P.C.C.M. 72: Part 7 on the KPD

Hi there!

Our Rail Traffic Management Form that we use to determine car forwarding seems to naturally provide patterns of lighter and heavier "virtual ops" traffic between my Kings Port Division,  John's    New York Central Train Layout   and Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R.     This 72nd series is definitely on the heavier side as we transfer more cars than usual and need to make more complex moves and dispatch more trains to get the job done..which adds up to more fun!

In my last installment the Kings Port Turn was about to be dispatched.  Watch it roll out of the yard prior to getting its caboose in the video below:

Police security continues to monitor the PRR 86 foot boxcar!

 The train arrives at Reynolds Beverage and Booms Ready Mix.

The Turn will set out the NYC Early Bird and EL #73510 at Booms Ready mix... 

 and PC #104478 at Reynolds Beverage Distributors

 The cars are cut from the rest of the train.

Watch the set-outs in the video below:

The train takes a tour of the layout on a return loop before coming back to Kings Port.  Now one track over on the mainline, it approaches the interchange track with the KP&W...

...and then backs into the interchange to set out the PRR 86 footer.

Law Enforcement is still following the car to prevent theft of its valuable contents!

The two KP&W SW9s that worked the Steel Job at KP Steel and set out the PS-2 covered hoppers at the engine yard in the last installment are now heading back to Williams Yard in perfect time to drop the PRR car off at Battaglia's Warehouse first.

The Police stop the crew to discuss the car's safe delivery.  KP&W #24's engineer is thinking..."Its just toilet paper!  Sheesh!"

The load of toilet paper, apparently worth its weight in gold, gets the shove to its final destination, Battaglia Brothers Warehouse.

Meanwhile, after leaving Kings Port, the "Turn" delivers the rest of its cars.   Stopping at Hedberg Aggregates, it picks up a loaded PRR hopper and replaces it with empty A.P.R.R. #9416.

The last stop for the Turn is the Gulf facility on the Hudson River

The Turn approaches the switch leading to the facility and passes by a number of filled barrels that will eventually be loaded in GM&O boxcar 

The boxcar and an empty tanker are set out.... 

 
...and the short train later arrives at West Mill.

That's it for today's installment.  The KPD will wrap up its part in P.C.C.M. 72 tomorrow!

P.C.C.M. 72: Part 6 on the KPD

Hello again!

Continuing this 72nd virtual ops series with John's New York Central Train Layout and  Neal's  Atlantic Pacific RR   we'll start at Williams Yard on my Kings Port Division where a set of three switchers, two SW9s and an S-12 depart to work the interchange track with the Penn Central in Kings Port.

They will be picking up this string of cars left by PC Extra #6552 in yesterday's installment.

Watch the action as the "Pups" leave Williams Yard and bring the interchange cars back.

There is a lot going on here this time as our Rail Traffic Management Form has created ops cycles with some coincidental complexity.  For example, here are the two 38 foot hoppers with ballast from T&R Gravel.  S-12  #34 is puling them to the south end of the yard where there are tracks in need of maintenance. 

As the ballast hoppers move out of the way they reveal two LV cars heading back to their "Return To" bases, one in Buffalo, NY and the other in Flint, MI. These cars will be placed on the "WeeBee"  (i.e. WiBi-3, the Williams Yard to Binghamton Transfer).

These three NYC 50 ft double door boxcars from Bruce Electric are heading to IBM, Binghamton and will also ride on the WeeBee.

The cars on the back track with the switchers include two PS-2 covered hoppers filled with locomotive sand for the KP&W engine facility...

...coupled to two empty Evans bread box trough coil coaches; empty to receive coils from KP Steel for Ford Motor Co.  This four car "Steel Job" will drop off the coil cars and then set out the PS-2s at the nearby engine yard.

Immediately in front of the Steel Job train is the next run to New England from Williams Yard.  Included are three B&M RBLs  being returned empty to their assigned yard at Merrimack, NH

Seen just before it leaves, today's train is headed by a pooled power consist of a B&M F7A, PC GP9B, and PC F7A

The Steel Job is getting ready to roll with SW9s #22 and 24.

Watch the short train head out in the video below

Meanwhile over at West Mill,  The Kings Port Turn is being assembled including a GM&O boxcar loaded with empty barrels, and an empty Gulf tanker for the Gulf facility on the river. 

The NYC Early Bird with the Jade Green door and the EL boxcar are loaded with Walsh's steel wool for Booms Ready Mix.  The PC boxcar is full of Heilemans Beer for Reynold Beverage Dist.

The train will also include the PRR car with the precious shipment of toilet paper that is going to Battaglia Brothers Warehouse, and the empty A.P.R.R. hopper for Hedberg Aggregates

  
There is a bit of a delay assembling the "Turn" as the PRR 86 footer and the A.P.R.R. hopper are trapped behind a string of empty hoppers and an EBRR gon headed for Mayfield where it will be forwarded to Amalgamated Container.

The empties are part of the usual hopper exchange with the KP&W for the West Mill car float. Usually they are immediately picked up after the KP&W drops off the loaded hoppers.  What's the delay?

The yard's SD9 has started shoving the loaded hoppers onto the car float.  The KP&W brought them in for Port Owen's power plant.

The car float is almost loaded and the empties are still here?!

They should have left half an hour ago with KP&W's RS3 #566, seen on the right side of the photo below.  It seems to be having a problem getting underway.

Check out the video below as it becomes obvious the RS3 isn't going to make the run to Mayfield and will need to be rescued by a pair of the West Mill GP9s!

The PC handles the transfer run to Mayfield Yard.   The empty hoppers and E.B.R.R. gon head out of town.

The E.B.R.R. gon is later spotted at ACCO.

As for the hapless RS3,  KP&W GP9 #769 arrives from Kings Port to deadhead it to the engine yard for repairs. 

Now that the Mayfield Transfer and the dead RS3 are out of the way, yard switcher #8951 finishes assembling the Kings Port Turn.

All the cars are now coupled together.

The usual RSD12s have fired up for the run.

 The Kings Port Turn is ready to proceed...but this is getting long!

Tune in tomorrow for more!

P.C.C.M. #72: Part 5 on the KPD

Hello railfans!

Last weekend we focused on "outbound posts" for this 72nd "virtual ops" series.   Now its time to follow the "inbond" action as John's  New York Central Train Layout  and Neal's  Atlantic Pacific RR both dispatched trains with cars for the Kings Port Division.   Let's check out the cars that came from the A.P.R.R. first.

Three cars for the Kings Port Division were included on the most recent Penn Central WV-1 from Weehawken.  These cars were originally dispatched from the A.P.R.R.'s  Rock Ridge Yard.  They are seen being set out at West Mill below.

 Empire Belt #509623 is empty for Amalgamated Container

A.P.R.R.  #9416 is empty for Hedberg Aggregates

The PRR 86 footer comes from Marcal Paper loaded with toilet paper to meet a recent unexpectedly high demand!

 Just as the three cars from the A.P.R.R. arrived West Mill P.D. showed up and had a quick chat with Yardmaster Cappy Foster.

Cappy and two of West Mill's finest quick stepped it over the yard tracks to inspect the PRR car.  All paper work is in order and the guys in blue check that the doors are secure.

They then head back to their patrol car and talk to the yard switcher's engineer about the 86 footer and security for the load.

The cut of cars from the A.P.R.R. is moved carefully and with full law enforcement supervision.   It is now safely set out in West Mill Yard under a set of floodlights.  The three cars from the A.P.R.R. will be placed on their appropriate trains tomorrow.

Meanwhile over at Kings Port a loud horn signals the arrival of  Extra 6552 from Selkirk with cars from the N.Y.C.T.L.   U33C #6552 and GP30 #2228 bring this train slowly into Kings Port.   Several cars will be cut for interchange with the KP&W

Watch the train arrive in the video below:

The train pulls forward of Ulster Ave. to keep it open as "The Rossollino Scenario" is still much on the minds of local crews.

Cars for the interchange are cut ahead of the red GM&O boxcar... 

...and are then pulled forward of the interchange switch...

...and shoved into place.

Watch the cut get set-out on the interchange in the video below:

After the set-out the consist rejoins its much shorter train....

 ...and heads out of town with cars for West Mill.

Watch Extra 6552 arrive at West Mill in the video below:

As an added video bonus watch West Mill Yard switcher #8951 pull the Extra's caboose.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow Williams Yard switchers will come out to work the interchange and pull these cars:

We'll also follow some "HOT" action at West Mill Yard.  What?  Stay tuned!

Just a note to wish everyone good health and safety.  As the Covid19 crisis continues we are not intending to make light of it with the toilet paper humor, but hope to bring a smile during these trying times.  Be well, all!