Once I pay off my N scale diesel debt, I'll probably pick up an IC 4-8-2. I appreciate the reports from folks who already have them in hand! Like many roads, the IC made modifications (to the sand dome, the handrail arrangement and the tender e.g.) but the Bachmann model is a solid starting point should I want to alter the appearance in a similar way.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ic/ic-s2517s.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ic/ic-s2307.jpg

I don't like tender drives because of the appearance.  However, if Bachmann could use a tender drive with the shaft just under the deck plate, it would be acceptable to me.

Liberty Airport is on the NEC, so that narrows it down a bit.  Diesel powered trains run between Hoboken and Bay Head, but I doubt that with only three Comet cars, it was a regular run.  It may have been deadheading, depending on time of day and direction, but usually NJT deadhead runs are done with complete train sets on a routine basis.

I've seen similar action at Metuchen NJ (which is NOT on the way to Bay Head and sees only electrics), and I'm guessing that what you saw was a test run between NYC and Atlantic City (via Philly)--a service New Jersey Transit is planning on beginning soon.

Fieromike, your friend's description ("13 dip black") reminded me of the origins of similar descriptions. Back in the 70's the magazine Extra 2200 South coined the term "13D" to characterize plain dark paint schemes like the NW used. "13D" referred to a string of adjectives ("dark," "depressing," "dreary," "dismal," etc.)  I don't remember all 13 words, but they all started with the letter "d," hence "13D." IIRC the term "dip job" came later and applied to any one-color-with-no-decoration paint scheme.

No, the Pennsylvania had no F7 A units painted red.  As brokemoto, says, they did have some FP7's in Tuscan. However, the FP A-B-A sets came with F7 B units. Two of the B units were painted red.

Dr EMD, maybe next year you can photoshop a PRR Big Boy. It would be interesting to see, what with a keystone numberplate and a long distance tender. My brother has messed around with similar ideas (only he clearly states that they're fantasy!) such as this experimental NYC locomotive:

The Pennsy K4 is a very popular model in all scales, but we don't have one in N. Trix made a passable version, but nowhere as fine a model as an N scale Spectrum would be. So how about it? Can we have some  K4's in N? Preferably the post-war version, if you have to choose one.

I suppose that with a name like Dr EMD, the poster may have been easily fooled by Pennsy steam. Although the poster did claim to be in possession of a photo. So, Dr. EMD, are you just trying to pull our legs? If so, you did a good job!

BTW, the Pennsy did indeed test an N&W 2-6-6-4 on Horseshoe Curve, which might account for the origins of the Big Boy myth.

It's interesting that some of the model designations would probably have been correct for these fantasy steam locos. The 4-6-4 electrics went up to P5, and the 4-8-4 electric was an R1. But the Big Boy would not have been a GG2 (two 4-6-0's back-to-back.)  A Challenger could have been a GG2. Pennsy never had any 4-8-0's, so it's anyone's guess as to what a 4-8-8-4 (electric or steam) would have been called. U, V, W, X, Y and Z are all that's left.

Of course, the original post on this thread appeared on April 1st!

One of the rarest diesels designated as RS are the two RS1325's owned by the C&IM.  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cim/cim31ags.jpg

I'd go along with that idea too. Also, is it possible to post a link to the Photo Album on each Forum, not just in the General Topics?

Conrail removed track #2 sometime in the early 80's.  They also removed one of three tracks on the Pittsburgh Division between Conpitt and Pittsburgh and single tracked the Conemaugh Division about the same time.