Passenger locomotives

[jwb]

I had an e-mail exchange with Frank and did ask him about his layout. He said he basically had a round-and-round crawl in the middle sort of layout for operation, but most of the photos with his articles were taken on two posing boards. The most interesting to me was the one with a PRR position light signal, where the track ran beside some water. It could have been the NY&LB or the Long Island. Unfortunately, this was just a photo prop sort of deal. I agree with you that his modeling philosophy had a lot going for it.

[jwb]

Speaking of Frank Cicero and the LIRR, here's a pair of Atlas RS-1s
[albumimg]4072[/albumimg]
Some of the LIRR lines, like the Oyster Bay branch, could easily be modeled on a small layout or a shelf.

[Sumpter250]

I do like that 1964 Worlds Fair paint scheme.... Atlas, factory paint :
   

This one's a kitbash, and a really fun paint job :
   

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I had an e-mail exchange with Frank and did ask him about his layout. He said he basically had a round-and-round crawl in the middle sort of layout for operation, but most of the photos with his articles were taken on two posing boards. The most interesting to me was the one with a PRR position light signal, where the track ran beside some water. It could have been the NY&LB or the Long Island. Unfortunately, this was just a photo prop sort of deal. I agree with you that his modeling philosophy had a lot going for it.

Yeah, i remember in the ALP46 Article he did, he had an E60CH and some Catenary going on in the back. I have the Comet IV, ALP46 (plan and kitbashing articles), GP40FH-2 and U34CH articles, though i thought the U34CH one could have been better.

I remember seeing Frank Cicero's passing and being pretty sad. I think that He was the only guy who managed to get published with any sort of modern commuter equipment. Model railroader occaisionally has a brief, pretty much empty article on commuter trains, and RMC has a few every once in a while (like the Winchester & Northern), but there really isn't much after that.

There are one or two other guys on this forum that model the electrified zones and some SEPTA, but thats about it. Welcome to the club of obscure model prototypes!

Speaking of Frank Cicero and the LIRR, here's a pair of Atlas RS-1s

Some of the LIRR lines, like the Oyster Bay branch, could easily be modeled on a small layout or a shelf.

I do like that 1964 Worlds Fair paint scheme.... Atlas, factory paint :


This one's a kitbash, and a really fun paint job :

Cool Alcos, I've always had to resist buying the Long Island stuff, since i know it just won't fit into my plans.

[jwb]

Actually, Frank said after the APL46 piece, that Schaumburg told him they basically didn't want any more commuter stuff, because they "hadn't had any feedback". Which is fine, as someone who did get a piece into RMC, I'll say you have to work pretty hard to get them to send you the check. Not worth the trouble, as I see it.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Well, here is just about the last of my Passenger locomotive fleet (unless Electric Multiple Units count, then there is more!)

SEPTA also purchased an AEM7 for express Push-pull service between Center City Philadelphia and its lines to Trenton, West Trenton, and Paoli. These are SEPTA's only Passenger locomotives since the railroad became all electric in 1981. The only exception were NJ transit U34CHs that were leased during the "Railworks" project in the early 90s.





The U34CH was originally purchased by the Erie Lackawanna and the NJ DOT to operate improved commuter service between Hoboken and the EL's diesel lines in Northern New Jersey. During their time on the EL and Conrail, the U34CHs were occasionally placed in freight service on the weekends, just as long as they would be available for the Monday morning rush.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Actually, Frank said after the APL46 piece, that Schaumburg told him they basically didn't want any more commuter stuff, because they "hadn't had any feedback". Which is fine, as someone who did get a piece into RMC, I'll say you have to work pretty hard to get them to send you the check. Not worth the trouble, as I see it.

Well, atleast he did get in what he did. Its to bad that there is nearly zero support for commuter train modeling, especially these days. Ah well, if you want something done right, do it yourself! I've been thinking about starting a resource website for this sort of thing, but I don't have the time. Besides, I only have books on a few railroads, such as NJ transit, SEPTA, and it's predecessor operations. I'm also trying to find a good place for it. Trainwebs looks promising, but i don't know how to use their website software.

Which articles have you published? Whats it on? I just got a ton of back issues, I might have it.

[Ralph]

Wow! Nice stuff everyone! I'll humbly add my contributions. There isn't much passenger service on the Kings Port Division. This Proto 1000 RDC takes care of most of it for commuter runs. I put a couple of PC logos on it a while ago but am thinking of making it a KP&W unit....maybe just with an orange stripe and the company name. The real PC RDCs had that complicated red, white, and black chevron that doesn't seem to be readily available in decal form. Besides, this Proto 1000 is an RDC-3 baggage/ post office combo and not the typical RDC-1 I most often see in photos of NYC or PC commuter runs.



The other passenger equipment was a bit of bashing fun I did to create a PC Metro FL9 using a couple of Tyco F9 shells and an Athearn SD9 frame. The prototype paint scheme was actually blue and yellow but plenty of proto photos show the yellow nose and PC logo often faded to white, looking much like the model. its a dummy but I can run it in front of the powered RDC above by removing the RDC's shell and replacing it with a full size PC passenger car body. I don't really run it that often but it was fun to try making.

[jwb]

The best link I can come up with is "Larry's Truck and Electric: A New Look At an Old Industry" in RMC in late 2003 (I think). My name is John Bruce.

By the way, that FL9, it seems to me, is what having fun with the hobby is about.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Wow! Nice stuff everyone! I'll humbly add my contributions. There isn't much passenger service on the Kings Port Division. This Proto 1000 RDC takes care of most of it for commuter runs. I put a couple of PC logos on it a while ago but am thinking of making it a KP&W unit....maybe just with an orange stripe and the company name. The real PC RDCs had that complicated red, white, and black chevron that doesn't seem to be readily available in decal form. Besides, this Proto 1000 is an RDC-3 baggage/ post office combo and not the typical RDC-1 I most often see in photos of NYC or PC commuter runs.

Well, i know atleast one of the NYC RDCs was an RDC3, NYC M-499 (later PC 99) became SEPTA 9168. It was rebuilt into an RDC1 in 1978. Many rosters only had one or two RDC3s. Most of the PC RDCs that i can think of are all New Haven.

I knew a guy who made those stripes by airbrushing the ends white, then using red trim film to make the "red" stripes, and then regular black decal striping for the rest. he made little marks so that the stripes were positioned about right, and then would straighten them out as he went. Still insane, and probably took hours, but hey, you do what you gotta do!

The other passenger equipment was a bit of bashing fun I did to create a PC Metro FL9 using a couple of Tyco F9 shells and an Athearn SD9 frame. The prototype paint scheme was actually blue and yellow but plenty of proto photos show the yellow nose and PC logo often faded to white, looking much like the model. its a dummy but I can run it in front of the powered RDC above by removing the RDC's shell and replacing it with a full size PC passenger car body. I don't really run it that often but it was fun to try making.

Very Nice! you might be able to get a working frame from Branford Hobbies in Connecticut if you ever feel the need to power it. they sell Resin RTR FL9s, EP5s and other New Haven prototypes, but they also sell the parts separate.

The best link I can come up with is "Larry's Truck and Electric: A New Look At an Old Industry" in RMC in late 2003 (I think). My name is John Bruce.

By the way, that FL9, it seems to me, is what having fun with the hobby is about.

[/quote]

after looking that place, up, i might just have to look into that article. They painted a geep back into Penn Central with the Red C! an interesting choice for a paint job to say the least. I've seen it before in pictures to, apparently they had a good chunk of Conrail's GP15-1 fleet that had been retired by Norfolk Southern.

[jwb]

Great Decals at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://greatdecals.com/">http://greatdecals.com/</a><!-- m --> has NYC RDC end stripes, by the way.

[Ralph]

GEC, thanks for the notice regarding Branford Hobbies. I just might take a look at the possibility of powering that FL9.

And jwb, thanks for the decal link!

Ralph

[cn nutbar]

Hello---I've really enjoyed all the photos and commentary,thanks to Everyone for your contributions.Here's another Canadian National Pacific---this time K-3-G #5626.Built in 1911 this locomotive had 73" drivers and was faster but not as powerful as her 69" driver J class sisters.These engines were oil-burners and operated primarily in Western Canada

[Sumpter250]

UP, former C&NW, Regional Transportation Authority F40PH #165 ' Village of Glencoe'.
   
Bet no one ever thought one of these would be running on dual gauge track !!
   

The shell is a heavily modified Life Like, on a modified Athearn GP38-2 chassis, the Bi-level coaches ( there's four ) were bashed from Rivarossi coaches...all new sides and ends...there's two standard bi-levels, one "St.Louis" ( windows grouped in fives instead of fours ), and one "cab car", for the run into the city, where the loco is 'pushing'.
The train modeled, was waiting in Waukegan, Illinois. I was able to get measurements, lettering sizes, and detail photos of the whole train. It was a fun project.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

awesome stuff people!

UP, former C&NW, Regional Transportation Authority F40PH #165 ' Village of Glencoe'.

Bet no one ever thought one of these would be running on dual gauge track !!

Very cool push-pull Sumpter!