Here we are again!
We're continuing to follow the action of our 76th virtual op series involving John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR , and my own Kings Port Division. The last installment ended with both West Mill and Williams Yard switching crews poised to assemble trains that will forward cars to their final destinations.
Picking up from yesterday at West Mill, covered hopper NAHX #90404 has been set out by itself as the only car in the yard being interchanged with the KP&W for the run to Binghamton. Its headed to its home destination, Corning Glass Co., loaded with silica sand.
Cars have been blocked into a "Kings Port Turn" that will serve industries between West Mill and Kings Port including the Swift reefer for the KP&W interchange, two corrugated PC gons for KP Steel...
...a Hoschton Railway boxcar loaded with restaurant supplies for Battaglia Bros Warehouse, and a former NC Early Bird full of Prestige Gears for La Roche Cycle.
A "non-player car", this LV covered hopper that was somewhat recently acquired, is headed to Boom Ready-Mix, completing the manifest of the short "Turn"
Another block has been created for the Bloomberg Run up the Catskills. Its waiting for three KP&W covered hoppers for Agway that will be picked up soon by the Kings Port Turn. The rest of the block consists of APRR cars #60358 and 60327 loaded with City Pallets for Van Winkle Canning and PC boxcar #104478 loaded with Drywell Ink for Catskill Mt. PressA third short block has been assembled for the car float. Joining some coal hoppers already onboard will be two 38 foot hoppers loaded with Hudson Coal for the Port Owen Power Plant and P&E boxcar #3638, empty for Port Owen Brick Co. (an intra-layout move)
Finally, EBRR #360279 that was bad ordered in Weehawken during our last series has been repaired and forwarded to West Mill to await instructions from the N.Y.C.T.L. It has been set aside for now.
Setting priorities, the car float needs to be completely loaded right away to maintain schedules. Watch the rail to barge action in the video below:
The fully loaded car float is preparing to cast off.
The car float will eventually reach Port Owen where the P&E boxcar will be delivered to Port Owen Brick Co. and the hoppers to the Edison Power Plant.
West Mill's crew can now turn its attention to the Kings Port Turn. Power for this run is the usual pair of RSD12s being boarded by the crew below.
Watch the RSD12s roll out of the engine track and pick up the "Turn" in the video below:
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While the Turn heads out of West Mill, a truck from LaRoche Cycle turns off of Ulster Ave to reach the Kings Port Team Track loading platform in anticipation of the train's arrival.
The Turn arrives at the Team Track location. The NYC Early Bird loaded with bicycle gears will be set out for La Roche at the Team Track platform...
...while the LV covered hopper will be set out at Booms Ready Mix.
The Turn's engineer is not happy with his newbie crew who did a poor job blocking the cars. Had they placed the LV car directly behind the Early Bird the deliveries here could have been done in one move. But, the work must be done regardless! Watch as the LV car is set out at Booms Ready Mix. (Don't tell anyone that the error was actually mine!
The exasperated engineer returns the cut of cars to the main to uncouple everything behind the Early Bird car, and then sets out the old NYC car at the Team Track.
The work done here, the Turn continues on its way.
Arriving later at KP Steel the Turn drops off two PC corrugated gons of coiled steel stock from Shapeless Steel.
The next job requires a little thinking and the engineer talks it through with the inexperienced crew. The Hoschton Railway car is to be set out at Battaglia Bros.Warehouse, the Swift reefer will be set out at the interchange, and the KP&W grain hoppers sitting at the interchange need to be picked up and taken back to West Mill.
First the HRC car is pulled forward from KP Steel.
Then it is backed into the Swift reefer on the train...
...and the two cars are pulled forward.
The locos uncouple from the cars...
...run around them...
..and push the HRC car into Battaglia Bros. Warehouse's lower level loading docks.
The RSD12s then leave the Swift Reefer on the track leading to Battaglia Bros. Warehouse.
...get behind the grain cars...
...grab the reefer and pull it into position on the interchange..
...and then leave with the covered hoppers. Whew!
Complicated moves like this are why the PC usually contracts with the KP&W to serve Battaglias and KP Steel! The Turn runs the grain cars around the waiting caboose and heads back to West Mill.
After the Turn arrives at West Mill with the three grain cars the cut for Bloomberg Run is coupled up to them for a quick departure.A caboose is tacked on to make this WMB-1 (the Bloomberg Turn)
The usual power for this run is GP30 #2212 and GP20 #2107
The train backs out of West Mill Yard to access the main..
...and then takes the Mountain Branch to Bloomberg
That seems like plenty of action for today! We'll follow the delivery of the cars on WMB-1 later. Except for the Corning car that will be picked up by a KP&W "WiBi", West Mill is now clear!