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Monday, August 14, 2017

P.C.C.M. 37D / Dispatch of PC Train BP-12

Greetings All,

Today we'll focus on getting Train BP-12, the second half of the Bedford Park Turn, out of Terminal Yard with it's freight cars and pinch hitting power.

Complicating matters is that the Terminal Yard train master  is under orders to use any engines for Bedford Park except EMDs because BP Yard serves the Bedford Park Ford Plant. And of course at this time Terminal Yard is loaded with EMDs. Let's see how all this plays out...

Last installment we left off with PC Train BP-41 being led into Terminal Yard with a trio of helper engines due to BP-41's malfunctioning ALCO RS2. This left 1/87th scale PC Ralph and the Terminal Yard train master scrambling to come up with non EMD power units for BP-12s departure scheduled for one hour from now.
"Bring em right back!" The TY train master has come up with a trio of GE baby U Boats led by PC U30B 2875. Below he is telling 1/87th scale PC Ralph to work the Ford Plant and then bring the engines right back as they are the power for PC Train BF-1 due out later in the day.
1/87th scale PC Ralph is no doubt smiling at his good fortune getting this trio of relatively new high power units for BP-12 instead of the smoky old ALCO he started the day with.
The engines are cut off at Bedford Station for a run around move. A Heileman Brewery dock worker checks out the action surprised at the three unit GE lash up working this time of the day. "Is that you Ralph"? he asks knowing that BP-12 and 1/87th scale PC Ralph are usually right in this spot at this time of the day.
The baby U Boats are ready to shove the train towards the Ford Plant and Bedford Park Yard. The three auto parts boxcars below are from ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY and came out of West Mill on Train WV-2.
Shoving past Bedford Tower
With the trio of auto boxcars spotted and the empty auto racks in place it's time for BP-12 to return caboose light to Terminal Yard.
Now running as Extra 2857 train heads thru Bedford NY towards Terminal Yard.
Good to his word 1/87th scale PC Ralph has brought the GE's back to Terminal Yard and coupled the engines up to the head end of Train BF-1(Empire City - East St Louis).
As a yard hostler works with BF-1 the Terminal Yard personnel transport vehicle has arrived to pick up 1/87th scale PC Ralph, his crew and the TY train master.
Now at the Terminal Yard shop we see that the ex NH RS-2 is in the shop and hostler 1/87th scale AT JOE has pulled an old favorite from the shop, ALCO C424 #2415, that has served Bedford Park Yard extremely well in the past. 
The C424 boasts 900 more hp than the RS-2 and is about 10 years younger. In the tight environs of Bedford Park a single engine with 2,400 hp should be the standard. 

A short time later 1/87th scale PC Ralph is at the controls of PC C424 #2415 and running long hood forward thru Bedford NY 
Caboose #21505 proclaiming the NYC as the "Road to the Future" follows along as they pass the Coal Job holding on track#3. 
Thanks for reading!
Tomorrow we'll follow up with the arrival of PC Train VN-4 from Selkirk.

6 comments:

  1. Employing U Boats led by PC U30B 2875 was a great solution to the loco dilemma of avoiding EMD power at Bedford Park! Great pics of the action as always and I especially liked the open door loaded boxcars at Heileman Brewery. Nice appearance by ALCO C424 #2415!

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    1. Thanks Ralph! A little wrinkle for the 1/87th scale guys to overcome and they did so with flying colors!

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  2. As usual, another great movement on the N.Y.C.T.L. It looks like the Ford management have some clout on what road power serves their facility. Hopefully they pay for it in the long run. Nice to see the big boats out and about.

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    1. Thanks 1:1 Sir Neal!!! Ford certainly does have some clout. But we gotta keep the shippers happy!

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  3. 1:87 PC Ralph handled the Bedford Park run with flying colors! I agree with 1:1 scale Ralph, your freight loads look really sharp in the Hi-Cube cars. I had some concerns about 1:87 ATJOE doing the right thing when the chips were down. But he came through with the C424 for PC Ralph. Nicely done customer service twist and motive power failure substitutions!

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    1. Thanks Brian, I like to add a real life twist with some humor to the 1/87th scale world from time to time. No need to worry about 1:87 ATJOE. He's a go to guy at Terminal Yard right now! Word has it 1:87 PC Ralph thanked him with a bottle of Cavendish Single Malt.

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