P.C.C.M. #55: Unit Coal Train URN-4 from Rochester to Terminal Yard

Hello everyone!

You may remember this virtual op but its been a while since a unit coal train ran between the Kings Port Division and the New York Central Train Layout!  The recent addition of  five more PC hopper cars on my layout got us talking about re-activating the moves from the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester, NY to Hudson Coal on the N.Y.C.T.L. with a return of loaded hoppers to Rochester.   Four of these new cars are H43D 100 ton hoppers that were recently painted and decaled by me thanks to a Highball Graphics decal set ("F-159 Penn Central 100 ton hoppers")  John R. notified me about. 


The project was a long time in the making as I had some difficulty obtaining four appropriate cars with 12 panels on the side to accommodate the decals.  I finally managed to find three decorated for other roads at a recent train sale and one on eBay. 

The fifth car, a PC H39 coal hopper, was a gift from John!  My roster of PC hoppers has been greatly increased!

P.C.C.M. #55 will follow Unit Coal Train URN-4, a long string of empty hoppers that left the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester for Hudson Coal on John's layout.  The train will stop at West Mill on my layout for a crew change.

Click the link below to get a little information about the docks.
Genesse Docks

Click below for a color photo of the docks.
Genesee Dock photo

Things are relatively quiet at West Mill this afternoon...

....until the rumble of three EMD F7As with a combined 4500 horsepower emerge from the tunnel on the south end of town...

...pulling the long string of empty hoppers.

Click on the video below to watch the train arrive at West Mill. 

The pooled power consist of one Penn Central and two B&O F7s reflects the Genesee Docks being a B&O operation while the PC unit takes the head end on its home road tracks.  Here they are seen stopping at West Mill for a crew change.

As the new crew prepares URN-4 for departure, a short local serving industries south of West Mill rolls by in the opposite direction.  The GP30/ GP9B lashup on this train is becoming a favorite of mine after seeing the prototype featured  in the JPM video "Railfanning with the Bednars Vol. 6".

Watch a video of this train meet below

URN-4 gets permission to proceed to Selkirk where it will then turn the corner and head south to Terminal Yard.

Watch the entire train pass by WM tower in the video below.

The cars pass this ACI scanner by WM tower...

....which provides an accurate print out of the train's manifest (as long as dirt doesn't obscure the ACI plaques on the cars!)

  
The train reaches Kings Port....

...its length stretching across town

Watch the train pass through Kings Port and meet another local in the video below.

The train is later seen successfully beating the grade toward Marion

Campers near Hedberg Aggregates in Marion, NY hear the approaching unit train and pause their activities to watch.

Watch the video of the train passing by Hedberg Aggregates and heading downward toward Selkirk below.

Thanks for watching! Keep an eye on John's blog in the next day or two for continuation of the action!