New Engines Arrive On The Railroad!!

 Greetings followers of the Atlantic Pacific Railroad!

It's been quite some time with an update, and it's a big one!

I've had 3 engines out for painting and they've finally returned! My painter Ted in Massachusetts did an outstanding job on these engines. First up are a pair of Atlas MP15DC engines. They were new on Ebay at a very good price. All of my switchers are in the 100 series. I have one MP15DC in road #105, so it made sense to continue with #106 & #107. 

In addition, I had sent Ted a Bachmann SD40-2. The road number on this engine was 3018 and I had him leave it with that road number. Its prior life was in Susquehanna livery. 

This engine came out great and as he told me via email, that the SD40-2 was one of his best paint jobs that he's done for me. He did state that it would look great in consist with another SD40-2. I'll have to see what I have as I would want to send him another Bachmann engine so they should run well together without having to speed match them, if that's possible given the decoder Bachmann uses....

So, without further commentary about them on the blog, here's a video of the engines with some additional comments...

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. #81 Part 6 - The Last Of The Inbound Freight Gets Delivered!

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movement #81 of this three layout movement featuring freight from Sir John's New York Central Train Layout and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division HO Model Railroad.

Today we're going to get those 3 PC cars from Bruce Electric to Ideal, 4 cars to ShopRite, some coal for R.M.O. Electric, Three Amigos Warehouse and Shapeless Steel.

AP MP15 #105 with 1:87 scale engineer Mark at the throttle will run the 6 coal cars over to R.M.O. Electric. The train came into Rock Ridge yard as a "Hot" train, but the crew at the power plant was working on some last minute maintenance for coal track 1 that needed to be completed. So much for a "Hot" load....

Let's watch as AP train RR-1  brings the coal loads over the 6 coal loads from Hudson Coal to R.M.O. Electric..

AP train RR-1 drops the coal cars on the Rock Ridge Secondary. AP GE 44 Tonner #900 will spot the cars in the power plant.

AP #105 leaving R.M.O. Electric. Let's go to the video!!

AP GE 44 Tonner #900 with 1:87 scale engineer JP is ready for action!

Let's watch A{ #900 with 1:87 scale engineer JP spotting the coal hoppers in the power plant...

The work at R.M.O. Electric is finished and back at full capacity..

Back in the yard, AP 105 makes some moves in order to get some cars over to ShopRite...

Let's watch the move over at ShopRite...

Let's watch the move out of Rock Ridge Yard...

AP train RS-1 to Shapeless Steel rolls thru West Harold...

AP train RS-1 rolls by West Harold Interlocking..

A quick stop at West Harold Interlocking....

A runaround to shove the NYC Hi-Cube box car to Three Amigos is the first move of this turn...

The crew did drop the empty gondola cars over at Shapeless Steel. However, due to some proprietary work going on nearby, photographs were prohibited...

AP RS-1 heads back to Rock Ridge Yard....

The crew is back in the yard, their work is done...

Over at Rock Ridge East Yard, AP train RI-4 with RS-1 #200 'Spirit Of Jay' is ready to head out with 1:87 scale engineer Bob and his trusty sidekick conductor Stuart. Stuart is still under double secret probation. No one knows when that will expire....

Let's watch how a veteran engineer spots these cars at Ideal Auto Parts...

The move is finished at Ideal and AP #200 heads into Rock Ridge Yard....

The inbound portion of Penn Central Car Movement #81 is completed and it's a wrap!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to to check out the inbound portions on both Sir John's New York Central Train Layout and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. #81 Part 5 - Loads head Out To Consignees

Welcome back to the continuation of Penn Central Car Movement #81! We're going to get these loads delivered in a timely manner, so lets begin!

Today we find SW1500 #100 with 1:87 scale NJ John working the build for today's trains...

NJ John is moving many of the cars in position. He's a veteran of the AP and one who knows how to get the job done...

AP 304 will be the road engine for today, and 1:87 engineer Dan at the throttle with Stuart riding in the caboose. 

Some final instructions by 1:87 scale yardmaster Norman and the crew will head out...

Next train to head out are 3 cars from Bruce Electric that will be headed to Ideal Auto Parts. Before they go to Ideal, the cars will be held at Rock Ridge East yard as the crew over Ideal. The Ideal crew was doing some exterior work on the building, so they asked for the cars to come over the next day...

AP RS-1 #200 will be running over to Rock Ridge East Yard. 1:87 scale engineer Steve will do the honors at the throttle...

AP train RI-4 as they're told will head out to Rock Ridge East yard and lay up the train for the day. They'll return the next day to deliver the cars to Ideal...

Let's watch AP trains RC-2 and RI-4 head out past the Rock Ridge Yard Limits...

Back in the yard, AP #100 move some of the cars that came from West Mill on AP train WR-5 in position for the crew from Allied Steel to pick up the coil loads. Once removed, the cars will head over to Shapeless Steel to pick up loads to head out on a future P.C.C.M. 

Making its first appearance on the A.P.R.R. is this 40' Hi-Cube box car from Peerless Appliances. The car is loaded to the rafters (hence they use the Hi-Cube car) with washing machines for businesses in the area and will be stored over at Three Amigos Warehouse. 

A quick look over at Rock Ridge East Yard shows AP train RI-4 tied down on track 2..

Over by C&P Restaurant Supply, AP train RC-2 drops the cars on the West Harold Secondary. 

AP 304 does a quick runaround on the main as they'll need to pull cars off C&P track 1 and spot the inbound cars in its place...

They pull 4 non-P.C.C.M. cars out of track 1...

They start to shove the cars into the building. Most will fit in and the rest will be switched out by the AP crew when the consignee calls, usually in a few hours. Another crew from the yard will do the duties.

First car in is the EL reefer sent from Terminal Warehouse with frozen food.

The BAR car from Empire Produce...

A pair of AP 40' box cars abs a pair of EB 40' box cars from Schaefer with cases of beer (okay-a lot of beer), which C&P distributes in the area. 

The Swift 50' reefer from Swift Lawrence, MA with frozen meats will be unloaded later in the day....

The cars are spotted. AP 304 will head back to Rock Ridge Yard with the non-P.C.C.M. outbound cars..

The job at C&P Restaurant Supply is finished and the crew heads back to Rock Ridge Yard...

AP train RC-2 makes a quick stop to check in, gets routing instructions into the yard, and they'll call it a day...

We'll end it here for today. Tomorrow the final loads will be delivered in and around Rock Ridge...

Don't forget to see where my outbound trains with loads have been delivered. Take a look at Sir John's N.Y.C.T.L. and PC Ralph's K.P.D. railroad layouts...

Thanks for reading!