Hello virtual ops fans! We're completing the series featuring a unit coal train that ran empty as URN-4 from the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester to Hudson Coal on John R.'s New York Central Train layout. The empty hoppers reached Hudson Coal where they were efficiently loaded with black diamonds.
After the loaded cars were pulled from the coal mine and assembled into a train they are seen leaving the N.Y.C.T.L. with the same Penn Central and B&O pooled power consist of three F7As on the head end.
Th train is first seen on the Kings Port Division cresting the grade up to Marion, the Division's summit. While URN-4 comprised of empties was able to negotiate the grade up to Marion without assistance, the loaded hoppers require pushers to get the job done.
Hedberg Aggregates is located at the summit of the Kings Port Division. URN-5 will be passing by this industry before beginning the down hill glide to Kings Port.
Watch video of URN-5 passing Hedberg Aggregates with helpers on the rear.
The helpers' dynamic brakes work to keep URN-5's descent into Kings Port under control
Meanwhile down in Kings Port a northbound freight powered by an F7A-B-B-A consist waits for URN-5 prior to departing.
URN-5 approaches the northbound at Kings Port. Penn Central F units abound!
The helpers will stay with the train until West Mill where they will be cut off during a crew change there.
URN-5 arrives at West Mill
The pooled power consist takes the curve toward West Mill Yard. West Mill crews like to refer to the B&O units as "Binos"
A KP&W coal job from Mayfield waits in the hole.
Its a coal train "F-stravaganza!"
After URN-5 comes to a stop for the crew change...
...the helper set cuts off the train and moves to West Mill's locomotive tracks.
The new crew is in place and URN-5 receives permission to proceed toward Salamanca and eventually to Rochester to dump that coal at the Genesee Docks.
Empire Belt hoppers are seen on the train..
URN-5 leaves West Mill to wrap up this virtual ops series!
Thanks for following this P.C.C.M. in which Coal was King!
Hello everyone!
You may remember this virtual op but its been a while since a unit coal train ran between the Kings Port Division and the New York Central Train Layout! The recent addition of five more PC hopper cars on my layout got us talking about re-activating the moves from the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester, NY to Hudson Coal on the N.Y.C.T.L. with a return of loaded hoppers to Rochester. Four of these new cars are H43D 100 ton hoppers that were recently painted and decaled by me thanks to a Highball Graphics decal set ("F-159 Penn Central 100 ton hoppers") John R. notified me about.
The project was a long time in the making as I had some difficulty obtaining four appropriate cars with 12 panels on the side to accommodate the decals. I finally managed to find three decorated for other roads at a recent train sale and one on eBay.
The fifth car, a PC H39 coal hopper, was a gift from John! My roster of PC hoppers has been greatly increased!
P.C.C.M. #55 will follow Unit Coal Train URN-4, a long string of empty hoppers that left the Genesee Coal Docks in Rochester for Hudson Coal on John's layout. The train will stop at West Mill on my layout for a crew change.
Click the link below to get a little information about the docks.
Genesse Docks
Click below for a color photo of the docks.
Genesee Dock photo
Things are relatively quiet at West Mill this afternoon...
....until the rumble of three EMD F7As with a combined 4500
horsepower emerge from the tunnel on the south end of town...
...pulling the long string of empty hoppers.
Click on the video below to watch the train arrive at West Mill.
The pooled power consist of one Penn Central and two B&O F7s reflects the Genesee Docks being a B&O operation while the PC unit takes the head end on its home road tracks. Here they are seen stopping at West Mill for a crew change.
As the new crew prepares URN-4 for departure, a short local serving industries south of West Mill rolls by in the opposite direction. The GP30/ GP9B lashup on this train is becoming a favorite of mine after seeing the prototype featured in the JPM video "Railfanning with the Bednars Vol. 6".
Watch a video of this train meet below
URN-4 gets permission to proceed to Selkirk where it will then turn the corner and head south to Terminal Yard.
Watch the entire train pass by WM tower in the video below.
The cars pass this ACI scanner by WM tower...
....which provides an accurate print out of the train's manifest (as long as dirt doesn't obscure the ACI plaques on the cars!)
The train reaches Kings Port....
...its length stretching across town
Watch the train pass through Kings Port and meet another local in the video below.
The train is later seen successfully beating the grade toward Marion
Campers near Hedberg Aggregates in Marion, NY hear the approaching unit train and pause their activities to watch.
Watch the video of the train passing by Hedberg Aggregates and heading downward toward Selkirk below.
Thanks for watching! Keep an eye on John's blog in the next day or two for continuation of the action!
Hello and Happy New Year!
This is traditionally the time for resolutions so I've decided to make some regarding my layout as a way of creating a little accountability and motivation for myself.
Among the layout improvements I wish to complete this year is adding more details to my various shelf layout components that I use for photographing "off-layout" scenes such as The Kings Port & Western's Mountain Branch industries seen below. Right now they have just enough structures and scenery to convey the idea but I'd like to make them look better.
Here is another one that I place in front of some industries in the Mayfield Area such as Cavendish Foods, Peerless Appliance, and ACME Auto Parts. Its simply a ballasted track that could benefit from more scenic treatments.
Another project involves finishing the least completed section of my layout, a little corner near K.P. Steel. I made the traveling crane a long time ago and always intended to add track to create a coal unloading scene. Time to get that done!
While I've started adding new metal wheels to several of my vintage Tyco, Bachmann, and Athearn Blue Box cars I'd like to focus on these hoppers that roll poorly.
They all have talgo tucks or horn hook couplers. Eventually 'd like to change them all out for magnetic couplers but I've found that in the mean time new metal wheels greatly improve performance, even when the cars back up though several switches. So far I've added new wheels to eight hoppers.
Below is a video of a KP&W op I developed in which coal hoppers from Mayfield run to the West Mill car float. The new wheels make it possible for these old cars to negotiate being pushed through several turnouts and the incline down to the barge without derailing. I'm looking forward to making the same improved performance possible for the rest of the hoppers shown in the box above.
Additional resolutions include further reinforcing the idea that the Kings Port & Western as well as the PC have connections to the B&M...
...and the Lehigh Valley
One last resolution is to finally get around to ballasting the staging track leading off layout to the KP&W's Mountain And Mayfield Branches!
I imagine I may come up with more projects but this seems like a good start. Posting about them should help me be mindful of them and start ticking them off the list! Thanks for taking a look!
