P.C.C.M. 47J Elkhart to Selkirk to West Mill

Greetings and welcome to P.C.C.M. 47J. We last saw our train detoured to Colorado Springs. After some creative routing via the Rio Grande. Our cars made it to their final destinations in Denver. Now our group of cars have now worked their way to Elkhart, Indiana on train CE-14 from Blue Island, Illinois. The Penn Central and Rock Island have a Pool Power agreement and the CE-14 is an example of this. CE-14 has tied up and the power has been cut off from the train.

Lets take a look at the cars returning from Denver to West Mill Yard.

Our first car is returning from the GERN distribution center in Arvada, Colorado.

The Burlington gondola is returning from Ball Container in Golden, Colorado.

Penn Central Hi-Cube boxcar is returning from Lefty Martin Appliances in Denver.

Penn Central covered hopper is returning from the Denver Union Stockyards.

A Rock Island plug door boxcar returning from Lefty Martin Appliances in Denver.

Lets look at the power that brought train CE-14 from Blue Island. First unit is Rock Island F7A #676

Rock Island F7B in the maroon with speed lettering scheme.

The final unit in the lash up is Penn Central FP7A. These units will be fueled and sanded for their return trip to Blue Island, IL. Train EV-4, Elkhart to Selkirk is still waiting for its power lash up.

Lets take a look around the Elkhart Yard at some of the other rolling stock departing for their destinations.

Farewell from Elkhart. Hope you enjoyed your visit. Thanks for reading!!!

P.C.C.M. 47G, Detour to Colorado Springs.

Greetings and welcome to P.C.C.M. 47G. During our last segment we found our weather delayed consist getting switched to a Pool Power train headed to Chicago. After an event free trip to Blue Island, IL. Our train faced a new issue. Not enough power to get the train West to Denver. Deferred maintenance and a lack of capital spending has left the Rock Island without enough working power to get its trains across the system. However a sharp Yardmaster has come up with a plan to get the train West to Denver and return some err borrowed locomotives. More on that later in the post. The train rolls West to Omaha, Nebraska only to find another obstacle blocking its arrival in Denver. A flash flood on Sand Creek has washed a bridge out East of Denver. Not to be deterred by this latest setback, some phone calls and a change in train orders sends the train to the true Western terminus of the Rock Island, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Our train arrives a little late again in Colorado Springs, CO. Even though most Rock Island trains terminate their trips in Denver using the former Kansas Pacific line from Limon, CO. The Union Pacific has a mess on their hands with normally docile Sand Creek taking out one of their bridges. Not a problem, the Rock Island has a small yard and shop in Colorado Springs. The Rio Grande has agreed to take the train the remaining seventy miles to Denver.

With our block of cars soon to be headed North on the Rio Grande, lets look around the Rock Island facilities in Colorado Springs.

Here we see a Rock Island Bay Window Caboose hanging out in the yards. The crew will probably spend the night in Colorado Springs and wait for power from Omaha to take them back at some point.

A Milwaukee Road boxcar added in Omaha, loaded with newsprint paper for the Rocky Mountain News. It originated in the Pacific Northwest from one of the many paper mills there.

A Rio Grande double door boxcar returning empty to Denver. It will be sent West to be loaded with more lumber products.

A Rock Island meat reefer returning empty to the Meat Packing row in North Denver.

Finally a Rock Island hopper that was set out in Burlington, Colorado for a "hotbox" defect. The shops in Colorado Springs will have it ready to go on the next train East.

Rio Grande F7A #5741 will be leading the train to Denver over the Joint Line owned and operated by both the Santa Fe and Rio Grande. The Colorado & Southern has trackage rights over the Joint Line after the U.S.R.A. forced them to abandon their Colorado Springs line during World War I.

This F7B is probably working its last days for the Rio Grande. Several Rio Grande F7A's and F7B's ran their final days on the Penn Central.

Almost an all cab unit segment, Rio Grande GP30 brings up the rear of the consist. The Rio Grande ran these durable and reliable EMD workhorses all the way to the end of operations.

Rock Island F7A #676 is painted in my favorite Red with speed lettering paint scheme. 676 finished its career in Commuter Train service in Chicago. I figured it needed some carbon blown out of the stacks and sent it out on a freight train for a change of pace.

Now about that "borrowed" power added in Blue Island. The Rock Island and Southern Pacific have a common connection on the Golden State Line from Chicago to California. The line changes in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Which trust me is out in the middle of no where. Southern Pacific power would normally venture no farther East than Kansas City. In this case the Rock Island borrowed the set all the way to Chicago, The Rock Island is returning the borrowed power to the Southern Pacific at Ogden, Utah via the Rio Grande.

Another interesting fact about this set of Athearn F units, is their connection to the Colorado Model Railroad Museum. The Museum will host fund raisers and sell off old and surplus equipment. These SP F units used to run across the magnificent layout at the Museum. My little connection to the Museum and the P.C.C.M. The PC and SP also ran Pool Power arrangements together. I have a feeling they might show up again in a future P.C.C.M. Thanks for Reading!!!

P.C.C.M. 47F Elkhart to Blue Island

Welcome to the 6th installment of P.C.C.M. 47. When we last saw our block of cars, it was leaving West Mill, New York on train WMV-5. After a short delay to allow a classic B&O/C&O cab powered coal train pass, our block of cars were on their way to Selkirk.

From Selkirk the cars were blocked and sent on train BC-1 to Elkhart, Indiana. The train was delayed due to hazardous weather conditions in Ohio and Eastern Indiana. High winds and tornadic thunderstorms were hindering trains both East and Westbound. Slightly delayed, BC-1 arrives in Elkhart. The Elkhart shop crew already has the power ready for the trip West to Chicago.

A quick recap of the West Mill block of cars and their final destinations.

First car is a Penn Central Hi-Cube boxcar, loaded with Peerless appliances from Mayfield, New York. It's headed to the Lefty Martin Appliance Warehouse in Denver, Colorado. Peerless appliances are gaining a strong following in the Mile High City. Their value pricing and durable construction are big sellers with the local consumers. Lefty Martin is the exclusive distributor in the region.

Our next car is a Burlington gondola loaded with shredded aluminum from Sal's Salvage in West Mill, New York. Sal got a great deal on some World War II vintage surplus aircraft and was able to use his auto shredding equipment to make scrap aluminum. Ball Container in Golden, Colorado is working on recyclable aluminum beverage containers to replace the bulky and heavy steel ones currently in use. Ball hopes the idea will catch on and there will be less waste being sent to the landfills. Sal and his crew are already aware of the benefits of recycled metal products.

Another West Mill company shipping to the Centennial State is GERN Industries. A new GERN distribution center recently opened in Arvada, Colorado. The GERN cement flux produced in West Mill will make construction projects 3% better overall.

From the KP&W Mountain Branch to Bloomberg, New York, we have a covered hopper of cattle feed from Agway. Lots of hungry cattle at the Denver Union Stockyards waiting for some tasty feed.

Our final car in the block includes a shipment of Zenith TV's from Bloomberg, New York. They are headed to Lefty Martin Appliance Warehouse in Denver, Colorado. Lefty is planning some big sales to help move the new merchandise.

Lets take a look at the power for train LS-21 from Elkhart to the Rock Island Yard at Blue Island, Illinois. Here's a custom painted Athearn F7A. It's in the late maroon "speed lettering" scheme.

Next in line is a Athearn Blue Box F7B also in the late maroon speed lettering scheme.

Another speed lettering maroon painted Athearn Blue Box F7B. All of the Rock Island units were gifts from my train buddy Jeff Miles. Jeff was an Engineer for the Santa Fe and several short lines. He was a big member of the Rock Island Technical Society, where we first met. Jeff passed away not long after he gave me these units. A little P.C.C.M. tribute to "Engineer Jeff".

The final unit of the lashup headed to Blue Island is Penn Central F7A 1707. The Rock Island owes the PC some pool power hours. Thus the reason for the mostly Rock Island power on this run.

Some more classic cab units waiting for assignments at Elkhart. PC F7A #1743.

Another classic PC cab unit, F7B #3439. Ready to head out on the next train East.

Penn Central FP7A #4362 gets some attention at the Elkhart engine house.

Penn Central F7A #1844 idles as it waits for the next assignment East.

Former Rio Grande F7A, PC#1878 gets some service at the Elkhart engine house. One of the few dual headlight cab units on the Penn Central. Next installment we'll catch up with our block of cars in Denver at the Rio Grande's North Yard. Thanks for reading!!!

Colorado Model Railroad Museum

Since my segment of P.C.C.M. 47 is currently delayed by the weather. I thought I would share a Model Railroad experience from last Thanksgiving. In the June 2018 copy of Model Railroader, Contributing Editor, Tony Koester talks about a recent trip to Colorado. One of the places he talks about is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum (CMRM) in Greeley. I won't go into much detail on Tony's experience there, however I will give a little insight into my first trip to CMRM.

 I'm not even going to try and give the museum proper credit for the amazing work that has been done there and the thousands of hours the volunteers spend on this creation. You have to see it in person to fully appreciate the amazing scale of it. To give a small perspective of the size of the layout, that's a 1:1 scale Colorado & Southern caboose in the background. Retired in 1974, Waycar 10583 was the last wooden caboose on the Colorado & Southern. It's been faithfully restored to original condition.

This masterpiece layout was started by a private individual as their own personal layout. It's common theme is centered on logging operations in Northern California and Oregon. The Southern Pacific and Oregon, California & Eastern are the two featured roads. However the local Colorado railroads have a loyal following and representation as well. Not to throw in any spoilers, some former CMRM locomotives may make an appearance in a upcoming P.C.C.M post.

As I mentioned earlier, logging is the primary focus of the layout. Here's a nice looking lumber yard scene. One of many such scenes on the layout. One aspect of the layout that I enjoy, is how the Museum uses regular model railroad items like this Atlas lumber yard. Neal's Lumber on the N.Y.C.T.L. is a great example of this idea. They just magnify the size and scope of it.

Lumber may be king on the layout, but there are several other industries represented as well. This scrap metal dealer is a nice source of traffic as well. Reminds me of a local scrap dealer in West Mill, New York.

Lots of mountain scenery as well. Here we see a Union Pacific "Big Boy" locomotive pulling a solid string of reefer cars through the mountains. I followed this train for close to twenty minutes, before I completely lost it. Just amazing on how a train this size could disappear and reappear at random on the layout. There were about six different trains running on the layout during the time I was there.

 

Here's a video of a Union Pacific livestock train crossing one of the many large trestles on the layout.

I was glad to see Colorado railroads represented on the layout as well. During the year the Museum will showcase certain railroads on the layout. This allows fans to see their favorite railroad running the full scope of the session.

Another scene that covers the reality of Western railroading, is this well done set up of a forest fire. My picture doesn't do it justice, it has both flames and smoke during a three minute run.

Taking photos of the trains on the layout were just about as challenging as the prototype. You almost had to stock them and plan for your shots. Here's a pair of Santa Fe FP45's pulling a holiday special. Even at scale speed, you had to be quick with your shots.

Here's the California Zephyr rolling through town. Some nice lumber traffic in the foreground as well. So much to see. I'm planning another trip to the Museum this year.

Another shot of the Union Pacific Livestock train. Some links to the Museum. http://cmrm.org/pcindex.html   Some great videos of the Museum and layout, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oEkz3_WphA