PENN CENTRAL FANS: An O-Gauge Product Checklist and Discussion Thread

Nick, the set is currently buried about 6 or 7 feet deep under my layout  I dug in about 4 feet but not sure if I was in the right area.  I try not to open up too many boxes until I finish my trackwork, or else I'll be running instead of building!

 

When I find it I'll snap a shot of the Juice Train caboose and add it to the thread, unless someone else beats me to it!

 

Jocko, anytime!  I always welcome forum members.  I'm still in the construction stage but I have four mainlines running so far.

 

 

There were several interesting Penn Central schemes worn by members of the GG1 Class. Here is one such example, the 4801:

 

 

PRR had never repainted the 4801 in the large keystone scheme so it wore its original pinstripe livery into the early Penn Central years before receiving standard PC colors. Sorry for the use of a black and white picture but images of the 4801 in this unique PC scheme are quite rare.

 

Bob

I’ve been reading with great interest all the different opinions regarding the Penn Central and thought I would add my two cents.

 

I grew up with the Penn Central nearby to my childhood home. I was raised just a few miles from, and my father worked at, Selkirk Yard in upstate NY. Some of my earliest childhood memories of the “real thing” were of the Penn Central. Playing with a postwar and early MPC era collection in the 70s I was always left with the thought “why can’t I get Lionel trains that look like the ones I see every day”? In other words, I would see PC engines on a regular basis and longed to play with the same at home. It is a classic case of being influenced by what is around you at a young age. I never knew (nor care today) about the economic shortcomings of the company at the time. And to take it step further, the color scheme is probably one of the most uninspiring out there (white lettering on black with some jade green thrown in from time to time) but you know what? I still like it and enjoy the PC for what it did to help form my love of all things train related. Since getting back into the hobby a couple of years ago I purchased Lionel’s PC RS-11 and love running it. I also got the jade green caboose to go with it. Running this engine and caboose transport me back to that young boy driving around with my dad in his truck at the yard and staring in awe as those giant, black monsters rolled by. Memories I will never, ever lose.

 

With regards to the future I wouldn’t mind seeing Lionel release an F-3 in PC colors. I would snatch one of those up as soon as it came out.

 

-Len

Another non-standard scheme was worn by the 4860. Note the absence of a herald:

 

 

I plan to do these unusual schemes at some point, a few of which will most likely be HO or N scale versions due to cost factors.

 

Bob

Just reserved my 3rd Rail Penn Central FL-9 dummy 

 

http://www.3rdrail.com/instock.html#fl9

Jocko,

 

Nice collection.  Nice looking layout, too.  It looks like you have pleanty of room to let your locos streatch their legs.

 

Tom

Just got done with the "family portraits". This is everything PC I currently own minus a few pieces of rolling stock that haven't arrived yet.

 

Here is the Atlas roster. The left column is Atlas O and the right column is Atlas Trainman.

 

 

Here are the Atlas O H21a hoppers. They needed their own photo. A few duplicates I have are going up for sale in the FS forum tonight.

 

 

Here is the Lionel roster. PC #9850 is a LEGACY Alco S-2 custom painted by Lucas Liska. Everything is Standard O line.

 

 

Here is the MTH roster. Everything is Premier line.

 

 

Here are the miscellaneous manufacturers. A Williams scale GG-1 (TrainWorld blowout), the 3rd Rail FL-9, and a Weaver boxcar.

 

 

Here's everything in one shot after I was done.

 

I'll email you 

Got the C-628 on the track today. The length of my mixed PC freight has become absurd for the size of the layout; will post a video tomorrow:

 

A Penn Central locomotive often overlooked is the 9999 which was the sole surviving member of Pennsylvania Railroad's large group of GE 44 tonners. The 9999 was assigned to PC's Union Transportation Company trackage in Central New Jersey. The line had achieved earlier notoriety as being the last place to find a PRR steam locomotive, an 0-6-0, in regular service.

 

The 9999 held the distinction of being the highest numbered locomotive on the PC roster.

  

 

Bob

This is a great topic I like the PC . I seen this last summer at Bellevue Ohio , its very sad .

Now what I would like to see, since MTH already has the tooling, is individual E8 A-units with command control rear couplers.  The two I would most certainly purchase would be fresh black paint with large PC worm on sides.  One with white worm the other with red & white worm of course with correct road numbers. Obviously these could be run separately or  “lashed-up) into a MU.  This would also open the door for say a washed out Tuscan Red with yellow PC worm and a NYC with partially paint over cigar band logo with the new yellow PC worm applied.

 

And then I like to see one set of five coaches.  This set would represent the mishmash of early paint overs that existed right after the merger.  Say a Pennsy coach with the lettering over the window band painted over in correct matching Tuscan and yellow PC worms added to the sides at each ends.  Then there is the Pennsy coach where the top lettering was blocked out with an off shade of Tuscan and PC worms added.  The NH SS fluted/ribbed coach with the window band painted green but with a faded NH logo on one end and new PC worm logo on other end etc. ect.  These are pictured in Morning Sun book “Penn Central Through PassengerService.”  With this set we could add an as is Pennsy, NYC, and/or NH car(s) and be very prototypical of the time

 

Ron

I have that Kato N scale four car set. I've also acquired a baggage car and an RPO car. I still need to add food service of some sort to make it an acceptable representation of the shorter consists being operated over long distances which unfortunately became increasingly common during this period due to relatively lighter ridership.

 

Bob   

Great discussion as usual gentlemen. For our 100th post in this thread, how about some Penn Central action? 

 

 

My apologies if the C-628 portion hurt your eyes. I didn't realize my lens was improperly set and didn't feel like re-shooting it either...

The derelict E8 pictured in nyclines' post is the former Penn Central 4321 which finished its career on New York & Long Branch commuter trains.

 

Here's a picture I shot of the 4321 at South Amboy in August 1978. Service was now being operated by Conrail but the 4321 retained its full PC livery; note the application of two heralds on the nose. The 4321 was the trailing unit of a four unit consist which had just been uncoupled from its train in preparation for the handoff to a G for the remainder of the trip to New York City. 

  

 

The unit immediately ahead of the 4321 was the 4258, fresh from its rebuilding under contract at the ICG shop in Paducah, KY. The NJDOT blue and silver scheme was absolutely delightful.

 

Note the engine change was taking place under close supervision of the manager seen to the right of the picture.

 

Bob

Nick, This is all your fault!

Everything except the last C-628 you posted is stuff I'm still after. It all looks so spanking new too  

 

As for me, Lionel's scale N&W J #611 from 2005 just put an end to any more Penn Central hunting for a while....

Here's another E8 which, like the 4321 pictured above, remained in service into 1978 still wearing full Penn Central livery, the 4326. This image, taken by me in July of that year, presents a good illustration of PC's standard application of heralds, lettering and numbers on an E unit:

   

 

As can be seen in the above photograph, the 4326's paint had held up well even at this late date and the unit was understandably a favored target of photographers. Due to the presence of an increasing number of rebuilt units on the property, the 4326 was almost always in a trailing position by this time. In fact, this picture shows the 4326 as the rear unit in a consist awaiting the arrival of an evening train from the city at South Amboy.     

 

The 4326 was subsequently rebuilt at NJ Transit's former CNJ Elizabethport, NJ shop and emerged looking like this:

 

 

In addition to a fresh coat of paint, note how the rebuilding transformed the exterior of the 4326 including removal of the nose door, portholes and side panel details.

 

Bob

How about a Penn Central business car...

 

 

Bob

It's very cool seeing how several PC units survived well after the death of the company and found new life on other roads. The PC business car is also really cool. I saw that in one of Emery Gulash's videos and thought the same thing about it being a great modelling opportunity.

 

Here's the last of the rolling stock that arrived before the 2005 Lionel N&W J put a hold on things. Again from the "Bay"; bidding was pretty light.

 

I also just noticed (as of this post) this is still available on the B/S board:

 

https://ogrforum.com/d...nt/15649413441796547

 

Considering someone in this thread reported they got the entire set for under $300, I cannot comment on whether it's a good price or not, but it's available nonetheless. You can see the error with the PC logo:

 

 

I'm almost tempted to buy it myself for a TMCC conversion project, but my hobby fund is currently depleted.

And there is this caboose/cabin.  Require by PP&L when pulling their coal drags onto their properties.

 

Nick:

 

Here's a little history regarding the prototypes for your models of steel center cupola cabooses 18400 and 18420. These are interesting pieces in that they are models of cars not orginally from the rosters of Penn Central component roads New York Central, Pennsylvania or New Haven. Rather, by virtue of the corporate relationship between Penn Central and Lehigh Valley dating from the PRR era, these two cars were among a larger group which were transferred from LV's to PC's roster in 1968. This style of caboose was referred to within the enthusiast community as the "Northeastern" caboose due to its popularity among railroads operating in the region. The design originated on the Reading. 

 

Regards,

 

Bob

 

     

I have that Kato PC set. I have had HO scale, O,S,and G but never N until I saw this one. I had to have it and an E to pull it.
I would love a set like it in O. I have some aluminum Williams cars that might get modified as well as some flat side Lionel cars. I like the Overstamped and repurposed look of PC. I realize this is supposed to be "scale only" but I don't have the room for that so I'm happy with my Lionel Overstap 6464 and 7200 or 9000 series cars

Nick - you are correct.  The Lehigh Valley version of the NE is distinguished by the curved gutters over the doubled windows.  Of all the versions of the NE out there, this was unique to those cabins.  I think you could fabricate a gutter with some wire or something to simulate the look though. 

 

I've always been a fan of the NE style caboose.  Too bad my Weaver Conrail one took a spill from +42" to concrete during an outdoor operating session last year!  Good thing I have a spare somewhere. 

Been thinking this may get the PC treatment one day.  Not a high priority project at this point though.  Looks good in the collection in the meantime. 

 

 

 

Looking at the Atlas units in the photographs above, it's worth mentioning the attention to detail paid by Atlas in ensuring the livery applied to a particular model is accurate for the road number being reproduced. For example, I have quite a few Atlas Penn Central units in N scale. Atlas did runs of PC GP30s and GP35s in which different road numbers received different schemes as part of the same production run. True to Atlas practice, all unit numbers were decorated correctly. Here's hoping Atlas remains active in O scale for many years to come.

 

Bob 

For a west coast guy I've been intrigued with the PC. Love seeing those old pics with the dirty black rusted loco's. I hope to have a drab black scale Lionel GG1 someday.

I'd say a penn central collection wouldn't be complete without the roger Williams RDC... Unfortunately I'm not stilled at kit bashing

That might be a good project for 3rd Rail/Sunset!

 

 

Bob

If its made by sunset/3rd rail than I wouldn't be able to afford it. Haha. My wallet dictates me of more of a railking/ Williams guy. Haha

Oy vey, I love my Penn Central oddballs but even for me, that one is just out there 

That's a model of the unit which was assigned to Penn Central's Despatch Shops, Inc., a former New York Central subsidiary located in East Rochester which specialized in the rebuilding/building of freight cars.

 

MTH reproduced the livery quite nicely as evidenced by the below photo of the prototype:

  

 

Bob

It is different, indeed. The New Haven's percentage of revenue derived from passenger versus freight was much higher than that of most other roads so management tried a number of initiatives designed to make its passenger trains more innovative and attractive to the riding public. The Comet, Daniel Webster and John Quincy Adams were several other such examples:

  

 

The Comet was built in the mid 30s and remained in service for more than fifteen years before being retired and scrapped. Neither the Daniel Webster or John Quincy Adams was a success and were gone long before Penn Central absorbed the New Haven.

 

Although most often associated with Penn Central and Amtrak, even the UA Turbos were received on New Haven property before the acquisition by PC.

 

Bob

Here's a picture of my penn central collection, mostly MPC lionel, well all actually except for the hopper I bought from nick

You forgot the NH experimental Roger Williams. That Budd RDC derived set made it into PC and eventually Amtrak paint. It's now being restored and run at a NE RR museum.

       

Missed the Roger Williams post last page.
As far as distinctive PC power I would consider the RS3m the so called "Dewitt Geeps " with their boxey hood modification for EMD E unit engines.