PCCM 90 Part 1

 Greetings all!

We're starting our 90th Penn Central Car Movements "virtual ops" series.  Launching today celebrates the anniversary of the first ever virtual ops exchange between my Kings Port Division and John's New York Central Train Layout  which we kicked off on February 3, 2016!   

Looking past the caboose track of an otherwise fairly empty West Mill Yard we can see two GP20s waiting for permission to access the main to bring the Bloomberg Turn (BWm-2) into the yard. 

BMw-2 is holding for this morning's Kings Port &Western  BiWi-3 (Binghamton to Williams Yard).  Watch as the KP&W train arrives at West Mill powered by its last running C Liner and a pair of B&O F7's borrowed from Binghamton in the video below.

A brakeman separates the cut for West Mill from the rest of the train.  West Mill will be receiving eight empty hoppers and PC boxcar #229046 loaded with bulk cardboard from International Paper for Berk Enterprises.

Watch the the set out at West Mill Yard in the video below:

The KP&W's engineer chats with a Penn Central yard trainman about the aging C Liner.  Every run is expected to be its last but the old loco keeps plugging away.  The #890 has become a railfan favorite and has its own "Save 890!" fan club.   The KP&W isn't as sentimental.  Often facing power shortages, the line hangs on to every operating locomotive it has.

Time is running short and the BiWi is due to be heading for Kings Port.  Watch the KP&W/B&O power quickly return to its train in the video below:

After re-coupling and checking the air, the KP&W BiWi proceeds to Williams Yard.

Once the KP&W train has cleared BWm-2 receives permission to take the main so it can enter West Mill Yard.

Watch the Bloomberg Turn pull onto the main and pass by the old West Mill station.  NH boxcar #36116 loaded with Van Winkle Canning canned goods for Terminal Warehouse and the NYC Early Bird carrying REVCO kitchen gadgets for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse are the only virtual ops cars on this train except for the last car NYC #164000 which will later play an important safety role. 

The rear of the Turn is positioned just beyond the yard entrance

Watch BWm-2 back into West Mill Yard in the video below.

More "virtual ops" cars gather at West Mill later in the day.   The KP&W's MfWi-3 transfer from Mayfield Yard to Williams Yard headed by an RS-3/F7B consist makes a brief stop to drop off one car, the rusting NYC Pacemaker that today is just a shadow of its former glory.   The grey and red car is loaded with new 55 gallon drums from Amalgamated Container Co. for Drywell Ink.

Following close on the KP&W train's heels is the returning Southbound local that serves industries like Half Moon Wholesale Lumber Distributors.  The single GP9 is pulling a few Southern Railroad cars loaded with lumber products...

...including these two bulkhead flatcars with lumber for Gotham Building Supply

The Pacemaker and the bulkhead flats are later seen set out in West Mill Yard

More virtual ops traffic comes in, this time by carfloat.  P&E #3638 has just made the trip from Port Owen loaded with bricks from Port Owen Brick Co. for Neal's Lumber and Hardware

The last of the virtual ops cars that will arrive at West Mill to eventually be forwarded to Terminal Yard on John's layout are handled by the Yard Local and SW9 #8951

The first order of business is to pick up the brown P&LE boxcar #35892 loaded with Canton Box Co. cartons for Sunshine Biscuits. 

Next will be PC boxcar 104478, seen in the foreground, loaded with GERN cement flux

The siding is shared by Sal's Salvage and the two gons of scrap are to be held there.  The switcher temporarily pulls them to access PC #104478.

The PC boxcar is set aside and the gons are returned to Sal's Salvage

After that #104478 is brought into the yard with P&LE #35892.

Now its time to get to work assembling the next train to Terminal Yard

We'll leave the West Mill crew to their work but check back tomorrow as Train WKT-9 is assembled and dispatched with pick ups to make along the way at Kings Port!