Lessons Learned From A Recent Visit To The N.Y.C.T.L.

Greetings All,

The N.Y.C.T.L. was recently honored to receive a visit from my wife's uncle who lives out of state and made his first visit to our house. Uncle Harry had heard about the trains and was eager to check out the layout. His not being a model railroader or rail fan came into play big time. Things model railroaders and rail fans would normally focus in on drew little or no interest. I found that other things that I often take for granted or rarely pay attention to made a big impact on him.

Uncle Harry seemed to enjoy viewing the layout with some trains running but didn't really pay attention to the trains all that much other than commenting positively on how smooth the trains ran and how he liked the click clack sound of the metal wheels. Thankfully I didn't have any derailments!   

After a couple of oh wows upon seeing the layout Uncle Harry focused on and really liked this scene with the sheriff's car parked half on the sidewalk.

This A-B-A- lash up with MILW T.O.F.C. trailer mimicking a photo in the summer 2018 Classic Trains magazine was no big deal to him. I really liked it!

Hey that's cool! Mobsters sitting around their social club.

I love those mountains! The Ford Plant with the auto racks, boxcars steel coil cars etc not much of a comment. That I used blue painters tape was found to be impressive.

The coal hopper summer of 2017 spent painting and lettering accurate PC coal hoppers and E.B.R.R. coal hoppers wasn't as impressive to him as the painted mountains.

Is this powered? After answering affirmative we ran some trains in and out of the yard tracks that he enjoyed. 

During his visit I had a couple of trains running thru the layout while Uncle Harry explored the layout at his own pace enjoying the little scenes like this one. That I made the trees from sedum was deemed cool.

Here's some of the questions I was asked.
#1 How do you keep it clean? 
#2 How much is it worth? 
#3 How do you make these buildings? 
#4 How do you 'letter' the boxcars you painted? 
#5 Where did you get the vehicles on the layout?
#6 How long having you been working on it?
#7 How could you ever move?
#8 Do you watch the Big Bang Theory? 

Here's some tips for hosting a non model railroader or non rail fan.
#1 Mention early in the visit that Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra are / were model railroaders to get some coolness factor going to get away from Sheldon and the Big Bang Theory.   
#2 Have the layout in a presentable condition. Obviously this is not always possible when doing big projects on the layout. But having a clean area will go a long way in your presentation.
#3 Allow the visitor to explore the layout at their own pace and ask questions as they come up. No sense overloading the visitor with railroad minutiae that will cause their eyes to glaze over.
#4 Be ready for the trains not being the main attraction. What! Yup. In some cases the scale world you've created will take center stage and the trains will be an afterthought.
#5 Be ready to run some trains. While they may not be the main attraction it is a model train layout and therefore model trains should be shown running thru the layout.
#6 Trains should run reliably well. Every layout owner has been cursed at least once with a "visitor derailment". That's OK just rerail and get them running again. 
#7 Afford your visitor as much time as reasonably needed to take in the layout and enjoy it. Showing a willingness to answer questions and spend the time explaining the layout, the scenes, the wiring etc is the sign of a good host. Be that guy or girl.

That's it from my soapbox.

Thanks for Reading!!!   

Dispatch of Extra 3175

Greetings All,

In early April the Patti O Paint Shop released a bakers dozen of paint projects that included twelve covered hoppers in A.P.R.R., E.B.R.R. and Penn Central paint and Penn Central GP40 #3175. Ebbs and flows in our rail traffic patterns led to the the hoppers and GP40 being stored serviceable on the N.Y.C.T.L. 

1:1 Sir Neal has sent word that the new covered hoppers and GP40 are now needed on the A.P.R.R. so today we'll dispatch Extra 3175 with a consist of newly painted empty covered hoppers from Terminal Yard to the Atlantic Pacific Railroad's Rock Ridge Yard.


The Empire Belt RR dispatches GP30s 2160 and 2161 to their west side storage track to retrieve the empty covered hoppers.

The E.B.R.R. engines make their way of the Empire City viaduct to access the storage track and covered hoppers in the background. 

Pulling out the covered hoppers with E.B.R.R. caboose 1605 ready to be coupled on to make up train EC-4

E.B.R.R. Train EC-4 rolls past Bedford Tower and 1/87th scale John B. as it makes it's way to Terminal Yard.

The new A.P.R.R. covered hoppers are clean, pristine and ready to earn revenue!

E.B.R.R. 827941 is in 'unit train service' and assigned to the A.P.R.R.'s Rock Ridge Yard.

The newly painted GP40 has been called out of the engine terminal and coupled on to the covered hoppers. Once again the 1/87th scale trainmen have gathered at Terminal Yard as 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal prepares to board GP40 #3175 for the trip from Terminal Yard to Rock Ridge Yard with train Extra 3175.

 Extra 3175 leaving Terminal Yard

Extra 3175 coming out of the Terminal Yard tunnel and working it's way downgrade behind Hudson Coal. The dynamic brakes will keep the train under control.

Rolling thru Bedford 1/87th scale Sir Neal notches up the throttle

 Penn Central caboose 26403 brings up the markers.

1/87th scale Bedford Tower operator John B has cleared Extra 3175 for the High Line and gives a highball and roll by inspection.

Next stop Rock Ridge Yard!

Thanks for reading.

P.C.C.M. #47H

Greetings All,

The P.C.C.M. 47 series went off the sheet so to speak to highlight some of the recent work done on Ralph's K.P.D., my N.Y.C.T.L. and Brian's Ralston Creek layouts. As the originator of the series Ralph took available virtual ops cars that were currently on the K.P.D. according to the Official Dispatch Sheet and our Rail Traffic Management Form and sent these cars out to Brian and I. 

For #47 Ralph prepared a special dispatch sheet for Brian and I to follow. As freight cars destined for Ralston Creek continue their journey to Denver today I'll start getting the cars sent to Terminal Yard from the K.P.D. heading back to West Mill. This will put things back in order for P.C.C.M. 48.

We start the action in Empire City at the Empire Belt RR's North Side Yard. 1/87th scale ATJOE will be the engineer for today's moves with EBRR U30Cs 6574 and 6576 as his assigned engines. ATJOE is getting plenty of advice for the other 1/87th scale trainmen some of it useful some of it not so much. 

1/87th scale ATJOE and his conductor have cut their train after the sixth car using the 40' box cars as a handle to pull the empty Cargill hopper from the Empire City Cargill complex. This keeps the big six axle trucks off the siding. Smart move!

Loading slowly? Maybe. The Big U Boats head over to the West Side to continue their switching work.

On the West Side the crew has cut the train so as not to block Hohman Ave. 

The crew was able to fit the the freight cars on the EC viaduct in such a fashion they don't unnecessarily block this street either while working the west side. ATJOE is shoving back towards Superior Furniture with six boxcars, four of which will act as spacers. 

Shoving under Superior Furniture to retrieve PC 104478

Shoving thru to retrieve NYC 80775 from Reliable Machine Works

A text book move! No drama, no damage and no nasty phone calls to the Empire Belt office.

PC 104478, NYC 80775 and TLDX 7241 are blocked together as they head out of town in Empire Belt Train EC-2.

EC-2 arrives at the Penn Central's Terminal Yard as 1/87th scale ATJOE gets a roll by inspection and a thumbs up from Senior Engineer Sir Neal, PC Ralph and his trusty brakeman.

EC-2 continues towards Terminal Warehouse passing this newly paved road 

Passing the T.O.F.C. crane we see a PC Trailer getting loaded onto a 50' flat car.

With EC-2 now off the books the yard crews are busy at work. Yard crew A has their three S12s pulling a barely visible caboose from EC-2 back to the caboose track while Yard Crew B pulls PC 229046 from Bruce Electric Equipment loaded with electric components for Zenith

The A crew works the Terminal Warehouse pulling empty PC77047 from door 21 as well as empties EL 73510 and P&LE 35892 from doors 1 and 2.

The A crew is building train NV-3 (Empire City to Selkirk) and has three empty boxcars brought in on train EC-2 in tow. The B crew is shoving PC229046 on the high side for inclusion in NV-3. All four boxcars are destined for West Mill. A quick look on the T.O.F.C. track shows that the E.B.R.R. trailer is being loaded onto a 50' flat car.

Train NV-3 is taking shape as the T.O.F.C. cars are coupled up to PC 229046.

The A crew has finished building train NV-3 and the B team tacks on the caboose. All of NV-3s freight cars are destined for West Mill Yard on Ralph's K.P.D. layout 

The power has been coupled on and our engineer 1/87th scale PC Ralph discusses the pending trip with his brakeman/conductor. 

NV-3 meets an inbound train at Bedford NY as it heads out of town

Rolling thru Bedford Station

PC 18418 bringing up the NV-3 markers.

Heading over the High Line. Next stop Selkirk!!

Don't forget to follow the action on Brian's Ralston Creek Layout and Ralph's Kings Port Division! 

Thanks for reading!

   

P.C.C.M. #47E

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M. 47 series!!

Today the Empire Belt RR takes center stage as we move the freight cars from Terminal Yard to North Side Yard and their respective Empire City industries. We'll also follow up on our inaugural T.O.F.C. consignee deliveries.

We pick up the action at Terminal Yard as the E.B.R.R. pulls three freight cars that arrived yesterday in Penn Central Train WMV-5 from track 7. WMV-5 (West Mill to Selkirk) was dispatched from Ralph's West Mill Yard in P.C.C.M. 47C.

The three cars from WMV-5 are coupled to the rest of the train and Empire Belt Train EC-1(Terminal Yard - North Side Yard) is now ready to depart on track 4.

 EC-1 heads down grade from Terminal Yard past Hudson Coal.

Passing Bedford Station this commuter is obviously not a rail fan and is more interested in the photographer.

Rolling over the High Line into Empire City

 Coming thru the west side reverse curve.

 Entering North Side Yard from the east side entrance.

EC-1 has yarded it's train and pulled the three WMV-5 cars for delivery. In the lower left the Cargill covered hopper can be seen being shoved towards Empire City Cargill while the three T.O.F.C. trailers from WMV-5 sit in bumper to bumper traffic entering Empire City.

The Cargill covered hopper is spotted at Empire City Cargill.

The E.B.R.R. now heading towards the west side passes Empire Produce and North Side Yard.

Working the Superior Furniture / Reliable Machine Works lead the big E.B.R.R. six axle engines are in uncharted territory as they shove under Superior Furniture to pull the outbound freight cars.

NYC 50' boxcar #80775 loaded with machine parts from Quality Fabrications is spotted at Reliable Machine Works. The E.B.R.R. engine looks to have barely made it under Superior Furniture. 

Hohman Ave tower operator 1/87th scale Larry D has come down to check out the groaning tracks and loud rumbling as E.B.R.R. 6294 and 6295 squeeze under Superior Furniture rattling their foundation and windows and providing the workers with the pleasant aroma of diesel exhaust.

The drama is over and PC 40' boxcar #104478 loaded with Zenith console televisions is spotted at Superior Furniture.

Later that morning our T.O.F.C trailers arrive at their destinations This E.B.R.R. trailer is loaded with brochures for Catskill Mountain resorts and attractions is backed into the loading dock of Anchor Cargo & Distributing. Come summer time the folks of Empire City will be flocking to the Catskills much to the delight of the Catskill Mountain Tourism Board. 

Over at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse the PC Trailer loaded with REVCO products is in the truck door waiting to be unloaded and the Cooper Jarrett trailer is parked waiting for the PC trailer to leave. If they're smart both drivers will be heading over to Pizza Land for a slice or two while they wait.

Back at North Side Yard 1/87th scale Engineer Ed lets Senior Engineer Sir Neal know that Sir Neal was right about the engines fitting under Superior Furniture. 1/87th scale conductor John checks for damage anyway and silently wishes these cowboys would use a spacer car or two for that move as he'll be getting the phone calls from Superior Furniture.

With that done we end the action at North Side Yard with the departure of Train EC-2 heading to Terminal Yard.

That concludes my portion of the P.C.C.M. 47 series. The action is now forwarded to Brian's Ralston Creek layout for the next installment.

Thanks for reading!