Geeps Are In The House!

Greetings everyone! The APRR has been waiting for a delivery of some special engines and they have arrived at the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal. 

The guys have gathered around wondering who in the wide, wide world of trains had ordered them? Looking at the arrivals are 1:87 NJ John, 1:87 Norman, 1:87 Sir Neal and on the tracks 1:87 Sir John! He came all the way from Terminal Yard to see these engines. I wonder who gave him the inside scoop? So, who is the culprit? Okay, I admit, it was me, 1:1 Sir Neal!

These are Atlas Master Series GP40 engines that I have been waiting for. I think they announced them about 12-18 months ago and I received a notification from modeltrainstuff.com that all three road numbers are in stock; 3144, 3166 and 3182. Atlas makes them in 2 versions; DC/DCC ready or DCC with sound. Now sound is nice, but the cost of buying 2 sound engines doesn't fit the budget and it's cheaper to buy 2 engines and add a non-sound decoders. I picked up road numbers 3166 and 3182. 3182 has the 'Red C' on the body...

Here's the photo of 3166 courtesy of the Dennis Schmidt Collection from rr-fallenflags.org.

Here's the photo of 3182, courtesy of the Gary Everhart Collection from rr-fallenflags.org.

The engines are parked next to sister engines 3111 and 3141, which are Altas GP40 engines as well...

Out of the box, I added the decoder, which is very easy to install. You remove the fan section on top of the engine, remove the dummy 21 pin plug and install the new decoder. Takes less than 5 minutes. Changed the Atlas couplers to Kadee couplers, added the window shades and off it went to the test track for programming. 

These engines will sit in the engine terminal until our next PCCM and will debut at that time. More than likely they will be in consist together, unless I decide to put all four on a train, which would look real nice...

Thanks for reading!!

 

P.C.C.M. #100 Part 5 On The A.P.R.R. - The Crew Delivers The Local Freight To Consignees Around Rock Ridge Yard

Welcome back to the conclusion of Penn Central Car Movement #100 on the A.P.R.R. 

Today's crew has the last of the freight that needs to be delivered outside of Rock Ridge Yard. Two locals will head out today. AP Train RI-2 is a local job at Ideal Auto Parts and Electronics. 3 86' Auto Parts Box cars will be spotted. Once they get unloaded, a pair of KP&W Box cars will take its place to get unloaded.

Once again Dan and Matt are the engineers. Matt is in AP105 and Dan has the MP15 paired engines. 

Earlier today, the road power arrived at Rock Ridge yard. AP 307, a GP38-2 will run AP Train RI-2 with engineer Mark....

The yard guys get the train assembled for Mark to take on the road....

Mark is ready to head out...

A quick stop at Rock Ridge Tower for some instructions from tower operator Rich. Today's job has them picking up two non-PCCM 60' Auto Box Cars and dropping the trio of 86' footers...

...And Train RI-2 is at the yard limit waiting to depart....

Back over at the yard AP Train RN-3 is being blocked. Today's road engines are a pair of GP38-2's with engineer Kai and brakeman Jim making 3 moves today. First stop will be at Three Amigos Warehouse, then on to Shapeless Steel, and the final stop at C&P Restaurant Supply. No outbound freight, so they'll head light to the engine terminal for servicing...

 

AP Train RN-3 has the signal, however RI-2 is still holding. There must be some traffic on his departure route....

Train AN-3 on the move....

Kai has arrived at West Harold and needs to take the secondary track in order to drop the cars at Three Amigos...

A quick move and he's ready to do his work...

A run around is needed to spot the cars...

Three Amigos work in progress....

Their next stop is Shapeless Steel....

Lots of pipe on that AP gondola. Wonder where that's going?

Kai drops the 3 gondolas on ST track 1...

...And now on to C&P Restaurant Supply...

The reefers are spotted on C&P track 1...

Kai grabs the caboose and is ready to depart...

Kai is being held as Mark is making his move over at Ideal....

...However Mark is still hold as we see why....

M&E Extra 18 is arriving at Rock Ridge East Yard to drop off some auto rack cars and flat cars for storage. The APRR makes money on storing freight cars for industries and other railroads, so these moves come first!!

We see some of these auto racks on Rock Ridge East Yard track 1...

Flat cars on track 2...

An aerial view of the yard and cars...

Now with the extra train off the main tracks, Mark can head out to Ideal Auto Parts...

...And Kai & Jim head to the engine terminal for servicing...

Mark starts his work, dropping the caboose on the main...

Mark pulls the 2 non-PCCM auto parts cars...

...Drop them on the main with the caboose...

...And drops the 3 auto parts box cars...

Mark returns to the yard. Let's watch this unique take on him heading back....

Mark checks back in with Rich at the tower...

Mark takes A/D (arrival/departure) track A in the yard....

Matt is back on west ladder track 1 where the switchers are stored after each day's work...

Across the way on east ladder track 2 is Matt and his engines....

And this concludes PCCM #100 on the A.P.R.R.

Make sure you follow the inbound freight on:

Sir John's New York Central Train Layout 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division Railroad and 

Brian's Ralston Creek RR

A special thank you goes out to Sir John, who many years ago invited me to participate in these great virtual op sessions....

THANK YOU SIR JOHN!! 😊

Thanks for reading!!