I was recently looking through my train boxes in search of a few cars and an engine (or two) that could be repainted and used as a maintenance train for my Empire City Subway System. Track cleaning the tunnel tracks was the top priority. So I scrounged around for a bit and found a Model Power Amtrak Porter Hustler that I've owned for about twenty years and have not used in at least ten years. Interestingly at one time I converted it to knuckle couplers but do not remember doing so. Looking at the Port Hustler it is a short squat 4 wheel industrial locomotive that would be perfect for the Empire City Subway System. So off to the paint shop it went. After stripping the Amtrak paint I painted the locomotive black and yellow with rattle can spray paint. The locomotive was lettered and numbered NYC 363. While this project was going on my LHS was having a sale and I happened to see a Porter Hustler in A.T.S.F. livery. Hmm... Adding a second unit would greatly enhance the operation as the Porter Hustler is not known to be a smooth running engine with plenty of pulling power. So the second Hustler went into the shopping basket and soon became PC #304.
While working on these engines I came across an old Bachmann gondola that I had repainted in brown prime. Another twenty year old piece of rolling stock sitting in a box year after year. I had already added EZ mate couplers to the truck mounted coupler boxes and decided to leave them as is figuring with the tight radius of the subway tracks this might actually be beneficial. This gondola is now known as PC 10020. It has received a gravel load and is now in service.
Porter Hustlers NYC 363 and PC 304 idle away at the Empire City Subway Station. The short wheelbase is perfect for the tight radius of the subway tracks but will cause the engine to stall on a #6 or greater turnout. No turnouts in the subway so no problems!
The short squat look of the Porter Hustlers fits right in with the Subway System
The 6 train is on the inside track as the Hustlers occupy the outside track
PC 10020 has been rescued from the seldom / never used box and given a new lease on life
The gravel load on PC 10020 is plastic and was spray painted with gray primer. Looking at the picture it may be time to repaint the trucks black. A track cleaning pad may be installed on the gondola or a caboose that has yet to be painted.
NYC Track Cleaner 8938. Looks good in subway service. Was an IHC NYC liquid track cleaning caboose but one platform broke off after servicing it one time too many. Has been modified with a hard board masonite type pad.
An old MDC / Roundhouse track cleaning box cab diesel. One of, if not the worst running locomotives I ever purchased. Finally just removed the motor and gears and now it just rolls freely.
Porter Hustlers with cars for subway maintenance service.
The cleaning discs on the box cad and the hard board slider clean easily with an alcohol wipe. No more liquids for me. I have been very pleased using the hard board track sliders for about one year now and will be adding some more as time permits.
John! Clever use of resources! The matched set of Porter Hustlers looks perfectly plausible to me. Lucky break to find the second one. Nice save on the gondola. It looks good! Coincidentally I recently created a yellow MOW PC gon myself out of one I've had in a box for years. I like masonite track cleaners too. I have an old Lionel track cleaning car that used to have little sponges for the track. I removed them and added a strip of masonite that floats on the track. Works very well. Creative stuff John. Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteRalph
Thanks Ralph! This was an enjoyable project(s). Finding the second hustler was a stroke of good luck. If I was not working on the first hustler I would not have looked at it twice. If you post a pic of your PC MOW gon and the Lionel Car send me a link. The masonite / hard board(at Lowe's) has worked great for me since adding the home made cars to the roster. Thanks again for the compliments.
DeleteJohn
Let's see if this works. http://s197.photobucket.com/user/Ralph59/library/MOW?sort=3&page=1
ReplyDeleteIts a link to a small Photobucket album of two pictures. One is of the MOW gon (still with horn hook couplers...need to replace them), and the other is of the track cleaning car. Just to the right of the yellow cab on either side of the car are housings for posts that used to be attached to sponges that I believe rotated on the track for cleaning. I removed the sponges and glued a strip of masonite to the two posts so it glides over the track with enough give to avoid getting snagged on turnout frogs, etc. It works well and I see a couple of black streaks after running it round the layout. The track cleaner was originally lettered for the Southern Pacific. I painted it and added decals for the PC. Need magnetic couplers on the track cleaning car too...so many little projects to do!
It Works! Checked out the MOW gon and track cleaner. Paint and weathering on both cars looks great. The Lionel track cleaner is a very interesting looking model. I am going to keep my eyes open for one to add to my subway service MOW train. I think it would fit right in so to speak. Should I actually get one I will make the same modifications you made.
DeleteThanks for posting the photo link. Always enjoy seeing your PC and KP&W!
John