Welcome to my Blog. The scope of this blog is to record the trials and tribulations of building and maintaining an HO scale layout, the trains and all of the ancillary projects that go with it. In 2017 New York Central subsidiary short line Empire Belt Railroad came into existence. The New York Central / Penn Central and Empire Belt are now the major railroads featured.
New York Central Bee Liner
RDC-3 #497 calls at Bedford Station
Saturday, August 7, 2021
More Coal Hoppers for the Virtual Ops!!!
Greetings All,
This week we take a look at a recent coal hopper project that was needed to meet the demands of new virtual ops customers served via interchange at Rock Ridge Yard on Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR.
As in past projects Sir Neal has sent the freight cars along with decals, metal wheels and Kadee couplers to put the cars into service upon their release from the Patti O Paint Shop.
Here are the project hoppers. Manufacturers include Athearn, Bachmann and some brand(s) unknown to me. Here are ten of the eleven cars of this project.
The eleven hoppers are painted, lettered and in what I call the Solvaset phase. This is needed to get he decals to snuggle down. The lettering is complete and the cars are now rolling out of the shop with Kadee couplers and metal wheels.
A Hoschton Railroad hopper is the eleventh car of the project. The HRC was the freelanced railroad of our late good friend Engineer Ed who loved the virtual ops and coal trains.
We continue the AP 9400 series of two bay hoppers.
Rib side hoppers #9479 and #9482 get simplified lettering.
Empire Belt four bay hoppers #416027 and #416094 will be going to the APRR for PCCM usage as I have two similarly painted and numbered cars already in my fleet.
HR #657440 is also heading out to the APRR as I have a similar car on my roster. Engineer Ed had the decals made in 2019 for PCCM usage. Sir Neal hosted Ed on a visit to the APRR so it is only fitting he get the final car from the decal sheet.
1:87 Sir Neal kept a close eye on the engine hostler a he coupled up AP GP38-2 #358 to the new hoppers for their first revenue run. The 358 is now in the sixth year of it's lease to the NYCTL!
A project recap with the new coal hoppers
making their first revenue run
The hoppers now await loading. Look how fast they rusted! It's true "Rust Never Sleeps!" Both of us will have these ten cars including the Erie and Erie Lackawanna cars also sent by Sir Neal for inclusion in the virtual ops.
Sir John and the Patti-O Paint Shop have outdone themselves again! These cars look great and will look better once we have them debut in a future PCCM!
That's terrific work turning a mish mash of old cars into a new fleet of EBRR and APRR hoppers John! Nice to include a Hoschton car in Ed's memory. Great decal work and I really like the rust weathering on the insides of the cars. Nicely done!
Sir John and the Patti-O Paint Shop have outdone themselves again! These cars look great and will look better once we have them debut in a future PCCM!
ReplyDeleteThank you again Sir John!
You're very welcome Sir Neal!!!Thank you very much for the compliments. Glad you like them! This was another fun joint APRR-EBRR project.
DeleteThat's terrific work turning a mish mash of old cars into a new fleet of EBRR and APRR hoppers John! Nice to include a Hoschton car in Ed's memory. Great decal work and I really like the rust weathering on the insides of the cars. Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ralph!! Engineer Ed loved coal trains!
Delete