More AP 500's Enter Revenue Service

 Greetings All,

More AP 500's Enter Revenue Service

Another year and another joint paint project with 1:1 Sir Neal has been completed. Our focus for the project was to make two three car block of AP500 series boxcars for our virtual ops. The project started with three Walthers ACF Exterior Post undecorated boxcars furnished by 1:1 scale Sir Neal.

The boxcars come with metal wheelsets and Walthers knuckle couplers.

Separately applied brake rigging is included.

Disassembling the cars is pretty straight forward. Carefully pry off the roof and remove the screws holding the bolsters and coupler pockets.

The metal weights, held in place by screws and double sided tape, may or may not stay in place.

Atlantic Pacific decals also supplied by 1:1 Sir Neal will be used for some of the lettering of the boxcars.

The cars are washed and ready for painting.

The parts have been set aside for painting.

Plastic wheels will be placed in the trucks to keep the axle pockets clean.

The first of the new AP500s gets pulled out of the shop.

AP 526 is looking sharp with its orange corporate paint color and silver roof as it makes its layout debut.

AP 527 is ready for revenue service.

Last but not least AP 528 is pulled from the shop.

The Shop Switcher stops to check in with Sir Neal as he takes the new AP500s to Terminal Yard.

Local railfans have ditched their VW and hustle over to see the new AP boxcars.

A short time later Sir Neal chats with the engineer who will be running the AP 358 powering Train NA-1 (NYCTL-APRR).

The AP500s are on the move!!!

Final Thoughts & Comments

It was nice to work with 1:1 Sir Neal on another joint paint project. The Walthers undecorated cars were a very good starting point. They needed little more than than paint, decals and maybe some minor adjustments of coupler heights but other than that it was smooth sailing thru the entire process.

With the completion of this AP500 project the NYCTL and APRR each have a three car block for future movements in our virtual ops. The 500s can also be used in non virtual ops movements, I just have to make sure I don't violate the space time continuum!!!  

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!