JWB Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 I've been rainfanning the Pacific Harbor Line lately, a new shortline started only after the Alameda Corridor project in Los Angeles was completed. This combined and rationalized the UP and BNSF routes to Los Angeles Harbor, and the PHL was set up to simplify access to industries and piers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach harbor area. The Harbor has lots of money and is politically correct, so it has bought the PHL green locomotives, including 3GS21B gensets a la Atlas Trainman and more exotic Rail Power rebuilds. PHL 72 is a rebuild from an unknown source that looks like an SD40, but as best I can tell, chassis and hoods are freely intermingled. Heavy rail, modern signals, one-unit switch jobs. What more can you want? For a railfan it's a crap shoot, since yards and engine terminals are under heavy security, and you've got to catch anything out in public areas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Nice! A Santa Fe inspired livery on 72, perhaps? Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Yes, the COO is a railfan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Belt-packing the PHL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMG1Um-HGw4 Overview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OFo--6uwPc&feature=related More Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 I forgot to mention that the LA Harbor Department is so full of cash that it's built two reproduction Pacific Electric interurbans and restored a third. It operates them on weekends on a length of PHL track equipped with overhead wire. That's another modeler's plus, although nobody makes models of the 500 class cars that were reproduced. (The third car, a 1000 class, was done in brass by Suydam, although the Harbor Dept only uses this one for special parties). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 the LA Harbor Department is so full of cash Now that's just making everyone jealous!!! He, he! If only all railways were like that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 At one time the PHL used a pair of tunnel motors.... A very interesting line, and a good subject for a model railroad I should think. Before they went all PC with the new gensets and so on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_2007 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I have a Athearn RTR SD 40-2 in this livery looks nice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodmayes Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Suydam did make some very nice brass model "Fives". Although which of the almost identical sub classes, I'm not sure. There is often quite a lot of out of print Pacific Electric literature (as well as the odd brass model) on the US EBay. Pretty amazing that such a large electrified transport system was abandoned fairly rapidly following WW II. Imagine London closing down both the "Tube" and the "Southern Electric". Ted Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Thanks, I stand corrected. http://www.brasstrains.com/classic/Product/Detail/036612/HO-Brass-Suydam-Orion-530-PE-Pacific-Electric-Medium-Five-Wood-Interurban-Coach I have a couple of Subway Eights, now I'm going to have to track down a Five! However, the PE was never anything close to either the Tube or the Southern Electric. Many of its lines were light-duty country-style interurbans that were severely restricted by street running in downtown Los Angeles. There was a "subway" tunnel that carried the lines to the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills a short distance into downtown, but there was still a lot of street running through Hollywood that made for long running times. Trains even in multiple were seldom longer than 3 cars. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Suydam did make some very nice brass model "Fives". Although which of the almost identical sub classes, I'm not sure. There is often quite a lot of out of print Pacific Electric literature (as well as the odd brass model) on the US EBay. Pretty amazing that such a large electrified transport system was abandoned fairly rapidly following WW II. Imagine London closing down both the "Tube" and the "Southern Electric". Ted It's more like closing down the tram networks, which unfortunately did happen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Belt-packing the PHL - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMG1Um-HGw4 I must admit that controlling your loco whilst riding it's front porch really looks like fun!! I'm sure that being a one-man crew of both Engineer and Conductor must be hard work, though, although at least when operating my layout solo (as usual) I can at least feel I'm being more prototypical now.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Dear F-Unit, O/T, but some proto RC crew do actually enjoy running their locos... Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfsboy Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 I love the PHL and own a Atlas genset .Nice model apart from the handrails which I am going to mod.The LAJ ran a lot of old PE track I believe and I have a LAJ CF7 too .Its an interesting area to model as many do of course . Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Speaking to belt packers in Az, they didn't so much regard it as fun as hard work and downright dangerous. Working heavy machinery in all weathers and on your own... not saying i wouldn't want to give it a go, mind! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 The LAJ has always been the LAJ, set up first to switch an industrial district that was essentially a real estate development, then taken over by the Santa Fe but kept independent to provide a "neutral switching service" to the same industrial district. I believe there's a certain amount of PE trackage incorporated in the PHL, though. Most of the PE is either gone or very low-traffic UP branches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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