Signaling a change of topic!

I was originally planning to continue presenting my Penn Central locomotive roster in this next post, but am instead going to talk about a signal project I've been working on lately.
 

 I'm a babe in the woods when it comes to electrical projects. Witness my use of Atlas components as an easy way to provide block control on my DC layout.

 Look Ma!  No toggle switches!  :)

So, no electronically controlled switch machines, no illuminated structures, and no functioning signals on my layout.

Last year, however, I DID create a large scale model of a railroad signal for fun, and to use while operating the layout from my F unit control stand.

Here's a YouTube video of it in action: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfjQu-3ayYY

If you watched the video, you saw that I have some nonfunctioning signals that can be seen as "dark" from my train cam.   One of the motivations to illuminate some of these was the thought of enjoying red and green lights coming into view on my TV/ locomotive windshield as my loco with the train cam approaches them.

I've done numerous searches about model railroad signal systems but most are rather expensive and I don't immediately grasp the concepts of "logic" that control them.    Fortunately one of my searches found a link to inexpensive scratchbuilt signals used to indicate the track polarity.   Utilizing bi polar red/green LEDs,  these signals wired to the track let the operator know which direction trains will run.    It occurred to me that I could use an indicator like that for a staging track at West Mill.    Using two throttles,  I sometimes lose track of the direction a train might take when powering up.    Trains might appear on the layout from staging OR they might back up against the bumper of the staging track, and derail in the hidden depths, creating a major headache.

I purchased a package of five bi polar LEDS around three years ago and finally got around to trying my hand at working with the lights.    Soldering the accompanying resistor and some wire to one of the LEDs was easy.  I used a cheapie Bachmann dwarf signal as the basis for the model.   Drilling out one of the facsimile lights in the signal I inserted the LED in the back and used a thin plastic coffee stir straw to hide the resistor and wire.     (Cue dramatic Frankenstein movie music).  IT WORKS!!!!!!!  IT WORKS!!!!   Thank you for your indulgence in response to my first small but significant victory in working with LED technology!

Green signal means its OK to to run a train into staging.  Red means its OK to run one out of staging.

Once I got my feet wet, I wanted to try more LED signal projects.    The next obvious choice was the empty signal bridge by West Mill's tunnel.   The two tracks that disappear into the tunnel are the layout's continuous main line and a long siding that emerges with the main on the other side of the layout at King Port.    Since during operations I use the hidden section of both of these tracks as staging it was also important to be confident about the directions trains will travel when I hit the throttle.

I soldered resistors and wire leads for three LEDs, one for the main and two to control the siding and the turnout from the main to the siding.

I'm using grommets as the signal heads, cutting half of the protruding part to simulate a "hood" or shade for the light.

I threaded the wires through black stir straws and the bases of the signsl bridge uprights, guided them through holes in the bench work, and soldered them to the tracks.  Briefly using alligator clips to attach the six wires, trial and error sessions enabled me to determine the proper locations to solder the wires so the LEDs would show the proper aspects (I.e.  Green for "approach toward the tunnel" and red for "Stop...trains are coming out of the tunnel")

Once again...IT WORKS!!!!!!!

Things I learned:  I don't have to connect the resistor directly to the LED.  Doing so with all thee LEDs on the signal bridge left a lot of bulky items to cover up that could have been below the benchwork.  I also realized later that I could have wired the two LEDs that control the siding (the two lower level signals) as part of the same circuit instead of separately each with its own resistor.

Still, as my most sophisticated electrical project so far, I'm pleased with the results and look forward to learning more and creating additional lighting effects!

     
May you always have the green aspect!

Penn Central Power 2

U30C  #6538 joins the fleet!

I was going to write about the rest of my PC locomotive fleet in this installment but will instead focus on my most recent addition, which was obtained just last week!    I won an eBay auction for an Athearn Blue Box U28C that was never used and still in its original box with all of the accompanying details.    I’ve seen locomotives like this listed for 30-40 dollars but was able to obtain it for $12.50.  Couldn't pass up that deal!

Many thanks to John R. of the New York Central Train Layout blog for alerting me about this sale and also for much of the information that follows.   John is an excellent researcher and provided me with prototype information about Penn Central’s large U Boats.

The new loco is Athearn’s U28C numbered 6533.  Here is the pristine shell in the box after I removed it from the chassis to do some work on it.   

Since I already have one of these units numbered as 6533 (I've had it for many years as noted in a previous post) I decided to renumber the new one as 6538.  At first I thought it would be a simple matter of replacing the last 3 with an 8, but checking my Microscale PC locomotive decal sheets I quickly observed that the Athearn  numbering did not match their style.  

I decided to completely remove the stock numbers and replace all four digits for 6538 using the decal sheet.   Applying 91% alcohol with a Q-tip, I swabbed the old numbers and then followed up by carefully rubbing them off with a pencil eraser.   It took about five minutes work on each side of the loco.  I washed the shell thoroughly with mild soap and water and let it dry for a day before decaling.

 

When I informed John that I had renumbered the locomotive as #6538 he provided some surprising information.    He told me that,  “Certain General Electric units ( 6528-6531) in the U28C series were upgraded from 2,800 hp to 3,000 hp. Five units numbered from 6535-6539 were delivered new to the PRR in 1967 and designated as U30Cs. The bodies of the U28C and U30C are basically identical and best identified by their numbers."

Turns out that my decision to renumber #6533 to become #6538 changed the designation of the locomotive from a U28C to a U30C and upgraded the unit 200 horse power!   I thought that was great!

Once the new numbers were thoroughly dry I installed the handrails.  I find this to be a tedious job and realize why I appreciate F units so much!   It’s been years  since I’ve installed handrails on an Athearn unit…and it occurs to me I didn’t wear bifocals then!   Once that was finally done,  I weathered the units with artist chalks and acrylic paints

   

Here is U30C #6538 fully assembled with yellow safety handrails and weathered.

I like to add printed number boards made with Microsoft Word.    The U’s spot horn hook couplers in this pic but I converted them to Kaydees after this was taken.

        The new unit meets its cousins, U28C #6533 and U38C #6554

6538 and 6533 take it to the road! (Headlights photo shopped)

  

Some more information from John that will be useful for the locomotive card I'll make for the new unit.

GE U30C  3,000 HP  C-C axles

Weight: 395,000 lbs,   Tractive Effort: Maximum 98,875 / Continuous: 85,000

Gear Ratio: 74:18,       Speed: Maximum 70 mph, Continuous 10.2 mph

Coupled Length: 67'3", Fuel Capacity: 4,000 gals, Engine: FDL16

Maintenance Base: Selkirk

The Penn Central boasted some big power and now I'm pleased to have added another large six axle unit to my roster.   I'll be running 6538 at the head end of thru-trains on the Kings Port Division and also include it in power runs back to Selkirk.  

Penn Central Power!

Penn Central Power, the title of Robert J. Yanosey’s comprehensive book illustrating the PC’s locomotive roster…and of which,  ridiculously enough, I do not own copy!  I must try to remedy that situation!

It’s also the title of this latest blog entry, a description of the Penn Central locomotives seen on the Kings Port Division.  In addition to the obvious purpose of showing my locomotives, I have an ulterior motive.  I’ve been intending to work on a series of cards describing my locomotive roster that I may use during operations on the layout.   Procrastination has kept me from completing this project but now by putting it out on the blog I’ve supplied myself with some extra motivation!

                        Here is the engine yard in Kings Port.  It serves both the Penn Central and my freelanced Kings Port & western railroad  (more on the KP&W in a later post). 

                        I installed this card holder several moths ago with the intention of adding cards representing the roster that I might select to determine the power for various trains.  

    

                                           Here is an example of one of the completed cards. 

I’m including information and data about the prototype locos to add some interest.  It’s cool to know that my GP38-2s have 2000 horsepower with a two stroke V-16 engine, for example.   Cards also include a description of how the loco is most often used on the Kings Port Division

In lieu of finding facts for the cards from Yanosey’s Penn Central Power (did I mention that I gotta get a copy!?!),  I’m  obtaining Info from online searches of PC sites including  the “Unlikely Penn Central”.  Its “Scrap Yard “section includes an extensive guide to the PC  diesel roster with photos and information.

http://unlikelypcrr.com/page6/Welcome_files/PCDieselSpottersGuideReid.pdf

Let’s start the first installment of my diesel roster:

 As noted in the card example above, GP38-2 #8038 and #8046 typically run together.   Both are Athearn Blue Box units that I purchased from my local hobby shop in the 1990s, with one being powered and the other a dummy.     #8046 was factory painted and lettered  as PC # 8045.      I  have a second dummy unit that was also factory painted and lettered as #8045 so I changed the last number on one to make them sister units.    #8038  was undecorated so I painted it black and applied PC logos and numbers, giving this unit the orange “C” scheme  for variety.   The powered and dummy consists run well enough to be good for switching but I also assign them to  through-trains.  

 Next up is this pair of RSD-12s that I purchased last year from a fellow modeler.  These Atlas units run beautifully smoothly at slow speeds; perfect for switching.    I’m keeping them in their pre-merger livery since the original owner had nicely weathered them.

U28C # 6533.    Another Athearn Blue Box unit that I purchased in the 1990s.   This unit came with the factory stock PC logo and number.    Sharp eyes will note the horn hook couplers.  I still have several old freight cars that need conversion to magnetic couplers so it’s nice to have a set of locomotives that can pull them.   I use this loco for run-through trains, usually coupled to a dummy U33C.

GP30 # 2212.   This is a Bachmann unit I purchased from WB Klein at a good price a couple of years ago.   It is a nice quiet running loco that I use for way freights and switching.   I toyed with updating the livery to the Penn Central but decided to keep it pre-merger.

GP40 # 3007.  Another Bachmann unit I purchased at the same time as the GP30.   Unlike its cousin,  this unit was a terrible growler.   I tried lubrication, break-in running, checked the gear teeth for obvious burrs, but had no success in making it quieter.    I read about one modeler’s fix of applying electrical tape around the frame under the shell to deaden noise and vibration.   I applied a wrap of electrical tape around the frame and was just able to fit the shell snugly over it.  This did significantly cut the grinding noise to an acceptable level.   The loco runs nicely and is as good a switcher as the GP30 and RSD-12s.

I don’t want to overwhelm this post so I’ll describe the rest of my roster in one or two more future entries.

Here is a link to my most recent YouTube effort that focuses on my engine yard and features some of the above mentioned locomotives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_KtYTJ-A1k 

Thanks for taking a look at my black-dipped collection!

Why the Penn Central!?!

                                        I used to practice drawing the Penn Central logo when I was a kid until I got it just right.

Of all the railroads to model…why the Penn Central?    In the past, maybe 20-25 years ago,  I’d see that question in the model railroad literature, often expressed with skepticism and sometimes with disapproval, if not occasional derision.    I guess it’s understandable that some folks would find the PC an odd choice to spend time, energy, and money modeling.    Some wondered why anyone would recreate the nation’s greatest railroad failure in miniature.   Others resented the PC as the poor end of their favorite classic roads, the New York Central, The Pennsylvania, and the New Haven; lines with long histories and heritage.

                                             A road weary Penn Central boxcar sits at the Float Yard in West Mill on my layout.   Hopefully it isn't lost!

I grew up in Upstate NY,  close to the Penn Central’s  River Line (formerly the West Shore Line of the New York Central) and was almost 9 years old at the time of the Feburary 1, 1968 official merger date.  I have vague memories of some New York Central diesels rolling across grade crossings while I sat in the car with my Mom waiting for trains to pass, but as I got a little older and paid more attention to trains those  multi-unit black locos with the mating worms logos WERE railroading!    It’s often been suggested that a lot of model railroaders prefer to create layouts that reflect their early awareness of trains.    My interest in the PC is certainly a case in point.     When I left New York to attend college in Iowa, and later moved to Minnesota,  I saw plenty of Rock Island, Chicago Northwestern, SOO Line, and BN railroad action…and enjoyed all of it…but I continued to be drawn to the Penn Central as the inspiration for my modeling.   It gets in your blood!

                                   A 50 ft. plug door boxcar is about to be loaded at the team track ramp in Kings Port .   Hope it stays on the tracks!

It seems that in recent years that there has been a more accepting response to PC modeling in the hobby community .  In fact, it’s almost becoming stylish to model the Penn Central…or at least I like to think so!  I’m wondering if the more favorable perception of  post-1968 merger modeling might have been influenced by:

1. Articles like the multiple page cover story “Penn Central was a very COOL Railroad!”  in Issue #41 (1999) of The Railroad Press, and “Glorious Penn Central” in Issue #81 (2009)....and...

                                        Thorough coverage of the Penn Central in mainstream hobby magazines seemed rare several years ago.  These TRP issues were a great find!

2. Presentations  of modeling like Ken Mc Corry’s  huge and beautifully done PC layout featured as the cover story of the  April 1999 Model Railroader magazine. 

Here is a link to a YouTube video of the layout running Pennsylvania locomotives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ODnHRbwGVw 

I've seen other Penn Central modelers list reasons why the Penn Central is a great railroad to model.   I'll include some from Issue #41 The Railroad Press.  Some are tongue in cheek:

" 10 Reasons that the Penn Central was a Cool Railroad”

10.  Operated a fleet of more than 450 ALCOS!

9.  Provided excellent service to Huntsville, Ohio and Belle Centre, Ohio (pop. 796, making 40 round trips to deliver/pick up 56 cars with a 5 man crew in 1973.  It only cost $58,000 to make $16,000.

8. Jade Green Cabooses  (I've gotta go with that one!)

7.  Kept a big fleet of GG-1s in operation

6. Owned more than 50 Baldwins!

5. Three words- Mating worms logo

4. Able to lose a million dollars a day, and keep running trains!

3. Penn Central didn't last long enough for many of its engines to look ratty  (hmmmmm...not based on some photos I've seen!)

2. They never owned F40s

1. Standing derailments!  Boxcars fell off the tracks while they were just sitting thee, without being touched by another car.

OK...maybe not the greatest endorsement, but the comments about the diverse locomotive roster are certainly valid.   

                                      GP9 #7175 crosses Ulster Ave.   The PC had a wonderful mix of first and second generation power.   And, a unit like this Geep might find itself decorated with the large PC herald as shown,  or the small one...or maybe a variation with the Red "P" or the Red "C" or even an Orange "P"!

I could make joking comments about not having to worry about the quality of my track laying or mention how easy it is to model the black-dipped paint scheme, but really, for me its about modeling the railroad I grew up with,  and the more I learn about it, its fallen flag pre-merger railroads, the conflicts between the NYC and the Pennsy, etc.,  just makes it more appealing.

Oh, for you NYC and Pennsy fans...I can assure you that there is still plenty of evidence of heritage on my layout!

                          Former competitor's cars now share a joint ownership on my Penn Central-themed layout.   It's going to be a bright future in the 1970's!  Right?

So, why model the Penn Central?   Why not!?!  :)