. The paint and detailing are outstanding. I am impressed with how smooth and quiet the Atlas/Lenz Dual Mode decoder supplied with the locomotive has proven to be. My experience with Lenz decoders in the past has been less than stellar. Just one small quibble, the number boards are black on white backgrounds. All of the prototype photos I have indicate that the GP-40s had white numbers on black backgrounds. A minor point I can live with, for sure. In the future is a sound decoder if I can find one that will fit without having to alter the chassis too much.

After buying the Atlas GP-40 #3083 noted above, I decided I needed another GP-40 to run with it. I had an Athearn BB GP-40, new in the box, but it was in CSX livery. Out came the paint remover and an order went off to Atlas for plastic handrails and a few other goodies to dress up my new creation. The result of my efforts, after about 2 weeks of spare time work and the arrival of the parts from Atlas are shown in the thumbnail at left. I used light bars/diffusers from Atlas and 3mm LEDs for the lighting. The handrails and air-line hoses are also from Atlas. The MU hoses came from Kato. I printed the loco numbers, for the number boards on thin white paper and fixed them on the number boards with latex wallpaper adhesive. I installed a Digitrax DH163 decoder I had on hand for motor and light control. While NYC GP-40 #3075 isn't as 'finished' looking as its Atlas mate, I am please with the results of the project. Next is matching the two decoders with DecoderPro so they will run in tandem.

A new additon to the BRVRR modern diesel locomotive roster is this Athearn BB AMD 103 in Amtrak Phase IV livery. I purchased it at a train show in late 2007 as a companion to the locomotive below. It is just a dummy, but the price was right. The road number indicates the loco operates on the Northeast Corridor so a host of changes are due to make it a 'cross country' locomotive.I still have to apply the factory supplied details, but they will have to wait until color changes and new decals are appllied.

A recent additon to the BRVRR modern diesel locomotive roster is this Athearn BB AMD 103 in Amtrak Phase IV livery. We occasionally run modern equipment on the BRVRR. My grandson has a facination with AMTRAK trains and their locomotives. I purchased this loco to satisfy his curiosity. I still have some detailing to do, namely windshield wipers, more MU hoses etc. I installed a white LED for the headlights. The road number was applied with Woodland Scenics dry transfer decals. I found some small LEDs for ditch-lights, and back-up lights at a local hobby shop which will be installed as soon as time allows. I installed a Digitrax DH163 decoder for motor and lighting control. This Athearn model is detailed beyond what I have come to expect for a BB kit. So far, I am quite happy with this loco.

This Santa Fe FP-45, #5941, was the first twelve-wheeled diesel I purchased for the Black River Valley Railroad. I bought it because my grandson loves the Warbonnet livery and wanted a Santa Fe engine to run on the layout. It is an Athearn BB kit, still with the original drive. I applied the usual Details West MU and air hoses. I originally installed a Digitrax DH163 decoder and told myself I would install a sound decoder at a later date. During the winter of 2009-10 I finally kept my promise to myself. I installed a Soundtraxx DSD-101LC decoder and a 1-inch speaker and enclosure. The new decoder really brought this loco to life and lead to the construction/assembly of a running mate, #5945, which is featured on the What's New page.

The Santa Fe GP-30 at right is a Life-Like Proto 2000 that was priced too low to pass up. It runs very quietly and pulls quite well. Although basically stock, I did install a Digitrax DH163LO drop-in decoder. The stock details, are quite good. Until the advent of the NYC GP-20, this little engine did most of the switching on the inner main of the BRVRR.

This little Mantua GP-20 was a welcome addition to my NYC roster. I found it in a local hobby shop and just had to have it. Although it has just one fly wheel, it runs smoothly and very quietly. I installed a Digitrax DH-123 decoder, but no light effects yet. Because I could not find the road number the manufacturer painted on the model in any of the books I have access too, I renumbered it to 6111, based on a photograph on the Fallen Flags Web Site. Because the engine has truck mounted couplers there are no MU or air hoses.