AC&Y - Ohio's Road of Service

[SAH]

Looks like a couple of those roof walks need to be flattened.

Well how about that!  Good catch.

[SAH]

Got a lucky grab shot of AC&Y No. 101 kickin' cars at Brittain, as I was heading toward downtown on the new Akron Expressway. 

[SAH]

We ran the last of three ops sessions this afternoon.  @El4774 and @btrain came over to give v2.0 of the AC&Y Spur 4 project a go.  Here are the happy participants as were were getting under way.  At this point they had no idea what they were in for. 


Here's Brian puzzling over his next move for the General Tire job.  Considering he had never done much in the way of involved way freight switching he did a great job.


And Ryan running the West end of Brittain Yard.  Again, a novice yardmaster when we started, but once he got the hang of it the yard hummed.


The last job of the day, Goodyear Plant #2 / A&BB Transfers returns to Brittain.


There's nothing like watching a long string of cars snake around a curve and through the crossovers to the A/D track is there?


This session marked a couple of firsts.  Both of the participants were younger than I am and both are N scale modelers.  They layout performed well and we had a good time.  What more could one ask?

[SAH]

I have a bunch of recently completed AC&Y box cars ready for the weathering shop.  I also have a set of Pan Pastels I've never used for rolling stock weathering.  Usually I'd just dive in but played my hand cautiously this time and did some foreign road cars first.  The Erie XM was first, followed by the T&P.  Still learning but I like the PPs.

[chuck geiger]

Still one of my favorite layouts on here.

[SAH]

Thank you Chuck.

[amato1969]

Boxcars aside, that yard trackage is so well done!  Cinders, weeds, so nice!

  Frank

[SAH]

Thank you Frank.  I was going for a "in service, scruffy but not abandoned" look.  The ladder and first few car lengths of each yard track, where the yard men would walk when cutting cars, have no weeds and lots of scrap paper (switch lists) lying about.  Folks who have seen it in person like the effect.

[SAH]

Fourteen new AC&Y 40 footers are in service.  Add six foreign road 40 footers and I had 20 shots at Pan Pastel practice.  I really like the Pan Pastels.  So much to learn but so many possibilities.  Here are two from the last of the batch:  Former B&LE cars that arrived in Akron in 1960.  The IM 10 panel body was a great starting point.  I like 'em.

[Pomperaugrr]

Beautiful weathering on those box cars, especially the way you did the rivet lines!

Eric

[SAH]

Thank you Eric.

[SAH]

Upcoming changes to the track serving General Tire made it necessary that I pin down the footprint of the original factory building.  Here is the first go at the mockup. 

[El4774]

Hey Steve! What size were those switches that you used in the yard? Were they no 5 or no 7?

Ryan

[SAH]

The ladder switches are No. 5.  The rest are No. 7.

[LKOrailroad]

If you plan to model the Darrow Rd bridge over the east end of Brittain Yard then this 1953 photo may help. Popped up on my Pinterest feed.