We're back in New Jersey for the next 3 seasons, and I'm looking forward to running the layout for the next 7-8 months!
A short test over the weekend showed everything was status quo since I last ran it in March. I had my two senior operators with me and we ran trains all over the place. No special op session, more like 'Let's see who can run what and have some fun!"
Now that I'm back home, I brought up some new rolling stock for the railroad. First piece that I picked off Evilbay was a LV Athearn BB HO 50' Modern Outside Braced Boxcar. I noticed that PC Ralph had one. More of my VO sessions are with Sir John and the N.Y.C.T.L., so this car added another piece of rolling stock which can be sent to the K.P.&W.
Next up were a pair of Conrail Transfer Cabooses, also referred to as a shoving caboose, due to the extended platform on each end. Another score off Evilbay. These were made by the Bluford Shops. The closest link I can find is from the Conrail Historical Society Archives.
Conrail N9 Cabooses
Next up is another addition to the VO sessions, courtesy of the Patti-O Paint Shop and 1:1 Sir John.
The AP and NYCTL send parts from Ideal Auto Parts & Electronics on the AP to the Ford Plant on the NYCTL. I picked up 3 50' DD box cars in January at the Springfield Train show. 1 was an Athearn BB and the other 2 were a Proto 1000 in kit form. The writer has learned that going forward, the Patti-O Paint Shop will no longer work on the Proto 1000 kits. Let's say the letter was STRONGLY worded and the AP Purchasing Department has made a note for the future. Three of the same cars were painted in the same number as I now have one for the NJ layout as well as the FL layout.
The last piece of piece of rolling stock that came north was an Empire Belt (EB) caboose. This was a special request by me as Sir John had painted an engine in his EB colors. New Engine
This matches the one on the N.Y.C.T.L. and now we can do some thru trains without changing motive power and crew!
I want to thank 1:1 Sir John and the Patti-O Paint Shop for their outstanding work on these models. Look for them soon on a future P.C.C.M. virtual op session!
Nice additions Sir Neal!! Thanks for the shout out. I may have erred in my strongly worded letter as it is the Proto 2000 kits that will no longer be accepted at the Patti O Paint Shop. For everybody else the reason for this is I am finding the plastic brake parts, grab irons and stirrups on the old P-2000 kits are becoming brittle and can be found broken in the parts bags. The stirrups break if you look at them wrong. I used Tichy Train Group stirrups and grab irons to replace the broken ones on the P-2000 kits.
ReplyDeleteI agree on Proto 2000. I built a number when they came out, but I always substituted wire grabs and A-Line stirrups.
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