Empire Belt GP30s

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

Monday, September 28, 2020

Original Boxcar Repaints Revisited

 Greetings All,

One of my original boxcar repaint projects was recently revisited after I noted they were not getting any layout time despite the repainting and upgrades. The reason: They were too clean!

Back in August 2013 I started a paint project on six AHM 40' boxcars and recorded the beginning of the project here.

Here is a photo of a project car and the first repaint PC #167872.

I followed this up with a second blog post on August 6th, 2013 that highlighted the completion of the repaint project. Here are the six repainted cars.
Seven years later the cars were still pristine! So I broke out my Doc O'Brien's weathering powders and got to work. 
Here are the cars showing they have run some revenue miles.
The powders are sealed with Microscale Dullcote.  
The original six showing their years of revenue service arrive in Empire City.
The cars now look more realistic and more like a seven years old boxcar should. 
The paint used for the original project was Jade Green for a company called American Slings. Decals were from Microscale Penn Central boxcar esoterica set #87-1098.
In addition to the paint and decals these AHM boxcars also received body mounted Kadee couplers, extra weight and metal wheelsets.

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


Monday, September 21, 2020

Penn Central Car Movements #76 / N.Y.C.T.L. Part 8 / The L.I.R.R. Wraps It Up

 Greetings All,

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #76!

The three layout virtual op with my N.Y.C.T.L. interchanging freight cars with PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR concludes today. Finally!!!😀

We open up our final installment at Bedford Park Yard where engineer Robert R gets the word that the Ford Plant needs a switch, delivery of two auto parts cars and a carload of vehicle batteries.

Robert R drags a pair of non P.C.C.M. empty tank cars going to Terminal Yard from the Bedford Park Yard and heads towards the Ford Plant to begin the switching moves.

Four empty 60' boxcars are pulled from Ford for return to ACME and IDEAL Auto Parts. The tank cars are placed between the boxcars for crew safety.

Robert R gets clearance at Bedford Tower to take Train BP-12A to Terminal Yard.


BP-12A heads for Terminal Yard

Train BP-12A arrives at Terminal Yard and the engine is cut off.

Robert R pulls out the cars he needs for the Ford Plant.

The caboose is reclaimed and Train BP-41A leaves Terminal Yard.

BP-41A heads back to Bedford Park Yard

BP-41A is back in Bedford Park Yard making a runaround move.
NYC and PRR 86' boxcars of auto parts from ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY are shoved into the Ford Plant siding.

Lehigh Valley boxcar #8247 loaded with batteries from Delco is spotted on the Ford Plant siding.


Robert R ties down his engine and caboose and this closes out the Bedford Park portion of this virtual op.


Next we turn our attention to Terminal Yard where engine hostler Wet Willie couples up the power for Train EC-3, a daily transfer run to the Empire Belt RR's North Side Yard.  


EC-3 heads to Empire City

Train EC-3 arrives at North Side Yard.

The engines run around the train.


The EC-3 engines reclaim their caboose with assistance from PC Ralph as conductor John checks the waybills and Sir Neal watches from the 6294.


Trains meet in Bedford

The Long Island RR Transfer rolls into Terminal Yard and gets a roll by inspection from Sir Neal and PC Ralph.

L.I.R.R. caboose #12 gets tacked on to the outbound cars going to the L.I.R.R. Once again PC Ralph lends a helping hand while conductor John delivers the waybills.

The inbound freight cars from the L.I.R.R. are spotted on track #2. The locomotives are tied down on the yard lead as engineer Jimmy Alco tends to some emergency business. 
That's Jimmy Alco making a quick run to Pizza Land to pick up a phone in order from the L.I.R.R. trainmen back in Bliss Yard!
With meatball heroes, calzones and veal parm heroes secured in the engine compartment to keep them warm Jimmy Alco couples up to the outbound freight cars and heads out.
The LIRR Transfer eases around the west side curve.  

Jimmy Alco heads for home!

Next stop Bliss Yard!!!

With an engine compartment of hot Italian food, six 57' reefers for Pilgrim State Hospital....

Two 50' AP reefers for P.S.H., a pair of gondolas with poles for LILCO and an EL boxcar of bricks for Gotham Building Supply round out the P.C.C.M. part of the consist.


Put it in the books!!

Be sure to catch the P.C.C.M. #76 action on
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and 
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!
See ya soon!!!

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Penn Central Car Movements #76 / N.Y.C.T.L. Part 7 / Empire City Action

 Greetings All,

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #76!

The three layout virtual op with my N.Y.C.T.L. interchanging freight cars with PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR the inbound portion of the op continues today.

We open up at the Penn Central Terminal Yard with PC Train EC-1, a daily transfer run to the Empire Belt RR's North Side Yard in Empire City, pulling out of track #2.

EC-1 rolls towards Empire City


F7A 1645 brings EC-1 into North Side Yard.

The EC-1 engines are cut off and head east out of the yard.


After reclaiming their caboose the EC-1 engines head back to Terminal Yard.


The Empire Belt RR trainmen make their plans and senior engineer Sir Neal in the white shirt and conductor John get the Morning Industrial Job (MIJ) assignment.


Sir Neal and PC Ralph block the MIJ for today's train moves.


Sir Neal brings the MIJ onto the industrial running track.


The MIJ starts working the G&R siding on Empire City's east side.


The following cars are spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse;
EBRR 358160 loaded with paper products from Marcal.
PC 142770 loaded with paper products from Marcal
USLX 13068 loadedwith juice products from Tropicana 

Spotted at Gervais Pipe & Fitting for their P.C.C.M. loads are three APRR gondolas and one PC gondola.
Now working Neal's Lumber and Hardware two EBRR boxcars loaded with bulk hardware from American Hardware Supply in Rock Rodge NJ get shoved in as a new power pole is now in place. 

The MIJ heads is back together.

The MIJ heads west.


Coming over the Empire City viaduct Sir Neal eyes the congested west side industrial complex.
Being spotted at Superior Furniture by the MIJ are AP #58260 loaded with lumber from Mike's Lumber in Rock Ridge NJ and PC #360158 loaded with console TVs from Zenith.
The MIJ starts working the two long west side sidings.
Being spotted at Drywell Inks are NYC #80775 and LV #66392 both are loaded with new 55 gal drums from A.C.C.O.
Spotted at Moore & Co is this NYC Pacemaker boxcar loaded with machine parts from Quality Fabrications.
After a couple of more moves TP&W #627 is spotted at Walsh Steel Wool with barrels of cutting oil from the Gulf River Facility.

The MIJ is back together and includes RI #35062 loaded with drums of ink from Drywell Inks for the Catskill Mountain Press.

We'll cut it her for today with the MIJ tied down on the industrial running track as the EBRR trainmen get ready for inbound trains from Terminal Yard and the Long Island RR that we'll cover tomorrow when we close this virtual op out.

Be sure to catch the P.C.C.M. #76 action on
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and 
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!
See ya tomorrow!!!