P.C.C.M. 39 I: KP&W Run on the Mountain Branch/ Kings Port Turn Dispatched

Hello everyone!

The latest installment of this virtual ops series has us at West Mill Yard observing a gathering of ALCOs on the loco service tracks.   KP&W RS3 #566 and PC RSD-12 #6869 (coupled to a sister unit not shown in the photo)  are idling in anticipation of their assignments.   

The KP&W unit will be leading a short train up the Mountain Branch to Bloomberg to drop off cars at local industries.   The PC sisters will head the Kings Port "Turn".    Crews are seen boarding their locos.

RS3 #566 leaves the service tracks to pick up a caboose.

After obtaining their "office-on-wheels", the units head into the yard tracks to grab the cars headed up the Mountain Branch.

The first car is Rock Island boxcar #35062.  Remember him?   This car was set out on another track when the Mayfield run was assembled. Its loaded with bulk hardware for Quality Fabrications.

After coupling to the RI car, the short train continues backing into the yard to pick up some more cars that are not in the virtual ops.  

The Mountain Branch Run is fully assembled.

#566 pulls the cars out of the yard so it can do a runaround move to get to the head end.

The ALCO, now in position, awaits permission to proceed.

Leaving West Mill....

....and taking the Mountain Branch on the right.  The Mayfield Branch heads to the left in the tunnel.

About an hour later the cars are set out at their respective consignees... The RI boxcar is now at Quality Fabrications...

Two covered hoppers are placed at Bloomberg's AGWAY...

...and a KP&W boxcar is set out at Van Winkle Canning.

 
The KP&W train clear of West Mill, its time for the PC sister unit RSD-12s to leave the loco servicing tracks.

...and back into the West Mill Yard tracks to pick up their train, the Kings Port Turn.   The PC boxcar is a buffer for the depressed well flat to protect the engine crew from what could be a potentially dangerous shifting load. 

Coupled to the train, the ALCOs pull the cars out of the yard.

Backing up to pick up a PC transfer caboose for the run.  This is a short distance train so a fully equipped caboose is not necessary.

The turn is dispatched from West Mill...

Next up:  The Turn goes to work!

P.C.C.M. 39 H: KP&W run to Mayfield

Hi all,

39H?!  What happened to 39G?  Well...check out Neal's Atlantic Pacific Railroad blog to see what he did with that part of the series as Extra 3007 reached his layout!
https://atlanticpacificrailroad.blogspot.com/2017/09/pccm-39g-extra-3007-arriving-at.html

The ball is now back in my court as West Mill continues to dispatch trains forwarding the cars that arrived there from Terminal Yard.  Cappy Foster in his Yard Tower office calls the crew of SD9 #6925 to pull cars for the Kings Port & Western's run to Mayfield Yard.

The yard engine couples up with a KP&W transfer caboose that will eventually be at the tail end of the train. 

Rolling into the yard, #6925 couples the caboose onto the cut of cars headed to Mayfield.

The Rock Island car at the end of this string is not going to Mayfield and needs to be moved so the NYC 60 foot auto parts car behind it can couple on to...  

 ...these other KP&W cars farther down the yard track.

The RI car is pulled and set out on the next track.

and the Mayfield cut returns to claim the three KP&W cars.

The Mayfield cut is ready to be pulled out of the yard.

As the cut rolls by, we see EL boxcar #73510, loaded with muffler mesh from Walsh Steel Wool for ACME Auto Parts...

...three empty 60 foot auto parts cars also bound for ACME...

...and two KP&W boxcars and a covered hopper that are not part of the virtual ops.

SD9 #6925 positions the cut near WM tower where KP&W power will pick it up for its run to Mayfield.

Twin KP&W F7s have been idling on the engine track.  Their crew gets ready to depart.

KP&W units #110 and #175 roll out past the yard tower.

...and switch tracks to back into their train.

Once the air is pumped and the engineer receives permission to proceed the Mayfield Run gets under way. 

Taking the Mayfield Branch and leaving West Mill...

Later, after the cut is set out at Mayfield Yard, a local delivers the cars for ACME Auto Parts.

Next Up:  A short hop up the KP&W's Mountain Branch.