As you can tell by the name, I’m a NYC person. I really can’t explain why I’ve gotten so into this rr, maybe it has to do with their beautiful Hudsons and Lightning Stripe decor?[;)]
Well, I’m going to model a NYC layout, and I’ve been looking into trying out a NYC stream, and I like the BLI Mikado. I would like the heavy Mikado, and while searching the info about it on the BLI website, I noticed on the tender that the engine is a New York Central System engine, not just NYC.
I don’t know all that much about NYC’s history (so if you all have any reference websites, i’d be grateful), but as far as I can tell NYC had several system railroads.
This Mikado is a P&LE NYC system engine, so would an P&LE engine be confined to that area of the NYC line, or could it have been seen anywhere throughout the system?
The NMRA directory of world wide web sites has contact info on the historical society listed below.
New York Central Historical Society: Historical Society for the New York Central System railroads. these are usually some of the best sources for info .when modeling a prototype
Here’s an absolute MUST HAVE BOOK for all New York Central fans.
Rails Along the Hudson. ( I bought mine years back)
Tall softback book. Out of print, but there’s two copies on Ebay as of this post. Beautiful black and white photos and a detailed history of the New York Central along the North/South Hudson river route. Very nice shots of Steam, Diesel, and 3rd Rail Electric power shown. Info included on steam power. Covers from the early days all the way up to the Penn Central merger. I still enjoy it, years later.
Though I now primarily model the SCL and NH, the New York Central is still special to me as I had an uncle who was an engineer / motorman. He operated the big boxcab electrics in the early 60s. He left around 1966 or 67 when things started going down hill just before the Penn Central merger. He drove New York City subway trains until his retirement in 1981.
Sadly he passed away just a few years ago from cancer----the suspected culprit being that subway motormen were exposed to the asbestos from the brake shoes on the trains back then. No way to prove it though.
The NYC, like most of the big roads of the 20th century, was built up from mergers, buyouts, and stock control of several dozen smaller railroads. It’s a complex and confusing mess, which is best left for one of the better NYC corporate histories. Suffice it to say that due to certain state laws, the NYCRR found it best to keep some subsidiary roads on the books as semi-seperate entities. These included the P&LE, B&A, P&E, and to a smaller degree, the CCC&StL (Big Four). All of these roads had engines and rolling stock permanently assigned to them from the parent road, and those cars (well, the engines and cabooses), would almost never be seen away from home rails. However, the NYC generally handled all repairs to those engines, so you could occasionally see loaner engines from the NYC on the smaller roads.
Some of the subsidiary roads, especially the P&LE and B&A, had engines built ONLY for them, and not the parent road. The B&A and P&LE each had their own Berkshires, and the P&LE was the only road that received the USRA heavy Mike. I’m sure those engines were rarely seen on the NYC proper, but it wasn’t often or usual.
But what the heck. It’s your railroad, run what you like. And if you want to stick with proto accuracy, buy the USRA light mikes instead of the heavies. The NYC had almost 200 of them, and they roamed all over the system. Or, just model the P&LE. It was a short, multitrack road with LOTS of online traffic, making it a great road to model.
Thanks for the info. I need to check out that book.
I’ll probably just go for the BLI Hudson or Light Mikado.
Hi, I’m kind of in the same boat as you. I too am modeling the NYC [also without much knowledge of the line] and I’m going to try and check out that book also. BTW I recently bought my 1st BLI engine a NYC Hudson, to make a long story short its great. Good luck with your layout.
it would be pratical to say certain loco designs fit a certain railroad needs so keeping specified locos on the original line is a good idea.
All I can add is that BLI’s Light “Mike” is one fantastic locomotive… you will not be sorry with that choice… Bob