Empire Belt Coal Hoppers and Engines 'Stored Serviceable'

Greetings All,

One of things I note as I look around rail sites and books are long lines of freight cars and locomotives 'stored serviceable'. The ebb and flows of the economy and seasonal needs of shippers play their part to effect rail traffic. For an operations twist I put this into play on the N.Y.C.T.L. Here's my scenario;

On the Empire Belt RR the summer hiatuses of big coal customers Kings Port Steel (K.P.D.) and R.M.O. Electric (A.P.R.R.) have slowed coal production at Hudson Coal and reduced the need for coal hoppers on parent Penn Central. The PC has pulled the E.B.R.R. coal hoppers from their hopper pool as the PC is now able to meet their coal hopper needs with their existing fleet. Along with the E.B.R.R. coal hoppers the PC has pulled the E.B.R.R. pool power engines from the rotation as they are now surplus power. Let's see what this means for the Empire Belt.

A five engine lash up consisting of four Empire Belt pool engines and a PC U Boat are on track 1 at Terminal Yard ready to depart with a train of empty E.B.R.R. coal hoppers.

1/87th sale PC Ralph watches the empty hopper train depart from EBRR GP30 #2160. PC 6557 was the only U Boat with the red P.

The empty hopper train known as Extra 6574 rumbles thru Bedford NY.

Five Athearn BB engines have the empty hoppers well in hand. All engines are home painted. Four of the five are powered.

The Empire City rail fans are treated to a fine display of six axle power as Extra 6574 rolls over the High Line.

A local rail fan caught the train rumbling thru Empire City on it's way to the E.B.R.R.'s North Side yard.

Extra 6574 arrives at North Side Yard via the Hohman Ave entrance.

The engines have cut from the empty coal hoppers and run back towards Hohman Ave.

PC 6557 leaves North Side Yard caboose lite while a trio of idling EBRR engines look on from the industrial track. 

 6557 heading thru Bedford NY towards Terminal Yard.

North Side Yard track #3 is now occupied by Empire Belt SDP40s 6295 and 6294 and U30Cs 6574 and 6576 "stored serviceable". That's 12,000 HP waiting for an assignment.

Fifteen E.B.R.R. empty coal hoppers are also stored serviceable and awaiting the call to duty on track #3. Hint, Hint....

The E.B.R.R. crews will have to contend with the loss of track #3 for awhile as they continue to serve the industries of Empire City.  Management will have to make do with the loss of revenue from these hoppers and engines which they hope is temporary.

Many model railroaders have way more cars then they have need for on their layouts. Throwing a home road temporarily 'stored serviceable' freight cars and engines scenario into your own ops mix is a nice way to add something prototypical, challenging and different to your own ops sessions and a good way to show off your fleet. 

Why are those cars just sitting there taking up space? They're 'stored serviceable' awaiting assignment. Give it a try before you put your cars back in the box. 

Thanks for reading!