Contact: John Drye.
The Northern Central attempts to recreate a portion of the Pennsylvania RR as it existed in the summer of 1956. The NC is loosely modeled on the PRR from Harrisburg to Buffalo and Erie. The layout will include towns modeled after Williamsport, Emporium (where the lines to Buffalo and Erie split) and a few "to be named later" in between.
Williamsport will include staging tracks for PRR's Elmira Branch plus interchange with the Erie and Reading. The NYC had trackage rights from just west of Williamsport along the Elmira branch to Himrod Junction, north of Elmira, NY.
Passenger Trains will include the Northern Express and Baltimore Express; the day trains from Buffalo (and Erie) to Baltimore, plus the Elmira branch trains and the Susquehanock from Williamsport to Harrisburg. The two Buffalo/Erie to Baltimore trains will be pulled by pairs of E units and split/join at Emporium. The Elmira branch train was pulled by a torpedo tube geep (plenty for one or two cars) and the three coach Susqehanock provides a great excuse for a PA.
Freight trains include thru trains such as the "Buffalo Boxcar", locals to the "towns to be named later", mineral trains to the Elmira Branch along with NYC Trackage rights trains. Interchange with Erie and Reading at Williamsport will provide some relief from DGLE.
Motive power will be a mix of steam and diesel. In addition to the passenger units, Fs and GPs will predominate on the freights, with a few FAs and Sharks mixed in. A few Decapods and Mountains hang on for the secondary freights. Yard power is SWs. Eventually all will be equipped with decoders.
The trackplan is a 15 x 15 foot folded dogbone, with staging in the laundry room. Most trains originate in staging, run to Williamsport to drop cars for the locals and continue back to staging. The locals are made up in the yard and work towns to the north and south.
Local industries include aviation manufacturers to support Piper Aircraft and Lycoming, a paper mill, various steel industries and a coal mine/power plant loads/empties operation which modeler's license permits being moved about 50 miles eastward.
So far most of the benchwork is up, with track laid in Williamsport. The hope is to have enough complete to allow a layout tour at the NTRAK East Convention in August 2004. In progress pictures to be posted soon.
Comments and questions welcome.
Buffalo Day Express (E units): Harrisburg staging to Buffalo/Erie staging, splits into Buffalo and Erie sections at Emporium
Baltimore Express (E units): Buffalo and Erie staging to Harrisburg staging, sections join at Emporium
Susquehannock (PA): Harrisburg staging to Williamsport and return
Trains 50/51 (GP7): Harrisburg (Elmira) staging to Williamsport and return
"Buffalo Boxcar" (GP7s): Harrisburng staging to Buffalo staging
NYC freight (various): Buffalo/Erie staging to Harrisburg (Elmira)
staging--mostly coalENBU-1 (northbound AM) (F units): Harrisburg staging; work at Willimasport, continue to Buffalo staging
ENBU-3 (northbound PM) (F units): Harrisburg staging; work at Willimasport, continue to Buffalo staging
ENBU-2 (southbound AM) (F units): Buffalo staging; work at Willimasport, continue to Harrisburg staging
ENBU-4 (northbound AM) (F units): Buffalo staging; work at Willimasport, continue to Harrisburg staging
Extra nn (northbound loads) (Sharks or I-1s): Harrisburg staging; change power at Willimasport, continue to Buffalo staging
Extra nn southbound empties) (Sharks or I-1s): Buffalo staging; change power at Willimasport, continue to Harrisburg staging
Emporium (RS3s): Williamsport to Emporium and return
Sunbury (RS3s): Williamsport to Sunbury and Montadon and return
Laurel Creek Mine run (various): Williamspor to Montadon and return
Reading (FTs): Reading staging to Williamsport and return
Erie (RS3s): Erie staging to Williamsport and return
Copyright 1996 - 2008
Last modified: November 23 2007.
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