PCCM 110: Part 1 on the KPD

 Hello everyone!

We are embarking on our 110th Penn Central Car Movement series (PCCM) also known as our "virtual ops" as John's New York Central Train Layout , Neal's Atlantic Pacific R.R. , and my Kings Port Division exchange freight car traffic from one layout to the other, thanks to us owning similar rolling stock that we photograph and film in action.              

This time around we'll start at the Kings Port & Western's Mayfield Yard where S12 switcher #34 is preparing to get to work.

The S12 goes in search of a Morton Salt covered hopper in the yard that will be included on this morning's transfer to the Penn Central's West Mill Yard.  Meanwhile, a Lehigh Valley train arrives at Mayfield with a string of loaded coal hoppers.  The LV and the KP&W interchange at Mayfield, facilitating a coal connection from the Lehigh Valley to the Hudson Valley.  Watch the action in the video below.

The Morton Salt car was forwarded empty to Mayfield from Cavendish Fine Foods.  Its going back to the Morton Salt loading center in Rock Ridge on Neal's layout.

The PCCM cars on the LV train are KP&W 38 foot hoppers #233 & 234 which will be going to RMO electric, also on Neal's layout.

#34 adds the Morton Salt car and the two hoppers to the transfer for West Mill

 The train is assigned RS3 #566 which rolls by and then couples up to the transfer.  Meanwhile a quiet West Mill Yard awaits the train.

Watch the transfer roll out of town and later arrive at West Mill.

 After setting out its cars the transfer's RS3 and caboose return light to Mayfield.  They clear the junction with the Catskill Mountain Branch in time to avoid delaying a returning Bloomberg Turn that had been working up there this morning.

The Bloomberg Turn has brought three gondolas loaded with poles from Bell Pole which will eventually be delivered to LILCO by the Long Island Railroad.   The three cars (along with the two flat cars acting as spacers on either side of PL&E 40331 and its extra long load) will travel to Selkirk and then to John's Terminal Yard before reaching his Empire Belt's North Side Yard which interchanges with the LIRR.

The TP&W boxcar #627 is heading empty to the Gulf Oil facility in Kings Port as an intra-layout move...

...while the former NYC Early Bird boxcar loaded with REVCO kitchen gadgets will be forwarded to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse on John's layout.

We'll leave West Mill for now and head over to the KP&W's Williams Yard where GP9 #742 is preparing to run light to Hedberg Aggregates with the specially outfitted caboose that takes the lead on this upgrade shove move.

The Geep and caboose head to the unseen north side of the yard where the cut off to the Marion Branch to Hedberg Aggregates is located.  From there they will back upgrade to Hedberg's to pick up six loaded hoppers and four PS-2 covered hoppers.

 After picking up the cars the train heads downgrade to Kings Port.

 ....rolls past the north yard entrance and then backs into Williams Yard

Bouncing back to West Mill, we see the tow boat "Robert H." has just pushed the car float against the West Mill apron.  The float is carrying empty hoppers and one boxcar from Port Owen that will be off loaded soon.  We'll also see more KP&W action as their train BiWi-3, the daily transfer from Binghamton, NY to Williams Yard is about to arrive at West Mill to set out some cars.    

Watch the BiWi-3 arrive as the car float begins unloading.  The long KP&W transfer is well powered by first generation EMD units; pairs of F7As and SD9s!

After the BiWi stops, its four unit consist sets out three PC RBLs that are full of materials from International Paper Co. for Tropicana on Neal's layout.   It then continues on to Kings Port.  Meanwhile SD9 #6922 moves the hoppers from the carfloat into the yard.

 That it for today's action!  Come back tomorrow for more Penn Central and KP&W car movements!

        

PCCM 109: Part 6 on the KPD

Greetings! 

This is my final installment for our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  We're continuing to focus on the delivery of freight cars to their consignees.

The KP&W's William Yard is preparing the Hedberg Run, a short train serving Hedberg Aggregates on the Marion Branch.  Trains to Hedberg run caboose first since thee is no runaround track at the industry to allow a locomotive to get behind the cars it pushes into the plant's spurs.  The Williams Yard Shop created this special caboose outfitted with horn and lights to run at the head end of trains.

GP9 #742 heads down the track to pick up a string of coal hoppers sent by Hudson Coal to fuel Hedberg's kiln along with some empty PS-2 hoppers that will be loaded at the aggregate facility.

Yard switcher #24 tacks the special caboose to what will become the head end of the train.

 The junction to the Marion Branch is at the unseen north end of Williams Yard.  The train will head "in the wrong direction" until it accesses that switch and then will reverse direction to climb to Hedberg.   Watch the train roll on its way and then actually deliver cars in an abbreviated video sequence at Hedberg Aggregates.

Turing our attention to West Mill Yard its time to load six coal hoppers from Hudson Coal for the Port Own Con Ed power plant.  As usual SD9 #6922 takes responsibility for this operation.

Watch the carfloat loading in the video below:

The hoppers will later be delivered to Con Ed by PC SD9 #25 which is assigned to the small yard at Port Owen.  S12 #8303 will sort the cars.

Shortly after the car float was loaded the West Mill crew got the Bloomberg Turn ready to go.  The train consists of the minimum five cars required for dispatch up the Catskill Branch.  TP&W 627 is heading to Van Winkle Canning with Berk Enterprises labels...

...the former NYC Early Bird service boxcar will be delivered empty to REVCO, maker of kitchen gadgets and other helpful homemaker products, while the three empty gons are for Bell Pole.

Meanwhile over at the KP&W's Williams Yard three 60 foot auto parts cars are on the transfer to Mayfield.  From there they will be delivered empty to ACME Auto Parts.

Watch the Bloomberg Turn at West Mill and the Mayfield Transfer from Williams Yard both receive their assigned power.  The Turn is getting one of the yard's lumbering and loud RSD12s for the climb up the Catskills.  The Mayfield Transfer leaves Williams Yard with a KP&W F7A&B along with an LV Geep.   The KP&W train passes by West Mill just as the Bloomberg Turn is backing out of the yard.

The Bloomberg Turn stops at WM tower for orders...

.....and then proceeds to take the Catskill Mountain Branch while the GP38-2 and transfer caboose that were on the South Local in yesterday's installment return from delivering coal hoppers to Tri Mount Cement.

The Bloomberg Turn arrives at the industrial park in the Catskills and sets out TP&W 627 and its load of labels at Van Winkle Canning....

...the empty Early Bird car at REVCO...

...and the three empty gons at Bell Pole across from the Agway elevator.

 Around the same time the KP&W transfer arrives at Mayfield Yard....

..with the three 60 foot boxcars for ACME Auto Parts.

After the transfer is broken down a Mayfield Area Turn MM-3/4 is assembled with the auto parts cars for ACME.   The Turn leaves the yard powered by a KP&W RS3.

The three 60 footers are spotted at ACME Auto Parts which officially concludes the Kings Port Division's role in PCCM 109!   

Its been a fun series to run!  Thanks for following along!

 

PCCM 109: Part 5 on the KPD

 Hello again!

This is my fifth installment for our 109th Penn Central Car Movement (PCCM) series between John's New York Central Train Layout and my own Kings Port Division.  We're continuing to focus on the delivery of freight cars to their consignees.

Yesterday VW-1, one of the regular transfers between Selkirk and Weehawken made intermediate stops at West Mill and Williams Yard to set out cars.   The West Mill switcher was sent out to pull the cars left by VW-1 from the siding and into the yard.

The 8951 separated 12 coal hoppers from Hudson Coal into two blocks, one for Tri Mount Cement and one for the Port Owen Con Ed plant. A South Local will serve Tri Mount Cement while the Con Ed cars will be placed on the West Mill car float.

TP&W boxcar #627 was added to a string of cars that will make up the Bloomberg Turn that runs up to the Catskills.  The TP&W car is heading to Van Winkle Canning.

 

  The gondolas behind it are all going to Bell Pole.

An empty former Early Bird Service boxcar scheduled as an intra-layout move to REVCO will be added to this cut of cars.

The other car that needs to be forwarded by West Mill is PC #360063, heading to nearby Canton Box Co. with a new cutting machine from Reliable Machine.  This will be a separate one car Yard Local job.

Meanwhile over at the KP&W's Williams Yard, crews will need to deliver two boxcars to local businesses,   NYC boxcar #80755 seen in the background is going to Peerless Appliance loaded with appliance parts from Reliable Machine....

This GM&O boxcar loaded with empty 55 gallon drums is being forwarded to the Gulf facility along the river.

Three additional trains are expected to be dispatched from Williams Yard, a transfer to Binghamton, NY (WiBi-4) that will include the three Penn Central RBLs seen below, a tranfser to Mayfiled Yard with the 60 foot auto parts cars seen behind the RBLs, and a Hedberg Run that will deliver the four PS-2 hoppers and six coal hopper cars to Hedberg Aggregates.

Things are going to get busy!

Here's a Tale of Two Yard Locals as West Mill's #8951 delivers PC boxcar #360063 to Canton Box with labels from Berk Enterprises while at the same time over in Kings Port Williams Yard switchers #24 and 22 prepare to set out NYC boxcar #80755 loaded with Reliable Machine parts for Peerless Appliance and GM&O boxcar #21129 with empty oil drums for Gulf.

More simultaneous action occurs at West Mill and Williams Yard as GP38-2 #8150 in West Mill readies to power the South Local which will serve Tri Mount Cement...

...while KP&W F7A #110 along with a pair of leased B&O units prepares to leave the engine tracks to lead a Williams Yard to Binghamton Transfer (WiBi-4) which will include the three empty Penn Central RBLs for International Paper Co.

Watch the action as the South Local and the WiBi-4's power connect to their respective trains and leave their yards.  The South Local will hold for the WiBi-4 before proceeding to Tri Mount Cement.

After arriving at Binghamton on the WiBi-4 the three PC RBLs are put on a local that serves International Paper Co.  The three cars are later seen spotted at International Paper Co.

The South Local set out its coal hoppers at Tri Mount cement.

That concludes today's installment.  Check back tomorrow for more PCCM car deliveries!