P.C.C.M. 50A Prelude #2

Greetings All,

Great news from the virtual ops world! Fellow virtual opsaholic Ralph V., also know as 1:1 PC Ralph has started posting his pre P.C.C.M. 50 moves on his blog. Ralph has also coined the phrase virtual ops enthusiast as a kinder more gentle way to describe this affliction. However you want to say it we're having a good time showcasing the Penn Central, our trains and our layouts. Thanks for taking the time to check out our blogs!

We pick up P.C.C.M. 50A prelude #2 today with Empire Belt RR Train EC-2 at Bedford Tower with tower man 1/87th scale John B. giving 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal clearance to move on. 

The movement forward is short lived as train EC-2 is still in Bedford having only advanced to the next signal. 1/87th scale Sir Neal is out on the porch giving a Mail & Express Train behind three GP30s a roll by inspection. The NYC contributed 10 GP30s and the PRR 52 to the Penn Central locomotive stable.

Baggage cars from the PC, NYC, PRR and NH filled with bulk mail head towards Empire City Station. 

A couple of express cars converted from troop sleepers and a rider coach bring up the rear of the M&E train. 

Looks like Empire Belt Train EC-2 will be cooling it heels for awhile. Next out of Terminal Yard is Penn Central Train ML9-A behind two units sporting the red P. The ML is for multi level cars. The PC moved about 20% of the nations automobiles on it's rails.   

Whoever the road foreman is he's all class lining up ML9-A with a GE-EMD lash up with both sporting the red P! The red P was applied to various PC engines in early 1968 and was discontinued shortly thereafter in favor of the all white PC.

The open side cars were the norm for this era and the Penn Central's ML-12 would pull a long train of about 1,500 new automobiles originating in the then auto manufacturing capital of the world, Detroit. Vandalism and theft would lead the auto racks to become fully enclosed as the years went on.

Following ML9-A is Extra 2875 with a string of empty 86' Auto Parts boxcars. The SP was one the first to roster this type of car and they can be found on some of the Green Frog Penn Central videos. Here's an SP car after 20 years of service.

The Auto Parts boxcars are a hot shot train as they are key to the assembly line inventory for construction of our nations automobiles. The train rates three engines, two GE B Boats and an EMD GP 35. Here's the train passing EC-2 at Bedford as they make their way to Selkirk.

With some track space now open in Terminal Yard E.B.R.R. Train EC-2 has been given clearance into the yard. Behind the engines are a trio of empty Penn Central covered hoppers going to the Rock Ridge NJ Cargill facility.

Also included in EC-2 are an empty Tropicana RBL for the Tropicana Plant at Rock Ridge NJ, an empty BM RBL for local industry Berk Enterprises and an empty BRMX reefer for the Denver stockyards

An empty BAR 57' reefer for California Pears, empty 40' ATSF ice reefer and 57' UPFE Mech Reefer for the Denver Fruit exchange.

GN 40' boxcar loaded with shipping pallets for the Woollett Shoe Company in Woolett on the LF&NW.  The three empty coal hoppers will head over to T&R Gravel.

P&LE 35892 is loaded with liquor from Star Beverage in L.I.C. NY and consigned to Reynolds Beverage in Kings Port NY. The empty Morton Salt hopper is coming from Ronzoni in L.I.C. NY and heading back to the Morton Salt plant at Rock Ridge NJ

Three NYC 50' double door boxcars were loaded up with toys from the Ideal Toy Company in Jamaica NY and are heading towards the Battaglia Brothers Warehouse in Kings Port NY.

Later in the day the Terminal Yard A switcher has sorted out the freight cars from EC-2 which is where we'll cut the action for today.

We'll pick it up again tomorrow with more action from the PC.

Thanks for reading!!!