Adding Weight to Rolling Stock

 Greetings All,

In early 2021 I reached out to noted modeler and good friend Sir Neal of Atlantic Pacific RR fame about improving my newly painted SP Double Stack 125 Service well cars. Sir Neal recommended using self stick 1/4 ounce weights for the containers and freight cars.

As Jimmy Dugan said "That's good advice"!!! 

A short time later I found this box of 720 1/4 ounce pieces with adhesive tape online and made the purchase.

The adding of weight was a long time coming and these newly purchased weights were an immediate improvement over my scrounged weights.

For the containers I added two pieces for a 1/2 ounce of additional weight to the 20' containers and four pieces for a total of 1 ounce to the 40' containers that will ride in the bottom of the well cars.

 

I added two pieces for a total on 1/2 ounce of weight to most of my 40' boxcars. This was a lot easier than finding washers and using silicone adhesive like did in the past for some models. 

I used NMRA Recommended Practice 20-1 as noted below as a guideline for the project.

 

Most of the 50' and 57' box cars got four pieces or one ounce of additional weight.

Sixty foot boxcars received additional weight as needed. The 86' boxcar fleet received six pieces, or one and one half ounces of additional weight and they showed a dramatic improvement.

I placed the weights as evenly as possible throughout the cars concentrating on adding the weight above the trucks where possible.

In mid April 2021 I purchased a second box of weights for my passenger cars and dummy locomotives. Here is one of several non-powered Athearn BB U28Cs that received 3/4 ounce of weight. 

All in all this was nice improvement to my rolling stock. Retrofitting the cars was not without peril. I did break a few stirrups, mainly on some P-2000 boxcars. I swear if I looked at them hard they would break! Opening up some other brands like the Bowser box cars was a disaster waiting to happen so I bypassed those cars.

I did not add weight to the Bachmann Silver Series or Mantua Heavyweight freight cars. 

Most of the fleet is now consistently weighted to the NMRA RP 20-1 standard. So far the heavier trains are rolling very well with little to no wobble. Train lengths are unaffected. If need be I think I have enough locomotives to overcome that! 

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya soon!!!

Close Enough Erie Lackawanna Caboose Projects

 Greetings All,

At the end of 2020 I took stock of my caboose fleet and identified several that spent most of their time in the box. Wanting to save some money and add some Erie Lackawanna cabooses to my son's EL fleet I decided to strip and paint some of the cabooses that have been resting comfortably in their boxes for several years.

An Erie Lackawanna Caboose Decal Set from K-4 Decals got the project started. An Athearn New Haven bay window caboose and a Mantua New York Central NE caboose will be the first donors for the project.

The NYC caboose has been stripped. The  EL had three window cabooses so one of these had to go.

A three window EL caboose takes shape. 

The project cabooses get a coat of primer on the Patti O Paint Shop.

The shells are painted and ready for decals.

Erie Lackawanna caboose C309 is fresh out of the shop. The prototype wore this lettering in the early 1960s and can be seen in this 1962 photo. 

The C309 brings up the markers on a coal train heading thru Empire City.

 

EL C224 received similar lettering as seen in this 1966 photo .

The C-224 rolls into Terminal Yard coupled to an EL transfer from their 27th Street Yard.

The newly painted EL cabooses join this Bachmann wide vision C-363 caboose. This caboose has been upgraded with metal wheels, Kadee mounted couplers and clear window"glass". The 1:1 C-363 however is a bay window caboose.

Athearn BB EL C-357 rounds out the current EL caboose fleet. Metal wheels, Kadee couplers, window "glass" and extra weight were added to this model. This unit is close to EL C-354.

All in all I think the two newly painted cabooses look OK. Working with the decal sheet was extremely tough as the lettering was extremely hard to discern for cutting and placement on the models.

Originally I planned to paint and letter four surplus cabooses for the EL. As of now I've suspended the project at two cabooses. This short video has a pair of EL trains with one of the new cabooses. 

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya soon!!!

CSX ES44AC #3194 "Honoring Our Law Enforcement"

 Greetings All,

This past week I added this ScaleTrains Rivet Counter Series CSX ES44AC #33194 to my locomotive fleet.

The 3194 is one of three Pride in Service locomotives painted by CSX in 2019. 

Here it is being unboxed. 

The Honoring Our Law Enforcement paint scheme looks beautiful.

Every detail on the engine looks great. 

I opted for the DCC Ready model with the red and blue ditch lights  as it symbolized a police car. 

The trainmen of the NYCTL and the various Law Enforcement Agencies watching over the layout have gathered to check out the new engine.

The Police and Sheriff's Deputies appreciate the recognition and the donations by CSX and ScaleTrains to their support groups.

I gotta say this is one sharp looking engine!

And it runs as great as it looks. Here's a short video of the 3194 on it's first revenue run to the tune of American Patrol by Glenn Miller.

Be advised according to Youtube this video is not suitable for viewers under 18 years of age. Really?

Check the youtube video comment section for their reasoning. 

Not being a rivet counter or modern era modeler all I know is this locomotive looks great, runs great and I'm happy to have it on the layout. Thank you to both CSX and ScaleTrains for making this possible.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See ya Soon!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #82 / N.Y.C.T.L. Part 7 / The EBRR and LIRR Close It Out

 Greetings All,

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #82!!!

The inbound portion of our 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.

We open today with a short Penn Central Train BT-27, the Bedford Turn, leaving Terminal Yard.

The Bedford Turn rolls into Bedford NY and spots two cars.

Later that morning Alco Joe reports for Train EC-3, one of two daily transfers to the Empire Belt RR's North Side Yard in Empire City.

Train EC-3 departs Terminal Yard

EC-3 gets orders on the fly as it passes Bedford Tower.

EC-3 has arrived at North Side Yard in Empire City and Alco Joe checks in with the EBRR guys.

Alco Joe reclaims his caboose and conductor Murray and heads back caboose lite to Terminal Yard.

PC Ralph gets to work sorting cars for 

local delivery and LIRR interchange

The AIJ heads onto the Empire City secondary to begin it's work.

The Afternoon Industrial Job's first move is to clear out the Gervais Pipe & Fitting siding.

That allows this RBL of Tropicana products from the Rock Ridge NJ Tropicana Plant to be spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse. 

Three empty Empire Belt RR gondolas are then spotted at Gervais Pipe for their next PCCM loads.

Now in Midtown empty NYC covered hopper #892010 is spotted at Red Wing Milling for it's next PCCM load.

PC Ralph gets the AIJ back together. With EBRR GP30 #2161 out of service APRR GP38 on long term lease to the NYCTL was sent to the EBRR with a leased UP GP30. 

The AIJ comes over the Empire City viaduct to work the west side. The colorful consist was inspired by a recent viewing of the Pentrax Hot Rails thru the Twin Cities video that I received as a gift from PC Ralph.

 

Empty EBRR #360279 and loaded NYC boxcar #80775 are both consigned to Reliable Machine. They have been contacted and request the loaded car be delivered first. The empty 360279 will be constructively placed on the west side storage track in the background until called for by Reliable Machine Co.

NYC boxcar #80775 loaded with machine parts from Quality Fabrications in Bloomberg NY is delivered to Reliable Machine.

The switch work done the AIJ heads back to North Side Yard.

PC Ralph brings the AIJ into North Side Yard getting a roll by inspection from senior engineer Sir Neal and conductor John. 

After the AIJ and PCCM waybills were sorted Sir Neal is getting the cars to be interchanged with the Long Island RR together. The LV boxcar is heading to Pilgrim State Hospital with a load of baked goods from Freihofer's Bakery. The EBRR boxcar is also going to P.S.H. with a load of prepared meals from C&P Rest. Supply.

The LIRR brings a string of non PCCM gondolas 

towards North Side Yard.

Jimmy Alco brings the LIRR Transfer into North Side Yard under the watchful eyes of PC Ralph and his trusty brakeman / conductor.

 

Rolling down track #3 the LIRR engines couple up to the outbound freight cars going to the LIRR. The EBRR covered hoppers are going to Ronzoni with loads of bleached flour from the Rock Ridge NJ Cargill Facility. 

Jimmy Alco has shoved the outbound consist onto the east side lead and delivers his freight waybills to conductor John and Sir Neal.

The LIRR caboose is reclaimed and the LIRR Transfer heads for home.

Put it in the books!!!!

That wraps up the NYCTL's PCCM 82 inbound segments. The random caprice of the Rail Traffic Management Form had the NYCTL handle thirty two inbound and seventy five outbound freight cars in this virtual op for a total of one hundred seven freight cars moved. It's been one heckuva PCCM!!! 

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

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See ya soon!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #82 / N.Y.C.T.L. Part 6 / Bedford Park and the Coal Job

 Greetings All,

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #82!!!

The inbound portion of our 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 continues today.

We open up at Bedford Tower with Train BP-12 leaving Bedford Park Yard for Terminal Yard with a train of non PCCM cars.

Train BP-12 heads for Terminal Yard

The BP-12 arrives at Terminal Yard.

Kar Knocker is ready to inspect the BP-12 consist as Robert R brings his S-4 back to the yard to collect outbound train BP-41.

Robert R completes his terminal air test and departs for Bedford Park Yard with a consist of PCCM cars.

Train BP-41 heads to Bedford Park.

The BP-41 arrives in Bedford Park.

Two Gulf tank cars loaded with fuel from the Gulf River Facility in West Mill NY get spotted at the Ford Tank Car Track for unloading.

After a runaround move PC boxcar #160502 loaded with storage materials from Battaglia Brothers Warehouse in Kings Port, NY is spotted for unloading at All City Storage. 

Some more fancy footwork has RI 35062 and P&LE 35892 temporarily placed in Bedford Park Yard.

Robert R retrieves the three auto parts boxcars from the yard lead.

After another runaround move NYC, KP&W and PC/TOC 60' boxcars loaded with auto parts from ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY are shoved into the Ford siding for unloading.

Robert R makes his last move in PCCM 82 spotting the RI boxcar for continued PCCM loading and the P&LE boxcar for its next PCCM load.

Next we catch the combined Coal Job / Mine Run designated Train MR-1 coming out of Terminal Yard.

First move is spotting two empty PS2 covered hoppers and four empty ballast hoppers at T&R Gravel for their next PCCM loads.

Next move is to pull the loads from Hudson Coal.

The MR-1 makes the long pull and 

shoves the empties back towards Hudson Coal

Empties from Tri Mount Cement are shoved into Hudson Coal for their next PCCM loads.

Empties from RMO Electric get spotted for their next PCCM loads.

We'll cut it here today with the MR-1 back together and heading for home.

We'll pick it up tomorrow with the dispatch of trains EC-1 and BT-27 and then turn it over to the EBRR and LIRR to close it out. 

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

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See ya tomorrow!!!