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!
I like these locos. The Spectrum version had problems with the coupler spacing between units. Kadee made, or makes, a conversion kit to fix this, but it's a kludge. Bachmann fixed this with its current run, which is also DCC ready or sound equipped, both about the most reasonably priced models around these days. I have some Spectrum GN versions that I'd like to convert to DCC, but I need to find them first.
ReplyDeleteYou are spot on about the coupler spacing. I installed the Kadee close coupling kits on a lot of my F7 fleet and it really was not much of an improvement. In 2014 I removed the Kadee close coupling kits amd converted them to draw bars. I can run them in any combination of A-A, A-B-A or A-B-B-A. The close coupling really
Deletemakes the units look good.
http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-york-central-f7-b-b-conversion.html
The cigar band might have been an economy scheme but it became a classic and the F unit transition loco into the Penn Central. Yours looks great and is another excellent roster addition!
ReplyDeleteThank You Ralph!
DeleteGreat work by the NYCTL. As owner of the APRR, the units painted in the APRR scheme live up to the highest standards of the NYCTL management team. Still a great paint scheme and the PC was very fortunate to inherit them.
ReplyDeleteThank You 1:1 scale Sir Neal!
ReplyDelete