GEC's Layout Progress

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I have a DVD with a Conrail OCS using a single E8 MUed with an 8-40C.

Interestingly, my NYC current run Walthers U28/30B doesn't have a nose headlight. On the other hand, I really like the way you can control the number board lights, nose headlight, and upper light on the Walthers unit with a 6-function decoder. I think these are underrated models -- wish they'd do an SP (which had 4, I believe).

I think the big issue I'm having with my U28B is that it goes VERY fast, I'm going to have to adjust the speed to slow it down a little.


In any event, I have some progress to add-

Jersey Arrow I

I just mailed off JWB's arrow, so it should be home in a week or so, with pantographs! In the mean time, I've begun painting my three. Following AntonioFP45's instructions, I made sure to really scrub down the models before I gave them a base coat, and I plan to scrub them again before I put on the final coats of Alclad Chrome. All three are in Alclad's Gloss-Black undercoat. If the paint works out well, I should be able to power these cars relatively easily.

One thing that sets these cars apart from my other Arrows and Silverliners, is that they were delivered with a light-gray underbody, instead of black like on my GE built cars. I suspect the Metroliner Underbody is the correct shade to use, especially considering that the Metroliner coaches and the Arrow I were both equipped by Westinghouse and share similar underbody styles (then again, the GE equipped Metroliner cafe and club cars also had a gray underbody).

I have no pictures yet, since I don't want to take them out and expose them to dust before I can paint them.

New Silverliner IV single Set

I'm pretty excited to have picked these up, since these have a "normal" drive in them. I also picked them up for a very good price, less than half of their MSRP. I put an NCE D13SRP into it, and it ran well right away, and so far has appeared fairly reliable. I look forward to using it at upcoming show seasons! If only i could get my other powered Silverliner IV, Reading 9018, to behave that nicely!

Unlike my other Silverliner IVs, which are "Reading Company" examples, these two are equipped with Penn Central style details. Unfortunately, I ran out of SEPTA/Penn Central logos, so I was only able to do one unit, but #270 should be pretty representative. I have not decided on the number of my other Silverliner IV, but I think I'll make it the "last" single Silverliner IV, #303.





Ex-EL SDP45, Conrail #6668

I found an SDP45 for a great price, so I had to jump on it. They don't always seem to appear under wire, as they were specifically purchased (technically leased from the N&W) by the EL for their range with their larger fuel tanks. Apparently, a standard SD45 would be running on fumes by the time it reached Chicago from New Jersey or vice versa. Reflecting the lack of passenger equipment, EMD began labelling EL's SDP45s and "SD45M"s, but few people refer to them that way.

Fortunately, big EMDs like these are a natural fit for my train club's mountainous layout, and I hope to make it reliable enough to be in the "engine pool", as opposed to assigned to a train.

I took a few pictures of EL #3636, before patching and renumbering it into its prototypical Conrail number, #6668. #6660 is also an ex-EL unit, an SD45-2, which also came with a special high-capacity fuel tank.












Altogether-