NYC Train #43 - Christmas Eve 1955

[Point353]

Ok, engine 5442 in the lead. So we have a Hudson. 5442 May have had a big PT tender at this time. Still trying to verify. For now sister engine fills in from Bachmann.

(Attachment Link)

The 5442 already had a PT tender in 1948: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5442o.jpg

The 5445 also had a PT tender - and was whitelined in 1955: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5445es.jpg
"

[Sokramiketes]

The 5442 already had a PT tender in 1948: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5442o.jpg

The 5445 also had a PT tender - and was whitelined in 1955: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5445es.jpg
"

Perfect! Thank you. 

That will be a fun project. 

[learmoia]

Perfect! Thank you. 

That will be a fun project.

5442 had disk drivers too... The article on modeling the modernized ESE Hudson from a Con-Cor drive and a resin shell (before rail barron release) detailed how to do disk drive inserts over the other style.  I think this was in the NYC Historical society publication.

Hopefully soon Bachmann makes things much easier for us.

[Nato]

   The End Door on some light weight NYC  Baggage cars was on one car end for loading items like theatre scenery (think PRR heavy weight  Scenery Cars) , the Rapid model is correct as Bryan has posted. Nate Goodman. (Nato).

[Brian M]

Glad this post came back up, as I had read it when Mike first posted it back in April, but just failed to comment back then.  First off, Mike, this is all very cool work.  Regarding the Bachmann Hudson, one of the biggest details that needs to be changed to accurately represent a post-1946-ish J3a Hudson is changing the Elesco feedwater heater with a Worthington heater.  Detail Associates makes the Worthington heater.  It will be a little tricky to grind off the round ends of the Elesco, as I think that part of the shell is metal?  And then you'd have to match the gunmetal paint coloring that they used on the smokbox, although that shouldn't be too big of a deal.  Anyway, considering how much this change in feedwater heater altered the look of the front end of the Hudsons, I think it is kind of an important detail.  One of these days, I'll eventually get around to doing it on my Bachmann Hudsons.  And if you should take this little project on, I think the Detail Associates part tends to sit a little too proud, so the bottom of it also needs to get filed down a little.  This is kind of what I remember from when I made this change to a Con-Cor Hudson many years ago.

I hit post, and then remembered I meant to answer the question regarding the paint scheme for the coaches.  By 1955, either the green or two tone gray schemes could be seen on the heavyweight coaches.  The NYC started to paint various heavyweight cars into the two tone gray scheme in the mid-50's as they shopped the cars, but they also didn't really make a big push to try to do them all, as plenty of heavyweight cars lasted in green until the end.

Hope that helps.

-Brian.

[prr7161]

The other possibility on the locomotive is to renumber it to a J1d - there are some dimensional differences such as cylinder bore and stroke, but they are fairly minor.  At least some J1d's kept their Elescos and twelve-wheel tenders to the end:

Photo dated 1953: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5281o.jpg
1950: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5282s.jpg
1954: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-s5291ahv.jpg

[Sokramiketes]

   The End Door on some light weight NYC  Baggage cars was on one car end for loading items like theatre scenery (think PRR heavy weight  Scenery Cars) , the Rapid model is correct as Bryan has posted. Nate Goodman. (Nato).

I think we determined the Rapido car was too long earlier in the thread.  The RailSmith car is the closest right now. 

[Brian M]

The other possibility on the locomotive is to renumber it to a J1d - there are some dimensional differences such as cylinder bore and stroke, but they are fairly minor.  At least some J1d's kept their Elescos and twelve-wheel tenders to the end:

There are a handful of detail difference between a J1 and J3, with the most notable being the drivers on a J1 are spoke drivers and the J3's had Boxpok or disk drivers.  While the NYC got into a habit of changing the particular type of driver on the J3's during their service lives', with some even having both Boxpok and disk drivers at the same time, I think the drivers on the J1's were just about always spoke.  Of course, now that I've said that, I'm sure I'll find a picture that says otherwise. 

-Brian.

[thbguy]

Laser horizons offers completely correct car sides for the NYC baggage cars. I ordered two this spring for the some of the NYC/CASO trains I plan to show running through southern Ontario, but the kits are packed away right now and I’m in bed with quite the headache. Since I ordered them, the ACF core kits came out and I picked those up to more accurately finish the cars.



Here is a shot of the end door



Have to scratchbuild the end door, of course.

Raymond at Procustom Hobbies special ordered them for me. All the car sides are handled as a special order with the manufacturer. They need to know your scale, the railroad and plan number, what you will use as a core kit, and whether you want skirts between the trucks. The sides are cut from .015" ABS and will not have any rivets.

Turnaround time was about four to six weeks.

I was very pleased with the accuracy of the baggage door detail in the kit.

Kind regards,
Michael

[peteski]

Would be really nice if someone designed the ends (with the doors) in CAD, and 3D printed them.

[AlbertSpor]

There used to be a Laser Horizons website with a list of available models, but it seems to have disappeared. How are you contacting them, and is there still a list of product somewhere?
Thanks
Albert Spor

[Sokramiketes]

Thanks for the heads up on Laser Horizon.

If I get around to it, my plan from the info earlier in the thread was to design new doors (8' and 6') and a new end (7 scale inches thick) for the Railsmith car.  One can keep the factory paint with this plan.  Carve out the doors, and increase the 7' door to 8' wide, and pop in the new parts. 

[PJPickard]

Hi Mike,

Where are you getting the decals for the express cars? I just picked up a couple of the MDC cars and want to do a conversion.

Also just what is the prototype for those MDC cars?

Thanks,
Paul

[Sokramiketes]

The NYC express car decals are from Microscale.

I remember running into an issue with a newer printed set, same artwork but the lettering was lemon yellow instead of dulux gold.  So I ended up on eBay for an older set to finish up this project.  Something to watch for.

The MDC wood express reefer is a General American 53'6" car.  REA mostly. 

[PJPickard]

Thanks Mike, I found some decals on Ebay..I hope the color is right.
Also thanks for the info on the car!