King Coal on the RLK&T

[TomPM]

I was getting ready to pack it in for the day, figuring the local freight I saw earlier was going to be it when I heard a whistle and saw black smoke. Suddenly rumbling through the station was a coal drag being led by P2K Alco FA1 #701.

 

[TomPM]

Next came P2K Alco FB1

 

[TomPM]

The first car was Central Railroad of Pennsylvania 34’ offset hopper custom painted from an undecorated Athearn kit with dry transfers.

 

[TomPM]

Next is an Lehigh & New England hopper also custom painted from an undecorated Athearn kit with dry transfers and behind it is a PRR off the shelf Mantua hopper.

 

[TomPM]

Quickly turned around and got this going away shot of the locomotives.

 

[TomPM]

Next in line was a New Haven 4-bay hopper custom painted from an undecorated Athearn kit with dry transfers.

 

[TomPM]

He is followed by a Baltimore & Ohio hopper which is an off the shelf Roundhouse kit that has been weathered.

 

[TomPM]

Next is a PRR 3-bay ribbed hopper also an off the shelf Roundhouse kit that has been weathered.

 

[TomPM]

Now comes a Lehigh Valley hopper which is an off the shelf Athearn kit that has been weathered.

 

[TomPM]

The last revenue car of the train is a ribbed side hopper which is an off the shelf Stewart kit that has been weathered.

 

[TomPM]

Bringing up the rear is a Lehigh & New England caboose. The caboose started life as Mantua caboose which I stripped and custom painted decaled for the LNE.

 

[TomPM]

Lastly here is a shot of the train going away.

BTW all the coal loads are home made. About half of them are removable. The other half I am in the process of making removable.

 

[Ralph]

Found a great train watching spot there Tom! I like these watch-the-trains-go-by series of shots. The FA and FB are beauties by the way. Nice work on all cars! Roll Lehigh!
Ralph

 

[TomPM]

Ralph

Thanks for the compliments.

The LNE FA1 & FB1 are off the shelf limited edtion units. I was albe to get these guys off of Ebay last year for about $80.00. There is another set oFA1 & FB1 with different numbers that P2K produced I am searching for.

 

[Clerk]

Tom. I love those engines. They are beautiful.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Tom, What is that brick building next to the FA's in the first photo? Is it a kit and if so which one? And did you paint the brick or did it come like that? It looks nice. Nice weathering on the cars, will you be doing the locos as well?

 

[TomPM]

Gary

Thanks for the kind words.

The building is the Machine Shop kit made by IHC. It is about 15 years old and one of the few useable survivors from my first layout even though a few parts are missing such as the roof sign and the window exhaust fan. About two years ago the kit started to come unglued so I took it apart. I then painted the brick walls by painting the whole thing the color of the mortar and then dry brushing the red bricks. Next I went back and using different shades of red I individually painted random bricks. Since then I have been trying to locate some decals or dry transfers I can use to finish it off.

I have not weathered any locomotives yet. I am getting close to doing my first and hope to do so in the next two months. I don’t mind messing up a $10.00 boxcar, but a $50.00 locomotive makes me a little nervous. Right now I am trying to locate an inexpensive locomotive that I want so I can practice on it and not worry so much.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Tom, I figured you must have done that random brick by brick. It turned out great. I'll have to try it. I know what you mean about some apprehension in weathering your locos, but I think from looking at your freight cars you have little to worry about.

 

[Drew1125]

That is one fine lookin' coal train, Tom!
That old IHC kit looks great too!