More Kings Port & Western Railroad action on this Penn Central Car Movement series as the Mayfield Run is assembled and dispatched from West Mill.
It all starts as just another trick on switcher #8951, still in its NYC livery. Its crew of old heads from the "Central" secretly hopes the diminutive loco won't have PC mating worms applied to to it. They fire up their beloved SW9 and head into the yard to pick up the string of cars for Mayfield.
An overly excited railfan can't keep his camera still while recording the action as the SW9 grabs the cut of cars.
Better shots as the string of cars for Mayfield is pulled from West Mill Yard.
and backed into a departure track for KP&W power to pick up. Looks like West Mill P.D. wants to have another chat with Sal Monella!
The cut is set out with the huge NYC auto parts car looming behind the locomotive that will haul it to Mayfield Yard..
The SW9 leaves the cut of cars and returns to the yard.
Meanwhile, freshly serviced KP&W RS-3 #566 is fired up by a new crew. In typical Alco fashion, it belches out black smoke when the engineer notches up the throttle to move its caboose for later coupling to the rear of the Mayfield cut. (This is a little bit of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery in response to John's recent pics including loco exhaust).
Moving the caboose...
The caboose in place, the RS-3 moves forward to access a runaround to get in front of the cut of cars.
Pausing at Cappy Foster's palace, West Mill's modern Yard Tower, the RS-3 waits for the switch to be realigned so it can back into the Mayfield cut.
Backing into the cut and coupling up with the caboose, officially making this the Mayfield Run.
The train backs up to access the switch to the Mayfield Branch. Meanwhile, the W.M.P.D., apparently finished talking to Sal, leaves the Salvage Yard. He's always one of the "usual suspects" but they can never pin anything on him.
The RS-3's engineer shifts the reverser into "Forward" and the Mayfield Run heads out of town with cars for Peerless Appliance, Cavendish Foods, and ACME Auto Parts.
That's it for now! Next Up: The Kings Port Turn serves actual industries on the layout!
To: West Mill / Rock Ridge
ReplyDeleteFrom: Terminal Yard
Acknowledge interchange of cars forwarded to West Mill from Terminal Yard with the Kings Port & Western RR and their departure to their consignees via the Mayfield run behind honorary steam engine, KP&W 566.
Terminal Yard out...
Roger!
DeleteNice work Ralph! KP&W 566 is just an ALCO being an ALCO! Much to the delight of your 1/87th scale rail fans. I'm joining the old head 'Central' guys in hoping that NYC switcher stays in NYC paint. Word on the street is that Sal Monella is known in law enforcement circles as Slippery Sal. Every time they think they have him in their grasps he slips right out of the charges.
ReplyDeleteThanks John! The switcher will indeed remain a "Central" unit. Slippery Sal and ALCOs being ALCOs! Love it!
DeleteTo: West Mill
ReplyDeleteTo: Terminal Yard
From: Rock Ridge
Acknowledgement of the Mayfield Run
Rock Ridge Yard Out!
Roger that!
DeleteI have to tell you the smoke off the RS-3 looks VERY realistic! I guess that was made with cotton? Neat!! The moves along with the photos, gives you the sense of being right there! I really like the West Mill Yard Tower. Is that a kit or kitbash?
ReplyDeleteSo, what was Sal under investigation for?
Thanks Neal! I did use cotton balls spray painted black and pulled along a thin piece of tip wood. As I've often read other modelers used to do I jiggled the top of the the stick while taking the photo to blur the smoke a little. West Mill Tower is scratchbuilt using a short section of 2 X 4 and a 1 X 2 to create the basic shape. I printed brick paper from google images and made the windows from clear plastic sheeting from a notebook.
DeleteNice job on the Mayfield run. That SW9 switcher sure earns it keep on the KP&W everyday. I am still taken back by the size of that auto-parts car but it sure looks good going by. I know you said it is somewhat normal for the RS-3s to belch out a little smoke on power up but either the engineer floored it or the RS-3 needs some shop time. I have seen smoke effects in a light grey plume but never in black. That is so realistic looking, very well done.
ReplyDeleteRegards Sal Monella. I have a theory about a decades old crime mystery that may actually involve Sal Monella. A long time ago a fellow of some ill repute by the name of James Hoffa mysteriously disappeared from a rest area in New Jersey never to be heard from again. Tips came in every so often but they never turned up Jimmy's bones. After reading about Sal's involvement with organized crime I am now wondering if ole Jimmy's remains could possibly be resting semi-peacefully beneath Sal's Salvage Yard? Just might be worth the price of a couple of hours of ground penetrating radar to solve this mystery.
Thankyou Ed! I've seen proto pics of ALCOS coughing out the black stuff so it didn't seem like a stretch to model it. Sal says he does not recall ever meeting anyone of that name. He also asked for your home address....
Delete