New York Central Bee Liner

New York Central Bee Liner
RDC-3 #497 calls at Bedford Station

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Two Motive Power Projects

Greetings All,


A pair of recently completed Penn Central motive power projects to report today. 

First up is newly painted and lettered Penn Central GP9 #7412. This engine is an older AHM model from Yugoslavia that came to the project box courtesy of my pal 1:1 Sir Neal. This is the first PC painted GP9 added to my roster. The PC had over 500 on their roster!
The engine will enter service as a non powered unit with the motor and gears from the truck towers removed. Kadee #5 couplers are attached to the top of talgo mounted coupler box to meet the Kadee height gauge.
The newly painted GP9 rides between GP7 5870 and 5699  that I painted in earlier projects. Both of the GP7 shells came to the project box courtesy of friend and fellow modeler John Bruce.
A close up of the non dynamic brake equipped ex NYC GP9. The small lettering under the 7412 indicates this engine was maintenance based at Avon Yard in Indianapolis. Research into the AHM model AFTER I completed the project revealed the model was in fact a GP18! A what?
The 7412 is introduced as a GP9 to the NYCTL trainmen. Even though some of the guys might note the minor differences there is a 1/87th scale gentleman's agreement not to point them out.  
Project #2 is Penn Central F7B #3469 that is maintenance based at Collinwood Yard in Cleveland. The used model is a powered Bachmann Plus unit that came with Kadee Coupler Conversion kit #452 installed for closer coupling.
The powered 3469 joins non powered Athearn BB PC F7B #4156 on the roster. The passenger equipped 4156 has found a home being drawbar connected to FP7 #4348 and coupled to GP38 #7675. 
The 3469 made its debut in PCCM 65 in the Extra 228 consist. 
The Penn Central used their B units with both cab units and hood units and the 3469 runs nicely with these Spectrum GP30s.

The 3469 with Bachmann Plus F7A #1862 and a pair of non powered ex pancake motored Bachmann F7As. These four plus the 4156 & 4348 above make up my PC painted cab unit fleet. I think.
The new units together on a revenue train.
The 3469 and 7412 in the middle of a five engine consist.
A short video of the five unit consist

The Penn Central lettering and PC heralds used in the above projects are from K-4 Decals. The numbers for 3469 and the maintenance locations are from Microscale decal set #87-84

Thanks for reading!!
See Ya Soon!!







Monday, November 18, 2019

P.C.C.M. 66/ NYCTL Part 5 / Put it In The Books!.

Greetings All,


Welcome back for my final P.C.C.M. 66 installment!
Today we'll finish getting our inbound freight cars from
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and 
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division
to their respective destinations.


A little operational twist starts today for the Empire Belt RR crew. In order to increase efficiency and decrease dwell time the Penn Central has stopped blocking cars at Terminal Yard for the Empire City industries ending a years long unspoken agreement between the two railroads. 


The crew for Train EC-1 (Terminal Yard to Empire City) readies for departure as 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R return to the yard caboose lite.
EC-1 rolls thru Bedford NY passing a six engine power move.
EC-1 gets a highball at Bedford Tower from 1/87th scale John B.
EC-1 comes thru the west side of Empire City.
EC-1 arrives at North Side Yard where they will drop off their freight cars for the Empire Belt RR to make the final deliveries.
EC-1 heads back to Terminal Yard caboose lite.
The 1/87th scale trainmen sans Senior Engineer Sir Neal have coupled up their motive power and get ready to deliver the last of the P.C.C.M. 66 freight cars. 1/87th scale PC Ralph makes the decision to sort the cars as they go since there are only seven. 
1/87th scale PC Ralph brings the EBRRs Afternoon Industrial Job onto the industrial running track.
The A.I.J drops their cabooses on the east side
Now at Neal's Lumber & Hardware 1/87th scale conductor John and the brakeman are working to get the EBRR boxcar delivered.
With the EBRR boxcar of paneling from Mike's Lumber spotted at Neal's Lumber & Hardware 1/87th scale PC Ralph shoves east to the Gervais Pipe / Ralph's Grocery Warehouse siding.
The A.I.J. couples up to EBRR gon #509823 loaded with pipe for Shapeless Steel in Rock Ridge NJ and shoves back towards Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.
HRC RBL#913001 and PC boxcar #160502loaded with Freihofer's cookies are spotted at Ralphs Grocery Warehouse.
The A.I.J. returns to Neal's Lumber & Hardware to spot EL boxcar #73510 loaded with bagged cement from Boom's Ready Mix.
The shuffling moves continue as this 40' Early Bird boxcar loaded with kitchen gadgets from REVCO is spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse. Empire City folks love their REVCO turnip twaddlers!
The east side work done 1/87th scale PC Ralph brings A.I.J. west.
A NYC Pacemaker boxcar loaded with sewing parts and wire twisters from Quality Fabrications is spotted at Moore & Company.
PC boxcar #360158 loaded with Zenith console televisions is spotted at Superior Furniture.
Last but not least the A.I.J. drops one of their cabooses on the west side storage track.
The A.I.J. heads for home as it crosses the over the High Line.
The Afternoon Industrial Job returns to North Side Yard and that wraps up the NYCTL's Inbound portion of P.C.C.M. 66.
Be sure to follow the inbound 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!!


Sunday, November 17, 2019

P.C.C.M. 66 / NYCTL Part 4 / The Inbound Cycle Continues

Greetings All,
Welcome back to P.C.C.M. 66!!!
Today we'll begin getting our inbound freight cars from 
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and 
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division
to their respective destinations.

We open up at Bedford Park Yard with the BPY guys getting their tiny yard area ready for today's incoming rail cars.
The BPY crew pulls three empty 60' boxcars from the Ford Plant. 
The NYC-KP&W-PC/TOC 60' boxcars are shoved into the tiny Bedford Park Yard. They will be going back to ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY via West Mill in a future P.C.C.M.
With the boxcars tied down in the yard the BPY crew sets up at the Bedford Park Yard lead adjacent Bedford Tower to await this mornings inbound freight cars.
They won't be waiting long as 1/87th scale Robert R and Big Mike were called for today's Extra 4348 that will handle the freight traffic going to Bedford and Bedford Park. 1/87th scale Kar Knocker has released the train and they'll soon be on their way.
Extra 4348 comes thru the Terminal Yard tunnel.
Coming around the curve at T&R Gravel Extra 4348 is lined onto main 1 with four PC PS-2 covered hoppers. 
The PC covered hoppers are shoved into T&R Gravel to be loaded with locomotive sand that will be delivered to the APRR Engine Terminal in a future P.C.C.M.
Extra 4348 rolls towards Hostess to deliver the B&M RBL #105 loaded with bagged flour from Blue Ribbon Mills in Kings Port NY behind the enginesThe guys have a potential problem as Robert R has no paperwork or info on the three cars sitting on the Hostess siding. Time for a command decision.
1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R decide to bypass Hostess to  concentrate on their next moves which include delivering that empty IC 40' boxcar to Heileman Brewery and getting four hot boxcars of auto parts to Bedford Park. 
Empty IC 40' boxcar #30130 is spotted at Heileman Brewery for its next P.C.C.M. load.
B&M RBL #105 going to Hostess is left on the Heileman siding and 1/87th scale Big Mike crosses over to main 2.
The engines run past the four car block of hot cars from IDEAL Auto Parts in Rock Ridge NJ consigned to the Ford Plant. 
1/87th scale Big Mike couples onto the caboose and begins the shove move to Bedford Park Yard and the Ford Plant.
The Bedford Park Yard switcher couples on.
The Alco switcher pulls the four cars into Bedford Park.
With the hot auto parts cars handed off 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R pick up B&M RBL #105 and head back to Hostess.
B&M #105 is spotted for unloading at the Hostess Plant. 1/87th scale Robert R is inside talking with the shipping clerk about the other cars on the Hostess siding. We'll catch up with the guys in the next episode.
Let's turn our attention to the Bedford Park Yard crew as they get three 86'ers and one 50'er delivered to the Ford Plant. The BPY crew has just enough clearance for their run around move.
Two of the hot cars of auto parts from IDEAL Auto Parts in Rock Ridge NJ are shoved into the boxcar siding. 
EBRR boxcar # 503827 is spotted.
The BPY Switcher pulls a pair of loaded auto racks from Ford to make room for AP #86027
APRR 86' boxcar #86027 is spotted with it's door lined up with the NYC 86'er. The Ford personnel will run a steel plate from the NYC car to the APRR car for unloading.
We'll cut it here for today with all cars from IDEAL Auto Parts delivered and the two loaded auto racks spotted for pick up adjacent to Bedford Tower. 
We'll pick up the final inbound installment tomorrow with 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R returning to Terminal Yard as train EC-1 prepares for departure to Empire City. 
Be sure to follow the inbound 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 tomorrow!!