Have a Cigar...band

Greetings All,

The New York Central Train Layout Paint Shop recently released NYC F7A #1644 for revenue service. The 1644 is painted in the NYC cigar band freight engine paint scheme that the NYC applied as an economy measure versus the lightning striped units in the 1960's. The Microscale decals used for this project, 87-88, advertises this paint scheme was used for NYC diesels from 1960 to 1968.

The New York Central owned 238 F7As that were built between 1949 and 1952. They were delivered in the classy black and gray lightning stripe scheme and numbered 1636 - 1873. The 60's saw the NYC looking at all manner of cost savings and one of those measures was the elimination of the famed lightning stripes. 

Our project locomotive is a Bachmann Plus SP F7A #356 purchased used on ebay.

I must admit this SP scheme is very catchy.  

The F7A has been stripped in 91% alcohol, painted with rattle can black and lettered with Microscale decals

Another shot of the F7A shell in high gloss finish

The 1644 has received some Model Master Flat to seal the decals and reassembled with Kadee #5s. 

Here it is on it's first assignment;

NYC 1644 and PC GP30 2228 are assigned to the Empire City Turn which will work various industries from Terminal Yard to Empire City and back.

2nd and 1st generation EMD power rolls thru the commuter station

A nice profile shot of the 1644

Making the Empire City turn on the West Side

Heading back towards Terminal Yard the EC Turn is working the Ford Plant

The Empire City Turn meets leased LIRR Alcos running caboose lite back to North Side Yard

Thanks for Reading!

An Unusual Move

Greetings All,

A recent bathroom remodeling project left me with some Travertine tile pieces that looked like they would make pretty good gondola loads. At the time Ralph V of the Kings Port Division http://kingsportdivision.blogspot.com/ and I were both making loads to share for a gondola project that he undertook. When completed each of us would have a gondola lettered as KP&W 2140 to use in our virtual ops. With both contributing scratch built loads it was a definite winner. I sent off the loads to Ralph and he sent me some fine loads and a gondola my way.

Last week the Penn Central Car Movement #9 series included the new KP&W Gondola #2140 with a granite slab destined for the Empire City Museum of Art via the NYC Water Street Freight House. The slab would then be picked up by truck and transported to the E.C.M.of A. I saluted Ralph for his ingenuity in getting the granite slab into the mix and making this a challenging freight movement. Now I could have just spotted the car at the Freight Terminal and called it a completed move. But that would have been way to easy and certainly not as much fun. So here's how a discarded tile piece got into into the ops and we had some fun with it;

KP&W Gondola #2140 with a large granite slab from the Catskill Quarry awaits pick up on the Kings Port Interchange track.

The gondola is coupled up to a flat car with an excavator destined for Empire City Caterpillar. 

It will be part of block 1 of PC Train KV-7 (Kings Port to Selkirk) 

with block 1 being forwarded to Empire City's Terminal Yard.

KV-7 is the afternoon train out of Williams Yard for Selkirk and it departs behind a good looking set of FP7-F7A power. 

The following day PC Train VN-4 (Selkirk to Empire City) heads towards 

Terminal Yard with block 1 of Train KV-7 in tow

The first six cars of the block from KV-7. Note the cars are placed in blocked order as they left 

Williams Yard on the Kings Port Division

 In order to handle the KP&W gondola car movement and coordinate it's safe unloading the Terminal Yard Yard Master, NYC Water Street Freight House Supervisor, members of the N.Y.C.T.L. track crew and some local trades people worked together to accomplish this mission.

Below Extra 2415 crosses over the bridge as it heads towards the Water Street Freight House. The street is being temporarily blocked by the E.C.P.D.  

A Penn Central tractor with heavy duty trailer waits track side

The Empire City Museum of Art has contracted with Gervais Pipe and Fitting to supply heavy lifting power to get the slab off the truck at the E.C.A. That's 1/87th scale Bobby G inspecting the forklift and standing by should it be needed. Neal's Lumber and Hardware has sent a truck of hardwood for blocking if necessary and that's 1/87th scale Sir Neal Himself standing near his Cadillac convertible.

KP&W 2140 is shoved into place.
1/87th scale PC Ralph and Engineer Ed assure the REA foreman they will leave as soon as the street reopens and not block the REA loading docks any longer.

The PC tractor trailer pulls forward to allow the crane to turn without taking out the street light

The crane operator is ready to lift the load as Mayor Julius "Big Julie" Fiorello" waves to the camera.

At this point it's even money whether the crane operator drops the slab onto the mayor or the trailer. 

Slowly the slab is lifted from the gondola

And expertly placed onto the heavy duty trailer

The PC tractor trailer with granite slab leaves Water Street with a police escort.

The caravan makes it's way through midtown

And rolls on towards the Empire City Museum of Art

It's work done Extra 2415 heads back to Terminal Yard as the Empire City Transit Authority's new R-17 subway cars glide to a stop at the E.C. subway station.

And there you have it!

There are eight million stories in Empire City and this has been one of them.

Thanks for Reading!

Train Movements & New Scenes

Greetings All,

Below are some photos of my newest  diesel and some train movements in the newly finished scenery.

Long Island Railroad RS3 #1556 has officially joined the fleet. This is an Atlas Classic model bought on the used market using the consulting services of the N.M.D.C. 

Gervais Pipe and Fitting has stepped up production and is busy with both rail and road freight.

A tractor trailer gets loaded while Bobby G grabs another load of pipe for the next rail car shipment.

Heavy congestion over at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse and Distribution. Construction has snarled traffic and the Empire City PD have been called out to get everything moving along. 1/87th scale PC Ralph is standing on the corner (usually watching all the girls go by) watching the action.

The siding at Ralph's Warehouse has three boxcars ready to be picked up

Looking down the siding Gervais Pipe and Ralph's Warehouse are both hubs of activity with outbound freight cars ready to be picked up. The Cargill Facility behind the bus terminal and adjacent to Gervais Pipe has also requested the loaded hoppers get picked up.

Before we can get to the new scenery locations we first have to work some existing locations. First car to be delivered is this flat car with a tired old excavator from Sal Monella's Auto Salvage in Kings Port NY. Sal's trading in this tired old model for a new one.

    Next we head over to Neal's Lumber and Hardware as the Empire Belt gets 

ready to switch out an empty RF&P boxcar

The cars roll out of Neal's yard 

TPFX 5510 with a load of door and window frames from 

the Battaglia Brothers Warehouse  has been spotted 

Back to East side and the newly scenicked areas. The E.B. is pulling cars from the long siding.

Looking to the left we see the empty RF&P boxcar from Neal's Lumber, a gondola with a large gear load from Prestage gear and an empty A.P.R.R. covered hopper that will go to Cargill on the right..

The outbound cars have been pulled and the Empire Belt's leased LIRR RS3 is spotting the inbound cars at Ralph's and Gervais Pipe. The two hopper cars will go to Gargill

Two loaded boxcars for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse

   

An empty 50' boxcar for Gervais Pipe and Fitting

The Cargill spur has been worked and the Terminal Yard Transfer train is being assembled.

Leased LIRR RS1 #461 in the Worlds Fair paint scheme couples up to the RS3. The extra power will be needed to make the grade up to Terminal Yard. 

Thanks for reading!

N.M.D.C. / New Power

Greetings All,

The N.M.D.C. is short for Neal Ms Diesel Consultants. A for profit diesel consulting firm founded by 1:1 Sir Neal C.E.O. of the Atlantic Pacific Railroad headquartered in New Jersey. With worldwide connections and locations in several major rail served cities across the United States and around the globe the N.M.D.C. is the go to place for railroads seeking to add motive power to their fleets.

The N.M.D.C. specializes in both new and used diesel power assessments and it's highly trained well versed staff will travel throughout the world on behalf of it's clients seeking good deals on good motive power.The N.M.D.C. also consults with many class 1 railroads to determine power needs and how to best maximize their current fleets.

The N.Y.C.T.L. and Empire City Transit Authority are among the many railroads using the N.M.D.C. expertise in growing their fleets and managing their power needs for today and the future. So if you are in the market for new or used motive power be sure to dial 1-800-SIR NEAL and look for the N.M.D.C. Approved label.

Let's take a look at some N.M.D.C. Approved power.

First is train VN-4 (Selkirk to NY 72nd Street) with blocks of cars from the Kings Port Division, Atlantic Pacific Railroad and Hoschton Railway.

Train VN-4 makes it's way to Terminal yard from Selkirk behind two 

GE U30Bs.

VN-4 Block 1 originated on K.P.D. Train KV-7 and was interchanged at Selkirk 

NYC double door boxcar rounds out Block 1

Block 2 from the A.P.R.R. consists of the RI 50' boxcar and the six flat cars hauling newly acquired R-17 subway cars for the Empire City Transit Authority

These four P-1000 subway cars were acquired using connections from the C.E.O. of the Hoschton Railway Engineer Ed and the consulting services of  the N.M.D.C.

This subway set is N.M.D.C. Approved

Block 3 from the Hoschton Railway Company 

with caboose 21505 on the rear.

An L.I.R.R. Rs-2 has found it's way to the N.Y.C.T.L.

This is an Atlas Classic model

Bought thru the N.M.D.C. 

and N.M.D.C Approved.

A trio of Bachmann Plus units via EBAY also arrived this week.

The price point on these engines put them below the N.M.D.C. threshold. 

The B23/30-7S are slated to become Penn Central U33Bs. 

A few discrepancies exist between the two but close enough for the N.Y.C.T.L.

Side view of the soon to be PC U33B.

These were bought used and had been custom painted by former owner. 

A Bachmann Pluse F7A in a very ice SP paint scheme. 

This is a very nice looking engine and was also purchased used. 

Right now it has been stripped of the SP paint and will soon wear the NYC cigar band scheme

Thanks for reading!