P.C.C.M. 59 Part 2, Borrowed Power on the Buckwheat Line.

Greetings and welcome to the final leg of P.C.C.M. 59. We find our train heading from Cheyenne, Wyoming on the Colorado and Southern. Maybe more accurately the former CB&Q. What the heck, we'll just call it the newly formed Burlington Northern and call it good. More on that later.

Leading our rainbow mix of locomotives, is BN SD9 #6147. The Colorado and Southern often found itself running short on locomotives for its trains. Not because it did not plan or purchase enough power for its needs. The C&S had purchased high power second generation locomotives, such as SD40's, U30C's and SD45's in the late Sixties and early Seventies. The power short and hungry parent was all to willing to "borrow" from its subsidiary. In return the Colorado and Southern got to use older, more seasoned power sent from the Burlington Northern. For railfans this made for some interesting lash ups to witness in the early days of the Burlington Northern merger.

Here we see a former Northern Pacific F7A in a patched out Burlington Northern scheme.
 

Another unique Burlington Northern F7A paint scheme. After the creation of Amtrak, the BN had several surplus passenger locomotives. 9758 was converted into a power plant for Rotary Snowplows. It was painted into the mineral red MOW scheme. Later the BN discovered it needed 9758 and its sister power plants back into regular road power. Another opportunity to share with the Colorado & Southern.

Being the "second" railroad in Cheyenne. The Colorado and Southern had its own relationship with rival Union Pacific. It often leased equipment from the Union Pacific to help ease its power shortages. Here we see a pair of UP cab units heading from Cheyenne to Rice Yard in Denver.

From the N.Y.C.T.L. we have a New Haven Boxcar loaded with Gallo Wine, headed to Centennial Beverage Distributors in Denver, Colorado.

A classic Ribside Milwaukee Road boxcar, with a load of potatoes from Suffolk Potatoes to Associated Grocers in Denver, Colorado.

This 40 ft Santa Fe Hi-Cube boxcar is loaded with Magic Chef Appliances, headed to the Lefty Martin Appliance warehouse. Lefty is sure to have a big sale to bring in lots of business to his stores. Before Lefty was pitching sales to his customers, he played Minor League Baseball in the 1940's.

Another car headed to the Lefty Martin Appliance Warehouse is this carload of repair parts from Peerless Appliances. This will assure years of reliable service for those fine Peerless products. Lefty says don't let that stop you from trading in your current workhorse for one of those "Mod" Copper Tone or Avocado Green Models. All the rage in Kings Port and West Mill households.

A Lehigh Valley boxcar loaded full of Corning beer bottles for the Tivoli Brewery in Denver, CO.

Also headed to Denver, is this Southern Pacific boxcar loaded with sacks of Blue Ribbon flour for the Star Bread Company. Sitting across the street from Mile High Stadium, Star Bread was a fixture for Denver Bronco fans for decades. The three story tall billboard reminded fans to pick up a loaf.

From the LF&NW, a carload of machine parts for Gates Rubber Company in Denver. Being delivered from American Tool & Die Company.

Also sent over from the LF&NW, a Western Pacific boxcar with sacks of refined sugar for Jolly Rancher Candies in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. From American Sugar and Refining.

This Hoschton Railway car is loaded with sets of Lionel trains, destined for Caboose Hobbies.

Not even able to muster up their own Waycar err Caboose, the Colorado and Southern had to borrow one from the Union Pacific. Thanks for reading!!!

P.C.C.M 59 Chicago, Elkhart and Beyond.

Greetings and welcome to the coast to coast edition of P.C.C.M. 59
We catch our recently departed Penn Central train from Chicago. Racing across the farm country of Indiana. It will make a crew and engine change in Elkhart, Indiana. It will then head to points East, after a couple of stops in West Mill, NY. and Selkirk NY. With a final destination of Terminal Yard, on the N.Y.C.T.L.

 First up on our trio of locomotives, is Penn Central #2010. Our train has the distinction of having all units without turbochargers and working without dynamic brakes. Also all rated at 2000hp.
 

Penn Central #6958 and #6934 are returning to Elkhart, IN. to resume their Hump Yard duties after some maintenance in Chicago
 

P&LE #6549 is returning empty from a delivery in Chicago.
 

Next is a BRMX  reefer being sent from the Denver Union Stockyards to Terminal Warehouse in Empire City. Loaded with fresh beef for the hungry citizens of Empire City.

From the Denargo Produce Market in Denver, this PFE car is loaded with fresh produce for Terminal Warehouse in Empire City. The hungry citizens of Empire City will enjoy their fresh produce items!

This PC covered hopper is loaded with grain from the Denver Cargill facility to connections with the LIRR for delivery to Ronzoni.

This Empire Belt Boxcar is headed to Terminal Warehouse in Empire City. Loaded full of fine candies made by the Brecht Candy Company in Denver, Colorado.

Headed for the Ford Plant in Bedford Park, NY. This Celanese Tank Car is from the plant located in the Globeville section of Denver. Globeville residents are coping with a influx of Hobos right now.
 

A block of cars headed from Chicago to Selkirk. Loaded with goods from Western Producers.

This 40ft Grand Trunk Western is loaded with electric motors from Wazee Electric in Denver, for Peerless Appliances. Wazee electric makes some fine motors. Even does rebuilds on the Denver & Ralston Creek's locomotive traction motors. 

Returning empty from the Denver Union Stockyards, this PC Covered hopper is returning to Cavendish Food and Spirits for some of that tasty cattle pellets made from spent brewing Wort.

Returning empty from the GERN distribution plant in Arvada, CO. This hopper is headed back to the GERN plant in West Mill, NY. 

An interesting situation with the delivery of this load of rolled cardboard from Rockmont Supplies in Denver to Canton Box Company in West Mill, NY. The CN boxcar was sidelined in Chicago for a defective wheel bearing. With some phone calls and the promise of some Cavendish Single Malt, Cappy Foster was able to get the Canton delivery transferred to this NYC double door boxcar.

A couple more cars returning to Selkirk for new assignments and loads to carry.

Bringing up the rear is this classic Ex-Lehigh Valley caboose. Big Mike mourns the loss of another LV caboose. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the second half of P.C.C.M. 59 next weekend.

Rocky Mountain Train Show 2019

Greetings and welcome to a special post of the Ralston Creek Railroad Blog. March 2nd and 3rd was the semi-annual Rocky Mountain Train Show, at the Denver Mart. Touted as the largest Model Railroad Show, West of the Mississippi. This year included an additional 35,000 square feet of vendors and layouts. My short time there, I can attest the venue was well attended. I'm still nursing a concussion from a fall a couple of weeks ago. The noise and crowd were a bit much, but still managed a couple of hours to check things out.

 

The show had several manufacturers, vendors and layouts to enjoy.

We'll start with the last item of the day. I found this Athearn Blue Box Baldwin S12 fairly early during the show. I put it back twice, wanting to save my money for any must have items that might show up in the sales area. I really wanted the chassis from the locomotive for a PC SW7 project from last year. The S12 and SW7 use the same power chassis. Not as sexy as a Alco road unit, I got it before heading out the door. I then remembered the PC also rostered S12's as well. A 91% Alcohol bath will be in order for it as well. Two PC switchers for the price of one? I'm liking it already.

Here's the recipient of the Erie Lackawanna S12 Mechanism. I still need to make some handrails and put some glass into the cab. At least it now has a chassis to ride on. It takes a few seconds to swap between the S12 shell and SW7. That will give me two switcher options for the PC to run.

My goal for the show was to track down common cars between the P.C.C.M. layouts. My first purchase of the day was this New Haven, State of Maine boxcar. Score!!! I really like the car and it will work for future P.C.C.M. virtual ops exchanges between the layouts.

Then things got weird. The same vendor I got the New Haven car from said, for a few bucks more, I could pick out two more cars. He didn't want to take them back to Texas in a raging snow storm that was brewing outside. He didn't have anymore P.C.C.M. related cars, so I grabbed two that caught my fancy. A Burlington Northern hopper car and a Milwaukee Road rib side boxcar. Both made by Roundhouse. I can always use hopper cars and always wanted a Milwaukee Road rib side boxcar.

Another score for the P.C.C.M. equipment exchange is this Illinois Central 40ft boxcar. I've seen it exchanged between Terminal Yard and West Mill on a few occasions. Maybe it can go west to Denver every once in a while. Give it some legs for the P.C.C.M series. That pretty much wraps up my shopping for the day. I walked out with a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies as well. Couldn't say no to those young ladies in uniform, working on their merit badges. My adventure wasn't quite done for the day. Sometime between my Texas used train stop and the Illinois Central purchase, I received an overhead page to the Information Booth. I was there alone, why would they page me?

Bonus Round!!! I won a Door Prize! From the prize table I selected this Value Trains USA boxcar. I never heard of Value Trains USA and the bright packaging really caught my attention.

The car is based on a ACF 50ft ribbed side boxcar. Quite popular in the 1970's and 80's. Another bonus is the Limited Edition Train Show scheme! Let's take a look at this new release and vendor.

Here's a shot of the end and roof details. The first thing that comes to mind is Scale Trains, Evans Double Door RBL boxcar kit. Two main differences between Scale Trains and Value Trains. Value Trains is RTR and comes with Kadee couplers and trucks. Another bonus is it is made in the good old US of A. I can definitely get behind a company making trains here in the States.

One noticeable omission on the Value Trains is the brake detail underneath the car. I agree with a review on Youtube, who really looks under the cars anyways? This car is definitely a "operators" version without a lot of extra detail. It will work fine with my 0-5-0 car loader and often clumsy crew moving the cars. No rivet counters here.

Close up of the Rocky Mountain Train Show logo. Value Trains currently has undecorated and cars with no lettering available. They are going to release a set of Railbox decorated cars this month.

 I thought they did a nice job with the logo and lettering, considering the uneven surface of the car.

Some shots of the eye catching packaging. I plan to purchase more of their products. Thank you to Value Trains USA and the Rocky Mountain Train Show for the Door Prize!

Thanks for reading and support for the Blog during its first year!