I have been considering building a model of New York Central's electric T-Motors which for many years shuttled trains between GCT and Harmon. I am considering using a Micro-Ace ED-19 or ED-53, removing the pantographs, adding some detailing (such as using HO scale shutters for vents) and repainting and decaling. I know the wheel arrangment is not correct but I think the models overall dimensions are close enough. I've compared a size-adjusted schematic of the prototype with size-adjusted photos of the model and they compare very favorably. See this attachment and let me know what you think. At top is a scale drawing of the prototype, in the middle is the ED-19 model without pantographs and at bottom is a representation of what the model might look like. Thanx!
I was never much of a fan of the electric motors, but can probably help you with where to find photos of them. I don't have any of my own. Your three images look like what you are proposing to do is a good approximation of those ugly things. Sorry about the comment, I am a steam nut, and remember the transfer of trains from steam to those electrics to get into Grand Central, so many years ago. :tb-biggrin:
Jim, you must be far older than I originally thought. I believe GCT's conversion to all-electric began in 1911 or 1912, and was complete by 1914 or 1915. :tb-err: As far as models of the various NYC motors, all of which I rode behind into and out of GCT in the 40's and 50's, they would be a wonderful asset to any system based on Harlem or Hudson Division operations at North White Plains and/or Harmon. Either of these would placate steam junkies by including the Central's K and J Classes at North White and/or J, L, S, other heavy Classes at Harmon. Then again, if I were to start over from scratch, doubtful at my age, I would attempt to model the epitome of the Central's third-rail operations in 1953, ranging from the New Haven fly-over at Woodlawn on the Harlem, the West Side freight interlocking at Spuyten Dival on the Hudson, all of the Mott Haven complex, and across the Harlem River down past 125th Street on the GCT approach. Also Jim, just for you, I would include F-Class 10-wheelers at the Putnam Division High Bridge terminal in the Bronx, and the cross-platfom connection with Hudson Division trains. :tb-wink: Back to the subject at hand, I'm not sure how much of a market there would be for NYC Motors today. Most of them were scrapped about 1980 when Metro-North took over commuter operations into GCT, and Amtrak had previously moved its operations to Penn Station. Today, modelers seem to be focusing on diesels, late model heavy steam, especially western roads, and the GG-1. Back in the 50's, companies were offering HO models of New Haven's EP-4, Milwaukee's Little Joe and Bi-Polar, Great Northern's Z-1, and Pennsy's GG-1, O-1A, and P-5A. With exception of the GG-1, those all had disappeared by the late 60's, and nothing else has re-surfaced. I don't even see any motors on e-bay. Have you contacted the N-Cat folks? http://www.teamsavage.com/ncat/ncat.html They might give you some info and guidance.
Fitz, sorry you don't like the electric motors, but they were practically all I ever saw while growing up next to the Hudson Division mainline in Da Bronx in the 1950's and for the last 20+ years, I've lived near the Harmon yard and shops! Hytec, I agree totally with what you would have liked to model and with whatever time I've got left, I'd like to attempt as much of that as possible! In talking about the transfer of trains from steam to electric, Fitz was referring, of course to the changeover from steam to electric power at Harmon as a location and not to the time period when NYC decreed that steam power could not enter Manhattan! I already have some facsimiles of NYC electric power in N Scale, done for me some years ago. See the attached scan. I've yet to remove the pantographs and swap out the Rapido's for MTL's, but I think they are decent representations of and R-Motor(Tomix EF-15) on top and a P-2 Motor (Kato EF-57) on the bottom.
You've done a nice job with your conversions. Do you plan on attempting an S motor or T motor? Different subject....is there still a bluff with a parking area overlooking the Harmon engine terminal above the east side of the yard? Back in the 40's, my mother and I would park for hours watching the changing of engines. Most exciting was watching the incoming steamers uncouple and back around the station, get fueled and watered on the river side of the yard, then back up onto the turning loop over the yard throat and come down right below us to wait for their next northbound assignment. That's also where I first saw #6000, the only S-1 Class Niagara, and her half-sisters, the S-2's......SIGH!
Hank, back there in 1912..................As enwhycentral has said, I meant the changeover at Harmon. Heck, is Harmon still there? I did not mean to belittle the electrics, if it wasn't for them, Grand Central would have been closed and torn down. As I recall, the starting and stopping of the electric-pulled trains was very smooth. :tb-biggrin:
Jim, I doubt if any engines are changed at Harmon today. I believe MN has electrified beyond Croton, maybe even to Peekskill, and Empire Service uses P-42's that are third-rail capable. Furthermore, CSX brings their traffic down the West Shore to Hoboken, or thereabouts. Even North White has disappeared because MN electrified the Harlem all the way to Brewster North. Yes, electrics were very smooth. I could sleep all the way from GCT to North White coming home weekends from college in the early 50's. Then the K's or J's would ensure that sleep was out of the question until I hit my own bed. Later, we would get RS-3's, but they were kinda bumpy too, not like those smooth as silk E's on the Hudson Division.
As previously mentioned, I plan on modeling a T-Motor as an S-Motor would be much more challenging since there are no models I know of which would provide as logical a starting point as a boxcab would. Harmon, now called Croton-Harmon is still the site of a large shop, yard and commuter station and parking facility. The bluff overlooking the shops is still there but the station and main parking lots are to the south of the old station site. In fact the shops themselves are being reconstructed also to the south of the old location in a multi-year, multi-hundred million dollar project. Third rail terminates at Croton-North; the old station building is now a private electrical contractor's office. This contractor has also situated two old Erie-Lackawanna M-U's next to the station for use as storage sheds! Metro-North P-32's and Amtrak P-42's stop at Croton-Harmon and CSX now uses the yard at Croton-North. North White Plains still exists as both a shop, yard and station facility on the Harlem Line even though third rail has been extended to the station at Southeast(Brewster North). I was not luck enough to see steam locos on these lines but they are still great Railfanning locations.
