Putting New Rolling Stock Into Service

 Greetings All,

Putting New Rolling Stock Into Service

The New York Central Train Layout Shops have been quite busy getting some end of 2023 rolling stock additions from several manufacturers ready for 2024 revenue service.

These new cars came from friends and family as Christmas gifts and a big end of year sale at Trainmaster Models in Auburn, GA. 

Following some of my standard practices for reliability and for more realistic looking models all models received Kadee Couplers if needed that match up to the Kadee coupler height gauge, a shot of Testor's dullcote, metal wheels if needed with wheel faces and trucks painted a flat black or brown and additional weight where possible.

Scale Trains New York Central 52'6" Mill Gondolas

A trio of Scale Trains Kit Classic NYC gondolas have been added to the roster courtesy of Santa Claus.

Here is a kit as it comes out of the box. The build is pretty straightforward and similar to the Athearn BB kits that make up a good portion of my fleet.

All three Scale Trains NYC gondolas are built and ready to join the NYC P-2000 gondolas in revenue service. Kadee #148 whisker style couplers were used to replace the Scale Trains couplers.

A close up of NYC 713028.

The wood decks were painted with rattle can gray primer.

The trucks, originally black, have been painted with rattle can red primer and brush painted with burnt umber. 

Schaefer Beer 40' RBL #53148

This good looking Atlas 40' Schaefer RBL was a Christmas gift from good friends.

The Schaefer car also came with a nice looking Schaefer sign for the basement bar!

The 53148 joins the 53123 which was a gift from atjoe1972 (also known as 1:87 Alco Joe) and a 40' ice bunker reefer that was a gift from 1:1 Sir Neal. 

Three freight cars of the one beer to have when having more than one are delivered to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse to quench the thirsts of Empire City residents.

Walthers Mainline Burlington Northern Caboose

A Christmas gift from the mother in law is this good looking BN caboose.

The large "P" indicates this is a pool caboose that can be used throughout the BN and for me on run thru trains.

I've bumped the layout to the summer of 1976 with BN continuing their run thru power agreement with the EL which is now part of Conrail.

Bringing up the markers is the new BN "pool" caboose. Who says you can't rationalize a reason for having certain pieces of rolling stock or locomotives on your layout!

Roundhouse 60' Rock Island Bulk Head Flat Car

This is a used model I purchased from Trainmaster Models. For $6.00 I just couldn't leave this Rock Island car on the shelf!

The finished model is now ready for revenue service. Metal wheelsets and Kadee #5s have been added.

Open cars need loads spurring on a trip to a big box craft store where I found various wood pieces like these cubes that fit perfectly on the new ROCK bulkhead flatcar. More on building these and other open car loads to follow in a future post.

Walthers Gold Line

Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Cushion Coil Cars

This pair of cushion coil cars was a used car purchase from Trainmaster Models. The cars come factory equipped with metal wheelsets. As a bonus the prior owner added Kadee #5 couplers.

DTI 1067 is ready for service and will see some addition weathering down the road. Note the trip pins are removed from the couplers. The prior owner had cut half of the trip pin off which is a look I don't like so I cut them all the way off. 

DTI 1067 #2 became 1087 with a stroke of a small paint brush.

It's a little blurry but look closely and you'll see a gold 2-56 washer I added to the screw of the 1087 to tighten up the coupler box lid and get the couplers to meet the Kadee height gauge. 

The DTI cars cross onto the mainline.

A mix and match of new and old trains in revenue service.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!