PCCM 97: Part 2 on the KPD

 Welcome back everyone!

John's New York Central Train Layout, Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division have been running our annual Holiday Coal Op, moving empty and loaded hoppers to serve consignees to the North.  If you've been following John's blog you know some of the coal has gone WAY NORTH!

In his installments this weekend John dispatched two unit trains of loaded coal hoppers, both designated as UB-2A.  Each is heading to Selkirk, will continue on to Mechanicville, and then arrive at the large Bow New Hampshire power plant.

Before the first UB-2A arrives, PC train BA-4 for Beacon Yard in Boston departs Selkirk on the old B&A line.  An EMD GP38-2 and two GE U33Cs are assigned the task of climbing the Berkshires. 

While BA-4 rolls out of Selkirk the skies are starting to look a bit steel blue/gray as an early winter storm is approaching and is expected to dump on the region tomorrow.

The first UB-2A arrives at Selkirk.  Watch it roll by the big yard and later pass through Mechanicville on its way to the Bow, New Hampshire Power Plant in the video below.  The train is powered by an FP7/F7B/FP7 consist.  UB-2A meets the daily B&M train from Rigby, Massachusetts (RM-1) arriving at Mechanicville.

The predicted winter storm arrives at Selkirk the next day, as does the second UB-2A unit coal train dispatched from Terminal Yard!  

Watch the second UB-2A stop a Selkirk, receive a power change, and then continue to Mechanicville on its way to the Bow, New Hampshire Power Plant in the video below:

The storm intensifies at Selkirk.

Trains continue to run today despite the weather!  Snow was not a friend of the Penn Central as some notable storms during the PC era severely disrupted Northeastern railroading.  

Watch as PC train EV-4 from Enola arrives and stops at Selkirk with  some former PRR power at the head end.  You'll see the PC/B&O F7A consist that was on today's second UB-2A roll by.  Its moving to couple up with a mixed freight that will run through West Mill and points west to return the B&O units to home territory.

 The storm has reached West Mill and snow is starting pile up.

Watch as the PC/B&O powered mixed manifest rolls through West Mill while the yard's SW9 pulls a pair of cars.

 That's the last train of the day at West Mill, which will give the yard crew some time to shovel out some switch points....

...and later do a little decorating for the Holidays!

Thanks for following our annual Holiday Coal Op!  May your stocking not be filled with anthracite!   Joyous holidays to all!

 

 

PCCM 97: Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello!

 'Tis the season for our annual Holiday Coal Run!   The moves will involve empty coal hoppers being sent from Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R.  and my Kings Port Division to John's New York Central Train Layout for loading at his Hudson Coal.  The loaded hoppers will be forwarded to consignees to the North...some very North!

The action on the Kings Port Division begins at West Mill Yard where SD9 # 6922 is fired up to work the recently arrived car float carrying empty hoppers from the Con Ed plant over in Port Owen.

While #6922 is started up to work the carfloat we can see the unit train of empty hoppers Neal's APRR dispatched from Rock Ridge Yard to Selkirk rolling by in the background.  SW9 #8951 photo bombs the scene while moving a caboose.

Watch the carfloat unloading action in the video below:

After the carfloat's empties are set on Track #3 the sound of First Generation Geeps can be heard from the South end of town.  Its the Cement Job returning from Tri Mount Cement with more empty hoppers!

Watch the Cement Job arrive and back the empty hoppers into West Mill Yard, next to the carfloat string that was set out earlier.

West Mill is beginning to fill up with empty hoppers!

After the West Mill crew removed the Cement Job's caboose it readied the two tracks full of hoppers for pick up by a scheduled unit coal train (URN-1A) which will be arriving soon.

Watch URN-1A arrive headed by pooled PC/B&O F7A power.

West Mill is a crew change and engine service stop for this train before it continues over the "Selkirk Hurdle" on its way to Terminal Yard on John's layout. The original crew steps off....

...and a West Mill crewman uncouples the consist for the hostler to bring the units into the locomotive service pad.

Watch the F unit consist leave the train for service in the video below:

The B&O units are occasionally seen at West Mill on run-through trains like URN-1A.  Local railfans always enjoy seeing foreign roads make an appearance here.  The LV and KP&W are more commonly seen at West Mill.

While URN-1A's power is being serviced, West Mill's RSD12 #6869  is assigned the task of adding the empty hoppers from Con Ed and Tri Mount Cement to the train for Terminal Yard.  Watch it work in the video below:

The string of hoppers has been pulled beyond WM Tower and the entrance to West Mill Yard.  The portly West Mill switchman bending the iron to align the switch for the mainline contemplates starting a routine of having Grape Nuts for breakfast tomorrow.  Darned billboard advertising!  You see it every day and it gets in your head!

Watch the hoppers get the shove on the mainline to join the rest of URN-1A in the video below:

RSD12 #6869 leaves the hoppers and returns to the yard.

The PC/B&O lashup is sanded, fueled, and ready to go.  Watch the West Mill hostler bring it back to the head end of URN-1A.

The new crew boards the lead unit to take URN-1A to Selkirk and Terminal Yard.   Connections are checked by West Mill crewmen and the air is pumped up.  The dispatcher in the Kings Port Tower several miles away gives URN-1A permission to depart West Mill.

 Watch URN-1A leave West Mill in the video below:

An hour and a half later the train reaches Selkirk Yard.

Watch URN-1A roll through Selkirk on its way to Terminal Yard in the video below:

That concludes the first installment of this special coal op from the Kings Port Division.  Check Neal's and John's blogs for more action!  Come back here on Sunday to see the hoppers that will be loaded at Hudson Coal on John's layout make their way to northern consignees!