Empire Belt GP30s

Empire Belt GP30s
The EBRR GP30s round a curve on the Empire City Belt Line.

Sunday, December 23, 2018

P.C.C.M. #54 / New York Central Mail & Express Trains

Seasons Greetings All,

This past week the N.Y.C.T.L. reverted back to its roots with the return of the New York Central lightning stripes and pre merger rolling stock. This will work well as I'm participating in a virtual op with John B's Los Feliz & North Western, Brian's Ralston Creek Railroad and Ralph's Kings Port Division. Sir Neal's A.P.R.R. had to sit this one out as he attends to expanding his model railroad empire.
The last virtual op of 2018 will be the four layouts focusing on some Mail & Express Operations. M&E as it was known was big business for the railroads at one time and I'll be showcasing some of that in my portion of the M&E Virtual Op.

We open up with the Empire City station switcher working the  Railway Express Agency.
While on the freight tracks the NYC Pacemakers fight it out with the PRR Merchandise Service trains for upper level supremacy.
Empire City passengers and EL M&E Train #7 are entering the station. The #7 features a unique consist of C.O.F.C and T.O.F.C head end cars that I first saw in a 2014 MRR article that showed the #7 at Binghamton NY in 1965. 
The REA used T.O.F.C cars with steam and signal lines for use in passenger service much like the NYCs Mark IV Flexi-Van cars. 
The station switcher will add these two baggage cars loaded with express packages to the EL train.
With the work done EL #7 heads out of town and the station switcher shoves the cars from the EL train into the REA siding.
Next we catch an Alco PA-PB-PA  consist lugging Mail & Express Train 620 out of the lower level as it heads towards Terminal Yard.
Coming out of the tunnel at Bedford Station this mail and express train originated in Buffalo with only a rider car for the crew. 
 The Alcos lead the 620 into Terminal Yard tunnel.
While putting this op together I consulted the book Express, Mail & Merchandise Service by Jeff Wilson. Chapter 7 focuses on moving mail by rail and highlights selected fast mail routes of several railroads that crisscrossed the nation from east to west in the 1950s. The New York Central's Fast Mail was Train #13.

I followed that up by checking CanadaSouthern.com and found some actual consists for NYC M&E trains #13 and #3 in 1966. Perfect for today's virtual op!

Let's take a look at express reefer REX 1268 seen earlier leaving Kings Port NY for Empire City loaded with expres packages.

 REX 1268 being unloaded and reloaded at the Empire City REA.
REX 1268, loaded with express shipments for Oakland CA, heads towards Terminal Yard for inclusion in Train#13, the "Fast Mail" 
REX 1268 arrives at Terminal Yard. 

It's 10:30 PM and Train 13 has left Terminal Yard and is easing into Empire City Station behind two E8As. 
Train 13 runs from Empire City NY to Englewood Station in Chicago with mail and express cars for interchange with western railroads. Here's today's consist;
TRAIN #13EQUIPMENT / DETAILS
CONTENTS
DESTINATION
Mail Train - New York to Chicago DEPART EMPIRE CITY 10:45 PM  CONDUCTOR FOX. ENGINEMAN STEVENSON. BAGGAGEMAN JOLLIFFE. BRAKEMAN DENBY.
4040 - E8A


4088 - E8A





REX 1268 - REEFER
EXPRESS
OAKLAND
NYC 9503 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
DENVER
REX 6100 - REEFER
EXPRESS
WICHITA
CBQ 48500 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
KANSAS CITY
REX 1501 - REEFER
EXPRESS
KANSAS CITY
REX 7592 - REEFER
EXPRESS
ST.PAUL
NYC 9718 - FLEXI-VANS #200997 & 4233
MAIL
DENVER / OMAHA
MFVX 9642 - FLEXI-VANS #4425 & 4233
MAIL
OAKLAND
NYC 8811 - BAGGAGE
MAIL
SALT LAKE CITY
MFVX 6983 - FLEXI-VANS #203157 & 200819
MAIL
OAKLAND
MFVX 9557 - FLEXI-VANS #4221 & 200753
MAIL
DENVER / OMAHA
MFVX 6861 - FLEXI-VANS #4057 & 201397
MAIL
MILWAUKEE
NYC 9850 - FLEXI-VANS #201821 & 201849
MAIL
ST.PAUL
MFVX 9560 - FLEXI-VANS #201859 & 201227
MAIL
ST.PAUL
CMSTP&P 391 - REEFER
EXPRESS
MINNEAPOLIS
NYC 9370 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
ST.PAUL
NYC 9220 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
SEATTLE
ATSF 4169 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
PORTLAND
REX 6119 - REEFER
EXPRESS
CHICAGO
REX 7592 - REEFER
EXPRESS
CHICAGO
REX 2721 - REEFER
EXPRESS
DETROIT
UP 1734 - BAGGAGE
BAGGAGE / MAIL
DETROIT
NH 3803 - BAGGAGE
EXPRESS
DETROIT
PRR 1120 - REEFER
MAIL
DETROIT
MFVX 6916 - FLEXI-VANS #201351 & 201197
MAIL / DEADHEAD
DETROIT
REX 2701 - REEFER
EXPRESS
DETROIT
RI 148393 - BOX EXPRESS
EXPRESS
DETROIT
NYC 7373 - BAGGAGE
EXPRESS
ST.PAUL
NYC 2714 - RIDER CAR
CREW
CHICAGO
Note car#1 above is the REX 1268 that departed from Kings Port NY with express packages for Empire City. Rex 1268 has been emptied, reloaded and sealed with express packages for Oakland CA.

Train 13 is ready to depart at 10:45 PM sharp.
Train 13 heads out of Empire City Station

The next train we'll see is Train #3 heading into Empire City Station with another healthy consist of M&E shipments and some pinch hitting power.
TRAIN #3EQUIPMENT / DETAILS
DESTINATION
CREW: R. L. JOHNSTON, W. M. BUSHNELL, T. L. PARROTT

NYC 5003 - ERIE A

NYC 5101 - ERIE B

NYC 5002 - ERIE A

NYC 2072 - HEAVYWEIGHT BAGGAGE
CHICAGO
NYC 0265 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
CHICAGO
NYC 9065 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
MILWAUKEE
NYC 5018 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
ST. PAUL
NYC 4856 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
SPOKANE
B&A 1002 - EXPRESS BOXCAR
DENVER
PRR 102076  - EXPRESS BOXCAR
OMAHA
B&O 0820 -LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
OAKLAND
PRR 2165 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
COUNCIL BLUFFS
NYC 5010 - HEAVYWEIGHT RPO
CHICAGO
B&O 3241 - HEAVYWEIGHT BAGGAGE
CHICAGO
NH 3020 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
CHICAGO
NYC 3087 - HEAVYWEIGHT RPO
CHICAGO
B&O 1902 - EXPRESS BOXCAR
CHICAGO
REA 1813 - EXPRESS BOXCAR
CHICAGO
PRR 4906 - LIGHTWEIGHT BAGGAGE
CHICAGO
NYC 306 - HEAVYWEIGHT COMBINE - USED AS RIDER CAR
CHICAGO

Train #3 rolling into Empire City Station

Next we'll turn our attention to some localized M&E action at Bedford NY as Train 846 is dropping and picking up mail and express at Bedford Station.
Train 846 behind two RS2s heads for Terminal Yard passing Train 501 heading towards Empire City Station.
 846 arrives at Terminal Yard
Train 501 stops at Empire City Station to pick up these outbound cars for transfer to Harmon NY where 501 terminates. 
The station switcher heads back to the REA building as 501 heads out of the station. 
Back at Terminal Yard we catch the last train for today. Go ahead Neal, start er up, says 1/87th scale John B. 1/87th scale Sir Neal is working the fireman extra board and has been called for Train #351with engineer John B. who holds this job with his seniority.
The rest of the gang watch as 1/87th scale Sir Neal cranks her up. Train #351 (Empire City NY to Detroit MI) will stop at EC station to pick up passengers and any additional M&E cars before heading north.

Train #351 eases out of Terminal Yard


That wraps up the N.Y.C.T.L.'s portion of the M&E Virtual Op. Be sure to check out what the other layouts have posted!
Los Feliz & North Western
Kings Port Division
Ralston Creek Railroad

Acknowledgements:
1:1 PC Ralph for the gift of the Express, Mail & Merchandise Service book mentioned above. It's pages are getting well worn! 

The CanadaSouthern.com website. This website offers a wealth of information for anyone interested in the New York Central RR and its subsidiaries. Special thanks to the creator and curator Terry Link for providing me with hours and hours of enjoyment and so much information. 

Thanks for reading and watching! 
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all!!!
The 1/87th scale NYCTL guys from left to right: 
AT JOE, PC Ralph, Sir Neal, Conductor John, Big Mike, John B, Kar Knocker, Larry D.



6 comments:

  1. Wow! what a great way to end 2018! An awesome story line and I really enjoyed looking at the manifest you added for both trains.

    Merry Christmas to the entire crew and their families in Empire City as well you your family Sir John!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the compliments !:1 Sir Neal!!!

      Manifest provided by the CASO website. I altered it very slightly by adding in my own road names and car#s but the consist and destinations were prototypical.

      Merry Christmas to you and yours Sir Neal!

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  2. OMIGOSH!!!! This one has to be one of the best posts of any virtual ops series! Thanks for the extensive look at M&E operations on the N.Y.C.T.L. with the vintage NYC equipment and guest appearances by the PRR and EL! Lightning striped E8s, PAs, and RS2s!!!! Fantastic assortment of locomotives including the switchers setting up the mail trains! I also enjoyed seeing the manifests. Nice touch! The inclusion of REX 1268 was a great surprise and it was fun to see what happened to it after leaving Kings Port! Beautifully done all around John!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the compliments Ralph!!! It was a fun virtual op. I was happy to see the REX 1268 in your post and made some last minute adjustments to put it into nationwide express service. Thanks again for that great gift of the Mail & Express book!

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  3. Thank you for the entertaining and informative post on the head end business for the Mail and Express trains. I had no idea there was such a thriving business back in the day. So many different modes of delivery and lots of variety. Enjoyed the NYC and EL head end power as well!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Brian!! Mail & Express trains were the unseen backbones of some of the class 1s. Never actually seeing this in person it was a lot of fun learning about it and trying to emulate it. Glad you enjoyed the the blog post!

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