PCCM 92 Special Coal Op: Part 2 on the KPD

 Hi there!

We're running a special coal train op between John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my own Kings Port Division.   All of the action is happening this weekend!

Trains of loaded and empty coal hoppers were dispatched from West Mill Yard last Friday.   Today we're at Selkirk waiting for a long string of hoppers (that were loaded at Hudson Coal on John's N.Y.C.T.L.) to arrive  on PC Extra 4348 powered by twin FP7s.

Watch Extra 4348 arrive and run through Selkirk in the video below.  It will continue on to Mechanicville via Rotterdam Junction.

The Extra now arrives at Mechanicville where the FP7s cut off and are replaced by a pooled power PC/B&M lashup that adds more loaded hoppers to the train for the Bow Power Plant in New Hampshire. These additional hoppers are from the Kings Port & Western's coal connection with the Lehigh Valley.  They arrived at Mechanicville from Selkirk yesterday after being pulled off train WV-1 which had picked them up at West Mill.

Air pressure and connections have been checked so the long Bow coal train is ready to depart Mechanicville.  Watch the train leave with a new caboose in the video below.

That concludes the Kings Port Division's role in this special coal op!  Thanks for following along and be sure to check out the action in John and Neal's blogs!

 

PCCM 92 Special Coal OP: Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello!

We're running a one weekend "virtual ops" Penn Central Car Movement series featuring all coal train moves between John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division.

Empty and loaded hoppers will gather at West Mill Yard for dispatch to Selkirk and John's Terminal Yard.  

Arriving first is a Kings Port & Western R.R. transfer from Mayfield Yard with loaded hoppers from the KP&W's Lehigh Valley Coal Connection.   Watch the pooled power GP9s shove the loaded cars into West Mill Yard in the video below:

After cars from the Mayfield Transfer are set out the Yard crew turns their attention to the car float that arrived fifteen minutes ago with eight empty hoppers sent from the Con Ed. plant in Port Owen. 

As usual, SD9 #6922 is assigned to pull the cars off the float.

The seasoned crew pulls two cars at a time to maintain the float's balance and to avoid dropping hoppers in the river!

After four moves all of the empty hoppers have been pulled off the float and are pushed into the yard.  These empty cars will be forwarded to Hudson Coal on John's layout for loading.

This string of eight empty hoppers will soon be joined by seven more coming in from Binghamton on the KP&W's next BiWi-3 that will stop at West Mill to set out the cut before continuing on to Williams Yard near Kings Port

Watch today's BiWi arrive below:

The string of empty hoppers is cut from the BiWi to be set out at West Mill.  These cars will be going to Hudson Coal on John's layout.

The KP&W F7As consist pulls the cars beyond the yard entrance and prepares to back them into West Mill Yard.

Watch that action in the video below:

The KP&W F7As return to their train and continue to Williams Yard.

The long string of empties on the right awaits forwarding to Hudson Coal while the cut of loaded hoppers is scheduled to run to Selkirk.

West Mill Yard prepares to dispatch the train of empty hoppers with six axle U28C #6533 assigned to pull the cars to Terminal Yard.  The single loco is powerful enough to haul the empties but will require helpers to get over the Division Summit at Marion.

Watch the U Boat leave the engine track, couple to its train, depart West Mill, and then roll through Ulster Ave in lower Kings Port, closely followed by a pair of helpers that will shove the train over the hill at Marion.  This is Extra 6533.

Now that the empty hoppers are out of the yard, West Mill's crew waits for the next transfer from Weehawken (WV-1) to pick up the cut of loaded hoppers and take them to Selkirk.

Watch WV-1 arrive in the video below:

The GP38/ GP38-2/ U33C lashup is cut from the train to pick up the loaded hoppers.

Watch the loaded hoppers get picked up and added to WV-1 for the trip to Selkirk in the video below:

WV-1's air pressure has been pumped up and all connections are good.  The train is now ready to depart with GP38 #7692 in the lead, followed by GP38-2 #8045, and U30C #6538.

Watch a roughly edited railfan video of the train leaving West Mill below.  Next stop, Selkirk!

After traveling north for an hour and a half the train reaches Selkirk Yard.

Watch WV-1 arrive in the video below.

Selkirk later dispatches an afternoon transfer to Mechanicville (NY-20) that includes the string of loaded hoppers from WV-1.  Watch the GP30/F7B consist assigned to the transfer roll past the train to get to the head end and then wait for an F7A/GP9B/F7A lashup heading to its own train that will take the B&A branch. 

NY-20 arrives at Mechanicville.   The loaded hoppers will be assembled into a unit coal train for the Bow Power Plant in New Hampshire tomorrow.

Come back tomorrow as John sends 15 more loaded hoppers to Selkirk that will also eventually be forwarded to Mechanicville for the Bow Train!

 

PCCM 91: Part 7 on the KP{D

 Hello once again!

Welcome to the final installment of the Kings Port Division's involvement in this 91st Penn Central Car Movement Series between my layout, John's New York Central Train Layout , and Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR .

Today we'll focus on the delivery of the last remaining virtual ops cars on the KPD in this series.  This work will be handled by a Yard Job and the Northbound Local out of West Mill.

Yardmaster Cappy Foster confers with his crew about the most efficient way to handle the jobs.   

 Virtual ops cars at West Mill that still need to be forwarded to consignees include:

 P&LE gon #40331 loaded with raw scrap for nearby Sal's Salvage

NYC #80755 loaded with bulk cardboard for nearby Canton Box Co.,  P&LE #35892 carrying liquor for Reynolds Beverage Distributors, PC #77047 loaded with burlap bags for Hedberg's Aggregates, and Cargill TDLX #7241 empty for Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port.  

 

There are also some local "non virtual ops" pick ups to be made including a pair of gondolas at Sal's loaded with shredded scrap...

...and three cars at Empire Grain, empty and ready for assignment:

 

Moves to deliver these cars will be complicated by the addition of a number of other "nonplayer cars" that are being brought in by today's KP&W Mayfield Transfer.  Watch the KP&W transfer arrive below:

 

After the Mayfield Transfer drops off today's cars West Mill gets into action!   A crew boards the lead unit of its pair of RSD12s that usually runs the Northbound Local...

...and an engineer climbs into Yard Switcher #8951.

 The switcher will handle the local jobs at Sal's and Empire Grain, starting off with delivering the P&LE gon.  As it pushes the gon toward Sal's Salvage it is closely followed by the RSD12s that leave the engine track to become the power for the Northbound local.

The six axle Alcos run along side Sal's spur as the yard switcher prepares to pull the two loaded gons...

...and then head into West Mill Yard to pick up their train.

Once the RSD12s are out of the way the switcher sets the shredded load scrap cars aside so it can deliver P&LE #40331.

The delivery completed, it then heads to Empire Grain.

Meanwhile, the Northbound Local is being assembled for departure.  The pair of RSD12s first grabs the cars just set out by the Mayfield Transfer.  Sharp eyed observers will note that the third gon that came in on the Transfer is not included.  It was bad ordered due to a coupler problem and will be delivered later.

 The Alcos continue assembling the train and back the Mayfield cut into the remaining virtual ops cars.  The rear of the Northbound Local, with conductor Fingers O'Malley standing on the porch of his least favorite caboose, is seen below.

Watch the Northbound Local head out of the yard while  #8951 rolls by in the opposite direction to switch Empire Grain in the video below:

 

Even though the Northbound Local makes quick work of setting out NYC #80755 at Canton Box Co. before leaving town,  Fingers O'Malley complains that they should have let the yard switcher take care of this job!  He may be right!

Speaking of the yard switcher, its ready to make its pick ups at Empire Grain while the Northbound Local heads toward Kings Port.

Follow the Northbound Local's departure and the switcher's "non virtual ops" grain car moves in the video below:

The Northbound local arrives in Lower Kings Port to switch Reynolds Beverage Distributors.  Before setting out P&LE #35892 it must pull a TP&W boxcar from Booms Ready Mix which shares the spur.  This sets up a move for PCCM 92.

Watch the pick up and set out in the video below:

After making the delivery to Reynolds Beverage Distributors the train continues on its way, finally giving that cement truck a chance to cross at Ulster Ave!

The Northbound Local passes Hedberg Aggregates, but in the wrong direction to set out PC #77047.  It will make the set out on the way back.

Reaching Kings Port Steel and the KP&W/ PC interchange track, the Local will drop off cars for local industries at the interchange...

...and pick up a short string to bring back to West Mill.

The RSD12s uncouple from the train to make the exchange of cars at the interchange.

Watch them pull and set aside the string of cars left for them on the interchange in the video below:

After moving the PC and P&LE cars the Local goes back to its train and then returns to the interchange to set out cars for the KP&W.

 The three boxcars are for Williams Yard...

...the two gons are for KP Steel, and the Cargill covered hopper is for Blue Ribbon Flour.  An extra move was made with the Cargill car to set it up for easier pick up by the KP&W for delivery to Blue Ribbon

Its time to head back to West Mill but first the Alcos run around the PC and P&LE cars that were left for them by the KP&W and shove them back toward their train.

After coupling the cut of cars from the interchange to the train the consist runs around it to grab the caboose (which was cut beyond a convenient crossover) and locate it on the new rear of the train for the return to West Mill.

As the Local leaves Kings Port, KP Steel wastes no time sending out its industrial locomotive #3 to pick up their two empty gondolas.

The Local proceeds toward West Mill but can now stop at Hedberg Aggregates in Marion to drop off PC #77047 and its load of burlap bags on the trailing spur.

The set out complete, the Local heads for home.

That's the last work on the Kings Port Division in this 91st series!

Thanks for following along!