PCCM 98: Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello!

We're kicking off our first Penn Central Car Movement series of 2023!  This time around its a two layout affair between John's New York Central Train Layout  and my own Kings Port Division.

The Kings Port Division's involvement in our latest "virtual ops" begins at KP Steel in Kings Port.  Three empty gondolas (KP&W #2140, MCRR #350623, and P&LE #40331) are going to be forwarded to Bell Pole as an intra-layout move.  

A pair of KP Steel Industrial Switchers pulls them just outside the complex and leaves them on an interchange track serving the Penn Central and Kings Port & Western railroads.

The KP&W adds cars to the interchange by setting out NYC covered hopper #892010 and a Cargill covered hopper both from Blue Ribbon Flour, and PC boxcar #360158 from Battaglia Brothers Warehouse.  These cars will soon be picked up by a Kings Port Turn coming from West Mill Yard.  The Cargill hopper loaded with flour will be heading to John's layout to be forwarded by the LIRR to the Ronzoni Company. The other cars are intra-layout moves.

Meanwhile at West Mill the aforementioned Kings Port Turn is about to depart. Today's Turn is headed by the usual pair of Alco RSD12s.

The Turn's outgoing cars are "non-player" cars not involved in the actual virtual ops.  Fingers O'Malley is seen on the rear porch of his much-hated transfer caboose.   "Not like a real hack" he complains

Watch the Kings Port Turn leave West Mill and arrive at Kings Port to start work in the video below:

 After making a pick up and set outs, the two Alcos move to claim the cars on the interchange track and then relocate the caboose for the trip back to West Mill.

The Kings Port Turn's work completed, the train returns to West Mill

Shortly after the Kings Port Turn arrived at West Mill, this morning's Bloomberg Turn has also returned and is ready to enter the yard.

This train serving industries in the Catskills is coming back with a handful of cars.  Two of them shown below are the virtual ops cars in this series.  PC #77047 is loaded with Woodstock Hills Natural Soda for Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.   PC #229046 is being forwarded empty to International Paper as an intra-layout move.

Watch the Bloomberg Turn with its usual consist of two GP20s arrive and then back into West Mill Yard.

While the two Turns tie up at West Mill lets go over to the KP&W's Mayfield Yard.   The yard crew has just finished assembling a transfer run that will head to the Penn Central's West Mill Yard.  The train includes auto parts cars recently loaded at ACME Auto Parts.

Sixty foot boxcars NYC #53051,  KP&W #503353, and PC/TOC #50563 will be forwarded to the Ford Motor Co. on the N.Y.C.T.L.

86 foot NYC #67086 and PRR #12591 will be going to the Ford plant in Somerville, Mass. with help from the Boston & Maine.

If you look in the background just to the right of the LV consist you can see PC depressed well flat car #766053 carrying a tank from Amalgamated Container Co. destined for  Olin Matheson Chemicals.  The car will be forwarded by the LIRR after it reaches John's North Side Yard.  The LV/ KP&W coal connection is illustrated by the LV train preparing to leave with a string of empty coal hoppers to be delivered to various mines.

Watch the Mayfield Transfer leave while the LV coal hopper train idles.  The transfer is seen again arriving later at West Mill.

 As usual, the Mayfield Transfer stops just beyond the switch lead to West Mill Yard.   A KP&W crewman aligns the switch for the backup move.

Watch the Transfer back into West Mill in the video below.

Things are getting busy at West Mill as they often do during our virtual ops sessions.  The yard serves as the central hub of activity on the King Port Division during PCCMs.

There is still room to accommodate more virtual ops cars.   More will be arriving tomorrow so stay tuned!