Working a Carfloat

Some HD video of working the carfloat on my CNJ Bronx Terminal.

This video shows the prototypical method for unloading a carfloat. Three of the six cars on the float are pulled off from one side of the float, then all 6 cars on the opposite side, these are stored in the yard. This helps equalize the balance of the float. Then, the three that were left on the outer track are pulled, followed by all the cars on the centre track. Two pulls are all that are required to empty the float.

The locomotive has been re-worked with a new High Bass speaker installed by Lew White at Tony's Trains at the NMRA Convention in Hartford. The sound has also been improved with better samples, installed into the QSI Revolution decoder by Josh Shedaker, also at the convention.

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• Working a Carfloat
• walthers carfloat
• qsi revolution decoder
• lew white
• josh shedaker
• cnj bronx terminal
• tim warris
• boxcab

[bnsfozzy]

OK I gotta know. What did you do to that MDC Critter to get it to run so smooth?

[TimWarris]

@bnsfozzy If you hunt through the blog, I have several posts showing me re-working the loco. It isn't an MDC boxcab though, its an old Japanese brass import.

[TimWarris]

Hi,

That is a common misconception about rail-marine operations. It was very common to run the locomotives onto the float bridges and the floats. Many of the terminals in New York had no rail connections, the only way to get motive power was to bring it over on the floats.

[michaeldelz]

looking forward to seeing more updates

[BEDT14]

I have videos here on YouTube showing the entire procedure (youtube won't let me post link so here are titles):

NYNJ Rail - carfloat mooring and car unloading @ Bush Terminal, Brooklyn

NYNJ Rail - unloading second carfloat: Pt 1 - Bush Terminal, Brooklyn

NYNJ Rail - unloading second carfloat: Pt 2 - Bush Terminal,

[BEDT14]

9) Pull combined right, left and center cuts of cars off carfloat.

Carfloat is now empty of cars.

To load, reverse order.

[BEDT14]

2) Uncouple. Locomotive switches over to right track

3) Couple to right track cut of cars.

4) Pull off carfloat switching back to left track.

5) Push right track cut of cars to left track cut of cars, couple.

6) Pull combined right and left cuts of cars clear of the center track turnout points.

7) Throw points for alignment to center track.

8) Push combined right & left cuts onto center track, onto carfloat and couple to center track cut of cars.

off .

[BEDT14]

@DunnyRail: Actually, with the design of NY style carfloats, you cannot access the center track until the left track is clear because the frog for the left and center tracks is on the carfloat, w/ the points on the float bridge. (And yes, I've seen the western type carfloats where there are three individiual tracks on the carfloat.) The correct procedure for NY style carfloats:

1) Pull left track string of cars half way off carfloat half on land & float bridge.

[LycoValleyRRFan]

@MultiHornguy It's called Fast Tracks.

[DunnyRail]

Hi, very nice and this Bronx Layout makes the ulitmat Model railway. However I would like to point out (according to the "New York Harbour railways in Colour Books" that shunting off and on is done in a precise way to balance the floats as follows:- UNLOAD Centre Road - Pull all off. Left Road - Pull half off leave all coupled. Right Roar - Pull all off. Left Road - Pull all off. Load is similar:- Centre - Push all on. Right - Push half on. Left - Push all on. Right - Push remaining on. JonD

[LycoValleyRRFan]

Very nice layout got to love how fixable hand layed trackcan be.