Greetings all!
Our group of modelers who participate in shared virtual ops through our blogs have recently been discussing the 50th anniversary of the inclusion of the New Haven Railroad into the Penn Central system. John R. provided some nice historic background in: This post
Since then we've decided to show New Haven influences on our layouts.
Despite the mostly negative impact the addition of the NH had on the Penn Central's fortunes it did provide railfans with an even greater variety of motive power and rolling stock to enjoy.
While you may get to see some good looking
McGinnis schemed power on some of the other layouts the Kings Port Division has limited evidence of the ill fated merger with the NH. That said I'll post what I've got!
A short passenger train with NH black and orange vestibule heavy weight coaches pulled by an FP7 is seen leaving West Mill. The coaches are Rivarossi models I purchased as a 15 year old in the 70's! While I don't run passenger operations often its fun to pull these
coaches out of the box and give them a spin around the layout.
One of the more interesting locomotives that joined the Penn Central power roster after the inclusion of the NH was the FL9. A unique loco that was designed to run as a diesel but also could pick up third rail electrical power, it had the unusual wheel arrangement of a two axle truck in the front and a three axle truck in the back. These versatile locomotives were often seen on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, and Danbury Branch.
Shortly after the merger FL9s on the PC system still wore their McGinnis colors
http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/pc5006.jpg
Some were later painted standard PC "dipped black"
http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/pc5024cpm.jpg
The Metro Transit Authority later required a higher visibility scheme prompting this distinctive blue and yellow PC livery.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/conrailman/9610948615
It seems the yellow paint faded to white fairly quickly on many units creating this look:
http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/flnh.jpg
A few years ago for the fun of it I bashed a dummy FL9 out of two Athearn blue box F7A shells and a GP9 chassis. I added two and three axle trucks to represent the FL9's unique wheel arrangement. Not having the yellow PC logo decals I opted to create the weather-worn white and blue scheme. My model was inspired by a photo of a unit that wore the thin white stripe along the roof line but John R. recently told me that the roofs were sometimes painted all yellow or all blue. Leave it to the Penn Central to have several variations of a single locomotive livery!
Here's my model of a former NH FL9 performing passenger service on the Kings Port Division.
I had a little fun and created a short video of both the New Haven heavy weight vestibule coaches and the FL9 running passenger ops on the Kings Port Division. Listen for the distinctive Hancock Whistle on the FL9!
One New Haven effect I can easily model is to convey the idea of increased traffic along the River Line (my inspiration for the Kings Port Division) as, according to an article in the PC Post John R. alerted me to, "Soon after the merger PC re-routed traffic away from Bay Ridge, New York to Greenville, New Jersey Carfloats (PRR interchange) to the former NYC Boston and Albany line across Massecusettes and then the River Line (NYC West Shore) to Northern New Jersey"
OK, lets show that re-routed traffic! The Kings Port Railfan Society is on time and in the right place for once to observe this action!
A U33C/ GP30 lash up pulls a train across Ulster Ave.
Long trains roll by in both directions. The second one sports two GP40s and a GP30.
Here is a short video of this freight train action.
Not affiliated with the New Haven the guys still have to take a picture of this fine looking Empire Belt Auto Parts car seen for the first time on the Kings Port Division.
On the local front, one NH covered hopper is spotted at Booms Ready Mix.
That's pretty much it for Hew Haven influences on the KPD! Thanks for taking a look and check out posts from these guys!
John R.'s N.Y.C.T.L.
Neal's Blog
John B.'s blog
Brian's Blog
Hello virtual ops fans! We're completing the series featuring a unit coal train that ran empty as URN-4 from the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester to Hudson Coal on John R.'s New York Central Train layout. The empty hoppers reached Hudson Coal where they were efficiently loaded with black diamonds.
After the loaded cars were pulled from the coal mine and assembled into a train they are seen leaving the N.Y.C.T.L. with the same Penn Central and B&O pooled power consist of three F7As on the head end.
Th train is first seen on the Kings Port Division cresting the grade up to Marion, the Division's summit. While URN-4 comprised of empties was able to negotiate the grade up to Marion without assistance, the loaded hoppers require pushers to get the job done.
Hedberg Aggregates is located at the summit of the Kings Port Division. URN-5 will be passing by this industry before beginning the down hill glide to Kings Port.
Watch video of URN-5 passing Hedberg Aggregates with helpers on the rear.
The helpers' dynamic brakes work to keep URN-5's descent into Kings Port under control
Meanwhile down in Kings Port a northbound freight powered by an F7A-B-B-A consist waits for URN-5 prior to departing.
URN-5 approaches the northbound at Kings Port. Penn Central F units abound!
The helpers will stay with the train until West Mill where they will be cut off during a crew change there.
URN-5 arrives at West Mill
The pooled power consist takes the curve toward West Mill Yard. West Mill crews like to refer to the B&O units as "Binos"
A KP&W coal job from Mayfield waits in the hole.
Its a coal train "F-stravaganza!"
After URN-5 comes to a stop for the crew change...
...the helper set cuts off the train and moves to West Mill's locomotive tracks.
The new crew is in place and URN-5 receives permission to proceed toward Salamanca and eventually to Rochester to dump that coal at the Genesee Docks.
Empire Belt hoppers are seen on the train..
URN-5 leaves West Mill to wrap up this virtual ops series!
Thanks for following this P.C.C.M. in which Coal was King!
Hello everyone!
You may remember this virtual op but its been a while since a unit coal train ran between the Kings Port Division and the New York Central Train Layout! The recent addition of five more PC hopper cars on my layout got us talking about re-activating the moves from the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester, NY to Hudson Coal on the N.Y.C.T.L. with a return of loaded hoppers to Rochester. Four of these new cars are H43D 100 ton hoppers that were recently painted and decaled by me thanks to a Highball Graphics decal set ("F-159 Penn Central 100 ton hoppers") John R. notified me about.
The project was a long time in the making as I had some difficulty obtaining four appropriate cars with 12 panels on the side to accommodate the decals. I finally managed to find three decorated for other roads at a recent train sale and one on eBay.
The fifth car, a PC H39 coal hopper, was a gift from John! My roster of PC hoppers has been greatly increased!
P.C.C.M. #55 will follow Unit Coal Train URN-4, a long string of empty hoppers that left the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester for Hudson Coal on John's layout. The train will stop at West Mill on my layout for a crew change.
Click the link below to get a little information about the docks.
Genesse Docks
Click below for a color photo of the docks.
Genesee Dock photo
Things are relatively quiet at West Mill this afternoon...
....until the rumble of three EMD F7As with a combined 4500
horsepower emerge from the tunnel on the south end of town...
...pulling the long string of empty hoppers.
Click on the video below to watch the train arrive at West Mill.
The pooled power consist of one Penn Central and two B&O F7s reflects the Genesee Docks being a B&O operation while the PC unit takes the head end on its home road tracks. Here they are seen stopping at West Mill for a crew change.
As the new crew prepares URN-4 for departure, a short local serving industries south of West Mill rolls by in the opposite direction. The GP30/ GP9B lashup on this train is becoming a favorite of mine after seeing the prototype featured in the JPM video "Railfanning with the Bednars Vol. 6".
Watch a video of this train meet below
URN-4 gets permission to proceed to Selkirk where it will then turn the corner and head south to Terminal Yard.
Watch the entire train pass by WM tower in the video below.
The cars pass this ACI scanner by WM tower...
....which provides an accurate print out of the train's manifest (as long as dirt doesn't obscure the ACI plaques on the cars!)
The train reaches Kings Port....
...its length stretching across town
Watch the train pass through Kings Port and meet another local in the video below.
The train is later seen successfully beating the grade toward Marion
Campers near Hedberg Aggregates in Marion, NY hear the approaching unit train and pause their activities to watch.
Watch the video of the train passing by Hedberg Aggregates and heading downward toward Selkirk below.
Thanks for watching! Keep an eye on John's blog in the next day or two for continuation of the action!
