PCCM 111: Part 1 on the KPD

Greetings everyone!

We are launching our 111th Penn Central Car Movement series (PCCM) also known as our "virtual ops" between John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my Kings Port Division.

We're starting the day in Binghamton, NY, the western terminus of the Kings Port & Western R.R.  This is the KP&W's "CS Yard" (indicating its proximity to Chenango Street where the Erie Lackawanna's "QD Yard" and the Delaware & Hudson's Liberty Street Yard are also located.)

The KP&W crew at CS Yard is preparing the daily BiWi-3 transfer from Binghamton to Williams Yard in Kings Port.

Known for its prolonged use of first generation power, the KP&W has assigned an F7A-B-A set to the train.

The BiWi-3 departs Binghamton for Williams Yard with a scheduled intermediate stop at the Penn Central's West Mill Yard to set out some cars.

Meanwhile, over at West Mill the Penn Central crews are starting their day.  The tug boat "Robert H." just tied up a carfloat to the West Mill apron.    Today's float includes NYC #47062 loaded with bricks from Port Owen Brick Co. for Neal's Lumber and Hardware in Empire City.

The rest of the float's manifest are non-PCCM cars

SD9 #6922 is idling and waiting for its crew to board to start unloading the carfloat.

Another crew is preparing for the dispatch of the daily Bloomberg Turn that heads up into the Catskills to serve an industrial park.   Today's manifest is composed of non-PCCM cars, mostly covered hoppers for Agway, but the Turn will bring back five PCCM cars when it returns to West Mill later today.  GP38-2 #8150 is powering the run.

At the tail end of the Turn is transfer caboose #18024 with the ever irascible Fingers O'Malley on the porch.  The "old head" conductor keeps grumbling about "pulling the pin" and retiring.  A good number of the yard crew who have listened to his complaints over the years wish he would!  

After the string of cars from the float is unloaded and pushed into the yard, the Bloomberg Turn then backs out of West Mill and heads up the Catskill Mountain branch line to deliver its cars.

Things are quiet in West Mill for about an hour until the signal indication turns red in anticipation of the arrival of the KP&W BiWi-3 that was dispatched from Binghamton earlier this morning. 

The BiWi-3 arrives with its F7A-B-A set in the lead.

 A cut of five PCCM cars for West Mill is separated from the rest of the train.  The LV boxcar #66392 is full of 55 gallon drums for Drywell Ink from Amalgamated Container Co.  (ACCO).

The BiWi-3's F units set out five cars at West Mill and then continue on their journey to Williams Yard in Kings Port

The five cars for West Mill include NYC #80755 also loaded with 55 gallon drums for Drywell Ink along with the LV #66392.  IC  Boxcar #30130 and GT #515158 are both loaded with Cavendish British food stuffs for Van Winkle Canning (Mmmmmm! Blood pudding in can!).  The EL 50' boxcar is also from Cavendish Foods for Consolidated Grocery in the TW&CS warehouse near Terminal Yard. The good folks in Empire City will get to enjoy the finest of UK dining!

 The ever reliable switcher #8951 brings the cut of cars into the yard.

 

Moving over to Kings Port we'll park on the side of the Ulster Ave...

 

 

..where we'll see the arrival of the BiWi-3 and the Hedberg Job coming downgrade from Marion. Both trains are heading to Williams Yard.

 

The PCCM car of interest on the Hedberg Job is PC #77407 loaded with bagged landscape rock for Neal's Lumber and Hardware on the N.Y.C.T.L.

After both trains arrive at Williams Yard the KP&W crew assembles a Williams Yard-to-West Mill transfer (WiWm-1) which later rolls over the Ulster Ave grade crossing.    This train includes cars heading to both the N.Y.C.T.L. and APRR.  After reaching West Mill and setting out cars, the KP&W power and caboose return lite to Williams Yard.

The KP&W transfer left a long string of cars for West Mill to sort!

Action continues as the Bloomberg Turn returns with PCCM cars picked up from Quality Fabrications and the Catskill Mountain Press.

The PCCM cars on the Bloomberg Turn were the last scheduled arrivals at West Mill to be forwarded "outbound" in this series.  

Its time to prepare these cars for pick up by Penn Central transfers between Weehawken and Selkirk that will later forward them to John's Terminal Yard and Neal's Rock Ridge Yard!

 A cooperative effort at West Mill as a pair of RSD12s prepares to pull cars for the N.Y.C.T.L. into the yard for sorting into an outbound cut...

...while SW9 #8951 adds two more KP&W boxcars to the string of cars for Neal's APRR that are waiting for a PC transfer to Weehawken

Watch the locos work together below:

That's it for today!  Come back tomorrow to see Penn Central trains VW-1 pick up cars for the APRR and WV-2 pick up cars for the N.Y.C.T.L.!