A hectic week on the New York Central Train Layout has finally slowed down a bit. First up was the February 1st Penn Central Birthday Celebration. In honor of that PC Ralph himself sent over PC train KT-1, Williams Yard, King Port NY to Terminal Yard in Empire City as part of our fledgling virtual operations. This was not just any PC train, PC Ralph used plenty of NYC and PRR "predecessor" rolling stock as a tribute to these newly fallen flags.
Now all this may not sound like much but putting together a duplicate train of KT-1, filling out car cards, running it around the layout, switching out it's freight cars at their required destination and taking pictures of the process took some time. Add in the Extra 7606 that I was dispatching (I'll cover that in a separate blog entry) and the week was filled with rail car movements. And it was a lot of fun!
It's February 1st 1968 on the N.Y.C.T.L. and train KT-1 is making it's way towards Terminal Yard with a pair of GP30s
The 1/87th scale locals are track side to catch the action
The REA Express has a small facility at this station.
A trio of NYC double door boxcars roll past the switch tower.
A yellow cupola PRR caboose brings up the rear of KT-1. The yellow cupola signifies that this caboose can be run over any division
KT-1 has been broken down (probably not a good phrase to use when referring to the PC in later years) and an ALCO RS1 in NYC livery with PC road number 9909 hustles an Early Bird shipment to the NYC's Water Street Freight Terminal.
The 9909 backs the Early Bird car towards the freight terminal
Rolling past the Empire City Station REA facility the boxcar enters
the NYC Freight Terminal side of the street
On time a day earlier is the Early Bird slogan and it remains true for this shipment
The 9909 and caboose head back to Terminal Yard
Another single car movement has this 34' hopper car going to T&R Gravel to pick up a load of gravel . A PRR Baldwin S12 holds down a local assignment today.
With a unit train heading to T&R later in the day the dispatcher thought it prudent to get this single car loaded and out of the way before the unit trains arrival.
A covered hopper for Drywell Inks. A NYC Baldwin S12 holds down the North Side Yard Switcher assignment today.
A 40' boxcar for Reliable Machine Works
This 50' NYC boxcar will be loaded at American Hardware with a shipment for Peerless Appliance
The Baldwin S12 and tired caboose head back to Terminal Yard
Thanks for reading
Nice photo-documentation of the merger's first day on the N.Y.C.T.L.! Those three switchers representing both predecessor roads look great making their set-outs and its fun to get a closer look at some of the destinations like American Hardware and T&R Gravel in the virtual ops scheme so I can see where the cars are going. Here's to what I'm sure will be many prosperous years for the new Penn Central! What could go wrong?!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ralph! I'm sure the NYC and PC stockholders shared that optimism at merger time. I mean really, how bad could it be?
DeleteSo how do you do the virtual interchange? Do you physically mail the cars back and forth, or what?
ReplyDeleteHi John, we are both using cars with similar road names and numbers. The cars do not physically leave either residence. Here is a link to my Kings Port Division train box. http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/2016/01/train-movements.html
DeleteAlways enjoy reading your blog John. Lots of action generating great profits for the N.Y.C.T.L. I hear there's another virtual interchange on the horizon?
DeleteNeal
Thank you Neal! Yes another virtual interchange is on the horizon. A joint NYC Pacemaker Freight Service operation to be featured next.
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