PCCM 96: Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello again virtual ops fans!

We're starting our 96th Penn Central Car Movement series with John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my own Kings Port Division.

In our last PCCM series cars were sent by car float from West Mill to Port Owen.   These included Atlantic Pacific R.R. hoppers #233 & 234 as part of a string of loaded hoppers for the Con Ed plant...

...as well as KP&W boxcar #15638 loaded with steel banding for Port Owen Brick Company.

 In our current series the cars are being returned to West Mill.  The string of hoppers is now empty...

The hoppers and the KP&W boxcar (now loaded with bricks for American Hardware on Neal's layout) are set on the car float.  Is a little foggy this morning on the river.

After shoving off from Port Owen the tug boat Robert R. and its car float arrive at West Mill 45 minutes later.  Its foggy on the West Mill side today as well!

The yard is mostly empty right now but it was busy a little earlier.   We didn't get on the scene in time to catch the 07:30 dispatch of a morning Bloomberg Turn along with Northbound and Southbound Locals.  We will hang around to observe the return of all three trains later this morning.

Once car float has been secured to the float apron SD9 #6922 fires up to pull its cars.

The two APRR hoppers and the KP&W boxcar, the only "virtual ops" cars on the float are seen being pulled below:

After all of the cars are carefully removed from the float the SD9 prepares to set them on Track 3.   Things start getting busy at West Mill again as the returning Southbound Local brings more empty hoppers back to the yard.  These virtual ops cars were picked up at Tri Mount Cement and will be forwarded to Hudson Coal on John's N.Y.C.T.L.  Watch the action in the video below:

The Southbound local stops at the entrance to the yard and waits for a crewman to throw the switch.  The morning fog is burning off.

Watch the local back its hoppers into the yard past the carfloat string in the video below:

Things got quiet for about half an hour after the Southbound Local set its cars out in the yard.  That changes at 09:45 with the arrival of today's KP&W Mayfield Transfer:

Just like the PC Southbound Local. the Mayfield Transfer waits for a switchman before backing into the yard.  Local Mets fans are hoping that billboard predicts a happier ending to next year's season!

Once the switchman "bends the iron" the Mayfield Transfer backs into West Mill and couples its caboose to the string of hoppers from the Port Owen Con Ed plant in preparation for returning them to Mayfield.  Follow the action in the video below:

The three Hi Cubes in this cut are beginning a new routing together.  Our car forwarding is an evolving process.  As new industries are added to layouts we make freight traffic changes to serve them!  In this case the three Hi Cubes from Peerless Appliance are heading with loads to a new PC Richard on Neal's layout.

A PC yardman watched the KP&W caboose coupling.  Now he and the Mayfield Transfer's Conductor (who got off the caboose) observe the roll-by together as the Transfer's cars are set out at West Mill.

After the set out the Mayfield Transfer's RS3/GP9 power moved to the front of the hoppers heading back to Mayfield.  The train's conductor climbs back onboard his caboose and exchanges farewells with the PC man.

Watch the train leave for Mayfield in the video below:

That's enough for today!  Come back tomorrow as more virtual ops cars gather at West Mill!