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!!!