PCCM 87: Part 3 on the KPD

 Hello once again!

We are continuing the 87th Penn Central Car Movements series in which we "virtually" forward cars to each other's layouts.  In the last two posts from the Kings Port Division several cars arrived at West Mill Yard to be sorted into trains for John's New York Central Train Layout  and Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R.  (which will not be participating this time but we hope to see in the next series).  The cars for the APRR will remain at West Mill until next series but its good to get them organized for the future operations.

The last cars expected to arrive will be coming in as part of a Kings Port & Western transfer run from Williams Yard to Mayfield yard.  The train's KP&W symbol is WiMf-6.

Watch WiMf-6 arrive at West Mill and stop beyond the yard limits so switcher #8951 can get behind it to pull a cut of cars into the yard.  This operation is a new development on the Kings Port Division that increases efficiency and fun.   Block control on my traditionally wired DC layout makes this possible.

 After the switcher couples up with the WiMf-6 train's caboose the cut for West Mill is separated for set out.

The cut is pulled past the yard lead under the Grape Nuts billboard.

Watch the cut for West Mill get shoved into the yard by Switcher #8951 in the video below:

Cars in this cut include two bulkhead flat cars for Half Moon Wholesale Lumber south of West Mill and P&E boxcar #3638 empty for Port Owen Brick Co..  These cars will be involved in some of the many intra-layout moves on the KPD this series. The  two PC corrugated gons loaded with steel coils will eventually be forwarded to Shapeless Steel on Neal's A.P.R.R.  

Watch the action in the video below as the two KP&W boxcars and caboose are returned to the train before it heads out of West Mill for Mayfield.

The cut from Williams Yard is the last of the 36 cars coming into West Mill for outbound trains to the N.Y.C.T.L. and APRR..   Now its time to get those cars moving closer to their final destinations!

As mentioned before, Neal's A.P.R.R. is not participating in this current series but the cars that will be heading to his layout next time have been separated at West Mill for future forwarding.  The remaining cars are going to be assembled into a train for Selkirk that will stop at Kings Port on the way to pick up four TOFCs set out at the interchange track near Williams Yard.

Trusty #8951 is hard at work blocking the outbound train.

Power for the train, which is designated as WMKV-12 (West Mill to Kings Port to Selkirk), is a GP38/F7B/GP7 consist that was part of the light engine run from Selkirk seen arriving at West Mill the other day to augment the motive power roster here.

Watch WMKV-12 depart West Mill in the video below.

By the way, PC #77047 loaded with Woodstock Hills Natural Soda for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse is carrying pallets of the company's newest product, Kale & Gooseberry Soda, seen advertised on the billboard in front of it! When the train's engineer saw the billboard he told his conductor that he wasn't sure about the soda but there were two more drinks he'd like to try, in sly reference to Johnny Cash's "Rock Island Line" song.  Hopefully some day he can enjoy a hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea, if not a Kale and Gooseberry Soda!

The train arrives at Kings Port to pick up four TOFCs waiting on the interchange.  

The TOFCs will be coupled to the rear of the train.  The caboose is cut for the pick up.

 Watch the train back into the TOFCs in preparation for the run to Selkirk in the video below:

The pick-up of the TOFCs completed, WMKV-12 proceeds to Selkirk with cars for John's N.Y.C.T.L.

Let's take a look at Selkirk action.  RI #35662 which was loaded with grocery products at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse in Davenport, IA for Ralph's in Empire City arrived at Selkirk yesterday on PC Train MV-12 from Dewitt Yard in East Syracuse.  LV #66392 loaded with bagged concrete from Wescott Concrete in Lakeport, NH for American Hardware Supply, arrived at Mechanicville on B&M train BM-7 yesterday and was forwarded to Selkirk today on a transfer run via Rotterdam Jct..  Both cars will be added to those coming in on WNKV-12 today

WMKV-12 arrives at Selkirk with GP38 #7675 in the lead.

After the train stops the three unit consist will head to Selkirk's engine facility and rejoin the big yard's power roster.  The train will leave Selkirk for Terminal Yard with a change in motive power along with boxcars RI #35662 and LV #66392.

Check out John's blog next weekend to see what lashup he chooses for the run from Selkirk to Terminal Yard!

That's it for the Kings Port Division's outbound part of this series!  Come back next weekend to follow the inbound traffic from the N.Y.C.T.L. !

PCCM 87: Part 2 on the KPD

 Hello!

Welcome to the second installment of our current Penn Central Car Movement Series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port division.   The KPD is managing 36 outbound cars this time around (including those that will be held for Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. when he is next involved in the PCCMs) and most of them are gathering at West Mill Yard.

Today we'll welcome the Kings Port & Western's uniquely identified train MfWm-1 (Mayfield to West Mill), more commonly known as the Mayfield Transfer by West Mill Yard crews.    It is seen arriving below with its pooled KP&W/LV power as it takes the Penn Central mainline prior to backing into West Mill Yard.

Watch the long transfer with its mix of "virtual ops" and non-player cars arrive and roll past WM Tower in order to access the yard lead in the video below:

The train stops so its KP&W transfer caboose is located just beyond the switch for the yard lead.  The brakeman aligns the switch for the back up move.

Watch the Mayfield Transfer back into West Mill Yard in the video below:

The KP&W will pick up non-player cars for Mayfield Yard including several empty coal hoppers recently pulled off of the car float along with a pair of KP&W covered hoppers.  In order to make the pick up as efficient as possible the KP&W RS3 and LV GP9 receive clearance to occupy the Penn Central mainline for the next 45 minutes to receive the string of cars from West Mill yard switcher #8951.

The switcher is seen pulling the cars out of the yard while the LV/KP&W consist waits for them.

Now on the mainline, the switcher backs the cut of cars into the Mayfield Transfer's power consist

Cars are coupled to the rear of the KP&W RS3.

The caboose is tacked on and the Mayfield Transfer (now identified as WmMf-2 when heading toward Mayfield) is ready to depart.  

Heading back home to Mayfield!

The next train to be dispatched from West Mill is the Cement Job to Tri Mount Cement, south of West Mill.   The train will be delivering the non-player loaded coal hoppers that were just brought in by the Mayfield Transfer to power Tri Mount's kiln.

The train is seen getting its caboose from Yard Switcher #8951 prior to backing out of the yard.  Conductor "Fingers" O'Malley is complaining about working in the transfer caboose as usual.

Watch the Cement Job back to the end of the yard lead and then wait for an engine run sent from Selkirk to bolster the power roster at West Mill before leaving.  The train then runs south to Tri Mount Cement.

The Cement Job arrives at Tri Mount Cement

After exchanging loaded coal hoppers for loaded cement cars the train makes its way back to West Mill.  Watch it leave Tri Mount Cement and arrive at West Mill where it stops to let the KP&W's BiWi-3 (Binghamton to Williams Yard) pass by and slow to a stop on the main to set out four "virtual ops" cars at West Mill Yard.

 The BiWi pulls the set outs for West Mill in the video below:

After setting out the four cars the BiWi's F7As return to the rest of their train.

After BiWi-3 is reconnected and the air pressure is up, it proceeds to Williams Yard, closely followed by the Cement Job which will stop just beyond WM Tower to back into West Mill Yard.

 The Cement Job crosses over to the next track and enters the West Mill Yard Limits

Watch the Cement Job back into West Mill with six loaded cement hoppers for Neal's APRR.

That's it for today.  Check in tomorrow when the last cars to be forwarded to West Mill arrive and a train is dispatched for John's New York Central Train Layout!

PCCM 87: Part 1 on the KPD

Greetings virtual ops fans!

John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port division are embarking on a two layout Penn Central Car Movements series.  We look forward to having Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. join us next time! 

Starting in the early morning hours at West Mill Yard, the rising sun casts shadows as the day gets started.

The early morning carfloat has been brought in by tug "Robert H."

 While raucous seagulls flutter about, the West Mill crew fires up SD9 #6922 to pull cars off of the float.

These include EL boxcar #73510 loaded with bricks from Port Owen Brick Co. for Neal's Lumber & Hardware in Empire City.

The EL car is set out in the yard to be included on this series's outbound for the N.Y.C.T.L.

The sun is a little higher later in the morning as twin RSD12s run caboose lite out of West Mill as the Northbound local.   It will be picking up cars along the line to bring back to West Mill.

Morning action continues at West Mill as yard switcher #8951 is assigned the task of picking up a few cars just outside of the yard limits. 

The cars include PC #360063 loaded with packaging materials for C&P Restaurant Supply on the APRR.  Even though Neal's layout is not participating in this series the Kings Port Division is moving cars to be forwarded to the APRR to have them ready for next time.

The switcher passes by Canton Box Co. and accesses the main so it can reach Empire Grain for a pick up there first.

Cargill TDLX #7241 is the virtual ops car but two non-player KP&W covered hoppers will be picked up here as well.

Watch Switcher #8951 performs its work in the video below:

After this local run is completed we see train BWM-2, the Bloomberg Turn, arriving at West Mill.  The train was dispatched to Bloomberg yesterday where it tied up overnight.  Its bringing in a number of virtual ops cars this morning.

Watch BWM-2 pull onto the main and then wait for the north local that is also returning to West Mill with several virtual ops cars.

BMW-2 pulls forward of the yard entrance and prepares to back up.

Watch both the North local and and the Bloomberg Turn enter West Mill Yard in the video below:

 That's enough for today but check in tomorrow as more cars arrive at West Mill Yard!