PCCM 114: Part 2 of Operation Blue Comet

 Welcome back!

 Our "virtual ops" mission between John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my own Kings Port Division this weekend is to provide various materials and freight cars to support Blue Comet Presentations in their effort to build and ship completed model train layouts before the holidays.

The Kings Port Division forwarded freight cars of materials for Blue Comet to use in the construction of the train layouts along with cars to be used for deliveries of finished products.    Today we're focusing on the return of those freight cars.

Our old friends the Kings Port Railfan Society have staked out a parking spot at Dave's Diner near Ulster Ave.   Thanks to information from a contact working at Kings Port Tower they are anticipating a southbound VW-1 arriving and being overtaken by a rare M&E train dispatched on the west side of the river from Albany Station.

 The crossbuck lights and the sound of large Penn Central power in the distance cue the group that the VW-1 from Selkirk is about to arrive!

 Watch the VW-1 led by U33C #6554 slow to a stop while the faster M&E train powered by E8 #4317 rolls by it.  The M&E train includes an REA car and four TOFCs loaded with Blue Comet Presentations model train layouts that will be forwarded to their final destinations from Weehawken.  The blue private coach on the rear of the M&E train was a surprise!

After the M&E train cleared the VW-1's engineer and fireman who had taken time to grab lunch to go from Dave's Diner return to the #6554.

 The VW-1's consist drops off two Penn Central boxcars loaded with Blue Comet Presentations O Scale model train layouts at the interchange with the Kings Port & Western.

After completing the set out the VW-1 leaves Kings Port and stops at West Mill to set out two empty MEC bulkhead flats.

 The VW-1 then continues on its way to Weehawken with RI boxcar #35062 in tow.   This PCCM car is being returned to Davenport, Iowa.

 After the VW-1 departed, the yard's switcher pulled the two MEC bulkhead flats into the yard.

Williams Yard dispatched a similar move to grab the two Penn Central boxcars on the Kings Port interchange track. 

...and then delivered them to Battaglia Brothers Warehouse where the Blue Comet Presentations model train layouts will be held for customers to pick up.

Some of the Blue Comet Presentations' O Gauge train layouts are being shipped to customers in New England.   After arriving at Selkirk from Terminal Yard on Extra 2434, three cars carrying packaged model train setups (Empire Belt #360279, TP&W #627, and a former NYC Pacemaker) were forwarded to Mechanicville, NY.

 

 

They will soon be added to eastbound B&M freight MB-6 to Boston.  Meanwhile Delaware & Hudson train PB-99 waits next to its company's XO Tower for permission to proceed to Binghamton, NY.

B&M #1754 in its original delivery paint scheme finishes assembling the MB-6.   Shortly after it sets out the cut of cars for Boston the D&H train gets underway.

 

B&M power in the form of an F7A and two GP9s couple up to the train for Boston.  After a short delay the train heads out!

 

 

Those are the last carloads of Blue Comet Presentations O gauge layouts on their way to happy hobbyists just in time for the holidays!

 

Thanks for following this new virtual operation! 

 

PCCM 114: Part 1 of Operation Blue Comet

 Hello,

We're doing something different this month with our "virtual ops" between John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my own Kings Port Division. 

 John and Neal's friend Steve who inspired Neubaum's Coffee & Tea Importers is also the head of  the real Blue Comet Presentations that builds  model train layouts, mostly in O scale. 

Our virtual ops mission this weekend is to provide various materials and freight cars to support 1/87th Scale Blue Comet Presentations in their effort to build and ship completed model train layouts before the holidays. 

The 1/87th scale Neubaum's Coffee & Tea Importers headquarters located in Bedford, NY on John's layout (the gray building seen below) will be the home base for the ops supporting Blue Comet Presentations.   Leased space at All City Storage will be available for over flow traffic as there is limited space on the Neubaum siding.

We're waiting at the tunnel on the south end of West Mill for a rare Mail & Express train that has been dispatched from Weehawken to run up this side of the river.    

The train arrives and rolls through West Mill with passenger coaches and mail cars along with an empty former Pacemaker, REA Express car, and TOFC trailers that will be forwarded to help Blue Comet Presentations make deliveries.

 The M&E train continues to Albany Station.  The Pacemaker, REA, and TOFCs will be forwarded to the N.Y.C.T.L.

In addition to the Kings Port Division's indirect provision of suitable freight cars for Blue Comet Presentations it will also facilitate forwarding products needed to the build the company's model train layouts.    These include lumber for benchwork.    Half Moon Wholesale Lumber Distributors has loaded four cars of untrimmed lumber; two KP&W cars for Mike's Lumber (on Neal's layout) and two MEC bulkhead flats for Neal's Lumber (on John's) where they will be cut into 2x4s, 1x4s etc. 

 The four cars are picked up by the South Local out of West Mill which is now seen returning to its home yard with the lumber loads.

 The two MEC bulkheads for Neal's Lumber on the N.Y.C.T.L.... 

...and the two KP&W cars for Mike's Lumber on the APRR are set out at West Mill.

After tying down the South Local the West Mill crew awaits the arrival of the Bloomberg Turn from the Catskills which will emerge from behind the tower.

The Turn arrives just as the yard's switcher #8951 leaves to make a pick up at nearby Canton Box Company.

 The Bloomberg Turn passes behind the switcher and its caboose.

 ...and then backs in front of them into West Mill Yard.

Once the Turn is clear the #8951 picks up TP&W boxcar #627 from Canton Box.  The car is loaded with packaging materials for Blue Comet Presentations. 

 The TP&W car is brought into the yard.

 

The arrival of the TP&W car completes the list of PCCM cars scheduled to be forwarded to the N.Y.C.T.L. and the APRR.   Switcher #8951 gets to work sorting the cars and assembling a block for the next WV-2 Weehawken to Selkirk transfer that will stop at West Mill

The block includes PC #77047 loaded with O Guage model railroad track from Quality Fabrications and the TP&W #627 carrying packaging from Canton Box Co...

...along with the two MEC bulkhead flats of lumber for Neal's Hardware to cut into appropriate sizes for model train layout construction.

Watch the #8951 set the block of cars out for WV-2 to pick up

A hour later the expected WV-2 arrives at West Mill

The power uncouples from the first car in the train, RI #35062 loaded with carpet padding from Mohawk Industries of Des Moines, IA to be shipped to Blue Comet as sound dampening material. 

The U33C/ GP38/ U28C consist picks up the four cars at West Mill

Connections are checked and the air is up!   Time to roll to Selkirk!

The crew turns their attention to the pair of KP&W boxcars loaded with untrimmed lumber for Mike's Hardware on Neal's layout. 

The cars are set out by the always busy #8951 in time for the VW-1 from Selkirk to pick them up to take to Weehawken.   The cars will be forwarded from there to Rock Ridge Yard on the APRR.

After coming to a stop the three units pulling the VW-1 uncouple from the train to pick up the two KP&W cars.

After completing the pick up the train is ready to go!

Next stop: Weehawken!

 That concludes the "outbound" segment of this new op!  Check back Sunday to follow the "inbounds" as cars loaded with model train layouts are delivered to happy hobbyists in the region!