Working With Wood Loads Part 2

 Greetings All, 

Working With Wood Loads Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the working with wood loads projects. I've pretty much completed my goal of lumber loads and crated machinery. A tedious process but I think the results were worth it. Lets take a look at some of the completed projects.

A before look at the high & wide crate sitting on this C&NW depressed center flatcar.

The crate has been weathered with wood bracing added. Note the 1/64" strip wood extending below the deck to keep the load in place. This makes it easily removable for other H&W loads while bracing conveys a means to keep the load secure.

Crated diesel engines as built.

Now weathered and layout ready.

The ACL flatcar with crated diesel engines gets spotted at Empire City Caterpillar.

A pair of large as built crates ride on the APRR bulkhead flatcar.

The crates and bracing have been weathered and the load is now layout ready.

The Rock Island 60' bulkhead flatcar gets loaded at reliable Machine Company with crated machinery.

The Rock Island 60' bulkhead flatcar with crated machinery is moved to North Side Yard for movement to its consignee. Note the 1/64th" wood extending just below the cars deck to hold the load in place. The stake pockets on this car and several others are not open and drilling thru them was a no go based on car construction.

The crates and bracing have picked up some road grime during the trip from North Side Yard to Terminal Yard.

On another day the Rock Island 60' bulkhead flatcar arrives in Terminal Yard loaded with lumber.

The ROCK 60'er joins several other bulkhead flats loaded with new lumber loads like this APRR 60'er to serve online industry Neal's Lumber & Hardware.

A 67' MDW bulkhead flatcar arrives in Terminal Yard with a new load of Boise Cascade lumber.

Last but not least are three 50' pulpwood bulkhead flatcars now loaded with timber. Still needs some weathering and maybe some painted ends.

Got wood? A wood products train rolls towards Terminal Yard.

Final Thoughts and Comments

Many of the large lumber loads had to be built car specific so I could add the strip wood that extends below the flatcar decks to sit snugly and keep the loads from shifting. This was the solution that worked for me with the cars that didn't have open stake pockets and were unable to be drilled open.

The loads still need weathering and once I settle on how I want them to look using prototype photos I'll take care of that.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #103 Part 6 / Conclusion of Virtual Operations!!!

 Greetings All,

 Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #103!!!

Our first PCCM of 2024 concludes today with PCCM freight cars from Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR being moved to their intended destinations.

The action starts today at the Empire Belt RRs North Side Yard.

PC Train EC-1 from Terminal Yard delivers PCCM traffic from the KPD and APRR to the Empire Belt RR.

It's none other than Alco Joe and conductor Murray running the pool power consist!! With a four Alco set at Terminal Yard the EBRR trainmen ask why he's running EMDs. The answer, are you kidding, I'm a rock star out here with these engines. You'll see me waving to the cameras for the many rail fans photographing the train.

Alco Joe and conductor Murray head back to Terminal Yard.

The EBRR trainmen get to work building the Belt Job that will service the Empire City industries.

PC boxcar 142772 and four APRR gondolas will be held in North Side Yard until called for due to their intended industries receiving PCCM freight cars that exceeds their siding capacities. 

Empty PC flatcar 766053 and empty NYC Early Bird boxcar get moved into the Belt Job consist to fulfill PCCM empty car requests. 

Two APRR flatcars are placed on the the head end of the Belt Job to be used as a handle at Superior Furniture.*

Well look at that! PC Ralph is working the yard in the SDP40s and Senior Engineer Sir Neal will be running the Belt Job in the U23Cs.

The Belt Job is on the move.

The first move is to shove into the Gervais Pipe and Ralph's Grocery siding. The Belt Job couples up to three non PCCM NYC gondolas loaded with pipe. 

With the siding clear two reefers and one boxcar loaded with PCCM freight get spotted at Ralph's Grocery Warehouse. PC 360063 is loaded with packaged meals from Cavendish Foods & Spirits. BAR 7574 is loaded with baked goods from Freihofers Bakery. BAR 11128 is loaded with frozen foods from C& P Restaurant Supply.

Three Evans coil coaches loaded with steel coils from Kings Port Steel are placed at Gervais Pipe & Fitting.

The Belt Job begins working the mid town industries.

Am empty HRC RBL gets spotted at Empire Produce for its next PCCM load as 1:87 Emery captures the moves.

Empty PC depressed flatcar 766053 gets placed at Empire City Caterpillar for its next PCCM load.

An empty NYC Early Bird boxcar fulfills a PCCM empty car request at Prestage Gear.

The Belt Job heads to the Hohman Ave Industrial Park.

PC boxcar 360158 loaded with console TVs from Zenith gets placed at Superior Furniture with the assistance of two APRR gondolas.

The Belt Job is back together and preparing to head back to North Side Yard.

The Belt Job is on the move.

Sir Neal and the Belt Job are back at North Side Yard and he thanks PC Ralph for the two gondolas he placed on the head end of the train. The yard however is reaching capacity and an LIRR Extra has been requested to relieve some of the congestion.

A short time later LIRR Extra 1556 arrives in North Side yard caboose lite.

LIRR caboose 12 is coupled onto the tail end of a non PCCM block of cars heading to Fresh Pond Yard to clear out the yard.

LIRR Extra 468 prepares to depart North Side Yard.

LIRR Extra 468 departs North Side Yard.

Not long after Penn Central Train EC-3 is ready to depart Terminal Yard with PCCM traffic for the LIRR to be interchanged at North Side Yard.

Train EC-3 rolls out of Terminal Yard.

The EC-3 arrives in North Side Yard.

The 1:87 world is back on its axis as it's none other than Alco Joe running the four Alco set. Just as it should be.

Alco Joe and conductor Murray head back to Terminal Yard. I don't know about you but that is one good looking consist! 

As the day winds down LIRR Train MA-3 has been cleared onto the Bedford Main.

LIRR Train MA-3 rolls thru Bedford to North Side Yard.

LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco checks in with the EBRR trainmen. The guys all agree this has been another fine virtual op and are happy it is coming to a close.

LIRR Train MA-4 departs North Side Yard.

The MA-4 heads thru Bedford back to Fresh Pond Yard.

Put it in the books!!!

Be sure to catch all the action on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR. 

* For seven years I've used the EBRR U23Cs and SDP40s to power the Belt Job but it wasn't until an op session just before the PCCM ops that I found out neither locomotive fit into the Superior Furniture siding. 

Did I not work the Superior Siding in all that time with these engines? Or did the Belt Job consist have several cars between the big engines and the first car going into the siding? I don't know the answer here.

What I know is the six axle power is just a bit too long to get into the siding while coming off the curve causing it to strike one of the pillars. Solution; four axle power that I know fits or the use of a "handle" like the APRR gondolas. 

 

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #103 Part 5 /The Penn Central Delivers

 Greetings All,

 Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movements #103!!!

Our first PCCM of 2024 continues today with PCCM freight cars from Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR being moved to their intended destinations.

The action starts today with Alco Joe once again called for the Bedford Turn being powered by two ex NYC Alcos. Atta boy Wet Willie!!

The BT-27 departs Terminal Yard.

The BT-27 begins its work at The Hostess Plant pulling out a block of non PCCM cars.

The Turn is now working the Schaefer Brewery pulling an empty non PCCM BCOL boxcar that delivered brewery supplies. 

Shoved into the Brewery siding are two empty EBRR boxcars to be loaded with their next PCCM loads of beer along with two empty non PCCM Hi Cubes to be loaded with Schaefer Tall Necks hence the Hi Cubes.😉

With the switch work done Alco Joe cools his heels waiting for clearance to enter the main and make his runaround move. 

The BT-27 power holds on the secondary for Extra 6190 from Terminal Yard heading to Selkirk.

After making his runaround move word from the 1:87 scale rail fan grapevine has Alco Joe out on the walkway to catch Train TY-4 from Selkirk that is coming down the mainline to Terminal Yard with PCCM traffic from the KPD and APRR. 

Train TY-4 bombs thru Bedford.

The four Alco Century's lead train TY-4 into Terminal Yard.

The TY-4 Alcos are placed in the engine terminal giving us a rogues gallery of PC Power from three builders all painted by the Patti-O Paint Shop.

The Bedford Turn heads back to Terminal Yard.

A short time later Alco Joe brings Train BT-28 into Terminal Yard.

Kar Knocker and Big Mike get ready to get the trains inspected and broken down for their next movements.

The Rogues Gallery continues to grow!!!

Big Mike pulls the cabooses from TY-4 and BT-28.

With the yard job working at left Train MR-1 prepares to depart.

Train MR-1 is on the move.

Train MR-1 eases past EB Tower to access the T&R siding.

Four empty APRR ballast hoppers and two non PCCM PC flatcars are shoved into T&R Gravel.

Two non PCCM cars of heavy equipment are spotted for unloading. Empty EL boxcar 73510 is re-spotted for its next PCCM load. 

The four empty APRR ballast hoppers are placed for their next PCCM loads.

The MR-1 drops its caboose on track 2 as it works Hudson Coal.

Six empty coal hoppers from Kings Port Steel are spotted for their next PCCM loads.

The Mine Run prepares to depart Hudson Coal but the dispatcher has other ideas. "Hold for two!

Train #1.

Train #2.

Another Patti-O Paint Shop graduate joins the usual suspects!

We'll close it here for today with the Mine Run finally getting clearance and making a shove move back to Terminal Yard. 

We'll pick it up tomorrow in Empire City with the Empire Belt gang moving the PCCM freight cars to their intended consignees.

Be sure to catch all the action on PC Ralph's Kings Port Division and Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR. 

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you tomorrow!!!