P.C.C.M. 61 / NYCTL Part 1

Greetings All,

The virtual ops continues with P.C.C.M. 61 starting today. This virtual op will be a four layout op featuring the NYCTL and 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division 

Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR 

Brian's Ralston Creek RR.

We'll open up the NYCTL action at Bedford Park with the Bedford Park Yard Switcher at American Hardware coupling up to P&LE #35892 loaded with bulk hardware for Peerless Appliance in Mayfield NY on the KPD. 

The BPY Switcher has shoved back to the Ford steel track to pick up these two empty breadbox trough coil cars for return to Kings Port Steel.

 Next move is to pull the Celanese Chemicals car from the Ford tank car unloading track. This car is heading back to Celanese Chemicals in Denver CO on the RCR.

The BPY switcher has the outbound cars in position as it awaits the arrival of train BP-41 coming from Terminal Yard.

With only a handful of cars for Bedford and Bedford Park industries a combined BP-41 / BT-27 is pulling out of Terminal Yard behind a pair of GE B boats.

The BP-41 / BT-27 rolls thru Bedford NY towards the Hostess Plant where that empty Hostess/ Wonder Bread covered hopper, ACFX #56670, needs to be pulled.

ACFX #56670 has been pulled from Hostess for reloading at the large Cargill facility in Rock Ridge NJ on the APRR.  

The BP-41 / BT-27 engines have run around their train and are now shoving into the Bedford Park lead under the watchful eyes of Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B.

Empty PC / TOC, KP&W and NYC 60' boxcars are pulled from the Ford Plant. The three cars will be heading back to ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY on the KPD. 

The work done at Ford the BPY Switcher now tacks the four cars pulled earlier onto the BP-41 / BP-27 auto parts cars for return to Terminal Yard.

1/87th scale John B gives the BP-41 / BT-27 a roll by inspection as the train heads back to Terminal Yard. 

Eight cars for three virtual ops layouts are in today's consist heading back to Terminal Yard.

 BP41 / BT-27 returns to Terminal Yard.

The next train called out is the Coal Job behind two FM H16-44s. The Yard Job can be seen getting the BP-41 / BT-27 cars and others ready for placement in later outbound virtual ops freight trains.

The Coal Job's first assignment is to pull these three PS-2 covered hoppers from T&R Gravel. All three are loaded with locomotive sand. The two PC cars are consigned to the APRR Engine Terminal and KPW #44052 is headed to the Kings Port & Western RR.

The Coal Job is now in it's more traditional role of working the Hudson Coal Mine. Here it is pulling out loaded coal hoppers.

The long string of loads being pulled out of Hudson Coal includes six loaded hoppers for R.M.O. Electric in Rock Ridge NJ.  

The loads sit on Main 3 while the FM units shove the empties back towards Hudson Coal. 

The empties have been placed and the Coal Job prepares to return to Terminal Yard.

The Coal Job is back at Terminal Yard and rolls over the weigh in motion scale.

We'll cut it here for today with the Yard Job working to get the various virtual ops freight cars sorted for their outbound trains. Cars for the KPD are on track #2. Cars for the APRR are on track #4. Cars for the RCR are on track #7.

We'll follow up the action tomorrow with the Empire Belt RR working several Empire City industries. 

Don't forget to catch the other virtuals ops action.

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division 

Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR 

Brian's Ralston Creek RR.

Thanks for reading!!

See ya tomorrow!!

Empire City Station Part 3

Greetings All,

Work continues on the Empire City Station project. Here is the project with a PCCM 60 train rolling past.

The foam core walls have been trimmed with hobby sticks to clean up the edges.

The foam core board has been painted with rattle can gray primer. I borrowed the street lights from the Bedford Station passenger platform. I might keep them here as I usually knocked over at least one taking a PCCM  photo.

Both side are in place. Faux tunnels have been cut into the backdrop and additional curbing at the front edge was added.

In part 2 borrowing from Penn Station Baltimore I added these food trailers for a Food Truck Friday theme. This week I undertook the painting of the unpainted figures to remove the 'clothing optional' dining option.

To speed the figure painting process I glued the unpainted figures to strips of foam core board. I'll spray them with some Testor's Dullcote prior to painting them with acrylic hobby paints. 
Here they are drying. As usual a few fell off but by and large this has proven to be a quick method to get the figures painted.

The painted figures have been added and the 1/87th scale trainmen have made their way over in anticipation of Food Truck Friday.

It's a lively scene at the front of the layout with lots going on.

Still a little more detail needed at the rear of the building. Cars turn into the parking area while a lone jogger breathes in some diesel exhaust.

The food trucks have arrived and the feast begins!!!

Here's the latest photo showing a routine day around the station.

An everyday rush hour occurrence has the ECPD working a fender bender that is snarling traffic. 

A little hustle and bustle! A prison work detail is cleaning the park while the rest of the population goes about its business.

 Traffic is backing up around the station with the car crash.

Intercity and commuter trains call at the station this morning. 

The New Haven RR continues to enjoy station privileges. The NYC commuter train led by the 5694 is ready to depart on track 1.

A NYCTL NY-4 runs thru the station on track 1 with six Alcos and one Baldwin S12.

FA1s lead NY-4 thru the station towards Terminal Yard.

The project has been a lot of fun and the area around the station lends itself well to the placement of different vignettes featuring figures and vehicles. 

Special thanks to John B., PC Ralph and Sir Neal for their input on this project. Thanks guys!!

Thanks for reading!!!

See Ya soon!!

Empire City Station Part 2

Greetings All,

Work continues on the Empire City Station project and here are the latest developments.

Here is Empire City Station as last seen in PCCM 60.

I used some cardstock from a cereal box to mock up the support going over the tracks. I had this in place for awhile but started to dislike the support piece on the platform separating the two left tracks.

The other side shows has a similar support on the platform separating the tracks which are now on your right. These will both be removed as the project progresses. 

I was unsure what to do below station level and ultimately chose to add some foam board shapes that looked like either stairs or an escalator.  

You really have to crane your neck to see this area and the stair shapes supporting the center of the station are unseen from normal viewing angles.

I've cut the end walls out of foam core and opened up the tunnel between the two tracks on the left.
The base portion of the project is starting to come together. Note the stairs / escalator supports are barely if at all visible. 

John Bruce of Model Railroad Miscellany fame complimented the structure in EC Station part 1 saying it reminded him of Penn Station Baltimore. I googled photos of this and noted among other cool items a cut for taxicabs to access the front of the station. I've mocked that up here. Thanks for the heads up John!!

The area across from Penn Station Baltimore is a nice open space with some greenery. I had a Woodland Scenics Memorial Park kit under the layout for over ten years waiting to be built and added to the layout. This looks like the perfect place for it. I've assembled the picnic benches and painted the metal castings rattle can gray.

Here is the newly installed Memorial Park. A perfect place to relax, BBQ and enjoy the hustle and bustle of Empire City Station. 

The roads and some of the sidewalks are now in place. Still lots to do though.  

The park has been populated and the scene is coming to life. Now I need to paint all these unpainted figures. Ugh.... Not my favorite part of the hobby.

One other thing I noted in the Penn Station Baltimore photos was a number of food trucks surrounding the open area. Hmm... 

It's Food Truck Friday!!!

So there's plenty more to do and I hope to have the scene pretty much completed within the next week. I'll post a Part 3 blog entry showing the mostly finished scene later this week if all goes well. Special thanks to John B. for the heads up on the Penn Station Baltimore and all that has evolved from that.        

Thanks for reading!!!

See ya soon!!!