Conrail Windsor St Yard (York PA) Engineering Report

[coosvalley]

Do we know if the ex-EL SD45s counted?

Those were off to Mexico in '78.

Unless I'm missing something, trains headed for Enola could pass through Windsor, right? Since it is a fictional connection, let the Pot yard trains use whatever routing they actually used, and instead model the Enola trains. Since you're proto-freelancing, nothing should stop you. In looking through the D&H book, it seems they had a train terminate at any yard they could get to...

Am I missing the reason you want to model Pot yard bound trains instead of Enola bound trains?.Sounds like you could model either, so model the fun ones!

Lots of inspiration here:...... I really like the lashup at 51:00

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Those were off to Mexico in '78.

Unless I'm missing something, trains headed for Enola could pass through Windsor, right? Since it is a fictional connection, let the Pot yard trains use whatever routing they actually used, and instead model the Enola trains. Since you're proto-freelancing, nothing should stop you. In looking through the D&H book, it seems they had a train terminate at any yard they could get to...

Am I missing the reason you want to model Pot yard bound trains instead of Enola bound trains?.Sounds like you could model either, so model the fun ones!

Lots of inspiration here:...... I really like the lashup at 51:00

Nope, York is south of Harrisburg, between it and Baltimore (and then DC).

[coosvalley]

Ahh, I see...

I know there were trains that terminated at Baltimore, too, I will look at the book and see what I can find out about those..

[coosvalley]

The book doesn't seem to mention anything else on the subject, but there are 4 photos of D&H trains on the NEC around Baltimore, all have a 7600 series(lightning scheme) GP39-2 leading. It seems you are mostly right about EMDs, but one photo of the same train seen in Baltimore under the wire(RW-6), is seen at Holtwood, PA with a U23B in the mix. Other than the 7600 series leaders, it was a mix of those and the ex RDG 7400 series GP39-2s, and ex LV GP38-2s in the 7300 series .

But, it seems, no Guilford junkers for you..

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The book doesn't seem to mention anything else on the subject, but there are 4 photos of D&H trains on the NEC around Baltimore, all have a 7600 series(lightning scheme) GP39-2 leading. It seems you are mostly right about EMDs, but one photo of the same train seen in Baltimore under the wire(RW-6), is seen at Holtwood, PA with a U23B in the mix. Other than the 7600 series leaders, it was a mix of those and the ex RDG 7400 series GP39-2s, and ex LV GP38-2s in the 7300 series .

But, it seems, no Guilford junkers for you..

Damn. Oh well. But the U23B can add a little flavor. I'm guessing my consist will likely be a repainted D&H 7300, an Reading paint out 7400 and a 7600 U23B in the middle.

[wm3798]

Is there any reason, in your faux history, that the D&H trains bound for Enola wouldn't have a reason to roll through to York and Windsor Street?  Since Philly was an interchange point for CSX, would it be much of a stretch for the Enola trains to have traffic that would move through to Windsor St. to connect with the WM trackage there for a more direct connection to the Cumberland/Shenandoah Valley?

Seems to me that would make perfect sense, and leave the NEC restricted power available for the Philly to Pot Yard runs...  Recall that in your scenario, it was the Port Road that was wiped out, so the most direct route from Pot Yards to the D&H would be by way of Philadelphia, not Enola.  As such, any D&H train coming anywhere near your layout would be looking for an interchange, so you'd be looking either at Chessie via Rutherford/Lurgan, or York to the WM.

You need an RS-11 now.  And some C-420s in L&HR paint outs.  It'll be fine.

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Is there any reason, in your faux history, that the D&H trains bound for Enola wouldn't have a reason to roll through to York and Windsor Street?

Yep. Geography. York is south of Enola, so trains ending at Enola would come down the Buffalo Line and go right into Enola and terminate.

Since Philly was an interchange point for CSX, would it be much of a stretch for the Enola trains to have traffic that would move through to Windsor St. to connect with the WM trackage there for a more direct connection to the Cumberland/Shenandoah Valley?

Interesting idea, but I'm pretty sure that stuff would just go into Enola then get handed off for a trip down the Lurgan. But in reality, I'm betting most of anything for Chessie or the SBD went either to Pot Yard or Philly.

Yep, Philly is an interchange for Chessie, but not the Southern, and the USRA gave D&H access to Pot Yard. I believe that stuff came down the Port Road, hence the trip down its replacement, as per this thread: https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2478864

Seems to me that would make perfect sense, and leave the NEC restricted power available for the Philly to Pot Yard runs...  Recall that in your scenario, it was the Port Road that was wiped out, so the most direct route from Pot Yards to the D&H would be by way of Philadelphia, not Enola.

Nope. The Bingo => Buffalo Line => Enola => Baltimore => PY routing is better than the other Bingo => Dupont => Allentown => Reading => Philly = PY one because there's an annoying end change that always has to happen in Allentown. You can see the pics of cabooses on both end of trains because of that move.

[MichaelWinicki]

Nope, York is south of Harrisburg, between it and Baltimore (and then DC).

Interesting map.

There were a couple passenger trains that did the Baltimore/Buffalo circuit up until advent of Amtrak.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Interesting map.

There were a couple passenger trains that did the Baltimore/Buffalo circuit up until advent of Amtrak.

Oh yeah. In fact the NCR was essentially a passenger line with just a smattering of freight during the late stage PRR. The Port Road really WAS a better line for freight traffic for a bunch of reasons.

But it's not as fun to model.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Took some photos of how York sits today now that everything has at least been covered in dirt.

These are half the photos. The rest are at http://conrail1285.com/york-walk-around-may-2018/

[seusscaboose]

You doing facia?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You doing facia?

Yeah. I'm just going to do some black foamcore under the Windsor St scene and then paint the rest of the peninsula black. There's no need to get fancy in this case.

[wazzou]

So you've continued to bring everything this far only to be tearing it all down shortly?

[kc9jts]

Lookin' good!  I'm really liking how your ground cover and the bare trees are turning out. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

So you've continued to bring everything this far only to be tearing it all down shortly?

Yep. But I've been cutting LOTS of corners along the way  . A lot of buildings are all borrowed from friends and family.

Besides, it's the doing, not the having.