P.C.C.M. 64 / NYCTL Part 4 / Dispatch of Train BT-27

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M. 64 Series!!!

Today we continue our inbound portions of this four layout virtual op with the NYCTL delivering freight cars from 
Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR, 
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division 
and Brian's Ralston Creek RR 
and finally get to the bottom of the
PC 360158 mystery.

1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R have been called for Train BT-27(The Bedford Turn). They have boarded the train, the air test is complete and they are ready to leave but the District Supt himself is out with the local police to put a halt to Train BT-27's departure.

What's all the hubbub bub? The Police are once again closely scrutinizing empty PC boxcar 360158. 1/87th scale Kar Knocker assures them the car is indeed empty and he's had Wet Willie on duty all night watching it. K.K. offers to have the car cut from the train, taken to the shop and taken apart.  

The yardmast steps in and gives the captain a lesson in PC  railroading as conductor Robert R looks on. "Listen captain the car was supposed to be delivered to the Battaglia Brothers in PCCM #61 but was delayed for several weeks until PCCM # 62 which annoyed the Battaglias. They came to complain about the delayed car and I told em whaddya complaining about, it's only one car. We've been losing whole trains!* That's why they were watching the car" Ya follow?

With the police inquiries over 1/87th scale Big Mike notches up the throttle on the PC GP7s and brings BT-27 out of track #6. The PC had an armada of GP7s and GP9s on their roster*  

BT-27 hits Bedford passing Berk Enterprises where they will pick up these two loaded PC boxcars loaded with printed packaging and labels for Van Winkle Canning in Bloomberg NY (KPD). 

The crew will also be pulling these three cars from Hostess to deliver a pair of cars that came in on train VN-4 yesterday. 

The cars from Hostess are shoved back to Berk coupled to the two PC boxcars and the five cars are pulled out. 

Being spotted at Hostess is an ACFX covered hopper of flour from  Cargill in Rock Ridge NJ(APRR) and a 40' boxcar of bulk sugar from Great Western Sugar in Denver CO(RCR).  

BT-27 trundles thru Bedford to Heileman Brewery where they will pull B&M 109 & 110 loaded with beer for Reynolds Beverage in Kings Port NY(KPD). 

The BM cars are pulled and two APRR boxcars, two EBRR boxcars and BAR boxcar #5226 are spotted for their next PCCM loads.

BT-27 is held at Bedford Tower for an inbound freight train heading for Terminal Yard on Main 2. 

Towerman 1/87th scale John B hands up orders to Big Mike as BT-27 passes Bedford Tower for Empire City and the reverse curve. 

BT-27 comes thru the Empire City reverse curve. 

BT-27 is back at Bedford at the Bedford Park lead where the BPY Switcher pulls off the caboose and GN boxcar #3630.

The caboose is coupled back onto the rear of BT-27 as an ex NYC E8A leads a mail train towards Terminal Yard. Getting the Bedford Park Yard crew more involved allows 1/87th scale John B. to continue his fine work in threading the Bedford Needle! 

Over in Bedford Park the crew delivers GN 3630 loaded with paint from Dupont in Denver CO(RCR) to American Hardware Supply. 

BT-27 heads thru Bedford for their final switching stop. 

The now infamous PC 360158 is spotted at University Mill Work for it's next PCCM load. 

1/87th scale Robert R hopes this is the last he sees of PC 360158! 

BT-27 heads back to Terminal Yard. The loaded B&M and PC cars will be dispatched in the next PCCM. We hope.... 

1/87th scale Big Mike brings BT-27 into Terminal Yard as Kar Knocker checks the inbound train for defects. 

The engines have been cut from the train and head into the engine terminal for servicing. 

1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R are ready to call it a day and go out for a well deserved beer (and maybe some mallomars) as Alco Joe is seen reporting for Train EC-1. 

That's it for today. We'll pick it up tomorrow with the dispatch of PC Train EC-3 from Terminal Yard and the EBRR Afternoon Industrial Job out of North Side Yard.

Be sure to follow the action on 

Sir Neal's  Atlantic Pacific RR, 

PC Ralph's Kings Port Division

 and Brian's Ralston Creek RR! 

*1. When the PRR and NYC merged the freight classification system went pfutt. Thousands of employees didn't know the new system; dispatchers from connecting railroads didn't know it; shippers didn't know it. Cars piled up at yards where they weren't expected or wanted. Cars got separated from waybills giving them routes and destinations. Yard Sup'ts sent out whole trains of no waybill cars just to get rid of them. Full freight trains sat idle on mainline tracks delaying shipments, creating locomotive shortages and delaying more shipments. In one case a coal train of more than 100 cars was said to have been lost for ten days outside of Syracuse. From the "Wreck of the Penn Central" pages 117-118.

*2. The Penn Central rostered 322 GP7s (5600-5959) and 501 GP9s (7000-7559). From the "Penn Central Bi-Annual"

Thanks for reading!!!
See ya tomorrow!!!