Welcome to my Blog. The scope of this blog is to record the trials and tribulations of building and maintaining an HO scale layout, the trains and all of the ancillary projects that go with it. In 2017 New York Central subsidiary short line Empire Belt Railroad came into existence. The New York Central / Penn Central and Empire Belt are now the major railroads featured.
Empire Belt GP30s
The EBRR GP30s round a curve on the Empire City Belt Line.
We continue today with our 2026 PCCM two layout virtual op focused on Maintenance of Way train movements between Ralph's Kings Port Division and my NYCTL. Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific Railroad, currently on winter hiatus, will be returning soon.
We're imagining that at least several days have passed and the Long Island RR is returning the MOW equipment back to its shippers.
The action starts at Bedford Tower with Robert R., in his first 2026 PCCM assignment, receiving train orders from the towerman to proceed to Terminal Yard with Train BP-12.
On the other side of town just past EB Tower Long Island RR Train MA-3 is heading to North Side Yard in Empire City via the Bedford Main.
Train MA-3 rolls thru Bedford towards North Side Yard.
LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco is back on duty running LIRR Trains MA-3 / MA-4. On this day a pair of C420s provide the power.
The EBRR gang shoots the breeze as they wait for Jimmy Alco to get train MA-4 moving and to reclaim the caboose.
Train MA-4 departs North Side Yard.
With the MA-4 now clear the EBRR guys get right to work. PC Ralph will be at the throttle of GP18 7278 that will power Train EB-2 to Terminal Yard. Conductor Rocky will ride the 1605 caboose bringing up the markers.
The guys couple the caboose up to KP&W covered hopper 445052 and uncouple the caboose from the engine.
The engines are back on the head end and the air pressure test has been completed. The Hohman Ave. towerman gives PC Ralph a highball.
Train EB-2 departs North Side Yard for Terminal Yard.
After uncoupling from the EB-2 and grabbing the 1605 caboose PC Ralph and Conductor Rocky talk things over with Kar Knocker and Big Mike and are bid a fond adieu.
Over at the new Caterpillar equipment storage yard the Kings Port Railway Society guys hustle to see the CAT equipment get loaded onto their flatcars.
The overhead crane moves into position to load the three flatcars of CAT equipment heading to Milton CAT in Binghamton, NY.
The CAT equipment is tied down, blocked and ready for departure.
The LI-1 power is coupled on and building up the air pressure.
Big Mike tacks on the caboose.
PC Train LI-1 departs Terminal Yard.
Next Stop Oak Point Yard and then Selkirk!!!
This wraps up my portion of PCCM #115. Be sure to catch all the action and conclusion of this virtual op on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division.
We open up the 2026 PCCM virtual operations with a two layout virtual op focused on Maintenance of Way train movements between Ralph's Kings Port Division and my NYCTL. Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific Railroad, currently on winter hiatus, will be returning soon.
The action starts with NYC RS32 8040 making its PCCM debut on the headend of Penn Central Train LI-2 from Selkirk passing RA Tower and moving towards Terminal Yard.
Train LI-2 makes its way to Terminal Yard.
The LI-2 motive power consist has been cut from the train and is placed at the fuel rack in the engine terminal.
Big Mike is back for a new year of virtual operations working the yard job with PC NW2 8807. He's on the back porch checking in with Kar Knocker who has also returned for another year of virtual ops
The LI-2 caboose is shoved into the caboose track and couples up to PC transfer caboose #18227.
The transfer caboose is coupled onto LI-2 freight consist for its next movement to North Side Yard as local Train EC-1.
Alco Joe, back for another year of virtual ops, has been called for Train EC-1 that will take the LI-2 freight consist to North Side Yard is greeted by Wet Willie, our returning engine hostler,
Meanwhile, over in Empire City at North Side Yard the Empire Belt RRs core four are back and ready to get the freight moving. Senior engineer Sir Neal will do the honors of taking the first EBRR revenue train, Train EB-2, from North Side Yard to Terminal Yard.
Train EB-2 is on the move.
Over in Terminal Yard Alco Joe checks in with Kar Knocker and prepares to depart with PC Train EC-1
The EC-1 departs Terminal Yard.
After cutting from Train EB-2 Sir Neal brings the EBRR consist into the engine terminal for servicing. Wet Willie is already sweating thinking about promptly servicing the five engine lash up.
Penn Central Train EC-1 arrives in North Side Yard.
Alco Joe and Conductor Murray check in with PC Ralph and Conductor Rocky as their locomotives are coupled onto the caboose.
Alco Joe departs Empire City caboose light.
Now back in the engine terminal Alco Joe has the four Alcos on the ready track and shoots the breeze with the EBRR guys as Wet Willie gets ready to fill the EBRR engines with diesel fuel.
Over in Bedford, Long Island RR Train MA-3 from Fresh Pond is heading to Empire City and North Side Yard.
The MA-3 rolls towardsd North Side Yard.
LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco, back for another season of PCCMs, checks in with the EBRR guys before heading out with Train MA-4, the long train of PCCM freight traffic for the LIRR MOW Department.
KP&W PS-2 covered hopper 445052 loaded with cement from Tri Mount Cement is coupled onto LIRR caboose #12 that will bring up the markers for Train MA-4.
LIRR Train MA-4 heads to Fresh Pond.
Next Stop Fresh Pond!!
This closes out my part one of PCCM 115. We'll be back tomorrow for part two, that will focus on moving this PCCM traffic back towards Selkirk where we'll turn the op back over to PC Ralph and the Kings Port Division.
Welcome back to the New York Central Systemin Transition
Today we'll take a look at some of the NYC's first generation motive power that continued to serve the railroad and some of the second generation motive power purchases that would deliver the freight over the road to the future.
Background
In 1954 one of President Perlman's first cost cutting measure to bring the railroad to profitability was to cut diesel orders in half, claiming that more mileage could be squeezed out of the existing fleet. This logic was based on the Santa Fe's diesel utilization however the NYC and ATSF were two different animals. Santa Fe's long haul trains of up to two thousand miles at a crack naturally made better use of its diesel locomotives.
"ATSF 43C0002xxc" by drewj1946 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The Central's operations consisted of much shorter line haul runs that were unavoidably less efficient. By the time President Perlman realized the flaw in his logic nearly all of the available new locomotive production had been allocated to other railroads deep in the throes of dieselization.
"AT&SF EMD F7 42C" by Digital Rail Artist is marked with CC0 1.0.
By the end of 1955 service on the Central had slipped considerably with trains sitting in yards waiting for available locomotives to haul them.
"railyard" by zappowbang is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
A nationwide recession in 1957 caused a serious drop in freight traffic. This, combined with the New York Central decision to scale back passenger traffic left the railroad with sufficient motive power for several years with surplus passenger locomotives bumped to freight service and older locomotives retired.
In the early 1960s the NYC began acquiring new high horsepower locomotives, first from EMD, then Alco and then General Electric.
Passenger Train Power
The EMD E7As and Bs along with the EMD E8As continued to handle the bulk of the remaining passenger car assignments with surplus units being assigned to Flexi-Van trains at times.
The Alco PA1 and PB1 fleet was being retired at this time with the PA2s hanging on until their leases expired.
Yard Power / End Cab Switchers
EMD NW & SW
The NYC rostered a large group of EMD end cab switch engines to handle various chores around the system. In total there were 472 units broken down as follows: SW1 - 101, SW8 - 28, SW900 - 19, NW2 - 150, SW7 - 87, SW8 - 87. Below are a pair of SW8s assigned to Terminal Yard.
Alco Switch Engines
Alco S4 8598, shown in Terminal Yard wearing only the utilitarian pre merger "Road to the Future" herald is one of 166 Alco end cab switchers on the NYC roster. The 8598 was delivered to the Central in 1952.
Baldwin S12
The Central employed a group of 21 Baldwin S12s. The Eddystone built switch engines were very powerful and made it to the Penn Central roster after being renumbered into the 8000 series. The 9314 arrived on the Central in the summer of 1952.
Road Switchers
Alco RS1
The Alco RS1 was considered the first successful road switcher and the NYC added 14 such units to the roster. The 9909 was delivered to the NYC as their #8109 in 1950.
Below RS1 9909 and RS32 8040 await their next call to duty at the engine terminal.
Alco RS2
23 New York Central Alco RS2s delivered in late 1949 and early 1950 (8200-8222) would mostly be retired by 1968. Six were listed as active on the roster at the time of the merger with all retired by 1969.
Alco RS3
Alco delivered 130 RS3s (8223-8352) between 1950 and 1953 to the NYC. The RS3s were tough locomotives that were able to handle daily abuse and come back for more endearing them to the NYC and other railroads to the tune of more than 1,300 built.
Ex NYC RS3 #8253 still hard at work in this October 1976 photo as Amtrak #125. This is a very cool photo!!!
"10/30/76, AMT RS3 125" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Later in their post NYC lives some RS3s were rehabilitated with surplus EMD E unit prime movers and equipment and become classed as RS3ms. The rebuilt engines would also gain the nickname "Dewitt Geeps" for the shop that did much of the work.
EMD FTA-FTB
The pioneering New York Central FT A-B-B-A consists that were connected via drawbars were broken up to form A-B sets to be used in A-B-A consists with another locomotive like the F7A-FTB-FTA lash up below.
EMD F7A-F7B
The F7A-F7B fleet continued to provide good service in their cigar band scheme right up to and thru the merger with the Pennsylvania RR.
Alco FA1-FB1-FA2-FB2
The NYC had the largest Alco FA-FB fleet with the purchase of the FA1-FB1 and FA2-FB2 models. In the 1960s the NYC FA1s began to be retired and used as trade in fodder for new GE locomotives.
Baldwin RF16s
The Baldwin Sharks continued in service mostly on the western end of the system until just before the merger with the Pennsylvania RR. Equipped with an air throttle the Sharks could only M.U. with themselves. These locomotives had a reputation for pulling everything including the yard office but not over 45 mph. The Sharks would find a second home in revenue service for coal hauler Monongahela Railway.
Fairbanks-Morse Erie Builts and C-Liners
The NYC rostered a small group of the opposed piston powered A-1-A axled Erie Builts and all three models of the FM C-liners. In fact the Central was FMs best customer. Some of the Eries and C-Liners would be repowered with EMD prime movers and work into the 1960s.
EMD GP20
The New York Central entered the turbo charged locomotive market in 1961 with its purchase of fifteen GP20s. The GP20s were also the first low hood road switchers on the roster and the only GP20s erected without dynamic brakes.
EMD GP7 and GP9
The very popular EMD GP7 and GP9 series locomotives served the New York Central very well in a variety of assignments. The Central purchased 228 GP7s and 176 GP9s. Below GP7 5694 was part of a small group with dynamic brakes for coal train service.
Alco RS32
In 1961 the NYC started to replace their older Alco power with a newer group of 2,000 HP RS32s. Using trade in material from the FA1s and PA1s fifteen RS32s arrived in 1961. Ten more followed in 1962.
EMD GP30
New York Central made a small purchase of GP30s in 1962. Similar to the GP20s, the ten units were built without dynamic brakes.
EMD GP35
The Central continued purchasing EMD products adding thirty GP35s in 1963 and the World's Fair Demonstrator in 1965. Below the demo is now NYC 2399 and the only GP35 on the roster with dynamic brakes.
General Electric Universal Series
U25B
The Central tried and liked General Electrics first domestic diesel product. In a two year span the Central ordered seventy U25Bs.
U28B
NYC purchased twenty two U28Bs in early 1966 that were erected with the U25B car body design for subsidiary Pittsburgh & Lake Erie.
"3/11/78, P&LE U28B 2801" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
In May, 1966 two U28Bs (2822-2823)were delivered to the NYC on the new frame. Both the 2822 & 2823 would become prime power for the newly created Penn Central.
U30B
Between 1966 and 1967 sixty U30Bs were delivered with only "The Road to the Future" herald and road number as requested by the NYC and PRR planners for easier repainting for the merger that would take place in 1968. I don't like that scheme so I added some New York Central lettering to the long hood of these Athearn BB models.
EMD GP40
In 1965 the NYC ordered 105 EMD GP40s, the first such models built, with dynamic brakes that had not been a very common Central locomotive option during the second round of diesel purchases. Below is ex NYC / PC GP40 #3087.
"10/18/78, Conrail GP40 3087" by OHFalcon72 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Here is a GP38 pretending to be part of later group of GP40s that were delivered with just a herald and road number.
Last But Not Least
Alco C430
In late 1967 Alco delivered the final New York Central locomotives, ten Alco C430s #2050-2059 making the 2059 the last NYC new locomotive. Here is a 1:87 scale Tyco rendition of ex NYC C430 #2059 that I painted and decaled.
New York Central 1960s Motive Power in Action
Here are some of the second generation NYC locomotives in the fleet getting the spotlight.
Final Thoughts and Comments
Thank you to all who have followed along with this three post NYC mini documentary. The project started as a simple look at the 1:1 scale New York Central of the 1960s with my 1:87 scale rolling stock and locomotives presenting the story. As we can see that didn't happen!!
NYC Locomotive Consists 1966-1967
The Canada Southern website offers a look at the NYC trains and their locomotive consists from Syracuse, NY during July, 1966 and Rochester, NY during November, 1967. I found this quite interesting from a modeling standpoint. You can see it here.
The 1960s were a tumultuous time for the railroads trying to compete with subsidized air and highway travel that drained the coffers of the NE railroads whose short runs were prime picking for trucking companies using the new subsidized interstate highways and airlines using subsidized airports. Archaic Inter City Commerce Commission rules and tariff regulations had the railroads basically fighting for their lives with one hand behind their backs.
On February 1st, 1968 the once great and proud New York Central became a fallen flag when it was merged into the Pennsylvania Railroad to create the Penn Central Transportation Company. We all know how that ended.
