Welcome to my Blog. The scope of this blog is to record the trials and tribulations of building and maintaining an HO scale layout, the trains and all of the ancillary projects that go with it. In 2017 New York Central subsidiary short line Empire Belt Railroad came into existence. The New York Central / Penn Central and Empire Belt are now the major railroads featured.
Empire Belt GP30s
The EBRR GP30s round a curve on the Empire City Belt Line.
It's all Penn Central today as we focus on Terminal Yard and the dispatching of the NYCTL's outbound trains.
1/87th scale Alco Joe and Big Mike are holding down the yard jobs today. Alco Joe will be working the departure yard job with the trio of EMDs while Big Mike works some of the yard limits industries.
The departure yard job gets busy sorting and blocking tonight's outbound trains.
Four covered hoppers for the big Cargill Facility are shoved into the outbound cars for Rock Ridge Yard on the APRR.
TLDX #7241 is shoved into the outbound cars for West Mill on the KPD. The PC covered hopper and two 57' reefers on track #7 will be going to Denver on the RCR.
1/87th scale Big Mike is working the siding at Bruce Electrical Equipmentin Lehigh Valley SW-9 #292. Parent road Penn Central has sent this 'pup' to Terminal Yard to keep Big Mike happy. 1/87th scale Kar Knocker has been called over to see about removing the beehive spark arrestors that Big Mike fans know he hates.
1/87th scale Big Mike shoves the three PC RBL's loaded with electrical components from Bruce Electric Equipment for IDEAL Auto Parts in Rock Ridge NJ towards the departure yard for pick up by Alco Joe.
1/87th scale Alco Joe continues building the outbound trains in the departure yard. The Tropicana boxcar is heading back to Tropicana in Rock Ridge NJ on the APRR.
Meanwhile over at the Terminal Yard shop the shop switcher, GE 44 tonner #9999 is shoving a pair of PC gons loaded with scrap for Kings Port Steel and a PC depressed center flatcar with a rebuilt EMD Prime Mover for the Kings Port & Western RR to the yard.
1/87th scale Alco Joe has picked up the shop cars and is now working the TOFC track picking up three TOFC cars for Williams Yard on the KPD.
The departure yard is filling up quickly with cars for the RCR, APRR and KPD
The yard job is now working Terminal Warehouse & Cold Storage pulling five reefers for C&P Restaurant Supply on the APRR and the Empire Belt boxcar loaded with merchandise for Montgomery-Ward in Denver CO on the RCR.
The yard job shoves the cars for Rock Ridge Yard back on track #8 to await a caboose and motive power.
The outbound trains are ready and it's time to grab the cabooses.
The yard job tacks a NYC bay window caboose onto train LI-1 with cars for West Mill after tacking the PC wide vision caboose onto train NV-3 with cars for Rock Ridge.
The power is called and coupled on. A pair of GP35s sandwiching a pair of GP7s will power train NV-3 for Selkirk and the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard.
A pair of GE four axle B Boats with a pair of GP7s are the power for Train LI-1 for Selkirk and the KPD's West Mill Yard.
GP-20 #2103 is assigned to Extra 2103 going to Selkirk with cars for RCR's Elkhart Yard.
Extra 2103 gets the call at 0130 hrs to follow Train LS-1
to Selkirk and Elkhart.
Train NV-3 for Selkirk and Rock Ridge is next out at 0200 hrs.
Train LI-1 leaves for Selkirk and West Mill at 04:00 hrs.
P.C.C.M. 61 outbound compilation set to Chattanooga Choo-Choo
by Glen Miller
That finishes up the NYCTL's outbound portion of PCCM 61. Be sure to check out more PCCM 61 action on
Today we'll turn our attention to the Empire Belt RR as they work the industries of Empire City. The EBRR has returned to it's more traditional four axle power with 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal utilizing the GP9ms and PC Ralph the GP30s.
1/87th scale Sir Neal is first out of North Side Yard with the Morning Industrial Job to work the east side industries. Here he is shoving the MIJ train east on the industrial track.
First stop is Empire City Cargill to pull this group of covered hoppers. The green PC hoppers are empty and heading back to the larger Rock Ridge Cargill Facility on the APRR for reloading.
PC #886759 is loaded with barley for Tivoli Brewing in Denver on the RCR. The Cargill car, TLDX #7241, is loaded with wheat flour for Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port on the KPD. The MIJ is now working Gervais Pipe coupling up to two empty breadbox trough coil cars for return to Kings Port Steel.
The MIJ has shoved back to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse to pick up these three 50' RBLs. The Tropicana products RBL and white AP RBL will head out to the APRR in a future PCCM. B&M 105 will head to another NYCTL industry in a future PCCM.
Now spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse are APRR #60382 loaded with paper products from Marcal in Rock Ridge NJ on the APRR, IC #30130 and PC #77047 loaded with soda from Woodstock Hills Soda in Bloomberg NY on the KPD.
The east side work complete 1/87th scale senior engineer Sir Neal brings the MIJ back towards North Side Yard.
With 1/87th scale Sir Neal and the MIJ back in the yard to take care of other railroad matters 1/87th scale PC Ralph shoves the Afternoon Industrial Job east out of North Side Yard.
The AIJ is now on the industrial track at Hohman Ave and 1/87th scale PC Ralph starts his shove move towards the midtown industries.
The first stop is Neal's Lumber & Hardware where we catch 1/87th scale Sir Neal attending to other railroad matters 'helping' drop the non PCCM loaded Ralph Island boxcar at his lumberyard.
Next stop is Red Wing Milling to pull NYC covered hopper #892010 loaded with wheat flour for Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port NY on the KPD.
Now at Empire Produce the AIJ pulls TPFX #5510 and EL #5034 loaded with fresh produce. TPFX #5510 is going to Van Winkle Canning in Bloomberg NY on the KPD and EL #5034 is heading to C&P Restaurant Supply in Rock Ridge NJ on the APRR. With the loads pulled HRC #913001 is spotted at Empire Produce for it's next PCCM load.
1/87th scale PC Ralph brings the AIJ around the west side curve to switch out some west side industries.
First stop is Neubaum's Coffee & Tea Importers to pull BAR #5226 loaded with tea for Cavendish Fine Foods in Mayfield NY on the KPD.
Next move is pulling GM&O #21129 from Walsh Steel Wool Products loaded with retail steel wool products for Battaglia Brothers Warehouse in Kings Port NY.
The outbound cars now out of the way the AIJ shoves back towards Drywell Inks.
Being spotted at Drywell Inks for it's next PCCM load is Rock Island 50' boxcar #35062.
The work done on the west side the AIJ heads back east towards North Side Yard.
The AIJ returns to North Side Yard.
1/87th scale Sir Neal has coupled the AIJ cars into the MIJ train and gets ready to head out to Terminal Yard with train EB-4.
EB-4 makes it's way thru the west side.
EB-4 rolls thru Bedford as it makes its way to Terminal Yard.
EB-4 arrives at Terminal Yard.
EB-4 runs past the large Terminal Warehouse and Cold Storage.
1/87th scale Sir Neal has cut the engines from EB-4 and heads into the engine terminal for fuel and sand.
That concludes the EBRR's portion of PCCM 61. Tomorrow we'll turn it over to the Penn Central and pick it up at Terminal Yard with 1/87th scale Alco Joe and Big Mike working the Yard Jobs and the dispatching of our outbound train(s).
Don't forget to catch the other virtuals ops action on.
We'll open up the NYCTL action at Bedford Park with the Bedford Park Yard Switcher at American Hardware coupling up to P&LE #35892 loaded with bulk hardware for Peerless Appliance in Mayfield NY on the KPD.
The BPY Switcher has shoved back to the Ford steel track to pick up these two empty breadbox trough coil cars for return to Kings Port Steel.
Next move is to pull the Celanese Chemicals car from the Ford tank car unloading track. This car is heading back to Celanese Chemicals in Denver CO on the RCR.
The BPY switcher has the outbound cars in position as it awaits the arrival of train BP-41 coming from Terminal Yard.
With only a handful of cars for Bedford and Bedford Park industries a combined BP-41 / BT-27 is pulling out of Terminal Yard behind a pair of GE B boats.
The BP-41 / BT-27 rolls thru Bedford NY towards the Hostess Plant where that empty Hostess/ Wonder Bread covered hopper, ACFX #56670, needs to be pulled.
ACFX #56670 has been pulled from Hostess for reloading at the large Cargill facility in Rock Ridge NJ on the APRR.
The BP-41 / BT-27 engines have run around their train and are now shoving into the Bedford Park lead under the watchful eyes of Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B.
Empty PC / TOC, KP&W and NYC 60' boxcars are pulled from the Ford Plant. The three cars will be heading back to ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY on the KPD.
The work done at Ford the BPY Switcher now tacks the four cars pulled earlier onto the BP-41 / BP-27 auto parts cars for return to Terminal Yard.
1/87th scale John B gives the BP-41 / BT-27 a roll by inspection as the train heads back to Terminal Yard.
Eight cars for three virtual ops layouts are in today's consist heading back to Terminal Yard.
BP41 / BT-27 returns to Terminal Yard.
The next train called out is the Coal Job behind two FM H16-44s. The Yard Job can be seen getting the BP-41 / BT-27 cars and others ready for placement in later outbound virtual ops freight trains.
The Coal Job's first assignment is to pull these three PS-2 covered hoppers from T&R Gravel. All three are loaded with locomotive sand. The two PC cars are consigned to the APRR Engine Terminal and KPW #44052 is headed to the Kings Port & Western RR.
The Coal Job is now in it's more traditional role of working the Hudson Coal Mine. Here it is pulling out loaded coal hoppers.
The long string of loads being pulled out of Hudson Coal includes six loaded hoppers for R.M.O. Electric in Rock Ridge NJ.
The loads sit on Main 3 while the FM units shove the empties back towards Hudson Coal.
The empties have been placed and the Coal Job prepares to return to Terminal Yard.
The Coal Job is back at Terminal Yard and rolls over the weigh in motion scale.
We'll cut it here for today with the Yard Job working to get the various virtual ops freight cars sorted for their outbound trains. Cars for the KPD are on track #2. Cars for the APRR are on track #4. Cars for the RCR are on track #7.
We'll follow up the action tomorrow with the Empire Belt RR working several Empire City industries.
Don't forget to catch the other virtuals ops action.
