Fooling Around with Flatcars

Greetings All,

Fooling Around with Flatcars

Another Purgatory Box Project

The Flatcar

AAR code FM. A simple piece of equipment and a railroad rolling stock staple from the beginning. Anything that doesn't need weather protection can be hauled on it. Most of the loads will add visual interest and I have enough industries on my layout that could use them. So the question here is, why don't I have a good number of them in my 1:87 scale fleet. Today that will be corrected using rolling stock from the purgatory box.

"Western Pacific Maintenance Of Way Flatcar #8522 07" by Jack Snell - Thanks for over 26 Million Views 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.

This current purgatory box project actually began in October 2011 when I repainted four Life-Like Bi-Level auto carriers as Turtle Creek Central auto racks using Microscale decals that came in a Model Railroader magazine. I described the project in this blog entry.

The TCC auto racks looked pretty good and were upgraded with body mounted Kadee couplers and metal wheelsets. They are very free rolling and track very well. However once the novelty wore off they headed to the purgatory box for most of the next thirteen years.

In October 2023 I experimented with de-racking them and putting them into service as standard 50' Flatcars. I reported this in a Purgatory Box Rescue blog entry.

In early June 2024 the Turtle Creek Central flatcars finally went to the Patti-O Paint Shop for repainting and lettering. Here they are fresh out of the shop.

Empties

The local pop group "The Facades" are on the East Bedford train platform waiting for the train to their next gig and checking out the newly painted and lettered MEC 1442 and BAR 1250 flatcars.

The group checks out the BAR 1256 and BAR 1256 flatcars. In a teen magazine "The Facades" later credited seeing the three BAR flatcars coupled together for inspiring the lyrics to their hit song Barbara Ann that was later covered by the Beach Boys.

The main issue that stalled this project was how to cover the six holes in the decks that held the auto racks in place. Some leftover 1:87 scale lumber did the trick for the most part.

Steel

Now in general service the four new flatcars come into Terminal Yard loaded with steel slabs.

A close up of the steel slabs made with wood strips. Decals are from Highball Graphics.

I like the way these cars look with these loads. The 1:87 scale wood strips on the deck covering holes that held the auto racks in place don't look bad with a load. 

Pipe

Four flatcars of pipe are another load that looks good.

Three oversized pipe loads span the four flatcars.

These flatcars as loaded handled the minimum radius 22" curves on the layout with ease and looked good doing it.

Electrical Components

On another day electrical components either make their way to the Long Island Lighting Company or head towards a Northeast utility.

Wrapped / Crated Machinery

Chooch wrapped machinery makes for a good flatcar load.

Wrapped and crated machinery traveling to their next destination.

Heavy Equipment

This is one of my favorites. Caterpillar Equipment to or from Empire City Caterpillar. 

A small bulldozer, heavy equipment tires, crated parts and two diesel engines add to the visual interest of the four car block.

Various loads are on the move.

Final Thoughts and Comments

These four realistic looking flatcars fill a hole in my rolling stock roster and will see much more layout time than the Turtle Creek Auto Racks ever did. 

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!

Locomotive Spotlight #2-2024 / EMD SDP40F

 Greetings All,

Locomotive Spotlight #2-2024 

Electro Motive Division SDP40F

Welcome to another locomotive spotlight. Today the spotlight falls on the star crossed EMD SDP40F.

The Prototype

The EMD SDP40F was a six-axle 3,000 HP C-C diesel–electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) from 1973 to 1974. Based on Santa Fe's EMD FP45, EMD built 150 for Amtrak, the operator of most intercity passenger trains in the United States. Amtrak, a private company but funded by the United States government, had begun operation in 1971 with a fleet of aging diesel locomotives inherited from various private railroads. The SDP40F was the first diesel locomotive built new for Amtrak and for a brief time they formed the backbone of the company's long-distance fleet.

"Amtrak EMD SDP40F 529" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/?ref=openverse.

Amtrak ordered 150 SDP40Fs, in two batches. The first order, placed on November 2, 1972, was for 40 locomotives, at a cost of $18 million. A second order, for 110 locomotives at $50 million, followed on October 12, 1973. Amtrak deployed the original 40 locomotives on long-distance trains in the Western United States. 

"10/18/76, AMT SDP40F 523" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

The locomotives entered revenue service on June 22, 1973, hauling the Super Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles over the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. SDP40Fs were also used on the Burlington Northern Railroad. The arrival of the second order enabled Amtrak to deploy the SDP40Fs throughout the country, displacing the inherited E-units.

"10/30/76, AMT SDP40F 588" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

In late 1975 J. David Ingles called the SDP40Fs the "stars of Amtrak's long-distance trains," but engine crews reported that the locomotives rode poorly compared to the E-units they had replaced. Even as Amtrak and EMD investigated the ride quality, the SDP40F was involved in a series of derailments that led to the end of its career as a passenger locomotive. 

"10/26/76, AMT SDP40F 580." by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Between 1974 and 1976 the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) identified thirteen incidents for which the locomotive was responsible. None of the incidents were serious, but their frequency was a concern. Most of the derailments occurred on trains with two SDP40Fs on the front and at least one trailing baggage car. While the rear truck of the second locomotive and the front truck of the baggage car were pinpointed as the source of the derailment, the actual cause of the derailments was unclear.

"Amtrak SDP40F 509" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

EMD, Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads (AAR), and the FRA tested the locomotive thoroughly, with suspicion falling on the "hollow bolster" truck design. In the end, the investigators theorized that the steam generators and water tank may have made the rear of the engine too heavy and created too much lateral motion.

"Old126629" by Bengt 1955 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.

Amtrak took several corrective measures, including operating with a reduced speed on curves, emptying the smaller of the two water tanks to reduce lateral motion, and making various alterations to the trucks. The measures helped, but the trouble continued. Several railroads, including the Burlington and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), banned the "rail breakers" from their tracks; they were suspected to be causing the spreading of rails because of their lateral swaying, which may have contributed to the derailments.

"4/26/77, Amtrak SDP40F 585" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

For the Chicago–Seattle Empire Builder, the speed restrictions added 6 hours to what had been a 46-hour schedule. Another important development was the unusually harsh winter of 1976–1977, which sidelined many of Amtrak's aging steam-heated coaches. Amtrak suspended numerous routes and pressed the new HEP-equipped Amfleet I coaches, designed for short runs, into service. The new EMD F40PH, intended for short-distance service and equipped with HEP, handled these trains.

"AMTK 257 at Agnew june 1980xRP" by drewj1946 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

In the spring of 1977 Amtrak faced a power crisis. In addition to the SDP40Fs derailing, Amtrak was having trouble with two other six-axle designs. The GE E60CP and E60CH electric locomotives were having derailment problems. The GE P30CH had the same truck design as E60s and rode poorly, although it did not exhibit the same tendency to derail. Amtrak decided to abandon the SDP40F in favor of the F40PH, a four-axle design with none of the riding problems of the six-axle locomotives. 

"AMTK 229 Corporal Dec 1979xRP" by drewj1946 is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.

Amtrak traded 40 SDP40Fs back to EMD. Components including the prime mover were installed into an F40PH's frame. Between 1977 and 1987 Amtrak traded 132 of the SDP40Fs back to EMD for F40PHRs. The SDP40Fs remained in service on the Santa Fe longer than elsewhere, although the arrival of HEP-equipped Superliner cars on the Western routes displaced them from there as well. The last SDP40Fs left the Amtrak roster in 1987. 

"10/29/76, AMT SDP40F 597" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

In 1984 Amtrak, low on light-duty power, traded 18 SDP40Fs to the Santa Fe for 43 switchers: 25 CF7s and 18 SSB1200s. Santa Fe rebuilt the traded locomotives for freight use. Modifications included removing the steam generators and re-gearing for lower speed. The locomotives were also given front steps and platforms, and notched noses in order to improve boarding access. The rebuilt locomotives were designated SDF40-2. The SDF40-2s continued in service with the BNSF Railway, successor to the Santa Fe, until their retirement in 2002.

"ATSF SDP40F 5253 At S. Flynn (OKC)" by woodyrr 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.

One SDF40-2, ex-Amtrak No. 644, was acquired by Dynamic Rail Preservation Inc. and is in Boulder City, Nevada having been previously displayed in Ogden, Utah. It returned to operation in November 2019, now running on the Nevada Southern Railroad.

"DynaRail 644" by paulkimo90 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.

The Culprit was Identified 

Later FRA investigations concluded that the actual culprit was the light weight of the baggage cars, which caused harmonic vibrations when placed directly behind the much heavier SDP40F. A contributing factor was the sometimes poor quality of track the locomotive operated over.

The Model

About twenty years ago I purchased an Athearn Blue Box FP45 / SDP40F for my youngest son, who is a B&O fan. The model ran reliably and saw use on his B&O passenger trains. He is now grown and on his own and has left me in charge of his fleet. As I experimented in adding the B&O to my model railroad operations as reported in my previous blog entry I sought to replace the B&O 9856 shell with an Amtrak shell.

After a fruitless ebay search of several months for a reasonably priced FP45 / SDP40F shell I struck pay dirt finding what I was seeking for the princely sum of $3.00 at a Trainz.com warehouse sale. 

The shell came complete with railings, window "glass" and a horn.

Amtrak 503 replaces the B&O 9856 using the B&O power chassis.

Like the prototype this locomotive has a long wheelbase.

The 503 rolls past RA Tower towards Empire City Station.

The Amtrak train arrives in Empire City Station.

On another day SDP40F #503 is hauling a Superliner Train thru the station on track 1. Note the Amfleet coaches on track 2.

The 503 looks warily at it's replacement, F40PH #209.

With the SDP40Fs off the Amtrak roster the 500 series went to the Pepsi Can General Electric B32-8CWs also known as P32-8s.

Chasing Amtrak 503 from East Bedford to Empire City Station and beyond.

Resources

Wikipedia: Source for prototype information.

Train Forum: Good discussion on the Amtrak SDP40s.

Final thoughts and comments

Three dollars!!! For three bucks I was able to get this locomotive onto the layout in a proper role that fits my modeling time line. Absolutely no buyers remorse with this purchase!! 

It was interesting to research the prototype and learn about the harmonic rocking of the coupled up baggage cars that led its early retirement and the early corrective measures taken at other suspected causes.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon.

 

Adding A Layout Interline Connection / The B&O Experiment

 Greetings All,

Adding A Layout Interline Connection

The B&O Experiment

Welcome to yet another model railroading operations post! Today we'll take a look at adding another railroad as an on layout interline connection to the freight train operations, in this case the Baltimore & Ohio RR.

An interline connection is basically a coordinated routing and interchange of rail cars between two or more participating railroads. Currently there is the NYC/PC - Empire Belt RR interline connection with on layout industries being served. 

The second interline connection is between the NYC/PC and Long Island RR that takes place at the EBRRs North Side Yard. This interchange of traffic takes the freight traffic off layout to LIRR served industries. This traffic could go to a staging track if I had one but as the layout has developed the freight cars go to a staging box. 

The third interline connection is between the New Haven RR which runs between the off layout Cedar Hill Yard and NYC/PC Terminal Yard. On January 01, 1969 this became an all PC route.

Over time I've come to enjoy the freight transfer runs between yards and different railroads in the same geographic vicinity and have wanted to add such an operation between Pier 16  and Terminal Yard. In its current set up the both are served by the NYC/PC with the Pier 16 industries and tracks under utilized and only operated as an afterthought.

Enter the Baltimore & Oho RR

"B&O(CSX) GP9's 6428, 5964" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

A Little B&O History

The B&O holds the distinction of being America's first common carrier railroad 1828-1865. Freight operations included Trailer Train TOFCEE Service, LCL Time Saver Service, car load Sentinel Service, bituminous coal, steel traffic and other traffic between major cities in the Northeast and Midwest.

"6/3/78, Chessie System GP30 6910" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/?ref=openverse.

The B&O's Chicago operations were handled by the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT), separate company with all stock held by the B&O. This is where today's story begins.

"Baltimore & Ohio B&O 8403 (SW1) & B&OCTRR 8416 (SW1)" 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.

Big City Operations and Interchanges

I've always been a big fan of the busy urban railroading I see in books, magazines and videos. A two part article in the Operations Special Interest Group Dispatcher's Office magazine in 2022 titled "Getting Freight Through Chicago in Less Than a Day" by B&OCT employee Thomas White really caught my eye and was the spark for this idea and experiment. His descriptions of the freight transfers and B&OCT's operations were fascinating to me and something I wanted to try and add to my own model railroad.

B&O Train NE-96 

Mr. White reports that the B&OCT originated B&O Train NE-96,  New England traffic via a route called Central States Dispatch (B&O Cherry Run, WM, RDG, CNJ, L&HR and NH. The NE-96 made it all the way to Maybrook NY. 

Points to Ponder 

Could the B&O NE-96 run thru the New Haven / Penn Central from Maybrook to Terminal Yard with B&O power or a mix of B&O-NH/PC power and a NH/PC crew?

The Penn Central was supposed to keep Maybrook Yard open as a condition of taking control of the New Haven RR but they did not.

The Penn Central solicited away freight traffic from other NE railroads highlighting their single railroad routes. 

The Penn Central bankruptcy brought down the other northeast railroads as the PC no longer had to pay their interline charges.

The Poughkeepsie Bridge burned and was taken out of service.

A Northeast Alphabet Trains plan was presented to government officials on March 20, 1974. The railroads involved were the MEC, B&M, D&H, LV, RDG and B&O. A passenger train carrying railroad officials, consultants and government officials ran between Portland, Maine and Washington, DC behind two D&H ALCO PAs. 

(source: Trains & Railroads of the Past Issue #38, 2nd quarter 2024 page 45)

What if the ICC approved an Alphabet Route for competitive balance between the mid-west and northeast?

What if the Poughkeepsie Bridge was repaired and the NE Alphabet Trains became a reality?

Would the B&O secure an all rail connection to its 16th Street Yard in East Bedford at Pier 16?

 We Already Have the Equipment

Being the father of two sons I entered the model railroading hobby as a way for the three of us to enjoy running trains together. The boys picked their railroads and my youngest son chose the B&O along with other railroads for his fleet. Now a grown man with a family of his own and living in another state his model railroad fleet remains with me. I continue to add B&O pieces when I find them and he has accumulated a good amount of motive power and rolling stock in absentia. 

I dug out most of the B&O freight cars in the B&O fleet.

Note however that the B&O Freight cars almost all have empty waybills. Time to change that!!!

To start the B&O Experiment I assigned this pair of Spectrum H16-44s to Pier 16 which is to become a B&O Property. The former Yard "A" will become the B&O's 16th Street Yard.

A B&O Alco S1 is one of a few B&O switch engines that can be assigned to the Empire Power Authority in the background.

B&O Trains will use the lower level of the layout which theoretically connects the New Haven RR to the NYC just past RA Tower.

The B&O was a big time coal hauler and this mineral traffic can be run in unit trains or combined with other trains that can be delivered to the new B&O 16th Street Yard. The coal can be consigned to the Empire Power Authority Power Plant, for export via Pier 16 or movement to the off layout Long Island R industries and dealers.

On another day three GP35s bring a B&O mixed manifest train past Terminal Yard. Freight traffic can be for the industries served by the B&O's 16th Street Yard, Pier 16 and for interchange with the NYC/PC at Terminal Yard.

The B&O Train arrives at the 16th Street Yard where the train will terminate.

The H16-44s couple up to the caboose.

A string of blue B&O boxcars with new waybills have joined the operations. 

The H16-44s shove the last of the B&O freight cars into 16th Street Yard.

The 16th Street Yard power waits on the right hand lead as the road power enters the engine terminal on the left hand lead.

The B&O road power delivering freight traffic to the 16th Street Yard can layover at the engine terminal.

Additional thoughts and comments

In PCCM 105 the B&O experiment made its debut and worked very well. Having another RR join the operations has so far increased the utilization of all of the Pier 16 and East Bedford industries which is a big plus.

The Pier 16 area and Terminal Yard share the same room which makes interchanging traffic between the two easy, visibly interesting and most importantly enjoyable. Switching activity at Pier 16 and East Bedford that houses the Terminal Warehouse and Cold Storage Complex and Bruce Electric Equipment has increased since the turn over to the B&O.

Will it last? We shall see.

Thanks for reading!!!

See you soon!!!