P.C.C.M. 50A

Greetings All,

Today is the day!!! P.C.C.M. 50A is underway!

Follow along as Penn Central Trains LS-1 and LI-1 are dispatched from Terminal Yard to Perlman Yard at Selkirk NY while a string of opposing trains makes there way into Terminal Yard. 

We open up P.C.C.M. 50A with Empire Belt train EC-4 at Bedford NY waiting for clearance into Terminal Yard with a long string of loaded cars.

But first a couple of PC hotshots have priority starting with Train VN-4 due in to Terminal Yard at 7:00 PM. The GP30 - F7A- F7A GP30 lash up is pure Penn Central!

Next up is PC Train NY-4 due into Terminal Yard at 7:30 PM.

Today's NY-4 is powered by a GP38-GP38-2-GP38-2 lash up. The PC amassed an armada of almost 500 the these versatile EMD units

E.B.R.R. train EC-4 is now cleared to enter Terminal Yard and moves thru the switch onto track 2. 

EC-4 arrives at Terminal Yard with these three 50' RBLs loaded with bulk paper for Marcal Paper Products in Rock Ridge NJ.

P&E boxcar #3638 and PC #229036 are headed for the Catskill Mountain Press in Bloomberg NY, EL #73510 is headed for Boom's Ready Mix in Kings Port NY

PC boxcar #77047 is headed for Hedberg Aggregates in Marion NY, PC boxcar #104478 is going to ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield

A trio of gondolas loaded with pipe for the Hudson Valley Ag Coop via Williams Yard in Kings Port NY

A NYC Early Bird boxcar for Laroche Cycle in Kings Port and a PC depressed flat with a loaner excavator for Sal's Salvage in West Mill NY rounds out train EC-4's freight consist.

The Yard switcher gets to work sorting, segregating and blocking the inbound freight cars. 

The trains are ready to go and it's time to call out the road power!

PC Train LS-1(Terminal Yard to Elkhart Yard via Selkirk) will be first out at 0050 hrs behind GP40's 3180-3175-3007 with the 3180 and 3175 sporting the ultra rare orange C. Block 1 has cars for Sir Neal's A.P.R.R. layout that will be pulled off at Selkirk.

Block 2 has cars going all the way to Elkart and beyond for interchange with Brian's R.C.R. layout and John B's L.F.&N.W. layout.

LS-1 behind the trio of GP40s rumbles thru Bedford NY

 LS-1 block 2 heading west to Elkhart and beyond. 

LS-1 comes off the High Line

And is now on the Hudson Line. Next stop Selkirk!!!

Back at Terminal Yard Train LI-1 with cars for Ralph's K.P.D. layout has an FP7-F7B-GP38 lash up for this morning's power.

While LI-1 builds up it's air pressure Train TV-10A from Chicago arrives at Terminal Yard behind SD45 #6190 and an SD40. The SD45-SD40 combined 6,600 HP was a preferred PC power lash up.

T.O.F.C. trains were highly profitable for the PC. Formerly named SuperVans on the NYC and Truc-Train on the PRR, a PC employee contest resulted in the TrailVan name hence the TV prefix.

It's 4:00 AM and LI-1 rolls out of Terminal Yard on time.

The 'Facades' pop group is heading home from a nearby gig and making bets whether this loaner excavator will ever be returned from Sal's Salvage. Seems Sal's reputation is well known.

LI-1 running thru Bedford meets an empty coal hopper train heading back towards Terminal Yard behind a quartet of E.B.R.R. six axle power units. 

It's good to see these E.B.R.R. units back in Power Pool B! With coal traffic on the upswing the boys in the Blue Room also known as the Penn Central System Movement Bureau called the combined 12,000 HP of these E.B.R.R. engines back into mineral & ore service after they spent a month stored at North Side Yard.  

Caboose 18418 brings up the markers for LS-1. The three NYC boxcars are loaded with toys from the Ideal Toy Company in Jamaica NY and are heading to Battaglia Bros Warehouse in Kings Port NY. for local store distribution. Just in time for Christmas!

LI-1 goes up and over the High Line. Next stop Selkirk!

Put it in the books!!!! 

That wraps up my outbound portion of the Penn Central Car Movements #50. The other participating railroads will all be launching their outbound trains towards Selkirk today so make sure to check out Ralph's K.P.D., Sir Neal's A.P.R.R., Brian's R.C.R. and John B.'s L.F. & N.W. as the day progresses.

This just in. The A.P.R.R. is reporting a derailment on it's mainline between the PCs Weehawken Yard and the A.P.R.R.'s Rock Ridge Yard will have cars destined for Rock Ridge being held at Weehawken until the track opens back up.

On Saturday October 7th we should start posting the inbound portions of P.C.C.M.50 so stay tuned.

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. 50A Prelude #5

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the last day of the P.C.C.M. 50A preludes!! The big day is right around the corner and the layout, motive power and rolling stock have been put to the test. It's been a lot of fun so far but there are still train moves be done. So lets get started! 

We'll pick up the action at the Empire Belt's North Side Yard;


It's Friday morning and 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal gives the 'Thank God it's Friday' salutation to PC Ralph who's in the cab of the 2160. The guys have worked hard this week and will be glad when P.C.C.M. 50 is in the books. PC Ralph will be running train EC-2 to Terminal Yard and Sir Neal will run the Morning Industrial Job sitting on track 2.

EC-2 rolls out of North Side Yard passing Hohman Ave Tower Operator 1/87th scale Larry D.

EC-2 heads thru Bedford NY towards Terminal Yard with that string of 40' NH boxcars that are destined to become 50' Penn Central boxcars via a Holidaysburg Shop car lengthening program.

Meanwhile the Morning Industrial Job heads out of North Side Yard towards the east side with 1/87th scale Conductor John protecting the shove.

The M.I.J. crosses over to the industrial track.

First stop is Prestage Gear to pick up this 40' NYC boxcar loaded with gears for Laroche Cycle in Kings Port NY

Next stop Empire City Caterpillar to pick up this loaner excavator for Sal's Salvage in West Mill NY. Good luck getting this back! 

The M.I.J. is now at Gervais Pipe pulling these three gondolas loaded with pipe for the Hudson Valley Ag Co Op aka HVAC

50' Hoschton Railway RBL # 95311 and E.B.R.R. 50' boxcar are spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse. The Hoschton Railway Company was the freelance RR of our good friend Engineer Ed.

1/87th scale Larry D is back out to give Sir Neal and the M.I.J. a roll by inspection as the M.I.J. heads to the west side.

First move is pulling these three RBL's loaded with bulk paper for Marcal Paper Products in Rock Ridge NJ from Moore & Co. Thankfully these cars were spotted at Moore & Co during the 1st trick while we were all asleep!

P&E 3638 loaded at Drywell Inks couples up to PC 229036 that is loaded with bulk paper rolls from More & Co. Both are headed to the Catskill Mtn Press in Bloomberg NY. EL 73510 and PC 77047 have been loaded at Moore & Co with burlap bags for Hedberg Aggregates in Marion NY and Boom's Ready Mix in Kings Port NY. PC 104478 is loaded with muffler mesh for ACME Auto pats in Mayfield NY

The M.I.J. heads thru midtown on it's way back to North Side Yard.

Meanwhile over at Terminal Yard 1/87th scale AT JOE aka Alco Joe has requested this Alco unit for his Bedford Local and has been refused by the Road Foreman who states you already have three Alco Centuries. Looks like this might get heated!

Nothing too serious, just a slight difference of opinion as negotiations for the RS-2 continue.

A short time later in Terminal Yard 1/87th scale PC Ralph has coupled up to his train that will become EC-3. As the train builds air pressure he congratulates AT JOE on putting together the Bedford Local's four unit all Alco consist.

The local is back at T&R Gravel to pull 3 hoppers of ore for kings Port Steel and spot some empty PC ore cars.

The four Alco consist is looking good as it rolls thru Bedford NY.

The Local is making the long pull at these Bedford industries including BM#105 loaded at Berk Enterprises with printed packaging for Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port NY

1/87th scale Bedford Tower operator John B. is out for a roll by inspection as the Bedford Local heads towards the High Line and Empire City

The Alcos come thru the west side reverse curve and head towards Hohman Ave and tower operator 1/87th scale Larry D.

The Alco's hold on the industrial track while while Empire Belt Train EC-3 comes off the High Line into Empire City. 

Passing University Millwork the crew checks out the newly painted Chessie System rolling stock. The Chessie System, formed in 1972, was an eight year railroad just like the Penn Central but with a slightly different outcome. They were the same, but different.

1/87th scale AT JOE / Alco Joe brings the Bedford Local back into Terminal Yard

And for a second round showdown with the road foreman!

That's it for the preludes!!!! The P.C.C.M. 50A preseason is over. Be sure to check out Ralph's K.P.D. for his preludes.  Tomorrow it all counts as I launch my P.C.C.M. 50A in conjunction with the K.P.D., A.P.R.R., R.C.R. and L.F.&N.W.

Thanks for reading!!!