P.C.C.M. 41M: Two locals

Hello again!

This is the final installment of the King Port Division's involvement in the current virtual ops we are calling Penn Central Car Movement 41.  John's New York Central Train Layout dispatched two trains to my layout that have generated a lot of work but we're near the point of completing it and delivering all cars to their designated consignees.

Before getting to that, here is a quick update on the two cars sent up the KP&W's Mountain Branch last night.   Former NYC Early Bird #90718 has arrived at Agway with its inferior load of burlap bags from Billy Bob's Burlap of Batavia.  Something must be done soon.  We hear that Moore & Co. in Empire City is interested in becoming the burlap bag supplier for the Bloomberg Agway.

PC #229046 brings can labels from Berk Enterprises to Van Winkle Canning.

Focusing on today's moves, Penn Central Extra #7175, coming north from Kings Port, stops to pick up three cars left on an interchange track by the KP&W.

All three of these cars were picked up earlier from Battaglia Brother's Warehouse and set out here for the Penn Central.

The pair of early Geeps pulls away from the train to grab the three cars.  Crews try to avoid blocking Ulster Ave for long periods of time and manage traffic safety with autos during their work. 

The consist passes WM tower to access the interchange track.

...and backs into the cars, TPFX #5510, PC #360158,  and Hi Cube #173861. 

After a back and forth move changing tracks, the three cars are added to the train.

Extra 7175 pulls out of town.

An hour later Extra 7175 reaches the summit of the Kings Port Division at Marion and stops to switch Hedberg Aggregates.

Two empty hoppers and a tank car of machine oil are set out at Hedbergs.   These are non-P.C.C.M. virtual ops moves.

Extra 7175 doesn't have anymore work to do along the line and is now seen approaching West Mill Yard with the three cars that are included in our virtual ops.  These will be forwarded to John's layout during the next P.C.C.M. series.  

As the caboose for the southbound Extra 7175 slowly rolls into the yard a pair of RSD-12s leaves the engine track to become the power for northbound Extra 6869.

Coupling on to the remaining cars that originated from the New York Central train Layout's Terminal Yard...

Leaving West Mill Yard...

Once a caboose is added to the rear, the train is now officially Extra 6869 to Kings Port.

The first job is to pull two cars from Reynolds Beverage Distributors and set-out two in their place. 

The train is cut behind P&LE #35892 which is loaded with liquors from Star Liquor.  Boxcar PC #104478 in front of it is full of Rheingold Beer.  

The RSD-12s push the two set-outs toward Reynolds to pick up the two cars siting there...

...including PC #77047 which is loaded with Woodstock Hills Natural Soda for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse in Empire City.  

The pick-ups are coupled to the train and then P&LE ##35892 and PC #104478 are set out at Reynolds Beverage Distributors.

After completing the work at Reynolds, Extra 6869 moves on...

It later reaches Hedberg Aggregates from the other direction and passes by the cars set out by Extra 7175.

 The train arrives at KP Steel.

Cars for KP Steel are cut from the train...

...and are backed into the steel mill's holding yard.

NYC #80755 is empty for KP Steel Supply to load with new 55 gallon drums for Drywell Inks.

Two cars of ore from T&R Gravel are set out as well.

The train is reconnected and heads to Williams Yard.

Cars set out at Williams Yard include MCRR #350623 and KP&W #2140, both gondolas loaded with pipe for the Hudson Valley Ag Coop's irrigation projects...

...and the two TOFCs that will be off loaded at the yard's facility.

That completes the forwarding of all cars sent to the Kings Port Division in this series.  PC boxcar #77047 which was picked up by Extra 6869 will eventually be forwarded to West Mill when the two RSD-12s return to the yard with a string of other cars from Williams Yard.

Thanks for following all of these latest virtual operations!  Now that the work is done on the KPD its time to focus on Neal's Atlantic Pacific layout which will pick up the action soon.

See Neal's blog here. http://atlanticpacificrailroad.blogspot.com/

P.C.C.M. 41L: Short Mountain Branch Train and AP-1 Rolls by in the Dark!

Greetings blog followers!

Hope you brought your flash lights as the sun is setting fast in West Mill.   We're hoping there is enough light to observe the dispatch of a short KP&W run.

Shadows grow long at West Mill as our favorite NYC switcher pulls two cars for a KP&W extra running up the Mountain Branch.  

The old Early Bird car with its "Central" brown body and newly panted PC green door is loaded with burlap bags for the AGWAY up in Bloomberg used for packaging livestock feed.  The shipment comes from Billy Bob's Burlap of Batavia.  This might be the last shipment, however, because AGWAY has been repeatedly disappointed by the quality of Billy Bob's wares.  A new contract may soon be pursued with Moore & Co. of Empire City.  PC #229046 is carrying a shipment from Berk Enterprises; can labels for Van Winkle Canning.

The cars are pulled from the yard.

Backing up by WM Tower to access the ready track

Pushed forward and set out for the KP&W.

Number 34, the KP&W's old Baldwin S-12 has been cooling its heels at West Mill's engine facility, awaiting such an assignment.   The crew fires it up and happily it rumbles to life.

...and heads out to tack a KP&W caboose to the two cars in the background that will form its train, designated as Extra #34.

A quick visit to the caboose track finds KP&W bay window #2232  ready to go.  The conductor and engineer briefly chat about their short hop.

Coupling the caboose to the PC 50 footer and the Early Bird.

#34 runs around the train to get to the head end.  

The S-12 shoves the short train back toward  WM Tower to access the mainline.  Its getting darker!

Receiving orders from WM Tower.

#34 gets the green indication to head cab forward on the Mountain Branch toward Bloomberg. 

And leaves West Mill behind.   Cars will be delivered later in the dark of night.  Local railfans may photograph them tomorrow morning.

Not long after Extra #34 leaves town, a red signal at West Mill Tower warns of the approach of AP-1; a hot shot freight from Terminal Yard to the Atlantic Pacific Railroad's Rock Ridge Yard.  Word is that a number of newly painted company cars as well as some fresh ones from the Empire Belt R.R.  are being transferred to Rock Ridge on this train.   It would be an impressive sight to see the shiny new orange and Jade Green cars but the sun has set and left little light on the scene for railfanning.

A pair of six axle U Boats hauls the train through West Mill.

Few details can be discerned in the dark save for the lights in WM tower and the headlamps on the GE units.

Its too dark to make out much as AP-1 roars by.  What a shame!  Well, railfans at Rock Ridge will get a better view than this when the train arrives there in the morning light!

AP-1 rolls under the signal bridge at the South end of West Mill and into the short tunnel there.   We didn't gt to see much of it and now its completely out of sight.

I can assure you, however, that those new A.P.R.R. and E.B.R.R. cars sure look great in the light of day!!   Check them out on John's blog!
http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/2017/11/ebrr-aprr-paint-project-conclusion.html

Pretty impressive paint jobs!