Turning a 15 minute shake the box kit build into a two day affair

 Greetings All,

How To Turn Building A 15 Minute Shake the Box Kit

into a Two Day Affair

or

Another Installment of the 

Hello, My Name Is John and I am a Trainaholic Series

 

I came across this old school Roundhouse kit in a saved searches email from ebay several weeks ago that was for a specific item. This car was one of those "other things you might like" additions. I made the mistake of clicking on it. The kit was still new in the box, the price was right and I thought it would make a nice addition to my rolling stock fleet. 

To no one's surprise here it is. I think my trainaholic sponsor Sir Neal will understand.

Here is the kit as it came out of the box. As we can see the manufacturer skimped a bit on the painting. Under body details, brake wheel and coupler covers will be need painting The underside of the roof walk will also need painting.

The bottom of the car is just barely painted and the interior not at all. The overall paint and lettering on the car however is nicely done and this is an inexpensive kit. These kits feature a metal frame and coupler pockets which I like.

Prior to starting the build I checked online sources for possible photos of the D&H boxcar. I came across this photo of D&H #22019 from Jim Parker taken in 1974 at Montreal, QC.

In the photo the D&H 22019 appears to have had its roof walks removed and had the addition of an ACI label. I remember a conversation from years ago with PC Ralph where I learned about the removal of boxcar roof walks. Ralph wrote an excellent blogpost on this topic in 2016. See link below. 

Here is PC boxcar #104478 with its roof walk removed that was a gift from the aforementioned PC Ralph for use in our PCCM virtual operations. It is one of my most prized freight cars.

D&H Freight Car Roster

According the the Bridge Line Historical Society freight car roster D&H boxcar #22135 was one of 231 XM boxcars that were part of a 237 boxcar order placed in October, 1970. The other six are classed as XL. 

Roof Walk Removal

The ICC imposed legislation in 1964 that roof walk removal on boxcars was to be completed by 1975 for freight cars in revenue service that was later extended to 1979. Below is a North Stratford RR boxcar with its roof walk removed. Note the ladders to the roof are still in place. The wheel dots at the ladder indicates this car has steel wheels which was another mandate from the ICC to remove cast iron wheels from interchange service.

"Boxcar, North Stratford RR" by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/?ref=openverse.

Just what is an ACI label?

ACI is short for Automatic Car Identification that was part of the Kar Tracker program started in 1967 to track freight cars around the nation. By 1975 90% of the US Railroad freight cars are reported to have been labeled with an 80% success rate in reading the labels at the various car reading locations. This system however fell out of favor in the late 1970s due to continual dirt buildup on the labels impacting the efficiency of the label reading. Here is an example of an ACI label.

"Image" by Rob Swatski is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse.
Ralph wrote another excellent blogpost on the ACI labels and Kar Trackers in 2017. See link below.

My layout employs two Kar Tracker readers, one at Terminal Yard and the other at North Side Yard. Both were built by PC Ralph following an old Model Railroader magazine article. Below the silver Terminal Yard Kar Track reader reads the labels on Train SK-5.

Back to the build!!! 

I used a 5/32" drill bit to enlarge the holes in the roof to accept the Plastruct rods I used for the plugs. The rattle can Colonial Red that I had on hand looks to be a good match for the D&H red color. Having to paint the car parts and roof will add a day to the build as I wait for the paint to cure before proceeding with the build.

The following day the car has been released from the Patti O Paint Shop. The Plastruct plugs look good and the Colonial Red is a nice match.

I chose to paint the underside of the car and brake details Colonial Red as well. I've added Walthers Proto 33" metal wheelsets, Kadee #5 couplers and better 2-56 screws to hold the trucks in place. 3/4 ounces of additional weight has been added to the top of the frame.

 

Painting the frame gave me a nice looking coupler box when seen from above. The painted brake wheel looks good too.

 

The finished car is at Terminal Yard with a car card and waybill to get into revenue service on the layout. Once again the Colonial Red is a pretty good match. The ACI label is placed in a location similar to the prototype D&H 22019. A shot of  Testor's dullcote and some weathering powder was used on the car.

The D&H 22135 has arrived at North Side Yard in Empire City, NY for interchange with the Long Island RR to reach its consignee, Gertz Department Stores, in Jamaica, NY.

A day later in a non staged coincidence the D&H 22135 and PC 104478 are on adjoining tracks at North Side Yard as actual operations meet virtual operations.

 

Look ma, no roof walks!!!

The D&H boxcar #22135 has been interchanged with the LIRR and is on the move thru the westside of Empire City in LIRR Train MA-4 that is using a "borrowed" PRR focal orange caboose.

I briefly toyed with the idea of cutting down the ladders on the right side of the car as some RRs did. Looking at the prototype photo of D&H #22019 I see the D&H did not do that on this similar car. If it's good enough for the D&H it's good enough for me!

The new boxcar also sports factory painted reporting marks on each end which I like. 

 

The car heads towards Fresh Pond Yard for further movement to Gertz Department Stores in Jamaica, NY. The extra work and time has paid off. The car is a good looking, reliably running somewhat prototypical model that I'm happy to have in the fleet.

Final Thoughts and Comments

I enjoy building the old shake the box kits and like having them in my fleet. They are rugged cars that withstand handling and model railroad operations very well. The molded on details won't fall off or break and with some additional work these freight cars can become even better looking workhorses that will reliably move the freight on the layout for many years to become.

PC Ralph's Roof Walk Blogpost

PC Ralph's ACI and Kar Tracker Blogpost

Thanks for reading!!!

See you soon!!! 

Freight Car Spotlight #2-2023 / Penn Central Depressed Center Flatcars

 Greetings All,

Welcome to Freight Car Spotlight #2-2023

or another installment of 

Hello, my name is John and I'm a trainaholic.

Today's focus will be on Penn Central depressed center flatcars #766210 and #766215. Let's take a look at the prototype and the models:

The Prototype

The New Haven Railroad purchased ten of these short flatcars numbered 17060-17069 that were all transferred to the Penn Central on January 1st, 1969. The cars were built in February, 1942 at Readville, PA using a General Steel cast underframe. The cars featured a 17' 2" loading platform and road two feet above the railhead. 

Why is the flatcar depressed?

Depressed center flatcars are designed to carry heavy oversized loads that would exceed height or weight requirements of standard flatcars. Below a transformer component sits on an eight axle depressed center flatcar. The braces are welded in place to securely hold the load.

"Transformer component on hvy duty depressed center flatcar" by john_pittman is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

These big loads are eye catching and this photo of an eight wheel depressed center flatcar with load shows some nice detail of this type of freight car.

"SPX Waukesha transformer" by Rob Swatski is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Special Handling

Car Service Directive CSD-439

As a way to control car movements in conjunction with the Interstate Commerce Commission Car Service Rules the Association of American Railroads Car Service Division will issue Special Car Orders (CSO) and Car Service Directives (CSD).  CSD 439 called for the prompt return of Special Type Flatcars in mechanical classes FW, FD, FG and FM car with a capacity of over 200,00 pounds.

Foreign road cars were to returned empty to the owner either via reverse route or seeking authority to short route the car home if the reverse route was circuitous.

Upon release of the empty cars all dunnage and blocking was to be removed unless authorized to remain. Intercepting or applying for a car without Car Service Division approval resulted in fines of $100.00 to $300.00.

The Models

Just after Christmas 1:1 Sir Neal introduced me to the Exact Rail HO scale Penn Central depressed center flatcars and some turbine loads made for these cars. Still reeling from my Christmas purchases I waited a few days before making my moves and purchasing two of each. The cars represent the ex NH cars that were repainted in 1972.

The models feature a well weighted metal frame and come with metal wheelsets and Kadee #5 couplers. (A nice touch). 

The Loads

I bought this pair of loads on ebay after 1:1 Sir Neal graciously provided the link but before buying the flatcars. Once I had purchased the loads it made good sense to me that I needed depressed center flatcars to carry them. Right?

The seller included this fact sheet that described them as HO scale Francis style turbines that are used for power generation at dams and reservoirs.

The model loads come with small magnets to help hold them on the Exact Rail depressed center flatcars.

Here's one side of the turbine.

Here is the other side of the turbine.

Here are the new flatcars getting tested and in revenue service.

Empties at North Side Yard.

The cars have returned loaded.

Ready for movement.

Happy with how the cars run and look I added some wood blocking to both cars to move heavy equipment to and from Empire City Caterpillar.

 

A large front end loader and water truck fit perfectly on the cars and the blocking holds them in place very nicely.

This led to adding blocking to the NYC heavy duty eight axle flatcar to move move heavy equipment.

The big Caterpillar Scraper finally rides on a piece of rolling stock!!!

The three machines cross the High Line into Empire City for delivery to the local Empire City Caterpillar dealer.

An aerial view of the High & Wide Extra.

Final Thoughts and Comments

Out of the box the Exact Rail depressed center flatcars were basically ready to go. These very nicely detailed cars with the turbine loads and heavy equipment loads fit the cars perfectly and add additional operational options. Whether empty or loaded these cars make a nice addition to nay train.

Special Thank You 1:1 Sir Neal!!!

As my trainaholic sponsor I would like to thank 1:1 Sir Neal for introducing me to these cars and the generator loads!

 

Additional, Reading, Resources and Links

Train Life / Exact Rail Exclusive PC car page.

Penn Central Color Guide to Freight Equipment

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!

 

Penn Central Car Movements #98 Part 7 / Conclusion of Virtual Operations

 Greetings All,

Welcome Back to Penn Central Car Movements #98!!!

Our two layout virtual op with my NYCTL layout interchanging HO scale freight traffic with Ralph's Kings Port Division concludes today with the Empire Belt delivering the PCCM and non PCCM freight traffic from North Side Yard to Terminal Yard and the Penn Central making its final moves.

We open up our final installment at North Side Yard with Empire Belt Train EB-2 ready to depart for the Penn Central's Terminal Yard with a long train of PCCM and non PCCM freight traffic.

Train EB-2 departs North Side Yard and rumbles to Terminal Yard.

The Terminal Yard crew are out to greet the EB-2 as it arrives. They are anxious to get to work on the EB-2 freight consist and bring this virtual op to a close!

The EBRR crew has coupled onto their caboose and exchange pleasantries with Kar Knocker who is ready to blue flag and inspect the train.

The Empire Belt departs Terminal Yard caboose lite.

A short time later Kar Knocker has released the EB-2 consist and the Yard Job shoves empty covered hoppers KP&W #445052 and PC #883190 onto the head end of the empty coal hoppers that came into the yard on Train TY-2. This will become train MR-1, a Mine Run to T&R Gravel and Hudson Coal.

Empty PC gondolas #576104 and #576123 are shoved into the engine terminal for their next PCCM loads of scrap.

Big Mike stretches his legs as the yard hostler brings the power for the MR-1 from the engine terminal.

Engine hostler Wet Willie has the engines coupled on and pumping up the air. It won't be long before the MR-1 departs. 

The MR-1 rolls out of Terminal Yard.

Train MR-1 passes EB Tower as it prepares to work T&R Gravel.

The MR-1 pulls a quartet of loaded APRR ballast hoppers from T&R Gravel.

The APRR ballast hoppers are placed temporarily at Hudson Coal.

Empty covered hoppers KPW #445052 and PC #883190 are spotted at T&R Gravel for their next PCCM loads.

The MR-1 GP7s couple up to the empty hoppers and prepare to work Hudson Coal.

The MR-1 starts pulling the APRR ballast hoppers and loaded coal hoppers from Hudson Coal.

The MR-1 makes the long pull from Hudson Coal. This is one of my favorite moves to watch.

The empties are spotted. Included in the group for their next PCCM coal loads are PRR and NYC hoppers forwarded from Corning Glass and six empties from the Con Ed power plant at Port Owen NY.

The GP-7s have coupled onto the loaded hoppers and prepare to return to Terminal Yard as Train MR-2.

The MR-2 heads for home.

Train MR-2 returns to Terminal Yard.

Put it in the books!!!

Be sure to catch the action on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division!!!

A final postcard from 1:87 scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal!!

"Vintage Postcard - Belmar Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida" by riptheskull is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.
 

A Sir Neal sighting!!! 1:87 Senior Engineer Sir Neal was seen at Neal's Lumber & Hardware accepting delivery of the model trains he purchased during his vacation.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!