Penn Central Power 3

I've interrupted the presentation of my PC locomotive roster by posting about signals on the Kings Port Division.  I’m continuing to add signals so there will be more to come on that topic, but for now I want to return to my motive power.

In no particular order here are:

GP38 #7692  This is an Atlas Yellow Box model from the early 1980s that I purchased at a flea market last year, still unopened in the box.   It runs very nicely.  The unit was undecorated so I painted and lettered it as #7692.   The PC had 268 of these EMD units.  According to Jeremy F. Plant in "Penn Central in Color Vol. 2", the New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads weren't interested in the GP38 when it first came out, but "by 1969 it was the engine of choice" and the PC purchased 150 of what would eventually become a roster of almost 500 including the refined version, the GP38-2.     Plant quotes "Penn Central Power" author Robert Yanosey as noting that "the GP38 symbolizes the Penn Central".    GP38 #7692 heads local freights on the Kings Port Division thanks to its excellent slow speed switching qualities. 

F7B # 3489.    This unit is Tyco shell on an Athearn chassis.    The shell, another childhood acquisition, was originally painted in the ATSF Super Chief silver.  I painted and lettered the unit.   I've noticed in some proto photos that the number and PC logo were sometimes placed in the opposite arrangement on B units.    There units were rated at 1500 HP.

GP9B #3836   I'm fascinated by the cabless GP9B.  Penn Central inherited 40 of these 1750 HP units from the Pennsylvania Railroad numbered from 3800-3839.  I cobbled mine from an Athearn GP9 shell by modifying the cab section.

  

 GP9 #7175   Another Athearn unit that I've had for about 20 years.    It was originally undecorated.   Prototype photos of PC GP9s find them with either the small or large PC logo on the flank.  The Penn Central owned 453 of these 1750 HP units, a popular favorite of mine.   

 SD9 #6922    Yet another 20 year old Atheran, again originally undecorated but painted and lettered by yours truly.  I was delighted to find a few proto pics of this unit online.    SD9s were often assigned to yard, hump, and transfer service.   On the Kings Port Division this unit has been seen on pull-out duty hauling cars from staging into Kings Port as if it was assembling a train from Williams Yard.   It also heads transfer runs to West Mill.  These six axle units numbered from 6900-6924 were rated at 1750 HP.

SD9 # 8589  (Still in Pennsy livery).    This is a Proto 2000 unit and one of the most expensive locos on my roster.   It runs smoothly at slow speeds so it is often used at the West Mill Float yard.

 KP&W SD9 #890  This is the same PK2 locomotive with a custom painted Athearn shell on top.     I interchange them as the whim suits me.   This is a preview of coming attractions as I soon plan to post about my freelanced road, the Kings Port & Western Railroad.  The Black and orange scheme is a modification of the original Milwaukee Road livery the shell was painted in when I found it in the bargain back room of my LHS.     I actually have a pair of these, but more on that later.

Finally, here is the Proto 2000 SD9 carrying out its usual assignment at the Float Yard.

That's it for now!

Signaling a Change in Topic Part 2

Hello all!

I really DO intend to finish posting about my locomotive roster sometime, but I've been distracted by recent developments in creating illuminating signals on the Kings Port Division....

...Well...that and needing to take time to paint my house!   Sometimes life gets in the way of model railroading!

My previous post displayed my first attempts at using LEDs for signals on the layout.  Encouraged by my early success I've continued working on this project.    I am fortunate to have received a couple dozen cast metal signals of various types from my uncle many years ago when he changed scales from HO to N.    Examples follow below.

 These signals are probably over 50 years old.   Many of the Grain of Wheat red, green, and yellow bulbs in the two and three aspect signal heads did not function.  I kept them in a box since around 1981 and finally decided it was time to get them on the layout!


 

 The first consideration before installation was that I really wasn't a fan of the larger three light signals.   Growing up on the PC's River Line, about 100 miles North of New York City, I tended to see single light searchlight signals and wanted to replicate them on the layout.   I removed the large three light heads and replaced them with single-light heads made from cut down grommets as show in my last post.  I positioned the grommets near the opening in the signal mast to facilitate wiring.

 I secured the grommet signal head with Gorilla brand Super Glue after my futile attempts at soldering them.    They seem to be securely stuck on the signal masts!  Most of the old signals had chipped paint, making them look bad, so I spray painted their entire structures black.

                              Pictured above is the entire collection of signals after modification and painting.   

 I like the two aspect signal heads.  I decided not to modify them except to remove the bulbs and paint them black.

 I was especially pleased with this decision after seeing a photo in my copy of Morning Sun Books "Penn Central in Color Vol. 1" of all black signals on the B&M tracks used by the Penn Central.

Wire can be an expense but there is a cool liquidator store in my area called Axemans that sells bulk wire by the foot.   I purchased this 50 feet of wire for $2.00!

Here is a wired signal.   I threaded one wire down the mast and soldered the other leg of the LED to the signal itself.  I then soldered a wire to the base of the signal to complete the circuit. Resistors are included in the circuit under the benchwork.

One of the former two-aspect signals controlling access to the Main from the Mayfield Branch.   A air of GP9s wait for a train expected from the other direction.   The signals are wired to the track for power, making them simple "polarity signals".  Depending on the track polarity the LED will illuminate either RED or GREEN.   I tried to be clever in placing the wires to achieve operational functions.   In the case above, the signal is wired to the mainline to its right.    This is a separate block from the branch line on my DC layout so the signal can light up even though the track the GP9s sit on is not powered at this time.

 On the other side, this dwarf signal controls access to the Mayfield Branch from the main line.  This signal is powered by the first block of the Mayfield Branch so the signal aspect is RED when trains are coming off the branch toward the main, as noted above.   Trains approaching the branch when polarity is aligned the opposite way will be cheered by a GREEN indication allowing them to access the branch.

I've filmed another "Ops Snippets" video that show cases this action.   Here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13LF8Q-F04

Next time I'll document signal installation on the other side of the layout in Kings Port that will include these searchlight signals, among others.   As I noted previously,  I'm now totally hooked on signals!   The illuminating lights look great and I've found an easy way to use them to enhance operations on the Kings Port Division.