Sunday, December 3, 2023

TEST

 Hello,

Just performing a test.  Nothing to see here!  :)

Saturday, December 2, 2023

PCCM 102: Part 6 on the KPD

 

Greetings virtual ops fans!

We are wrapping up the "inbound" portions of our 102nd Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) "virtual ops"  between John's New York Central Train Layout,  Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division. 

After trains were transferred from the Penn Central's West Mill Yard to the KP&W's Williams and Mayfield Yards the Kings Port & Western prepares to deliver the remaining PCCM cars to their consignees.  Here is the tail end of a Williams Yard Industrial Job with two non-player covered hoppers for Blue Ribbon Flour....


 ...and PCCM cars IC #30130 loaded with City Pallets and BAR #5226 loaded with beer for Reynolds Beverage Distributors.  RS3 #566 is assigned to the job.


 Watch the Industrial Local head out of Williams Yards, set out the IC and BAR cars at Reynolds before dropping off the non-player covered hoppers at Blue Ribbon Flour.


The RDC seen on the high line is heading toward Williams Yard from Marion.  Most of its passengers are shift workers at Hedberg Aggregates.

Speaking of Hedberg Aggregates, the next train to be dispatched from Williams Yard will be hauling empty hopper APRR #9416 up there on the next run to Marion.

The train runs caboose first with GP9 #742 shoving to perform easy pick ups and set outs at Hedberg's  "facing" spur tracks.   Watch the train move toward the north end of the yard where the junction with the Marion Branch is located, head upgrade in reverse, and then make the set outs at Hedberg Aggregates.

The next train out of Williams Yard is today's transfer to Birmingham, the WiBi-4.  The lone PCCM car on this train is the Corning covered hopper heading to Corning Glass Co. with silica sand from West Hills Silica.

While the WiBi is being prepared to depart Kings Port a crowd of railfans is gathering at the West Mill commuter station to catch a ride on Sunday's Doodlebug fan trip up the Catskills.

Is that Emory with his camera who is often seen near North Side Yard on the N.Y.C.T.L.?

Watch the WiBi-4 leave Williams Yard and later arrive at West Mill just when the Doodlebug fan trip is getting underway.


 Much later, after the WiBi-4 arrives at Birmingham the Corning Car is forwarded on a local to its home company.

Kings Port & Western action continues as Williams Yard dispatches its Steel Job for KP Steel.  Today's run includes five empty clam shell steel coil coaches and the two gons loaded with shredded metal scrap from Sal's Salvage.   After the Steel Job leaves an S12 switcher grabs GM&O #21129  to place it on a transfer to Mayfield Yard for eventual delivery to Peerless Appliance.


Cars that were on transfers to Mayfield Yard from West Mill (earlier) and today's run from Williams Yard arrived and were later sent out on a local to Peerless Appliance.  The red G&MO car #21129 is carrying wire harnesses from Bruce Electrics while the two NYC double door boxcars were sent empty from Battaglia Bros. Warehouse.


With those cars set out, that concludes the KPD's involvement in this 102nd series!  Thanks for following along!


PCCM 102: Part 5 on the KPD

Hello again!

We are continuing the "inbound" portions of our 102nd Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) "virtual ops"  between John's New York Central Train Layout,  Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division.  

 After yesterday's action the virtual ops cars remaining at West Mill include P&E #3638, PC #104478, and RI #25062 all loaded with barrels of ink from Drywell Ink for Catskill Mt. Press...

...PC #360158, APRR #60358 & #60327 all loaded with cabinets for Zenith TVs.

PC #360063 carrying food packaging materials from C&P Restaurant Supply for Cavendish Foods....


...and APRR hopper #9416, empty for Hedberg Aggregates.

 There are also eight non-player hoppers that just came in from Port Owen's Con Edison power plant on the car float. 


 The cars for Catskill Mt. Press and Zenith TV are put together on a Bloomberg Turn.

Watch it get its GP38-2 power and an N10 caboose before backing out of West Mill in the video below. 


The train stops in front of WM tower for the crew to confer with the Towerman and receive their orders.


Just before the Bloomberg Turn pulls out it is passed by a vintage Pennsylvania Railroad Doodlebug that West Mill purchased for fan trips up the Catskills.   The old railcar runs on Sundays when no freight traffic is rolling on the Mountain Branch.  The Doodlebug is coming out of storage in anticipation of tomorrow's fan trip and is heading to the service tracks.

After the Bloomberg Turn completes the uphill climb and reaches the area's industrial park it sets out three cars for Catskill Mountain Press.




It then continues through the network of industrial tracks to set out three cars at Zenith TV.



While the Bloomberg Turn completes its set outs a West Mill crew boards the yard's SD9 #6922 that usually works the car float.  They are preparing to pull the eight empty hoppers that will be transferred to Mayfield Yard and later to the LV coal connection.



It takes a while to safely and carefully off load the carfloat to manage the shifting weight.  The hoppers are then set out in the yard and coupled to PC boxcar #360063.  The boxcar and hoppers will be dispatched as a transfer to the KP&&W Mayfield Yard soon.

First we see a little Yard Local action as GP7 #5688 heads over to Empire Grain and Sal's Salvage to pick up non-player cars to fill out a transfer run to the KP&W's Williams Yard. 



After grabbing a couple of empty covered hoppers for Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port it will stop at Sal's to pick up the two old PRR gons loaded with shredded metal scrap for KP Steel. 

Cars for the Transfer to Williams Yard arrive at West Mill Yard.

The one virtual ops car heading over to Williams Yard on the transfer is APRR #9146 which will be forwarded to Hedberg Aggregates.

The #5688 will continue managing the cars as the power for the transfer run.

Cabooses are added to the transfer to Williams Yard in the background and to the rear of a transfer to the KP&W's Mayfield Yard in the foreground.  Both are former Pennsy N8s.

Two trains are ready to go.   The first will be the transfer to Williams Yard with APRR #9416 being the only virtual ops car for Hedberg Aggregates.  GP7 #5688  takes this train out of town.

The second train is a transfer to the KP&W's Mayfield Yard.  The only virtual ops car on this train is PC #360063 for Cavendish Foods.


Watch the pair of GP20s assigned to power this transfer pass its cars and then back the train out of the yard.

 The transfer to Mayfield stops at WM Tower for orders.

...and then heads out of town.


That's plenty for today!  Tomorrow the KP&W will complete the remaining deliveries for this series.










Friday, December 1, 2023

PCCM 102:Part 4 on the KPD

Welcome back!

We're beginning the "inbound" portion of our 102nd Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) "virtual ops"  as trains dispatched between John's New York Central Train Layout,  Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division arrive on each others' layouts.

Starting off today at Selkirk, We're following the arrival of Extra 7675 which was dispatched from John's Terminal Yard with a long string of loaded coal hoppers.  


Watch the train's arrival behind its GP38/ FP7 consist in the video below:

The hoppers are later transferred to Mechanicville via Rotterdam Jct.

They will be forwarded from there to the Bow, NH power plant.

Watch the action as a pooled power PC/B&M consist rolls past the hoppers and then takes them East out of Mechanicville.


Returning our attention back to Selkirk we're in time to see SK-5 from Terminal Yard rolling by with cars for the Kings Port Division.

The first car on the train, the white LV boxcar #7120, was removed and will later forwarded to Frontier Yard in Buffalo.  The rest of the manifest will head south to Kings Port and West Mill.

The train to Kings Port and West Mill is designated as VKWm-5.  Its assigned power consist (U33C/GP38/GP38-2) couples up to the remaining cars and pulls them out of Selkirk.

The train will soon arrive at Kings Port.  Things are quiet for now at Ulster Ave. but not for long!

Watch VKWm-5 arrive at Kings Port!  Since the Gulf facility spur is trailing right behind the train it sets out the three tankers at this time.  Then a cut of cars for the KP&W is set out at Williams Yard.   These include five empty steel coil coaches for KP Steel, IC #30310 and BAR #5226 for Reynolds Beverage Distributors, NAHX 90404 Corning covered hopper for Corning Glass (which will be sent out on a Williams Yard transfer to Binghamton, NY),  and GM&O #21129 for Peerless Appliance (which will be sent out on a transfer to the KP&W's Mayfield Yard).

After setting out the cut for Williams Yard VKWm-5 continues to West Mill with PE #3838, PC #104478, and RI #35062  for Catskill Mountain Press,  along with PC #360158 and APRR cars #60358 & 60327 for Zenith TV.

We've arrived at West Mill just in time for some train action!  A red board at the south end of town indicates the imminent arrival of WV-2 from Weehawken to Selkirk....

...and another red at the north end anticipates the arrival of VKWm-5 from Kings Port...

VKWm-5 enters West Mill Yard shortly before today's WV-2 arrives from the south with cars from Neal's APRR. 

"Virtual ops cars" on WV-2  include APRR #615827 & 615679 and EBRR #608279 from Ideal Auto Parts for Ford Motor Co. in Somerville ME.  These cars will remain on the train to Selkirk and be forwarded from there.   


Cars cut off for West Mill include empty hopper APRR #9146 which will be forwarded to the KP&W's Williams Yard from West Mill to  to deliver to Hedberg Aggregates, and PC #360063 carrying food packaging from C&P Restaurant Supply  (which will be forwarded to the KP&W's Mayfield Yard to deliver to Cavendish Foods).


After setting out the two cars WV-2's consist returns to its train and hauls it toward Selkirk with the three auto parts cars from Ideal Auto Parts in front.   After reaching Selkirk they will be forwarded to Ford Motor Co. in Somerville, MA.


That's it for today.  Come back tomorrow to see how West Mill and Williams Yard move the freight to their consignees!


Sunday, November 26, 2023

PCCM 102: Part 3 on the KPD

 

Hello again!

We're continuing the "outbound" portion of our 102nd Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) "virtual ops"  between John's New York Central Train Layout,  Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R., and my own Kings Port Division. 

Yesterday a KP&W transfer brought the last of the cars to West Mill needed to assemble a WmV-6 for Selkirk.  These cars will then be forwarded to John's Terminal Yard.   

The KP&W transfer also brought a cut of cars that will be picked up by the next Penn Central train VW-1 from Selkirk to Weehawken that will then be forwarded to Neal's Rock Ridge Yard.   

Some of the KP&W transfer's cars are scheduled to be forwarded as intra-layout moves on the Kings Port Division.    Lots to organize!

Switcher #8951 has been busy assembling blocks of cars.   We see it below at the head end of what will become WmV-6 for Selkirk.  The 50 foot plug door PC boxcar #160502 is loaded with materials from Battaglia Brothers Warehouse for All City Storage.  The old Pacemaker is carrying sewing machine and wire twister parts from Quality Fabrications for Moore & Co.  An unseen NYC Early Bird boxcar behind the Pacemaker is loaded with bagged Cement for Neal's Lumber and Hardware.

These three 60 foot auto parts cars, PC/TOC #350562, NYC #53051, and KP&W #50335 were loaded by ACME Auto Parts for Ford in Bedford Park.

PS-2 hoppers PC #883190 and KP&W #445052 are loaded with fine grade aggregate from Hedberg Aggregates for Lombo Cement.  the white LV boxcar NIRX #41000 is carrying adhesive backed paper for Berk Enterprises from International Paper Co.

In the background we see P&LE gondola #40331 loaded with long poles for Lilco from Bell Pole.  Two flatcars act as safety spacers.  The Empire Belt boxcar #360279 in the foreground is from International Paper.  Its carrying bulk paper for Marcal Paper served by the APRR.   The two PC gons # 576104 & 576123 are traveling empty to Shapeless Steel.

Two cars loaded with tanks (PC # 766053 and PC #288673) are for West Chemical from Amalgamated Container Co. (ACCO)

Two MEC bulkhead flats with pulpwood loads from Maine and empty double door NYC boxcar #40762 wait their turn to be assembled into a southbound local to Half Moon Wholesale Lumber Distributors.  Behind them you can see recent virtual ops addition PC gon #55702 loaded with steel coils for Mid Island Steel and EL boxcar #73510 loaded with Port Owen bricks for Gotham Builders.

The final car to account for is TP&W #627 which is headed empty to Canton Box Co, just outside of West Mill Yard.


Time to dispatch some trains!

A pair of RSD12s draws the assignment of powering WmV-6.  Watch the locomotives couple up to the train and pull it out of the yard.


The train will stop at Selkirk where it will meet up with the other cars scheduled to be forwarded to John's N.Y.C.T.L.  Those cars include the three B&M RBLs seen below earlier at Mechanicville before being sent to Selkirk in Part #1 of this series.   The cars are loaded with veneers from Eastern States Plywood for University Milling.

There are also four TOFCs waiting at Selkirk to be forwarded to Terminal Yard along with Swift reefer SLRX #4244 loaded with meat for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.  John will decide how the Selkirk Hump arranges trains dispatched to his Terminal Yard.

After WmV-6 left, the crews focused on sending out a Southbound local that will serve Half Moon Wholesale Lumber Distributors.  The virtual ops cars on this train include the empty NYC #47062 and the two MEC bulkhead flats with pulpwood loads from Maine.  The train prepares to leave under the power of GP9 #7085.


Watch the Southbound Local depart in the video below:


An hour later the cars are set out at Half Moon Wholesale Lumber

The last three cars for Neal's APRR (the boxcar for Marcal and the two gons for Shapeless Steel) are set out on a siding for the next VW-1 to pick up to take to Weehawken before they are forwarded to Rock Ridge Yard. 

VW-1 arrives in the background while switcher #8951 prepares a string of cement cars to be set out for the next KP&W WiBi-4

After picking up the cars VW-1 continues to Weehawken.


With VW-1 out of the way the West Mill yard crew executes another intra-layout move involving six cement hoppers that were loaded at Tri Mount Cement for a consignee in Binghamton.  Watch the West Mill Yard switcher set the cars out for the next KP&W Williams Yard to Binghamton transfer (WiBi-4) which later arrives to pick them up.

 The last job is a quick intra-layout move of empty TP&W #627 to Canton Box Co. just outside of the yard.  Switcher #8951 easily takes care of it.


That's it for this week!  Come back next weekend for the "inbound" portion of this series as cars arrive from John's and Neal's layouts for consignees on the Kings Pot Division!