Holiday Railfanning at RA Tower

Greetings All,

An end of the year fun Holiday tradition on the NYCTL is the motive power and rolling stock maintenance blitz where I dig deep under the layout and pull out our assorted trains (some that I've totally forgotten I owned😀) that are seldom used. It's an enjoyable time watching these trains make their Holiday guest appearances on the layout and keeping them in good running order.

Let's check out the freight action at RA Tower:

Have a great weekend!!!

Thanks for watching!!!

P.C.C.M. 68 / NYCTL Part 6/ The Conclusion

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the Inbound portions of our 

68th Penn Central Car Movement series!!!

Today we'll close out the NYCTL portion 
of this three layout virtual op featuring 
PC Ralph's Kings Port Division,

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR 

and my NYCTL.

The action starts in Empire City NY at the Empire Belt RRs North Side Yard with 1/87th scale PC Ralph getting ready to board the 6574 and work the Afternoon Industrial Job.

The 6574 has coupled up to P&LE 40' boxcar #358962 brought in earlier from Terminal Yard in Train EC-1 and the EBRR trainmen go over some last minute freight car decisions. 

After deciding not to turn the 6574 to deliver a single car the A.I.J. shoves the P&LE boxcar east. 

P&LE 40' boxcar #358962 loaded with cake mixes from Blue Ribbon Flour located in Kings Port NY is shoved into the east side industrial lead.

 P&LE 35892 is delivered to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.

While 1/87th scale PC Ralph works the east side industries senior engineer Sir Neal prepares North Side Yard for the arrival of the Long Island Railroad daily transfer train.

The cars for the LIRR brought in earlier on Train EC-1 are shoved back on track 3 for an easy pick up by the LIRR. 

A short time later the LIRR Transfer is caught running thru Bedford NY towards North Side Yard.

The LIRR heads thru Empire City with two empty hoppers, an empty NH boxcar and non player WP track cleaning boxcar.

The LIRR arrives at North Side Yard. The two empty hoppers are returning from NYS DOT Dist #10 in Hauppauge NY to be forwarded for their next PCCM load. The empty NH boxcar is returning from the Macy's Warehouse in Jamaica NY. 

The LIRR Transfer rolls down North Side Yard track #3. The engines will uncouple from the PRR hopper and then couple up to  PC boxcar #104478 loaded at Gern Industries in West Mill NY with cement flux for Lombo Concrete in Huntington NY.   . 

The LIRR engines have shoved the outbound freight cars east out of the yard and are heading west back to the Hohman Ave entrance to grab their caboose. 

 The LIRR engines shove back into North Side Yard.

LIRR caboose #C-91 gets coupled onto EBRR boxcar #360279 loaded at IBM in Binghamton NY with office equipment for Nassau County Community College. 

After a terminal air test the LIRR Transfer departs North Side Yard and gets a roll by inspection from the Hohman Ave towerman.

LV boxcar #8247 is partially loaded with baked goods from Freihofers Bakery for Pilgrim State Hospital. LV Reefer #7120 is loaded with pickles & mustard from Heintz & Weber in Buffalo NY for Bohack Supermarkets. Both are making their NYCTL virtual ops debut.

The LIRR rolls around the west side curve. 

Crossing the EC Viaduct a Gulf tank car from Kings Port Gulf with diesel fuel for the LIRR Morris Park Yard and PC and KP&W PS2 hoppers loaded with aggregate from Hedberg Aggregates in Marion NY for Suffolk Cement round out the freight consist. 

See the inbound and outbound LIRR Transfer train

The LIRR Transfer heads back to its home rails. 

That wraps up the NYCTL inbound portions of PCCM 68! Thanks to PC Ralph and Sir Neal for another fun virtual op! 

Be sure to follow the action on

 PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR

Thanks for reading & watching!!!
See ya soon!!!

P.C.C.M. 68 / NYCTL Part 5 / The Inbound Cycle Continues

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the Inbound portions of our 

68th Penn Central Car Movement series!!!

This weekend's P.C.C.M. is a three layout virtual op featuring PC Ralph's Kings Port Division,

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR 

and my NYCTL.

We pick up the action at the Empire Belt RRs North Side Yard with 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R reclaiming their caboose and preparing for departure.

Over at Bedford we find Train BT-27 / BP-12 at work with 1/87th scale Alco Joe and his Centuries coming at us in a runaround move.

The Alcos are now on the Bedford Secondary and ready to shove into the Bedford Park Yard lead. 

EC-1 meets BT-27 / BP-12 at Bedford Station

EC-1 6718 with caboose in tow arrives at Terminal Yard.

1/87th scale Robert R protects the shove into the engine terminal wye as the 6718 is turned for its next assignment.

1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R get their next assignment from the yard master as Alco Joe brings the BT-27 / BP-12 back into Terminal Yard.

The Centuries are run into the engine terminal as the PC 9999 in front of the shop couples up to empty GM&O 40' boxcar #21129 that delivered the 55 gal drums of lube oil from Kings Port Gulf.

It's now time to turn our attention over to Bedford Park Yard as we see the venerable Alco S4 warming up.

The S4 has coupled on to the freight cars left on the lead earlier and pulls them into the tight confines of Bedford Park Yard.

Two Evans Breadbox Trough Coil Steel Coaches loaded with steel coils from Kings Port Steel are spotted on the Ford steel track.

The BPY crew has done a runaround move and begins spotting three NYC 50' double door boxcars at All City Storage.

The NYC 50'ers loaded with appliances from Peerless Appliance in Mayfield NY require precision spotting for unloading.

The three NYC cars are spotted next to each other. 

The forklift operator and dock workers will unload all three cars by using steel plate bridges between the cars. 

We'll close it out here today with the All City Storage forklift operator and dock workers making fast time unloading all three cars by using the steel plate bridges between the cars. 

We'll pick it up tomorrow with the EBRR and LIRR working with the rest of the inbound NYCTL P.C.C.M. 68 freight cars.

Tomorrow's installment will wrap up the NYCTLs portion of P.C.C.M. 68. 

Be sure to follow the action on

 PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR

Thanks for reading & watching!!!
See ya tomorrow!!!

P.C.C.M. 68 / NYCTL Part 4 / The Inbound Cycle Begins

Greetings All,

Welcome to the Inbound portions of our 

68th Penn Central Car Movement series!!!

This weekend's P.C.C.M. will be a three layout virtual op featuring PC Ralph's Kings Port Division,

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR 

and my NYCTL.

The action opens up on the NYCTL with the daily freight train from Selkirk, Train VN-4, heading thru Empire City towards Terminal Yard.

Powered by three turbo charged ex NYC GP20s VN-4 heads onto the High Line.

VN-4 passes Bedford Tower

Train VN-4 arrives at Terminal Yard at approx 7:00 PM. 

The GP20s bring VN-4 thru the arrival track as we catch 1/87th scale Robert R working the engine terminal wye switch as he and Big Mike turn* the 6718 for today's yard job duties.

1/87th scale Kar Knocker has blue flagged the VN-4 as Big Mike pulls the caboose towards the caboose track and Robert R protects the crossing.

While VN-4s freight consist is inspected 1/87th scale Robert R and Big Mike set up the yard for today's outbound locals.

The car inspection completed 1/87th scale Big Mike pulls the VN-4 freight consist down track 8 for sorting. 

Conductor Robert R is on the ground as the 6718 shoves back on track #4 to build local train EC-1. The LV 8247 & 7120 are making their virtual ops debut on the NYCTL.

After building outbound local trains EC-1 and a combined BT-27 / BP-12 the 6718 shoves GM&O boxcar #211129 up track #9 towards the engine terminal.

GM&O 40' boxcar #21129 has been spotted at the engine shop and the cargo of 55 gallon drums of lube oil from the Kings Port Gulf facility is being unloaded.

1/87th scale Alco Joe and Conductor Murray have been called for the combined BT-27 / BP-12 and prepare to board their lead engine, Alco C425 #2417. 

The BT-27 / BP-12, three Century's strong rolls into Bedford NY. 

The train stops at the Hostess Plant where the two B&M RBLs, #109 & #110, are uncoupled from the train.

B&M #109 and #110 loaded with bagged flour from Blue Ribbon Flour in Kings Port NY are now spotted at the Hostess Plant.

About 30 minutes later Train EC-1, the daily transfer to the Empire Belt RR's North Side Yard leaves Terminal Yard.

Bedford Tower operator 1/87th scale John B has matters well in hand as EC-1 rolls past Bedford Station on the main while BT-27 / BP-12 is pulling empty steel cars from the Bedford Park Yard lead.

Train EC-1 arrives at North Side Yard and gets a roll by inspection from some of the NYCTL trainmen.

The 6718 has cut off from EC-1, the waybills have been turned over and the PC guys talk things over with the EBRR guys. The hot topic today is using the new U23C on the NYCTL. 

The 6718 rolls thru the west side reverse curve to be turned for the trip back to Terminal Yard.

The 6718 heads back towards Terminal Yard passing the Hohman Ave tower.

We'll cut it here for today with 1/87th scale Big Mike and Robert R reclaiming their caboose.   

We'll pick it up tomorrow with Train BT-27 /BP-12 finishing up it's local work and then turn over the freight car switching to the Bedford Park Yard crew.

Be sure to follow the action on

 PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and

 Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR

*Special thanks to 1:1 scale Robert R for forwarding me two video links showing CR U23Cs working as "Trimmers" in Selkirk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMm7ERO5LkU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khXkFCjOvS0

These videos showed the U23C working with the short hood facing away from the freight cars and I've adopted that for the 6718.

Thanks Robert R!!

Special thanks to 1:1 PC Ralph for the below definition!
"TRIMMER—Engine working in hump yard that goes down into yard and picks out misdirected cars and shoves them to clear."

Thanks for reading & watching!!!

See ya tomorrow!!!