PCCM 91 Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello again!

We are starting our 91st Penn Central Car Movement virtual ops between three layouts this time;  John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my own Kings Port Division. 

Cars to be forwarded to Neal's APRR have been building up at West Mill.    They will be transferred in two trains to Weehawken for later forwarding to the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard.  The first train is a priority move of cars with perishable loads for ShopRite near Rock Ridge.   

Yard switcher #8951 assembles the nine car train.  The three blue B&M RBLs are loaded with Habitant Soup from New Hampshire.  A Swift carload of frozen meat leads a second block of cars for ShopRite being coupled in front of them.

The switcher pulls a newly serviced N8 caboose for the train

...and tacks it onto the rear.

Power is called up for the priority run.  Watch the GP30/ SD35 consist roll past their train to get to the head end.

The Yard hostler operating this lashup of two units still sporting pre-merger livery switches tracks and couples to the front of the train.   Today's crew boards GP30 #2212.

Watch the train now designated as Extra #2212 back out of West Mill Yard in the video below.

Now positioned to take the mainline the train's brakeman throws the switch so Extra 2122 can proceed to Weehawken.

The manifest for this train includes:

APRR 60358 & 60327 with canned food from Van Winkle Canning

B&M #105, 109 and 110 with Habitant Soup

An EL boxcar loaded with Woodstock Hills Natural Soda 

LV #7120 loaded with apples from Bucola Cold Storage

PC #272747 with Peerless Appliance refrigeration units

SLRX Swift #4244 loaded with frozen meat

Watch the train meet an incoming KP&W transfer run from Mayfield as it leaves West Mill for Weehawken in the video below.

After Extra 2212 to Weehawken is clear the Mayfield Transfer backs into West Mill Yard with cars for the N.Y.C.T.L.

Switcher #8951 ventures just outside of the Yard Limits to pick up a 50 foot Hoschton Railway Co. car loaded with boxes for Freihoefers.  This car will be going out on the second train for Neal's APRR.

Now that the Hoschton car is in the yard the second train for the APRR can be assembled into blocks.    Watch the yard work below as gons loaded with steel coils for Shapless Steel and boxcars for 3 Amigos Warehouse and C&P Restaurant Supply are coupled up to others destined for various industries near Rock Ridge Yard.

That's enough for now.  Check in tomorrow when the second train for Neal's APRR is dispatched and a Penn Central local brings more cars to West Mill Yard for John's N.Y.C.T.L.!

PCCM 90: Part 6 on the KPD

Hello and welcome to the final installment of the Kings Port Division's involvement in Penn Central Car Movement series #90!   The virtual ops is just between my layout and John's New York Central Train Layout this time around but we hope to see Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. join in next time.

Yesterday's installment ended with the North Local leaving West Mill to deliver the last remaining virtual ops cars on the Kings Port Division.

After dropping a car off at Canton Box Co. in West Mill the train has now reached Lower Kings Port and is ready to switch Booms Ready Mix and Reynolds Beverage Distributors.

The caboose is cut off the rear of the train.  The green TP&W boxcar #627 is loaded with steel metal scrap from Walsh Steel Wool for Booms Ready Mix.   Before the car can be set out a black 40 foot Hoschton Railway car loaded with beer and wine for C&P Restaurant Supply needs to be pulled from Reynolds Beverage Distributors.

Watch the entire multi-step switching move in the video below.  You'll notice that the Kings Port Railfan Society has stopped by at Dave's Diner to observe the action.

TP&W 627 is now set out for Booms Ready Mix.

The train couples up to the caboose and leaves town, heading for Hedberg's Aggregates.    It will drop off the Gulf tankers and the red GM&O boxcar on the way back in order to use the trailing siding.

The North Local proceeds to Marion where three loaded hoppers are waiting to be picked up.  These are "non-player" cars but the PC and KP&W PS2 covered hoppers on the train are virtual ops cars that need to be dropped off here. 

Coming from the south the spur track is facing the wrong way for set outs so the train continues beyond MM Tower to a nearby siding where the RSD12s will perform a runaround move to return.

After the run around the train returns to Hedberg Aggregates and begins its switching work by uncoupling the caboose.  That brakeman had better watch his footing!

The three loaded hoppers are pulled out...

..and placed with the caboose.  Then the PS2-s are dropped off.  They will be loaded with crushed aggregate for Lombo Concrete.

After the PS2s are set out the rest of the train is reassembled and leaves Marion for the return trip to West Mill

The last job for the North Local is to drop off three tankers and empty GM&O boxcar #21129 at the river side Gulf facility.  Three of the "nonplayer" tankers currently at the loading area will be picked up as a "empties for loads" exchange move.

The Kings Port Railfan Society decided to grab lunch at Dave's Diner after the North Local left and wait for its return.  Stomachs full and their blue VW bug now parked appropriately in a parking space to avoid attracting the attention of local law enforcement, TC, Benny, Chooch, and Fancy go back outside to observe the next bit of railroad action. 

Watch the pick ups and set outs at Gulf in the video below:

Being mindful of the town's ten minute rule for blocking grade crossings the North Local pauses and waves cars through the crossing.

The train then heads for West Mill while a light engine run composed of all former PRR equipment can be seen on the high line.

That concludes the work of the North Local and the Kings Port Division's part in PCCM 90!  After seven years this is still a lot of fun and the ops keep getting more interesting!  Thanks for following along!

PCCM 90: Part 5 on the KPD

Howdy everyone!

We're focusing on the inbound and freight car delivery part of this 90th Penn Central Car Movement series between my Kings Port Division and John's New York Central Train Layout .

At the end of yesterday's installment we saw a Penn Central Transfer for the KP&W's Mayfield Yard leave West Mill behind a couple of Geeps.

After the train arrived at Mayfield Yard the cars were put on a KP&W local (Extra 922) to deliver them to their respective consignees; Amalgamated Container Co,, Cavendish Foods, ACME Auto Parts, and Peerless Appliance; all active businesses in the Mayfield area.

Watch the train leave Mayfield with the cars in tow in the video below:

The first drop off includes two cars for ACCO; empty PC gon #288673 which will be loaded with containers for West Chemical and LV boxcar #66392 loaded with paint products for ACCO from American Hardware in Empire City.

Next up is Cavendish Foods and Spirits where Cargill covered hopper TDLX #7241 loaded with barley, and BAR boxcar #5226 and IC boxcar #30130 (both loaded with tea from Neubaums Coffee and Tea) are set out.  "Jolly Good!"

Extra 922 continues working local industries by stopping at ACME Auto Parts and dropping off three empties, NYC #53051, KP&W #50335, and NYC #350562 are going to be loaded for Ford.

The last stop on this run is Peerless Appliance where depressed well flatcar PC #766053 is set out to be loaded with a large air conditioner unit for Suffolk Community College.  Two empty 50 ft. double door NYC boxcars are being placed at loading doors for kitchen appliances that will be shipped to All City Storage in Bedford, NY.

That takes care of the freight traffic forwarded to Mayfield in this series.  

Lets go back to West Mill where the last PCCM 90 train on the Kings Port Division is being prepared for dispatch.   West Mill's pair of RSD-12s has been idling while waiting for the call to run the North Local.   It will head up as far as Marion to deliver and pick up cars at Hedberg Aggregates before doing a runaround at a nearby siding and returning to West Mill. 

The yard crew walks the train to check coupler connections and door seals.

The conductor boards former PRR N8 Class caboose #23348.

Watch the RSD-12s leave the engine track, couple to their train and pull out of the yard in the video below:

The train doesn't need to go far to make its first set out.  The 50 foot orange Hoschton Railway boxcar will be set out at Canton Box Co., just outside of the yard.

The caboose is cut and the train pulls forward to access Canton Box Co.s siding.

The car is placed by the loading dock where it will be loaded with new boxes for Freihoefers.   Those soft chewy cookies require good packaging!

The train reclaims its caboose and the heads out of town to its next stops.

That's plenty of today!  Come back tomorrow for the final installment from the Kings Port Division as we closely follow the work of the North Local!