Custom Painted 50' Boxcars still going strong

Greetings Blog Followers,

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. Spring time has been a bit hectic this year and my model railroading time has been severely limited. That said I have been able to sneak down and run a few trains from time to time. Still looking good and going strong are my custom painted 50' Bachmann boxcars. Once relegated to the bottom of a box due to an unrealistic paint scheme these cars have been resurrected and now enjoy frequent layout time. The cars have also been upgraded with metal wheels, additional weight and body mounted couplers. 

 

COFC / TOFC / Auto Racks

Greetings Blog Followers,

Rail fans were commenting on an interesting train that passed through Empire City this past week. A group of TOFC flat cars with mostly 20' containers on chassis' followed by some empty auto racks. Don't see containers riding as trailers everyday but they sure made a good looking train.

 Two NYC SW8s hauling a group of TOFC flatcars with 20' containers mounted on chassis'

The train has passed over Empire city Station

The SW8s on point

A close up. Two Walther's 73' TOFC flatcars with Athearn Containers and Chassis' The remainder of the TOFC flats are 85' Athearn models

Empty Auto racks bring up the rear 

 

A trio of GP35s passes on the inner track. 

 Custom painted Athearn Penn Central and New York Central GP35s with a Bachmann Plus GP35 haul a freight train through Empire City.

BNSF Qualifying Run

Greetings Blog Followers,
Big doings this week at Empire City Station. Train Lifers gathered en mass to see one of their own running his final qualifying engineer run. He passed with flying colors and is now a fully certified BNSF engineer. Congratulations!

Proto 2000 E8 coupler swing arm upgrade

Greetings Blog Followers,

This past week I had occasion to upgrade the coupler swing arm on another of my Proto 2000 E8A units. While these units are truly work horses and run great the coupler swing arms have too much vertical play. This excess play leads to unwanted disconnections during operations. The fix is pretty simple, yet effective.

New York Central Proto 2000 E8A coupled to Kadee height gauge

Close up of E8A coupled to height gauge

Close up of E8A coupled to height gauge with a bit of tension  applied. Notice how the coupler rises up. This is the issue we are looking to overcome

Another close up of the E8A coupled to the height gauge with a little tension applied. This simulates the E8A coupled to a string of passenger / freight cars

The rear coupler swing arm assembly

Rear coupler swing arm assembly. Notice droop of coupler and the press pin that is holding the coupler swing arm to the body 

Front coupler swing arm assembly

Coupler swing arm and press pin

 Coupler swing arm assembly now attached to frame with 2-56 screw and nut. Nut has been tightened to eliminate vertical play but still allow lateral play.

Close up of coupler swing arm held in place with 2-56 screw and nut. The Kadee #5 coupler in the coupler box has also been upgraded to a 2-56 screw. For ease of installation on the rear of the unit the electrical board was unscrewed and slid out of the way. The rear truck was dropped down by removing the gear cover (background). There is enough slack in the wires to easily accomplish this. On the front there is enough clearance that removing the truck is not necessary.

 

Stare Down !!!

Greetings Blog Followers,
This past week saw some hostile activity on the train layout. Seems the motive power groups were not happy to see their catalog replacements in revenue service. Engineers were reporting some stare downs between the units while passing each other.

New York Central GP20s face off against their younger cousins, the uniquely styled GP30s, on the high line

The GP30s are holding their own as they lug a coal train through Empire City under the watchful and unfriendly eyes of the GP20s

NYC GP30 2728 on point ready to pass NYC GP20 6109

NYC GP20 6109 

 

 To add further mayhem to the day a trio of GP35s have appeared in Empire City. The lead units are wearing the new Penn Central scheme while the trailing unit is in New York Central livery. 

The New York Central GP30s get a taste of the GP20s hard feelings and the next catalog offerings, the GP35s enter Empire City. To make matters even worse two GP35s are sporting Penn Central markings!  

Bralick Building

Greetings Blog Followers,

This past week I purchased and assembled a City Classics building kit known as 106 East Ohio Street. The kit consisted of four walls with windows and store front molded in, styrene for the roof, clear plastic for the windows and a cardboard view block for inside the building. The building was brush painted prior to assembly using hobby acrylics. Window glazing, decals and window treatments were then added. After allowing time to dry I assembled the building gluing the four sides together with Bondene. I held the building together with rubber bands and allowed the glue to cure overnight. The next day I used a clear latex caulk inside the four sides to further hold the building together and fill in any gaps. The building was set aside to dry and cure. I then touched up the paint. I named the building the Bralick Building using signs from a Walther's kit. 

The Bralick Building houses a BB&T Bank, a doctor's office and law offices.

The Skyline

Rear view

A Passenger Train is Born !

Greetings Blog Followers,

This past week saw the addition of some new passenger cars from Walther's.
1. B60 Baggage Car / Penn Central / Green
2. Baggage Car / Penn Central / Silver / Corrugated sides
3. Baggage Dormitory Car / Penn Central / Silver / Corrugated Sides
4. 44 Seat Coach / New York Central / Two Tone Gray
5. 10-6 Sleeper / Penn Central / Green
6. 10-6 Sleeper / Penn Central / Green
These cars will be added to previously owned Walther's cars
7. 4-4-2 Sleeper / New York Central / Two Tone Gray
8. B60 Baggage Car / Pennsylvania / Tuscan

The eight cars make up a standard length train for the layout and will be mostly powered by an E8A.
All cars came equipped with metal wheels and knuckle couplers. The trucks are also metal and the manufacturer directs a drop of oil be added to each axle end prior to use. All cars are extremely free rolling and handle the 24" curves on the layout. 

Penn Central 10-6 Sleepers pull into Empire City Station

PC 10-6 Sleeper at rest among the Great Steel Fleet

New York Central 4-4-2 Sleeper mixes in nicely with the NYC equipment

 Penn Central B60 Baggage Car 

Pennsylvania B60 Baggage Car

New York Central 44 seat coach

NYC 44 seat coach. Note factory applied grab irons

 Penn Central 10-6 Sleeper

PC 10-6 Sleeper leaving Empire City Station

Penn Central 73' Baggage Car on the High Line

Penn Central Baggage Dormitory Car on the High Line