Welcome to my Blog. The scope of this blog is to record the trials and tribulations of building and maintaining an HO scale layout, the trains and all of the ancillary projects that go with it. In 2017 New York Central subsidiary short line Empire Belt Railroad came into existence. The New York Central / Penn Central and Empire Belt are now the major railroads featured.
Empire Belt GP30s
The EBRR GP30s round a curve on the Empire City Belt Line.
We open up the 2026 PCCM virtual operations with a two layout virtual op focused on Maintenance of Way train movements between Ralph's Kings Port Division and my NYCTL. Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific Railroad, currently on winter hiatus, will be returning soon.
The action starts with NYC RS32 8040 making its PCCM debut on the headend of Penn Central Train LI-2 from Selkirk passing RA Tower and moving towards Terminal Yard.
Train LI-2 makes its way to Terminal Yard.
The LI-2 motive power consist has been cut from the train and is placed at the fuel rack in the engine terminal.
Big Mike is back for a new year of virtual operations working the yard job with PC NW2 8807. He's on the back porch checking in with Kar Knocker who has also returned for another year of virtual ops
The LI-2 caboose is shoved into the caboose track and couples up to PC transfer caboose #18227.
The transfer caboose is coupled onto LI-2 freight consist for its next movement to North Side Yard as local Train EC-1.
Alco Joe, back for another year of virtual ops, has been called for Train EC-1 that will take the LI-2 freight consist to North Side Yard is greeted by Wet Willie, our returning engine hostler,
Meanwhile, over in Empire City at North Side Yard the Empire Belt RRs core four are back and ready to get the freight moving. Senior engineer Sir Neal will do the honors of taking the first EBRR revenue train, Train EB-2, from North Side Yard to Terminal Yard.
Train EB-2 is on the move.
Over in Terminal Yard Alco Joe checks in with Kar Knocker and prepares to depart with PC Train EC-1
The EC-1 departs Terminal Yard.
After cutting from Train EB-2 Sir Neal brings the EBRR consist into the engine terminal for servicing. Wet Willie is already sweating thinking about promptly servicing the five engine lash up.
Penn Central Train EC-1 arrives in North Side Yard.
Alco Joe and Conductor Murray check in with PC Ralph and Conductor Rocky as their locomotives are coupled onto the caboose.
Alco Joe departs Empire City caboose light.
Now back in the engine terminal Alco Joe has the four Alcos on the ready track and shoots the breeze with the EBRR guys as Wet Willie gets ready to fill the EBRR engines with diesel fuel.
Over in Bedford, Long Island RR Train MA-3 from Fresh Pond is heading to Empire City and North Side Yard.
The MA-3 rolls towardsd North Side Yard.
LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco, back for another season of PCCMs, checks in with the EBRR guys before heading out with Train MA-4, the long train of PCCM freight traffic for the LIRR MOW Department.
KP&W PS-2 covered hopper 445052 loaded with cement from Tri Mount Cement is coupled onto LIRR caboose #12 that will bring up the markers for Train MA-4.
LIRR Train MA-4 heads to Fresh Pond.
Next Stop Fresh Pond!!
This closes out my part one of PCCM 115. We'll be back tomorrow for part two, that will focus on moving this PCCM traffic back towards Selkirk where we'll turn the op back over to PC Ralph and the Kings Port Division.
Welcome back to the New York Central Systemin Transition
Today we'll take a look at some of the NYC's first generation motive power that continued to serve the railroad and some of the second generation motive power purchases that would deliver the freight over the road to the future.
Background
In 1954 one of President Perlman's first cost cutting measure to bring the railroad to profitability was to cut diesel orders in half, claiming that more mileage could be squeezed out of the existing fleet. This logic was based on the Santa Fe's diesel utilization however the NYC and ATSF were two different animals. Santa Fe's long haul trains of up to two thousand miles at a crack naturally made better use of its diesel locomotives.
"ATSF 43C0002xxc" by drewj1946 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The Central's operations consisted of much shorter line haul runs that were unavoidably less efficient. By the time President Perlman realized the flaw in his logic nearly all of the available new locomotive production had been allocated to other railroads deep in the throes of dieselization.
"AT&SF EMD F7 42C" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with CC0 1.0.
By the end of 1955 service on the Central had slipped considerably with trains sitting in yards waiting for available locomotives to haul them.
"railyard" by zappowbang is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
A nationwide recession in 1957 caused a serious drop in freight traffic. This, combined with the New York Central decision to scale back passenger traffic left the railroad with sufficient motive power for several years with surplus passenger locomotives bumped to freight service and older locomotives retired.
In the early 1960s the NYC began acquiring new high horsepower locomotives, first from EMD, then Alco and then General Electric.
Passenger Train Power
The EMD E7As and Bs along with the EMD E8As continued to handle the bulk of the remaining passenger car assignments with surplus units being assigned to Flexi-Van trains at times.
The Alco PA1 and PB1 fleet was being retired at this time with the PA2s hanging on until their leases expired.
Yard Power / End Cab Switchers
EMD NW & SW
The NYC rostered a large group of EMD end cab switch engines to handle various chores around the system. In total there were 472 units broken down as follows: SW1 - 101, SW8 - 28, SW900 - 19, NW2 - 150, SW7 - 87, SW8 - 87. Below are a pair of SW8s assigned to Terminal Yard.
Alco Switch Engines
Alco S4 8598, shown in Terminal Yard wearing only the utilitarian pre merger "Road to the Future" herald is one of 166 Alco end cab switchers on the NYC roster. The 8598 was delivered to the Central in 1952.
Baldwin S12
The Central employed a group of 21 Baldwin S12s. The Eddystone built switch engines were very powerful and made it to the Penn Central roster after being renumbered into the 8000 series. The 9314 arrived on the Central in the summer of 1952.
Road Switchers
Alco RS1
The Alco RS1 was considered the first successful road switcher and the NYC added 14 such units to the roster. The 9909 was delivered to the NYC as their #8109 in 1950.
Below RS1 9909 and RS32 8040 await their next call to duty at the engine terminal.
Alco RS2
23 New York Central Alco RS2s delivered in late 1949 and early 1950 (8200-8222) would mostly be retired by 1968. Six were listed as active on the roster at the time of the merger with all retired by 1969.
Alco RS3
Alco delivered 130 RS3s (8223-8352) between 1950 and 1953 to the NYC. The RS3s were tough locomotives that were able to handle daily abuse and come back for more endearing them to the NYC and other railroads to the tune of more than 1,300 built.
Ex NYC RS3 #8253 still hard at work in this October 1976 photo as Amtrak #125. This is a very cool photo!!!
"10/30/76, AMT RS3 125" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Later in their post NYC lives some RS3s were rehabilitated with surplus EMD E unit prime movers and equipment and become classed as RS3ms. The rebuilt engines would also gain the nickname "Dewitt Geeps" for the shop that did much of the work.
EMD FTA-FTB
The pioneering New York Central FT A-B-B-A consists that were connected via drawbars were broken up to form A-B sets to be used in A-B-A consists with another locomotive like the F7A-FTB-FTA lash up below.
EMD F7A-F7B
The F7A-F7B fleet continued to provide good service in their cigar band scheme right up to and thru the merger with the Pennsylvania RR.
Alco FA1-FB1-FA2-FB2
The NYC had the largest Alco FA-FB fleet with the purchase of the FA1-FB1 and FA2-FB2 models. In the 1960s the NYC FA1s began to be retired and used as trade in fodder for new GE locomotives.
Baldwin RF16s
The Baldwin Sharks continued in service mostly on the western end of the system until just before the merger with the Pennsylvania RR. Equipped with an air throttle the Sharks could only M.U. with themselves. These locomotives had a reputation for pulling everything including the yard office but not over 45 mph. The Sharks would find a second home in revenue service for coal hauler Monongahela Railway.
Fairbanks-Morse Erie Builts and C-Liners
The NYC rostered a small group of the opposed piston powered A-1-A axled Erie Builts and all three models of the FM C-liners. In fact the Central was FMs best customer. Some of the Eries and C-Liners would be repowered with EMD prime movers and work into the 1960s.
EMD GP20
The New York Central entered the turbo charged locomotive market in 1961 with its purchase of fifteen GP20s. The GP20s were also the first low hood road switchers on the roster and the only GP20s erected without dynamic brakes.
EMD GP7 and GP9
The very popular EMD GP7 and GP9 series locomotives served the New York Central very well in a variety of assignments. The Central purchased 228 GP7s and 176 GP9s. Below GP7 5694 was part of a small group with dynamic brakes for coal train service.
Alco RS32
In 1961 the NYC started to replace their older Alco power with a newer group of 2,000 HP RS32s. Using trade in material from the FA1s and PA1s fifteen RS32s arrived in 1961. Ten more followed in 1962.
EMD GP30
New York Central made a small purchase of GP30s in 1962. Similar to the GP20s, the ten units were built without dynamic brakes.
EMD GP35
The Central continued purchasing EMD products adding thirty GP35s in 1963 and the World's Fair Demonstrator in 1965. Below the demo is now NYC 2399 and the only GP35 on the roster with dynamic brakes.
General Electric Universal Series
U25B
The Central tried and liked General Electrics first domestic diesel product. In a two year span the Central ordered seventy U25Bs.
U28B
NYC purchased twenty two U28Bs in early 1966 that were erected with the U25B car body design for subsidiary Pittsburgh & Lake Erie.
"3/11/78, P&LE U28B 2801" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
In May, 1966 two U28Bs (2822-2823)were delivered to the NYC on the new frame. Both the 2822 & 2823 would become prime power for the newly created Penn Central.
U30B
Between 1966 and 1967 sixty U30Bs were delivered with only "The Road to the Future" herald and road number as requested by the NYC and PRR planners for easier repainting for the merger that would take place in 1968. I don't like that scheme so I added some New York Central lettering to the long hood of these Athearn BB models.
EMD GP40
In 1965 the NYC ordered 105 EMD GP40s, the first such models built, with dynamic brakes that had not been a very common Central locomotive option during the second round of diesel purchases. Below is ex NYC / PC GP40 #3087.
"10/18/78, Conrail GP40 3087" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Here is a GP38 pretending to be part of later group of GP40s that were delivered with just a herald and road number.
Last But Not Least
Alco C430
In late 1967 Alco delivered the final New York Central locomotives, ten Alco C430s #2050-2059 making the 2059 the last NYC new locomotive. Here is a 1:87 scale Tyco rendition of ex NYC C430 #2059 that I painted and decaled.
New York Central 1960s Motive Power in Action
Here are some of the second generation NYC locomotives in the fleet getting the spotlight.
Final Thoughts and Comments
Thank you to all who have followed along with this three post NYC mini documentary. The project started as a simple look at the 1:1 scale New York Central of the 1960s with my 1:87 scale rolling stock and locomotives presenting the story. As we can see that didn't happen!!
NYC Locomotive Consists 1966-1967
The Canada Southern website offers a look at the NYC trains and their locomotive consists from Syracuse, NY during July, 1966 and Rochester, NY during November, 1967. I found this quite interesting from a modeling standpoint. You can see it here.
The 1960s were a tumultuous time for the railroads trying to compete with subsidized air and highway travel that drained the coffers of the NE railroads whose short runs were prime picking for trucking companies using the new subsidized interstate highways and airlines using subsidized airports. Archaic Inter City Commerce Commission rules and tariff regulations had the railroads basically fighting for their lives with one hand behind their backs.
On February 1st, 1968 the once great and proud New York Central became a fallen flag when it was merged into the Pennsylvania Railroad to create the Penn Central Transportation Company. We all know how that ended.
Welcome back to the New York Central System in Transition
Today we'll take a look at how the NYC positioned itself to take advantage of infrastructure upgrades, track upgrades and the addition of new rolling stock in an attempt to become profitable.
Forward Thinking at a Critical Time
President Perlman addressed the need for cost cutting, improved infrastructure, efficient operations, and reducing labor costs by using both innovative and draconian measures like laying off ten thousand employees to save the railroad.
During this era the New York Central developed a network of super yards across the system. Here is a look at some of them.
Selkirk Yard
Selkirk Yard was modernized in the mid 1960s as a large computerized push button hump facility and dedicated as Alfred E. Perlman Yard. In 1966 it had a capacity of 5,195 cars.
"File: South Bend NYC Aug 1962 2-20.jpg" by Lawrence and David Barera is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
DeWitt Yard
Dewitt Yard east of Syracuse was among the oldest hump yards on the Central. The west bound hump had a 4,980 car capacity. The eastbound hump held 5,855 cars. In the diesel era DeWitt was the primary diesel shop and base for most Alco and GE locomotives.
Frontier Yard
In 1956 the railroad built Frontier Yard east of downtown Buffalo. As the Central's first large electronically controlled hump yard Frontier was designed to supplant eight older facilities. Despite Frontier's 5,140 car capacity several fair sized flat switching yards were still needed to serve local industries.
"Conrail 7587 1002 and 9557 Frontier Yard Buffalo May 1991" by Mark Fischer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Niagara Falls
A large flat yard accommodated chemical and interchange traffic moving thru the Niagara Gateway.
"Niagara Falls NY train yard" by spinneyhead is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Pittsburgh & Youngstown
NYC affiliate Pittsburgh & Lake Erie operated a large yard at McKees Rocks near Pittsburgh.
"Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company McKees Rocks yards and shops, with two roundhouses 1946" by over 26 MILLION views Thanks is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
In 1958 the railroad opened Gateway Yard at Youngstown, Ohio replacing several smaller yards. Gateway was an immense facility covering roughly 200 acres and five miles long. Gateways 35 track hump classification had a capacity for 1,697 cars while its 21 track receiving yard had a 3,076 car capacity. Gateway could process up to 2,700 cars per day.
"3/20/79, trackage in Youngstown, OH." by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Collinwood Yard
The railroad's primary Cleveland area facility was Collinwood Yard which featured a large flat switching yard and the primary shops for the railroad's EMD diesel fleet.
"4/7/78, CR GP40 3261" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Elkhart Yard
In the modern era NYC built two large computer controlled hump yards in Indiana, one on the Chicago mainline at Elkhart and the other on the Big Four at Indianapolis. Elkhart was built on the site of an older yard in 1957 and dedicated to Robert R. Young. Elkhart featured a modern electronic hump with 72 classification tracks and could hold nearly 7,000 cars. It primarily handled traffic moving via the Chicago gateway and classified interchange traffic to many Chicago area railroads making it one of the Central's busiest yards in the 1960s.
"UP staring us down on the west end of the yard" by Shakes1420 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Avon Yard
Serving Indiana's largest city Avon Yard also known as Big Four Yard was built in 1960 as a modern hump facility. It featured 53 classification tracks, a 7 track departure yard and a 9 track receiving yard. Avon's primary function was to classify traffic moving to and from the St. Louis gateway.
"Avon Yard on a cloudy day from the east" by JarrahTree is licensed under CC BY 2.5.
CTC and Other 1957 Improvements
Traffic, Hump Yard and Flexi-Van Service.
New York Central Fast Freight
Traditional American rail freight operations were notoriously slow. Before the advent of motorized trucking and paved roads even glacially slow freight was faster than the alternatives. By the 1920s trucks using improved highway transportation began to cut into the traditional Less Than Carload (LCL) business where it was better suited for door to operation.
Pacemaker Service
In an effort to keep ahold of the LCL business the NYC emphasized the Pacemaker as a fast express service that featured free pick up and delivery using NYC trucks. In the early years of service the Pacemakers were assigned Mohawk and Niagara steam locomotives west of the electrified lines as seen below.
Typical Pacemaker trains would depart Manhattan with 25 cars and make pick ups along the way to Buffalo handling some 50-75 cars. These priority trains were among the first to regularly receive diesel power like the below Erie Built.
Early Bird Service
Pacemaker service survived into the mid 1950s but was deemphasized following the 1954 introduction of the Early Bird Service trains that concentrated recapturing carload traffic through improved scheduling. New York - Chicago service was promised in 29 hours. A cartoon bird with an engineer's cap and pocket watch was featured in advertising the "on time a day early" slogan.
Flexi-Van Service
The Early Bird service was relatively short lived as the New York Central started promoting its Flex-Van trains that consisted of two 40' vans riding on a spine car. The NYC purchased over 7,000 vans and 859 Flex-Van flatcars equipping the railroad to run 50 daily high speed Flexi-Van trains called Super Vans.
The Flexi-Van trains were very profitable for the NYC. Unfortunately few other roads embraced the technology (Milwaukee Road and Illinois Central were two exceptions) and the Flexi-Vans became a largely NYC only captive phenomenon.
With the need to interchange this traffic and ensure an availability of such equipment in 1964 the Central bought into the Trailer Train consortium.
The Road to the Future
Starting in June,1959 NYC boxcars began to receive the cigar band style herald (also known as the road to the future herald) that was approved earlier in the year by the Board of Directors. The cars were painted Century Green with black ends and roofs. In 1963 the cars started getting full Century Green paint and smaller heralds.
Cigar Bands replace Lightning Stripes
Around the same time to save money when the locomotives are shopped and repainted the dashing Lightning Stripe paint scheme is replaced by the austere Cigar Band scheme featuring the road to the future heralds.
"Two New York Central E8As at Hudson, NY" by railfan 44 is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
Recovering, Maintaining and Expanding the Customer Base
The Automotive Industry
While the automobiles on the interstates eroded the passenger car loadings the Central profited greatly by supplying equipment and motive power to haul the products needed to manufacture and ship finished automobiles.
Boxcars dedicated to automotive service started to appear in 60' and later huge 86' Hi Cube boxcars featuring four or eight doors as specified by the auto manufacturer. NYC 53051, a PCCM regular, was part of an 85 car order (53000-53084) delivered in 1963 by GSC under lot #932-B
Below are two 60' boxcars that were part of an 81car order (56451-56531) built by built by Pullman Standard in 1966 under lot #985B assigned to the Monroe, MI pool as noted by the small writing to the left of the door.
A pair of lot 987-B 60' double door boxcars built by Pullman-Standard in 1966. Of the 110 cars (53860-53969) in this lot 87 were assigned to Ford Bumpers in Monroe, and 19 cars to Ford Bumpers in Ypsilanti. The below cars are also assigned to the Monroe Pool.
NYC 67086 is the 8 door version of the 86' boxcars favored by General Motors and Chrysler. This car was part of a 57 car order (67040-67096) built by Pullman Standard in 1965 under lot #949-B. The cars in this group were assigned to Chevrolet. The below car is assigned to the Parma, Ohio pool.
NYC 67022 is the 4 door version of the 86' boxcars assigned to the Ford Motor Company. The 67022 is part of a 40 car order (67000-67039) built by Greenville in 1964 under lot #940-B. This group was assigned to the Ford Motor Company.
Auto Racks Revive Automobile Shipping
Replacing the cumbersome 50' boxcars that could hold four automobiles with tri level auto racks that could hold fifteen cars and bi level auto racks that could hold 10 cars or light trucks brought this profitable traffic back to the rails.
NYC 64413 was part of a 500 car order (64000-64499) built by Despatch Shops Inc. in Rochester, NY in 1941 under lot #701-B.
The New York Central rostered many of the 89' bi level and tri level auto racks built by Pullman Standard (MDAX and KTTX reporting marks) and American Car & Foundry (NIFX and MDX reporting marks) starting in 1961.
Other Innovations
Evans Breadbox Trough Coil Coaches
P&LE 42278 and 42279 were part of 50 car order (42250-42299) built by Evans in 1967 under lot #111-F. The cars were designed so a single person could open and close the coil covers. The covers however proved to be troublesome from wear and tear and rough handling and were later removed.
55' Coil Steel Flatcar
NYC 752034 was part of a 100 car order (752000-752099) built by Evans in 1965 under lot #984-F. These cars had the more traditional angled coil covers installed and removed by cranes.
The Stretch Program
In 1966 with the need for larger boxcars New York Central's Beech Grove Shops rebuilt and stretched 800 40' boxcars into 50' boxcars under lot #992-B The stretched cars carried road numbers 150000-15799.
Other Specialty Freight Cars
NYMX Mechanical Refrigerators
The NYC purchased 50 mechanical refrigerators built by Pacific Coast & Foundry in 1956 under lot #562 and 562A. The cars were numbered 1000-1049.
NYRX Bunker Less Refrigerator Cars
The NYC also added 100 RBL reefers built by Despatch Shops Inc. in 1958 under lot #936 with NYRX reporting marks and an Early Bird Logo on the sides. The cars were all steel numbered 2500-2599 and looked a bit like this wood side MDT reefer.
Flexi-Flo Covered Hoppers
In 1965 American Car & Foundry delivered 75 Flexi-Flo covered hoppers to the Central under lot # 963-H. These cars were numbered 885825-885899. In 1966 the Milton Company built 120 Flexi-Flo covered hoppers for the NYC under lot #996H. The cars were numbered 885680-885799.
100 Ton Covered Hoppers
Starting in 1964 the New York Central ordered 97 three bay covered hoppers with a capacity of 4.650 cubic feet from American Car & Foundry under lot #945-H. These cars featured circular hatches, were built to Plate C standards and carried road numbers 886000-886096.
In 1965 GATC built 50 three bay covered hoppers with a capacity of 4700 cubic feet under lot #946-H. These cars had exterior posts, continuous hatches and were also built to Plate C standards. The cars carried road numbers 886176-886225.
Other Covered Hoppers
NYC 886813 is part of a 100 car order (886726-886825) built in 1967 by ACF under lot # 114-H. The prototype however had continuous hatches, not circular hatches and three bays not four like this model.
Covered hopper 892086 was part of a 184 car order (892000-892183) built in 1967 by ACF under lot #131-H. The below model has three bays instead of four like the prototype. C'mon man!!...
NYC 892133 is part of the #131-H order mentioned above. This car has the correct number of bays but has circular hatches instead of continuous hatches like the prototype. Ugh...
Insulated Boxcars
NYC 78746 was part of a 50 car order (78700-78749) built by Despatch Shops in 1964 under lot #976-B.
NYC 78798 was part of a 50 car order (78750-78799) built by North American in 1964 under lot #953-B. The cars in this group were assigned to Corn Products Company service.
Non Revenue Equipment
In the 1960s the New York Central sought to replace its aging wood caboose fleet with new steel cabooses for transfer service. NYC 18087 is part of a 50 car order (18056-18105) built in 1966 by Despatch Shops under lot #977. The cars in this lot were converted from Lot #703-F boxcars.
Closing of Part 2
We'll close it out here for today. The New York Central System has upgraded its physical plant with improved track, centralized traffic control, state of the art super yards and new rolling stock to better meet the needs of their shippers. What the NYC needs to do now is provide reliable motive power to deliver the goods so to speak. We'll see how that went in our final installment that will be posted tomorrow.
The EC-1 departs Terminal Yard.
