P.C.C.M. 45G: Run up the KP&W Mountain Branch

Greetings,

We've reached the final installment of the Kings Port Division's participation in the current virtual ops series, Penn Central Car Movement #45.   Actually the action today is focused on my freelanced Kings Port & Western Railroad as the PC has transferred cars to the smaller line to forward them up its Mountain Branch in the Catskills.   One car of particular interest is Atlantic Pacific R.R. boxcar #60358 shown below.  The distinctive white RBL is loaded with wooden pallets from Mike's Lumber for Van Winkle Canning

The A.P.R.R. car is coupled onto others scheduled to head up the Kings Port & Western's Mountain Branch and pushed by the West Mill Yard switcher onto the interchange track.

Meanwhile at Williams Yard in Kings Port, a KP&W train is about to be dispatched for the Mountain Branch.   It will arrive at West Mill and pick up the cars waiting on the interchange.  The B&M car in the foreground reflects the connection the KP&W has with the B&M at Williams Yard.

The train, Extra #769 powered by matching GP9s, is seen pulling out of Williams Yard and leaving Kings Port.  More B&M cars are seen in the background.

KP&W Extra #769, arrives at West Mill on shared PC/KP&W trackage.  The lead car of the cut waiting on the interchange track can be seen behind the white tanker at GERN Industries.

 Extra #769 picks up the three cars and heads toward the cut-off for the KP&W's Mountain Branch.

A.P.R.R #60358 is seen crossing Canton Road. 

 ...and leaving West Mill.

The GP9s are perfectly suited to the Mountain Branch's tighter curves.   Two units are enough to power this short train up the grades to Bloomberg where the local Agway is the first stop.  Two non-virtual ops cars are dropped off here just for the pure model railroad enjoyment of it!

The A.P.R.R. car loaded with pallets is the next set out...at Van Winkle Canning.

That completes the delivery of all cars forwarded to the KPD this time around!  Its time to hand the mantle over to the New York Central Train Layout for the continuation of this series!
Thanks for riding along with the Kings Port & Western today!!

P.C.C.M. 45F: The Run to Mayfield

Hello there!
Cars for the Kings Port Division have arrived at West Mill from points south and west, and from two separate modellers and layouts thousands of miles away in our current virtual ops series! Neal sent two cars from the Atlantic Pacific R.R.'s Rock Ridge Yard and Brian sent two from Denver.

This installment will follow the delivery of three of the four cars as the Kings Port & Western Railroad picks up them up from West Mill for a run to its Mayfield Yard.

KP&W sister units, SD9s #896 and #897 run light from Mayfield Yard to West Mill.

The West Mill Yard switcher has prepared for the KP&W's arrival by coupling together this NYC covered hopper loaded with Colorado hops for Cavendish Foods and Spirits, the Morton Salt car also bound for Cavendish, and the PC 40 foot Hi Cube for ACME Auto parts, loaded with automotive belts and hoses.  

Other cars such as this PRR hopper are added to the cut for Mayfield and pushed out to the interchange track.

The KP&W locomotives pick up the cut and, after an air test, haul them to Mayfield Yard.

Cars forwarded from Rock Ridge Yard and Denver are seen leaving West Mill.

The KP&W transfer run arrives at Mayfield Yard.

Within a few hours the efficient Kings Port & Western has sorted the cars and dispatched them on a local run to Cavendish Foods and ACME Auto Parts.  We'll see how well the High Altitude Colorado Hops in the NYC covered hopper work in Cavendish's new experimental English Ale!  Look for it in stores near you!  

PC Hi Cube #272742 is set out at ACME Auto Parts.  Gates Rubber Cop. is a new supplier of belts and hoses.  ACME is looking forward to a mutually beneficial business relationship with this South Denver industry!  KP&W GP9 #742 finishes its local job and heads home to Mayfield.

That's it for now.  One more installment for this series on the Kings Port Division as a train heads up the KP&W mountain branch to deliver this white A.P.R.R. car loaded with pallets to Van Winkle Canning.

 Thanks for following the action!

P.C.C.M. 45E: Extra #8150

Hi all!

Last time we talked, Train WV-2 had dropped off a couple of cars for the Kings Port Division and picked up several others for John's New York Central Train Layout.   It ain't over yet though as two cars from Denver (from Brian)  that worked their way to Chicago's Cicero Yard have been transferred to a Penn Central freight to Selkirk where they were switched out and tacked onto Extra #8150 heading south for West Mill.   

As #8150 approaches the Kings Port Division, Train WV-2 has left West Mill with orders from WM tower to take the siding at Kings Port in anticipation of a meet with Extra #8150 from Selkirk.  

Both WV-2's head end and caboose receive the Form 19s ordering the meet at Kings Port.

The Form 19

As WV-2 later slows to a stop at Kings Port, a pair of railfans in a VW bug are disappointed to see they're too late to cross at Ulster Ave to get a better view of the meet from the other side of the tracks.   They had a chance to see WV-2 come in but their view of Extra #8150 will be blocked by the train. 

WV-2 comes to a stop, blocking Ulster Ave.

A WV-2 crewman protecting the crossing discourages our heroes from trying anything stupid like attempting to step over couplers between cars to get to the other side of the tracks.

The frustrated railfans and the crew of WV-2 don't have long to wait before Extra #8150 arrives at the opposite end of Kings Port headed by an oddball lashup of a GP38-2 and a GP9B!  Those guys waiting at Dave's Diner are going to regret missing this one!

Meeting WV-2

Included on this train are a Penn Central 40 foot Hi Cube loaded with automotive belts and hoses from Gates Rubber Co. for ACME Auto Parts, and a NYC covered hopper loaded with High Altitude Hops for Cavendish Spirits.  Cavendish is experimenting with its own line of English ales and hopes the Rocky Mountain High Hops will enhance their flavor.  

Extra #8150 passes by WV-2 at Ultser Ave and our railfans can only catch a glimpse, missing the GP9B.

A little later the Extra reaches its destination, West Mill Yard...

...and we are treated to the view of the consist our railfans missed!

 
The train rolls by...

...and enters the yard.

The two cars from Denver at the rear of the train roll into West Mill Yard.

The work done, the Extra's crew ties up their curious consist.

Next up:  Delivery of cars to consignees by the Kings Port & Western.

P.C.C.M. 45D: WV-2 Arrives at West Mill for pick ups and set outs

Hi everyone!

Virtual operations resume with our 45th series!  Originally a scheme between John R.'s New York Central Train Layout and my Kings Port Division, the virtual ops, or "Penn Central Car Movements"  (P.C.C.M.s) as we call them, have expanded to include additional modelers and their layouts!   

Our current series was kicked off by Neal and his Atlantic Pacific R.R.    Here is a link to his site showing the build up of a train for Weehawkan from the A.P.R.R.'s Rock Ridge Yard and later the Penn Central's WV-2 leaving Weehawken for West Mill.
http://atlanticpacificrailroad.blogspot.com/2018/03/pccm-45a-rock-ridge-to-selkirk-via.html

P.C.C.M. 45 is especially notable as we welcome the first time participation of modeler Brian and his Ralston Creek Railroad Blog showing cars being forwarded from the Denver area.  Check out the nice shots of Burlington Road power!
https://ralsontoncreekrailroad.blogspot.com/2018/03/pccm-45b-denver-connection.html 

Brian followed up his first post with this one of the cars heading toward New York reaching Cicero Yard in Chicago:
http://ralsontoncreekrailroad.blogspot.com/2018/03/pccm-45c-cicero-yard-and-beyond.html  

While the Penn Central train makes its way from Chicago to Selkirk, Train WV-2 dispatched by Neal from Weehawken has arrived at West Mill, led by a typical Penn Central consist comprised of EMD GP38 and GP38-2 units

The train is comprised of a large block of cars for Terminal Yard on John R.'s New York Central Train Layout, including four Penn Central PS-2 covered hoppers like the last one seen sneaking behind the little yard office to the right in the photo below and three large 86 foot auto parts boxcars like the NYC car under the signal bridge.

This enormous PRR 86 footer marks the end of the block for Terminal Yard.  The two trailing cars, the Morton Salt covered hopper and...

...Atlantic Pacific RR boxcar #60358 will be set out here at West Mill to be forwarded to local consignees.

WV-2 slowly rolls through West Mill

As the rear of the train approaches the yard tower some of the cars that will soon be picked up for transfer to Terminal Yard can be seen in the foreground.

The train moves forward of the yard lead with the power at the head end ducking into GERN's tunnel.

and then backs A.P.R.R. #60358 and the Morton Salt car past WM tower and into West Mill Yard.

A.P.R.R. #60358 is loaded with wooden pallets from  Mike's Lumber for Van Winkle Canning.  The car will be transferred to the Kings Port & Western for a journey up its Mountain Branch to reach its destination.

The Morton Salt Hopper is consigned to Cavendish Foods and Spirits.  The health conscious life styles of the 1980s and beyond haven't quite taken hold yet during the Penn Central era so few people are concerned about the high sodium content of Cavendish Food packaged meals!   Mmmmmmm...saaaallllt!

After the two cars are set out, WV-2 pulls forward to prepare to make the pick ups for Terminal Yard, while the crewman crosses the tracks to couple PRR #125468 to the red TPFX car in the background

Cars in this block include PC#360158 and TPFX #5510, both empty for University Milling in Empire City.

Two empty TOFC flats for Terminal Yard

Two 38' hoppers to be forwarded to Hudson Coal to load for the power plant at Corning Glass.

Two KP&W "Bread Box Trough" style steel coil cars for Gervais Pipe and Fittings

..and two gons loaded with steel slabs from KP Steel for Mid Island Steel.

After the cut from West Mill for Terminal Yard is tacked onto WV-2 and the caboose is coupled to the rear, the train gets a green indication to proceed toward Selkirk.  

Giant auto parts car  PRR #125468  marks the end of the long block of cars from Rock Ridge Yard.  The cut from West Mill follows behind it.

WV-2 leaves West Mill

The two cars set out at West Mill sit on Track #2 awaiting further forwarding by the Kings Port & Western R.R.

Next up: The cars from Denver arrive on VW-1.