Scrap Line Rescue

Greetings All,

Earlier in 2018 I was able to vanquish the zinc rot chassis that were powering my Walthers FA and FB fleet. In most cases I found a complete locomotive and just swapped the frame out leaving me with several FA and FB shells that went into the locomotive shell purgatory box. 

Fast forward to April 2018 and I came up with the following scenario to add some new scrap line rescue units to my Empire Belt Railroad Fleet;


Empire Belt parent company the New York Central Railroad owned a fleet of 44 FA1s and 23 FB1s that were mostly all retired prior to the NYC / PRR merger. Some may have been used as trade ins for second generation diesels as that was very popular during this time and some may have ended up in the scrap line. With the purse strings tightened after the purchase of the SDP40s the Empire Belt was on the lookout for cheap power and once again contacted the N.M.D.C. (Neal Multz Diesel Consultants) to head out to Collinwood to see what if anything could be salvaged for use on the E.B.R.R. After a day of combing the scrap lines an A-B-A set worthy of rebuilding located.

The engines were transported back to the Terminal Yard shops where the mechanical rebuilding was undertaken. The engines were then sent out to the Patti O Paint Shop for some cosmetic improvements.

Here's the FA1-FB1-FA1 units  along with some other projects in new paint.

Empire Belt FA1 #1032 fresh out of the paint shop. I'm using the larger lettering to simulate the New York Central's final paint and lettering scheme that came about in the late 1960's. This was basically Cigar Band phase II. Check out FA2 #1045 at Marion Ohio in April 1967 and at Cleveland in August 1967

FB 3327 with NYC numbers. 

FA1 #1035. Since no NYC FAs or FBs were repainted with PC logos I kept the units in their pre merger NYC attire and numbers.

The newly painted and lettered trio ready for assignment.

Empire Belt FA1 #1035 proudly shows it's NYC heritage. 

The E.B.R.R. consist awaiting clearance to depart Terminal Yard. An easy spotting feature to tell the difference between an FA1 and FA2 are the radiator shutters at the rear of the engine. The FA-2 is four feet longer to accommodate an optional boiler and has a grill beyond the shutters. 

Running light with a NYC FB1 thru Bedford NY towards North Side Yard with 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal at the throttle. 

A few days later 1/87th scale John B has a good vantage point overlooking Empire City Station and checking out his newly posted billboard. I think John B knows something, these tower men have a grapevine all their own.

His info is on the money! The newly painted Empire Belt FA1-FB1-FA1 combo are pulling a freight train out of the lower level tunnel and are heading for Empire City station. Gotta have the right connections!

But wait there's more! I later found a second FB shell in a different box and painted and lettered it as Empire Belt #3309. 

So now I have an actual A-B-B-A consist. Mimicking the old lead blog photo.

The A-B-B-A set looking sharp and pulling a heavy tonnage train thru Bedford NY  

Returning lite to North Side Yard.

Later that week the Empire Belt ALco's meet their GE brothers in front of University Millwork while a Route Ralph tractor trailer looks on. 

1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal has gathered the guys and the engines of the Empire Belt Railroad at their North Side Yard HQ.  

Now that the ALcos have been certified for revenue service Senior Engineer Sir Neal will have the guys qualified on them in no time. That's 1/87th scale AT JOE and Big Mike standing down the tracks in front of the GP30s and U Boats

In his well known gravelly voice old head 1/87th scale Big Mike imparts some of his opinions on new engineer AT JOE. "Kid these GP30s slip coming out of the roundhouse and the GEs are super slow to load." "Grab the SDP40s if you can!"

Empire Belt U30Cs, GP30s, FA-FBs and SDP40s in Empire City at the Hohman Ave side of the yard.

With the newly added ALcos and SDP40s the Empire Belt GP9ms are at Terminal Yard ready to head into the shop for some well deserved maintenance and a well needed rest. These engines have been in constant service since last summer. 

 Thanks for reading!

New Power For The Empire Belt

Greetings All,

With an increased amount of daily trains and tonnage the Empire Belt found itself in need of new motive power and when new motive power is needed the E.B.R.R.'s first call is to the N.M.D.C. (Neal Multz Diesel Consultants). The N.M.D.C is a for profit corporation that assists railroads in identifying their power needs and diesel manufacturers in fulfilling the needs of the railroads.

Agents from the N.M.D.C. after a careful study of current and projected rail traffic on the E.B.R.R. recommended two 3,000 horsepower six axle units to keep the heavier tonnage trains running on time and within a reasonable schedule. While Empire Belt management mulled over the findings the N.M.D.C. was hard at work behind the scenes. A meeting at an undisclosed location with 1/87th scale Sir Neal led to information being obtained that EMD was having some difficulties selling a pair of SDP40s. Originally part of an eight unit order for the Great Northern they cancelled the order after the first six. The leftover two could be had for a very reasonable price.

So what's an SDP40? Basically it's an SD40 with a steam generator. Same power output, trucks, prime mover and operators manual. Perfect for the Empire Belt with the bonus of powering special passenger trains down the road. The OK was given, the N.M.D.C handled the negotiations and they came thru for the E.B.R.R. again.

Now that's a good story line for the blog. The reality is I bought two Athearn BB NYC SDP40s many years ago. Later I found out the NYC never had them. I barely ran them so I painted them in a fantasy Penn Central livery in 2014 thinking I would like them better. After very limited use I decided they would be better suited for my freelanced Empire Belt RR. These "like new" engines have been resurrected from the locomotive purgatory box and are now in service in their third and hopefully final paint scheme.

An original Blue Box NYC SDP40

#1 as PC 6190 in 2014:

#2 as PC 6197 in 2015:
 
Neither unit looked bad but I had trouble getting them on the layout with the more accurate PC models I've painted. So fast forward 4 years and they've been given a new lease on life as E.B.R.R. 6294 and 6295. These were available numbers from the PC SD40 series.

E.B.R.R. #6295 in the decal setting process. Note the extended long hood and vent to the left. This is the location of the boiler.

On March 3rd the two SDP40s rolled out of the Terminal Yard Shops ready for revenue service.  

The hostler has coupled the SDP40s to a pair of Empire Belt GE U30Cs and spotted the units on track 9. 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal with conductor AT JOE will do the honors on the first run. 1/87th scale AT JOE has since been promoted to engineer 

1/87th scale Sir Neal talks with the hostler as E.B.R.R. 6294 poses for the camera and 1/87th scale PC Ralph looks on. PC Ralph will be at the throttle of the seven unit GE-EMD consist behind him. 

E.B.R.R. 6295  and 6294 ready for their maiden run.

Empire Belt U-Boats 6576 and 6574 round out the four engine consist. We're talking a combined 12,000 horsepower here!  

An aerial shot of Terminal Yard. 1/87th scale Engineer Ed and conductor John look on from track 6. They're assigned to the four engine lash up with ex NYC GP40 3007 that's on track 5.

The three consists in full profile

Train EC-1 leaves Terminal Yard for Empire City's North Side Yard with 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal at the throttle 

Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B is checking out the newest E.B.R.R. power.

Up and over the Cornelius Vanderbilt Bridge and onto the High Line without breaking a sweat. 

A trio of Alco Centuries idle on the inner main. Judging from the Swift's Premium reefer car this is a local leaving or heading to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.

1/87th scale Sir Larry has come out of the Hohman Ave tower and watches 6294 lead the train into North Side Yard.

1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal and Conductor AT JOE head into the North Side Yard office to file their report on the new engines.

Later that day the new engines are posed on the Empire City viaduct for the obligatory company promotional photo.  

It's been seven weeks since the SDP40s were first released and I'm happy to report they are working out great. I'm happy with their utilitarian look, their overall performance and the increased tonnage capabilities for the Empire Belt RR. Much better having them 'in service' then sitting in a box for 4 years!

The E.B.R.R. would like to thank the N.M.D.C. for their diligence and hard work in procuring these engines.

Thanks for reading!

  

A Pleasant Coincidence

Greetings All,

As some readers are well aware I have been painting my New York Central, Penn Central and Empire Belt rolling stock with Krylon rattle can Sea Glass Green. Recently I stumbled across a very pleasant coincidence. A newly purchased Roundhouse P&LE boxcar was a very close match for the home painted cars. Even better I found my small fleet of Accurail NYC cars were an almost exact match of the rattle can color. 

Let's take a look;

Roundhouse brand 40' P&LE boxcar purchased at recent train show

Accurail 50' boxcar, Roundhouse 40' boxcar(shown above), home painted Empire Belt 50' car with NYC oval and three Accurail NYC cars blending in very nicely. A pleasant coincidence indeed!

Home painted Empire Belt freight cars bring up the rear. PC caboose 18418 is home painted using Jade Green rattle can paint form a company called American Slings. The bay window caboose is factory painted from Athearn. 

On the Empire City viaduct factory and home painted cars intermingle 

Not a bad match if I do say so myself! E.B.R.R. 50'er is home painted, the next four cars are factory painted from Accurail and then another E.B.R.R. home painted car.

As a home painter of rolling stock having my home painted cars blend in seamlessly to some of their factory painted counterparts is very rewarding. 

Here's a short video of the train above rumbling thru Empire City.

Thanks for reading and watching!

P.C.C.M. 46C

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M. 46 series! Today I'll wrap up the action on the NYCTL and dispatch trains from Terminal Yard towards Selkirk where Ralph's KPD will take over the action. 
Let's get started.

Yesterday we saw 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal waiting for clearance to head onto the High Line for the late afternoon trip to Terminal Yard as E.B.R.R. Train EC-4.

EC-4 blocks Hohman Ave as we note some newly painted APRR / EBRR / PC covered hoppers on the west side storage track. The good news is no Empire City Police Officers monitoring the crossing!

Here's the hold up. 1/87th scale Bedford Tower operator John B has the Bedford mainlines blocked for Engineer Ed to get the Coal Job squared away to switch out Hudson Coal.

The loaded coal hoppers wait for the Coal Job at Hudson Coal.

1/87th scale Double E has pulled track 1 with these loaded NYC and PRR hoppers consigned to Corning Glass in Corning NY that is served by the Kings Port & Western Railroad.

The Bedford mainlines are humming as the Coal Job holds on track 3 after swapping the empties for loads at Hudson Coal and E.B.R.R. Train EC-4 makes it's way towards Terminal Yard.

EC-4 heads up the grade at Hudson Coal towards Terminal Yard.

EC-4 rolls into Terminal Yard on track 8 in time to make the cutoff for tonight's outbound trains.

Right behind him the Coal Job makes it way up the grade behind Hudson Coal also under the wire for tonight's cut off time.

The head end of Coal Job with it's GP40s rolls into Terminal Yard.

While the hind end with the four PS-2 covered hoppers for the APRR engine terminal are passing Hudson Coal. 

The Coal Job is in the yard and 1/87th scale Double E guides the GP40s back into the engine tracks.

The GP40s are back and await their next assignment. The engine hostler is prepping the five engine consist to the right with the NYC GP30 for tonight's SLX-1 due out at 10:00 PM.

Terminal Yard yard crew A gets to work on the coal hoppers as they just make the late afternoon cut off for tonight's outbound train. The A crew has already made quick work of the cars brought in by EC-4 as we see the PC covered hoppers and other cars already blocked into their trains. 

The A crew puts the final cars into Train BF-1. In the NYC era BF-1 went from New York to East St Louis. It was later cut back to be a Buffalo to East St Louis train. The NYCTL has retained the modeling rights to have BF-1 originate in the Empire City.  

It's 7:30 PM and the power for BF-1 comes out of the engine facility to couple up to the train. The GP30-F7A-F7B-F7A-GP30 lash up should provide plenty of power. 

At exactly 8:00 PM BF-1 rolls out of Terminal Yard with block 1 heading to industries served out of West Mill on the KPD 

Block 2 with cars for Kings Port NY

And block 3 with cars that will connect with Train BC-1 at Selkirk for their trip to Elkhart and ultimately towards Denver, Colorado on Brian's RCRR layout. 

BF-1 rumbles thru Bedford NY. The GP30's may be maligned on a certain 1:1 scale railroad but on the N.Y.C.T.L. they provide plenty of reliable power. 

A NYC bay window caboose brings up the BF-1 markers.

Next stop Selkirk!

Watch here or on youtube

Due out next from Terminal Yard is Train SLX-1 and tonight it will be assigned the pure NYC lash up of GEs and EMDs seen earlier.

It's 10:00 PM and SLX-1 rolls out of Terminal Yard for Selkirk with a solid train for the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard.

Two different APRR paint schemes are noted on the 50' RBLs

APRR and PRR 86' boxcars heading to IDEAL Auto Parts for reloading.

SLX-1 throttles up as it heads out of town.

PC wide vision caboose #26403 brings up the SLX -1 markers.

Next Stop Selkirk!
Watch here or on youtube

That's it for the N.Y.C.T.L.'s portion of the P.C.C.M. 46 series! P.C.C.M. 46D will follow on Ralph's KPD.

Thanks for reading!