More Freight Cars for the Atlantic Pacific Railroad!

Greetings All,

To keep up with the demand for newer 50' boxcars 1:1 Sir Neal CEO of the Atlantic Pacific Railroad headquartered in Rock Ridge NJ purchased seven new undecorated ScaleTrains Evans 50' double door RBL kits. The cars were sent to the APRR's preferred contract freight car painter, the NYCTL's Patti O Paint Shop, for painting and assembly.

Here's the beginning of the project. The undecorated RBLs have been washed and are drying. Some of the decals to be used include two sets of Microscale MC-5023 and 87-1122. The small cup contains Kadee #158 whisker couplers to replace the Scale Trains stock couplers which didn't stand up well in prior op sessions.

The work order from the APRR and APRR decals from a new supplier will be used for this project. 

White AP 60327 is first out of the Patti O Paint Shop. The car has been sprayed with Testor's Dulcote and is ready for final assembly.

The white AP cars are pulled from the NYCTL Terminal Yard Shop.

Three of the white AP cars in this project are pulled to Terminal Yard for testing. 

AP 60327 sports the 'return empty to EBRR North Side Yard' decals made for us by our late friend Engineer Ed.

Empty AP 60327 has arrived at North Side Yard and will be ready for it's first load after it's inspected at the APRR Shops . 

The next freight cars in this project are these four 58000 series APRR cars in the orange & white scheme. The four cars were sprayed with Testor's Dullcote and are ready for final assembly.

AP 58203 gets pulled out of the Terminal Yard Shop. 

Three cars being pulled from the Shop will head out to the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard.

Surprise ''Ballast Service'' hopper cars were painted and lettered as APRR 9941. These are older Bachmann cars that 1:1 Sir Neal sent down for me to do whatever I want with them for the NYCTL. Stripping, repainting and upgrading for virtual ops usage is what I wanted to do with them!  

The APRR Ballast Service 9941 gets pulled out of the shop after being upgraded with body mounted Kadee #5s and Intermountain metal wheels.

APRR 9941 getting loaded with ballast at T&R Gravel. 

AP Extra 358 heads thru Terminal Yard 

for the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard.

Keep an eye out for these cars arriving at the 

APRR's Rock Ridge Yard and in future PCCMs

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya soon!!!

P.C.C.M. 64 / NYCTL Part 6 / The Conclusion

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M. 64 Series!!!

Today we close out our inbound portions of this four layout virtual op with the NYCTL delivering freight cars from 

Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR, 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division 

and Brian's Ralston Creek RR.

We pick it up with 1/87th scale Sir Neal running the Afternoon Industrial Job and working the Empire City east side industries.

PC Gon #288673 loaded with pipe for the Hudson Valley Ag Coop (KPD) gets picked up from Gervais Pipe.

The AIJ has shoved back to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse to pick up three 57' EBRR reefers loaded with food products for C&P Restaurant Supply in Rock Ridge NJ (APRR). Pizza Land is eerily quiet which is strange at this time of the day. 

There's where everybody went! A car accident outside of Moriarty's Pub has brought over many an onlooker. 1/87th scale PC Ralph and his conductor have wandered over to check it out.

1/87th scale Sir Neal and the AIJ however continue right along spotting the EBRR 50' boxcar loaded with beer from Tivoli Brewing in Denver CO (RCR) at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.

A trio of newly added APRR & EBRR gons are spotted at Gervais Pipe for their first PCCM load.

A gratuitous photo from the other side of the layout showing the EBRR & APRR gons at Gervais Pipe for their first PCCM loads.  

The AIJ pulls out of the east side industrial lead as the onlookers look. Hey! There's 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R! I wonder if they were at Moriarty's Pub or Vaughan's Pub two doors down? And check out who's at the Amoco gas pump!

1/87th scale Sir Neal brings the AIJ into Cargill to pull the empties.

With the Cargill track clear the AIJ shoves in six loaded covered hoppers, three PC and three APRR, from the large Cargill facility in Rock Ridge NJ (APRR).

The covered hoppers are shoved into Empire City Cargill.

With the switching work complete 1/87th scale Sir Neal has put the AIJ back together and is shoving the train east to gain access to the eastern entrance of North Side Yard.

1/87th scale Sir Neal brings the oversized AIJ into a very crowded North Side Yard. 1/87th scale PC Ralph and his conductor are back at work and plan with Sir Neal on how to know handle the LIRR transfer run that is on the way with the yard full.   

Here's their plan; 1/87th scale PC Ralph has closed the switch into North Side Yard and meets the LIRR train telling the engineer to pull up to the switch to the industrial track and hold there.  

After confirming the LIRR has stopped and is holding where directed 1/87th scale Sir Neal brings the outbound LIRR cars out of the yard via the east side entrance.

Sir Neal shoves the LIRR cars toward the LIRR engines. The Morton Salt and NYC covered hoppers are going to Ronzoni with a load of salt from Morton Salt (APRR) and a load of grain from Empire Grain (KPD). The EBRR gon was loaded with the tank at ACCO (KPD) and is consigned to Crown Oil & Chemical. IC  boxcar 30130 is loaded with canned fruit & vegetables from Van Winkle Canning (KPD) for Pilgrim State Hospital. 

A nice easy coupling has the outbound cars coupled to the LIRR engines. The P&LE boxcar is loaded with cartons from Canton Box (KPD) for Sunshine Biscuits, PC Hi Cube 272242 is loaded with appliances from Peerless Appliance (KPD) for Gimbels. 

1/87th scale Sir Neal has run the engines thru the now empty yard track #2 and is pulling the inbound cars off the LIRR engines as PC Ralph mans the switch and Larry D waves to the camera.

The LIRR caboose is spotted on track #1 and the the inbound LIRR freight cars are shoved into track #2. When congratulated by the LIRR crew for their fine work 1/87th scale Sir Neal was heard  to reply on behalf of the EBRR guys "You think you're playing kids!"

The LIRR picks up it's caboose and eases out of the yard which is still full of PCCM and non PCCM cars but that's a story for the next virtual op.

The LIRR heads out of town thru the west side curve and that wraps up the NYCTL's inbound portions of PCCM 64.

Be sure to follow the action on 

Sir Neal's  Atlantic Pacific RR, 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division

 and Brian's Ralston Creek RR! 

Thanks for reading!!!
See ya soon!!!

P.C.C.M. 64 / NYCTL Part 5 / Dispatch of Train EC-3

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M. 64 Series!!!

Today we continue our inbound portions of this four layout virtual op with the NYCTL delivering freight cars from 
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR, 
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division 
and Brian's Ralston Creek RR.

We pick up the action today with 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R ending their shift and heading out for some well deserved adult beverages (and maybe some mallomars) while Alco Joe is reporting for Train EC-3, the afternoon transfer run to the Empire Belt RRs North Side Yard in Empire City.

1/87th scale Alco Joe makes his way to a trio of Alco C628s burbling and ready in the engine terminal. His trusty conductor reminds Alco Joe that these units are scheduled to depart with a coal train later today. Not to worry Murray we'll be back in time. 

The big Alcos couple up to the LIRR block of EC-3.

The LIRR block is coupled to the APRR covered hoppers that starts the Empire City industries block. EC-3 is a long train today and the 8,250 HP of the hijacked C628s will be put to good use today!.

1/87th scale Alco Joe brings the big C628s down the slippery slope outside of Terminal Yard passing Hudson Coal and a dozen empty coal hoppers waiting in the weather to be loaded.

A blurry video of EC-1 rolling thru Bedford.

The Alco C628s had a bad reputation
 for being very hard on track *1. 
  Perhaps the pounding of the track led to the blurry camera work? 

EC-3 rumbles into North Side Yard.

1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal is out to cut the engines from the covered hopper just short of the fouling point as indicated by the yellow paint on the tie.

1/87th scale Alco Joe has brought the engines back over to the Hohman Ave entrance, coupled onto his caboose and spends a few minutes checking in with his fellow 1/87th scale trainmen.

The big Alcos head back towards Terminal Yard caboose lite. The PC had fifteen C628s on their roster.*2 and *3

1/87th scale Alco Joe brings the C628s back into Terminal Yard and couples the engines up to outbound coal train. "See Murray there's no need to worry"! Now call the Yard Job and tell them to grab this caboose and let's get outta here before they figure it out!

With EC-3 and the temporarily purloined C628s gone 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal, PC Ralph and the rest of the EBRR guys go over their Afternoon Industrial Job plans.

The EBRR trainmen put their plans in motion as 1/87th scale PC Ralph uncouples the LIRR block from the AP covered hopper as conductor John prepares to board his caboose.

1/87th scale Sir Neal has pulled the Empire City industry cars from the LIRR block and slowly shoves them east thru the yard. 

A very long AIJ makes its way onto the industrial track and heads west to deliver the EL and BAR reefers to Empire Produce at right.

Empty BAR 7574 and EL 5034 are spotted at Empire Produce for their next PCCM load.

Next stop is Neal's Lumber & Hardware to pick up a pair of boxcars and deliver a bulkhead flat of lumber. 1/87th scale Conductor John is out to clear a traffic jam off the tracks.

The AIJ picks up empty P&E 3638 for its next PCCM load and PC 77047 loaded with pallets for Reynolds Beverage (KPD).

1/87th scale PC Ralph has come over to help hold the traffic and get the the bulkhead flat of lumber delivered. 

We'll cut it here for today with the AIJ starting to work the east side industries. 

We'll close it out tomorrow as the EBRR makes its final deliveries, interchanges cars with the LIRR and we'll find out what all the traffic is about.

Be sure to follow the action on 

Sir Neal's  Atlantic Pacific RR, 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division

 and Brian's Ralston Creek RR! 

*1 A lash up of Alco C628s were enough to give any track foreman nightmares said 1:1 Big Mike in this video at around the 1:00 minute mark. At around 5:15 we learn the C628s were banned on the D&H!

*2 Built in 1963 the PRR ordered fifteen of the 2750 HP C628s which the PC inherited. Most were based at Pitacairn PA for pusher service. Penn Central Power page 151.

*3 By 1970 the Penn Central Alco C628s, C630s and C636s (45 units) would be taken off of road freights due to reliability issues and assigned to pusher and Mingo Jct service where they could cause less damage. Penn Central Power page 154.

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya tomorrow!!!