The shop forces of the New York Central Train Layout were busy yesterday upgrading an eight car set of IHC Chicago & North Western ore cars from truck mounted (talgo style) couplers to body mounted couplers. NYCTL Management authorized the upgrade after the cars derailed during a shove move.
The cars have been under NYCTL ownership for almost 20 years and can be found working the T&R Gravel Plant. The cars were purchased from the old International Hobby Corp in Philadelphia and have Walther's removable ore loads. For one reason or other the cars were never upgraded during the prior 20 years of ownership. At this time the cars are now fully operational and slated to get metal wheel sets on the next fleet upgrade.
The first 4 car set of C&NW ore cars. The cars now feature body mounted knuckle couplers at the end of each 4 car set and body mounted dummy knuckle couplers to couple the four cars together.
4 Car set #2
Close up of the body mounted dummy couplers. Screws and washers are left unpainted for pictorial clarity
Body Mounted Operating Knuckle Coupler. Washer added to meet Kadee Height Gauge requirements.
Bottom view showing coupler body mounted using 2-56 screws and Kadee coupler boxes.
The 8 car set now operational and made into a train. Pennsylvania 8815, a Spectrum H16-44, is the power.
The tail end of the train with caboose and conductor on rear platform.
The train is ready for a shove move with the conductor in place to "protect the shove"
A video of the cars being shoved. The last shove prior to the upgrade resulted in a derailment that made the cars resemble a slinky. The cars now operate satisfactorily in either direction.
Hey John! That trainset looks great especially against the buildings in the background! Great job!!
ReplyDelete