Empire City Caterpillar Expands

 Greetings All,

Empire City Caterpillar Expands

Thanks to some thoughtful Christmas gifts from PC Ralph and Mrs. R. Empire City Caterpillar was facing the need to expand its operations. Lets take a look at the new CAT equipment, rolling stock and expansion.

A Bachmann New York Central depressed center flatcar came to the layout courtesy of PC Ralph via Santa. The Bachmann six axle flatcar makes an nice addition to my fleet and will serve in both PCCM and non PCCM operations.

Ralph went on a CAT safari to Menard's and came away with these great finds!! 

The missus did the same via telephone adding two more semi tractors with CAT equipment on lowboy trailers.

NYC 498991 has been released from the shop after having its deck, trucks, wheel faces painted and receiving a blast of Testor's Dullcote.

A CAT 950G has been transported from the newly leased nearby Caterpillar storage yard to the yard for loading onto the NYC flatcar.

The CAT 950G sits atop the NYC car with blocking provided by PC Ralph. Nice to think of that and supply it!!!

The new CAT fits perfectly on the wood blocking which fits perfectly on the depressed center flatcar.

CAT equipment is moving into the East Bedford storage yard located across the tracks from Terminal Warehouse & Cold Storage. 

The newly updated tractor trailers will augment this old unit that has been soldiering on for well over twenty years.

That looks much better!!!

As we can see the tractor trailers are very long and the Caterpillar showroom and lot are crowded to the point some of the equipment is being stored on the street.

Which brings us back to the newly leased Storage Yard.

It's amazing how these guys find out what's happening down state without cellphones!!! 

The big crane straddling the TOFC and 8A tracks will handle the loading and unloading of the TOFC and CAT equipment. 

From a scenic standpoint the tractor trailers and equipment loads add some nice visual interest.

A CAT 950G returns to either the Caterpillar dealership in Empire City, the storage yard in East Bedford or the floor of the layout room!

A train of Caterpillar equipment crosses the Empire City viaduct.

Heavy Equipment is on the move!

Depressed and standard flatcars with CAT equipment makes for a nice looking train.

CAT equipment and parts roll thru Empire City.

Herding The Cats!!!

Final Thoughts & Comments

A special thank you to PC Ralph for the very thoughtful gifts that have added more railroad operations and visual interest to the layout and the PCCM virtual ops as seen in PCCM 115. 

Thanks for reading!!!

See you soon!!!