PCCM 109: Part 6 on the KPD

Greetings! 

This is my final installment for our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  We're continuing to focus on the delivery of freight cars to their consignees.

The KP&W's William Yard is preparing the Hedberg Run, a short train serving Hedberg Aggregates on the Marion Branch.  Trains to Hedberg run caboose first since thee is no runaround track at the industry to allow a locomotive to get behind the cars it pushes into the plant's spurs.  The Williams Yard Shop created this special caboose outfitted with horn and lights to run at the head end of trains.

GP9 #742 heads down the track to pick up a string of coal hoppers sent by Hudson Coal to fuel Hedberg's kiln along with some empty PS-2 hoppers that will be loaded at the aggregate facility.

Yard switcher #24 tacks the special caboose to what will become the head end of the train.

 The junction to the Marion Branch is at the unseen north end of Williams Yard.  The train will head "in the wrong direction" until it accesses that switch and then will reverse direction to climb to Hedberg.   Watch the train roll on its way and then actually deliver cars in an abbreviated video sequence at Hedberg Aggregates.

Turing our attention to West Mill Yard its time to load six coal hoppers from Hudson Coal for the Port Own Con Ed power plant.  As usual SD9 #6922 takes responsibility for this operation.

Watch the carfloat loading in the video below:

The hoppers will later be delivered to Con Ed by PC SD9 #25 which is assigned to the small yard at Port Owen.  S12 #8303 will sort the cars.

Shortly after the car float was loaded the West Mill crew got the Bloomberg Turn ready to go.  The train consists of the minimum five cars required for dispatch up the Catskill Branch.  TP&W 627 is heading to Van Winkle Canning with Berk Enterprises labels...

...the former NYC Early Bird service boxcar will be delivered empty to REVCO, maker of kitchen gadgets and other helpful homemaker products, while the three empty gons are for Bell Pole.

Meanwhile over at the KP&W's Williams Yard three 60 foot auto parts cars are on the transfer to Mayfield.  From there they will be delivered empty to ACME Auto Parts.

Watch the Bloomberg Turn at West Mill and the Mayfield Transfer from Williams Yard both receive their assigned power.  The Turn is getting one of the yard's lumbering and loud RSD12s for the climb up the Catskills.  The Mayfield Transfer leaves Williams Yard with a KP&W F7A&B along with an LV Geep.   The KP&W train passes by West Mill just as the Bloomberg Turn is backing out of the yard.

The Bloomberg Turn stops at WM tower for orders...

.....and then proceeds to take the Catskill Mountain Branch while the GP38-2 and transfer caboose that were on the South Local in yesterday's installment return from delivering coal hoppers to Tri Mount Cement.

The Bloomberg Turn arrives at the industrial park in the Catskills and sets out TP&W 627 and its load of labels at Van Winkle Canning....

...the empty Early Bird car at REVCO...

...and the three empty gons at Bell Pole across from the Agway elevator.

 Around the same time the KP&W transfer arrives at Mayfield Yard....

..with the three 60 foot boxcars for ACME Auto Parts.

After the transfer is broken down a Mayfield Area Turn MM-3/4 is assembled with the auto parts cars for ACME.   The Turn leaves the yard powered by a KP&W RS3.

The three 60 footers are spotted at ACME Auto Parts which officially concludes the Kings Port Division's role in PCCM 109!   

Its been a fun series to run!  Thanks for following along!

 

PCCM 109: Part 5 on the KPD

 Hello again!

This is my fifth installment for our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  We're continuing to focus on the delivery of freight cars to their consignees.

Yesterday VW-1, one of the regular transfers between Selkirk and Weehawken made intermediate stops at West Mill and Williams Yard to set out cars.   The West Mill switcher was sent out to pull the cars left by VW-1 from the siding and into the yard.

The 8951 separated 12 coal hoppers from Hudson Coal into two blocks, one for Tri Mount Cement and one for the Port Owen Con Ed plant. A South Local will serve Tri Mount Cement while the Con Ed cars will be placed on the West Mill car float.

TP&W boxcar #627 was added to a string of cars that will make up the Bloomberg Turn that runs up to the Catskills.  The TP&W car is heading to Van Winkle Canning.

 

  The gondolas behind it are all going to Bell Pole.

An empty former Early Bird Service boxcar scheduled as an intra-layout move to REVCO will be added to this cut of cars.

The other car that needs to be forwarded by West Mill is PC #360063, heading to nearby Canton Box Co. with a new cutting machine from Reliable Machine.  This will be a separate one car Yard Local job.

Meanwhile over at the KP&W's Williams Yard, crews will need to deliver two boxcars to local businesses,   NYC boxcar #80755 seen in the background is going to Peerless Appliance loaded with appliance parts from Reliable Machine....

This GM&O boxcar loaded with empty 55 gallon drums is being forwarded to the Gulf facility along the river.

Three additional trains are expected to be dispatched from Williams Yard, a transfer to Binghamton, NY (WiBi-4) that will include the three Penn Central RBLs seen below, a tranfser to Mayfiled Yard with the 60 foot auto parts cars seen behind the RBLs, and a Hedberg Run that will deliver the four PS-2 hoppers and six coal hopper cars to Hedberg Aggregates.

Things are going to get busy!

Here's a Tale of Two Yard Locals as West Mill's #8951 delivers PC boxcar #360063 to Canton Box with labels from Berk Enterprises while at the same time over in Kings Port Williams Yard switchers #24 and 22 prepare to set out NYC boxcar #80755 loaded with Reliable Machine parts for Peerless Appliance and GM&O boxcar #21129 with empty oil drums for Gulf.

More simultaneous action occurs at West Mill and Williams Yard as GP38-2 #8150 in West Mill readies to power the South Local which will serve Tri Mount Cement...

...while KP&W F7A #110 along with a pair of leased B&O units prepares to leave the engine tracks to lead a Williams Yard to Binghamton Transfer (WiBi-4) which will include the three empty Penn Central RBLs for International Paper Co.

Watch the action as the South Local and the WiBi-4's power connect to their respective trains and leave their yards.  The South Local will hold for the WiBi-4 before proceeding to Tri Mount Cement.

After arriving at Binghamton on the WiBi-4 the three PC RBLs are put on a local that serves International Paper Co.  The three cars are later seen spotted at International Paper Co.

The South Local set out its coal hoppers at Tri Mount cement.

That concludes today's installment.  Check back tomorrow for more PCCM car deliveries!

PCCM 109: Part 4 on the KPD

 Greetings virtual ops fans!

We are continuing our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  This weekend we're focusing on trains arriving on our layouts and the delivery of freight cars to their consignees.

We return to Selkirk in time today to see the arrival of John's Penn Central train SK-5, dispatched from Terminal Yard.  Just as SK-5 comes to a stop Transfer BM-17 from Mechanicville, NY also arrives powered by two PC GP40s sandwiching a pair of B&M GP9s.

BM-17 from Mechanicville brings in three empty 60 foot auto parts cars (the KP&W, NYC, and PC TOC cars seen in the background) heading to ACME Auto Parts from the Ford plant in Somerville MA...

 ...along with three Penn Central RBLs returning to the virtual ops from New England to be forwarded to International Paper Co.

 

These six cars will be added to train VW-1 heading south to Weehawken with intermediate stops at Kings Port and West Mill.

Meanwhile, in a quick turnaround three empty B&M RBLs are being prepared to be placed on NY-20, a transfer run back to Mechanicville.

Watch NY-20 and VW-1 both leave Selkirk.

An hour later VW-1arrives at Kings Port and sets out several cars for the KP&W at Williams Yard. It takes two back up moves.

After leaving cars at Williams Yard, VW-1 continues to West Mill

The GP38-2/ SD35 consist at the head end of VW-1 is seen idling in front of Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery while preparing to set out several cars.  That's Yardmaster Cappy Foster himself observing the proceedings.   Things seem to be going well, so Cappy is happy....

The locomotives will take the crossover to set out the cut of cars.

VW-1's brakeman uncouples the long cut for West Mill from the rest of the train. The TP&W boxcar at the end of the cut is going to Van Winkle Canning with a load of printed labels from Berk Enterprises.

Watch the set out in the video below.  The consist's bells get good use for safety during the moves required to drop off the cars!

After setting out the cut of cars for West Mill, VW-1 receives permission to continue to Weehawken.

Meanwhile we haven't forgotten about the NY-20 transfer from Selkirk to Mechanicville!  The B&M hub awaits the transfer's arrival.  Its a railfan kind of day in Mechanicville as both D&H and LV power can be seen to the right in the background!  Add that to the PC/B&M pooled power for NY-20 and that makes four liveries to photograph!

NY-20 arrives and stops near XO Tower.

 That will complete the action for today.  Check back tomorrow as both West Mill and Williams Yard dispatch local trains to deliver cars to their respective consignees.  That's how we make the money!

PCCM 109: Part 3 on the KPD

Hello again!

We are continuing our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  

Numerous freight cars have been brought into West Mill Yard during my previous two installments.  Among them are several PCCM cars scheduled to be forwarded to Selkirk and eventually to John's Terminal Yard.

It is 6AM at West Mill and the first pale light of the new day is dawning.  The "First Trick" crew has arrived and is checking out orders and switch lists for today's traffic.  Where's the coffee!?!

As the sun rises and the day gets underway switcher #8951 is busy assembling two blocks of cars that will be picked up by the first Weehawken to Selkirk Transfer of the day (WV-2).

The two mixed manifest blocks are sorted on two tracks.  A third block of empty hoppers that will also be picked up by WV2 can be seen in the background behind the locomotive tracks and the Yard Tower.

These three empty B&M RBLs are also riding to Selkirk but will be cut there to be forwarded to Mechanicville for eventual delivery to their home road at Merrimack, NH.

West Mill's crew has the blocks of cars ready for WV-2 to pick up.   The train from Weehawken will emerge from the South Tunnel.  Watch WV-2 arrive and pick up the two blocks of cars in the yard in the video below.

After picking up the two mixed manifest blocks of cars WV2 picks up the six empty hoppers for Hudson Coal on the N.Y.C.T.L.

Now completely assembled WV2 heads out of West Mill for Selkirk. We catch the tail end passing by WM Tower as towerman "Swede" Gustafsson provides a roll by inspection.

The train arrives at Selkirk an hour and a half later.   

Most of the cars on WV2 will be dispatched soon to John's Terminal Yard on Train TY-2.   As WV2 came to a stop an SW7 switcher was seen in the video moving three PCCM cars that will be included on TY-2:  Dresser Magcobar NIRX 42886 loaded with Bentonite for the Suffolk Co. Water Authority...

...TPFX 5510 loaded with wood for Astoria Lumber and LV 66392 carrying bagged Wescott Concrete for American Hardware.

The Dresser Magcobar car arrived at Selkirk on train NY-4 from Chicago while the TPFX and LV cars came from Frontier Yard in Buffalo.

TY-2 leaves Selkirk for Terminal Yard with the additional cars in tow.  Check out its arrival on the N.Y.C.T.L. in John's blog!

The three B&M RBLs were removed from WV2 at Selkirk and will later be included on a transfer run to Mechanicville, NY.

 

That's it for this weekend!  Check back next weekend as we continue our 109th virtual ops!