P.C.C.M. 39E: Sorting the West Mill Block

Hello all!

We continue the most recent Penn Central Car Movement series by following West Mill yard switcher SD9 #6922 as it pulls sections of the block of cars from Terminal Yard that recently arrived on Train VW-1.  These cars will later be forwarded on a Penn Central "Kings Port Turn", a KP&W local to Bloomberg on its Mountain Branch, a KP&W run to its Mayfield Yard, and on a KP&W train to Salamanca, NY.  

Before those moves can happen, the cars need to be sorted at West Mill.  Fortunately crews at Terminal Yard did an admirable job blocking cars in advance to expedite this process.  Nice work guys!

SD9 #6922 is behind the block of cars to be moved into West Mill Yard.

Time to get to work!  The SD9 pulls the first cut of cars.  These are headed to industries such as Corning Glass and IBM  along the KP&W's mainline to Salamanca

A brakeman opens the switch for the cars to back into the yard.

The cut of cars that will head out toward Salamanca via the KP&W.

The next cut is for ACME Auto Parts near the KP&W's Mayfield Yard.

The last car in this string, the Rock Island boxcar, is actually  headed to Quality Fabrications, a machine shop on the KP&W's Mountain Branch.  It will be sorted later in the yard.

The cut is backed into the yard, next the previous one.

 The second cut is set out in the yard with the first one behind it .

A yard crewman confers with the engineer of #6922.  One more cut to move.

Heading back to VW-1 to grab the last cut...

Coupling onto the depressed well flat for Sal's Salvage.  Cars for a Kings Port Turn follow behind it

Cars for the future Kings Port Turn include two TOFCs that will be set out at the KP&W's Williams Yard.  One of these is an excellently rendered Empire Belt R.R. trailer!

Backing the last cut into West Mill Yard.  Coil cars for KP Steel..

Cars for Battaglia Bros Warehouse...

..and the TOFCs and the depressed well flat car.

The last cut rolls into West Mill Yard.

West Mill Yard looking pretty full now!

Now that the block of cars has been removed from VW-1 the train can resume its run down to Weehawken.

The train gets the green and permission to proceed south. 

Next up:  Kings Port & Western Railroad action and a through train from Selkirk to Weehawken with cars for the Atlantic Pacific R.R!

P.C.C.M. 39D: VW-1 Arrives at West Mill

Hello railfans!

We're in the midst of our next Penn Central Car Movement Series!  This is number 39, as a matter of fact!   Its an historic occasion as this series involves the largest number of cars so far interchanged between our three layouts: John's New York Central Train Layout, Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR, and my Kings Port Division.  

John started the action by assembling and dispatching two trains to Selkirk from his layout's Terminal Yard.  Cars from those trains will eventually be sent south toward Weehawken with a stop at West Mill on my layout.

Check out all of the train action on the N.Y.C.T.L.!
http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/2017/09/pccm-39c.html

Meanwhile, at West Mill Yard, things have been fairly quiet this morning.  A nearly empty yard testifies to the efficient management of Cappy Foster, West Mill's Yardmaster, and his crew.

A handful of cars await forwarding to the KP&W's mainline and also its Mountain and Mayfield branches.

Otherwise, the yard is empty.  The only sound you hear is seagulls squawking around the carfloat.

A little later at 09:30, however, the quiet is shatter by the loud throbbing of EMD power as three GP38-2s  notch down to enter West Mill with Train VW-1 (Selkirk to Weehawken) with a block of cars for West Mill from Terminal Yard.

Looks like a good show is in town for the Holiday!   I'm talking about the music but railfans will enjoy what the PC is offering for today as well.

Several cars pass by Sal's Salvage.  So far, these are cars that will be continuing to Weehawken.

The trio of Penn Central Geeps enters West Mill Yard

...and keep pulling more cars past Sal's.  Those "Bread Box Trough Coil Cars" mark the beginning of the block for West Mill.

The head end continues to move through the yard.

More cars for West Mill emerge...

Sal is particularly interested in the PC depressed well flat with the Caterpillar unloader on it.  That shipment is for his salvage yard.  Sal's unloader needs an overhaul and will be sent back to CAT for repair.  Meanwhile the unloader on the flat is a temporary loaner.

More cars for West Mill.  These 60 foot auto parts cars will be forwarded to ACME Auto Parts on the Kings Port & Western Railroad's Mayfield Branch

The three 60 footers cross the grade near Canton Box Co.

More cars for West Mill pass by until the last three, a trio of NYC 50 foot double door boxcars signals the end of the block.  

The caboose has been cut to allow a yard switcher access to the block that will be pulled from VW-1 for West Mill.

SD9 #6922 gets the assignment to bring the block into the yard tracks.  Its crew boards and gets ready to go to work.

Slowly passing by the block of cars it will be pulling, #6922 takes the switches by WM tower to get behind it.

There is lots of work to be done!  We'll follow it up in the next installment coming soon!