Waterfront RR Train Movements w/o a Waterfront Part 2

 Greetings All,

Here is a follow up blog entry with train movements inspired by the Morning Sun Book Waterfront Railroads of New York Harbor volume 2 which was a Christmas gift from my friend PC Ralph.  This book goes hand in hand with volume 1 which was also a gift from PC Ralph.

Once again in volume 2 the Long Island RR chapter has a nice photo and caption showing and detailing the arrival of old passenger cars gathered to be sent across the Hudson River by car float to the Lehigh Valley for forwarding to Naporano Iron & Metal for scrapping.

Further inspiration for today's train movements comes from this book which has the disposition of many of the NYC's great steel fleet of passenger cars. The post war NYC purchased a massive amount of passenger cars anticipating a post war rail travel boom that never happened. By 1968 all NYC trains except the James Whitcomb Riley lost their identities and became numbered trains. Many of these surplus trains were sold to other RRs like NdeM, sold to independent dealers or sold for scrap.

Train VN-4 from Selkirk brings a long train with freight cars and deadhead passenger equipment towards Terminal Yard.

We're now at the Pier 16 yard where the surplus NYC passenger equipment has been gathered for floating across the Hudson River.

The Pier 16 switcher couples onto the first cut with a reacher car.

A pair of NYC Heavyweights bring up the rear of the three car cut and are coupled onto the transfer caboose.

The switchers pull the cut towards the turnouts to access the 12th Ave running track and non modeled waterfront.

The conductor protects the shove move to 12th Ave and Pier 16.

Surplus diners and a chair car are shoved into the hidden staging track that represents the 12th Ave running track.

In today's installment we'll imagine the Pier 16 Switchers will be shoving the passenger cars onto the non modeled car float at the non modeled pier at the non modeled waterfront.

The three passenger cars are now in their respective boxes but we're imagining they are in the float yard or on the car float as the Pier 16 switchers come back to the yard.

With the USPS cancelling the railroad mail contracts the RPOs became surplus along with the two HWs behind it. The reacher car is coupled on and this cut is good to go.

The caboose is coupled on.

The switchers pull forward to access the turnouts for 12th Ave and the non modeled waterfront.

Once again the conductor is protecting the shove move to 12th Ave.

The surplus passenger cars will join the prior cut on the non modeled car float for their trip across the non modeled Hudson River.

The passenger cars are on the non modeled car float (back in their boxes) and the switchers return for their next assignment.

Some final thoughts;

Deadheading passenger equipment to your freight yard or an interchange can add an interesting looking train and operational twist to any op session.

 

If scrapping trains is not something you are comfortable modeling imagine the trains have been sold and are going to their new owners. 

Either way moving passenger equipment w/o passengers can provide a nice change of pace to standard operations and give your passenger cars center stage in an ops session. Give it a try.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See ya soon!!!