Penn Central Car Movements #106 Part 3 / Conclusion of Operations

 Greetings All,

Welcome Back to Penn Central Car Movements #106!!!

PCCM 106 a one weekend three layout virtual op with my layout interchanging freight traffic with Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division concludes today with the arrival of a steel products train from Kings Port Steel and the interchange of this train with the Long Island RR. 

The action starts today in Empire City with the EBRR trainmen watching Extra 4348 from Selkirk come thru town on its way to Terminal Yard.

Extra 4348 East from Selkirk heads to Terminal Yard.

Extra 4348 rolls into Terminal Yard.

FP7s 4348 and 4369 join their brethren in the engine terminal.

The Extra 4348 freight consist has been inspected and the engines are coupled on for movement to North Side yard as Train EC-1 but the guy's attention is drawn to the right.

Here's what has drawn their attention!

Back to the PCCM action PC Train EC-1 is on the move thru Bedford.

Train EC-1 arrives in North Side Yard.

Let's enjoy a close up of this good looking steel products train from Kings Port Steel as it arrives in North Side Yard.

Alco Joe and Conductor Murray check in with the EBRR guys.

Alco Joe and conductor Murray head back to Terminal Yard caboose lite as Train EC-2.

A little while later Long Island RR Train MA-3 from Fresh Pond Yard to North Side Yard rolls into Bedford, NY.

LIRR Train MA-3 heads to Empire City via the Bedford Secondary

Train MA-3 arrives in North Side Yard.

LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco checks in with the Empire Belt gang from the cab of his Alco C420 as he moves to couple up to the Kings Port Steel products train.

LIRR Train MA-4 is ready to depart North Side Yard with a long train of Kings Port Steel!!

LIRR Train MA-4 departs North Side Yard.

The MA-4 rolls thru Bedford.

Train MA-4 heads to Fresh Pond Yard.

Put it in the books!!!

This concludes the PCCM 106 operations on the NYCTL. Be sure to catch all the action on Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #106 Part 2 / TrailVan Trains

  Greetings All,

Welcome Back to Penn Central Car Movements #106!!!

PCCM 106 a one weekend three layout virtual op with my layout interchanging freight traffic with Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division continues today at the Kings Port & Western RR's Williams Yard where "The Steel Job" will be busy working Kings Port Steel delivering raw materials and picking up finished products for shipment. 

Meanwhile the first Penn Central PCCM TrailVan trains running between Terminal Yard and Rock Ridge Yard via Selkirk will make their inaugural runs.

We pick up the action at the Terminal Yard T.O.F.C ramp where Big Mike is putting together Train TV-107.

The head end of TV-107 is coupled onto the hind end.

TV-107 is brought to the departure track to await power.

Over at Bedford Tower empty coal hopper train Extra 6309 heading to Terminal Yard gets orders to "hold for two" on the Bedford Secondary Track.

Extra 6309 takes to the Bedford Secondary and TV-107 departs Terminal Yard.

Extra 6309 holds for two!

Penn Central Train TV-112 rolls into the T.O.F.C. ramp.

The TV-112 power arrives in the engine terminal.

Later that day Extra 6309 arrives at Terminal Yard.

Meanwhile Big Mike is hard at work on the T.O.F.C. ramp with the TV-112 consist and building Train TV-109.

Train TV-109's T.O.F.C. cars are placed on the departure track.

The power is coupled on and the crew is onboard doing their standing air test. Railfans will get a special treat today with APRR GP38 #358 leading the four unit power consist.

Over in Empire City PC 2232 leads TV-108 from Selkirk as it passes a slow moving freight as it heads towards Terminal Yard.

TV-108 passes Bedford Tower.

TV-109 is ready to go.

TV-109 departs Terminal Yard.

We're going to have a meet in Bedford!

Next stop Terminal Yard!!

Next stop Selkirk!!

That concludes the TrailVan action for today. We'll pick up tomorrow with a large steel products train from Kings Port Steel making its way to Terminal Yard and an interchange with the Long Island RR.

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

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you tomorrow!!!

Penn Central Car Movements #106 Part 1

 Greetings All,

Welcome to Penn Central Car Movements #106!!!

PCCM 106 will be a one weekend three layout virtual op with my layout interchanging freight traffic with Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division.

This weekend we are focusing on "Feeding the Furnace" at Kings Port Steel with scrap metal and the shipping of steel products from KP Steel to both the APRR's Rock Ridge Yard and my Terminal Yard. So let's get started!

PCCM 106 opens up at Bedford Tower with Train TY-4 from Selkirk getting orders on its way to Terminal Yard

TY-4 heads down the Bedford Secondary.

TY-4 rolls into Terminal Yard.

The TY-4 power ties down in the engine terminal which has some color today.

Back in the yard Big Mike and Kar Knocker talk things over prior to getting the TY-4 freight consist inspected. Penn Central SD9 #6908 will be the yard power this weekend.

After the train has been released Big Mike shoves a string of eight empty PCCM gondolas into track#4. They will be going to the Long Island RR for loading via the EBRRs North Side Yard .

A little while later Alco Joe reports for Train EC-1 that will take the PCCM traffic going to the LIRR to North Side Yard. Engine hostler Wet Willie remains in the good graces of Alco Joe as he supplies a pair of Alco RS32s for today's EC-1.

Train EC-1 is on the move!

Alco Joe and conductor Murray check in with the EBRR train men.

The PC guys head back to Terminal Yard caboose lite as Train EC-2.

With Train EC-2 gone it's time to get North Side Yard in order for the pending arrival of Long Island RR Train MA-3. PC Ralph will do the honors in the EBRR U23Cs.

PC Ralph has shoved the freight traffic for the LIRR to the other end of the yard for easier pick up by the LIRR crew. This a perfect time to grab a few slices at Pizza Land!!

PC Ralph and conductor Rocky better hurry as Long Island Train MA-3 is heading their way thru Bedford!!

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

Our old friend LIRR engineer Jimmy Alco checks in with the EBRR trainmen as he builds up the air on Train MA-4 that will take the PCCM empty gondolas from the APRR to several Long Island industries for loading. Rocky, is that pizza sauce on your shirt?

LIRR Train MA-4 departs North Side Yard.

Train MA-4 is cleared past Bedford Tower.

Train MA-4 heads to Fresh Pond Yard.

A short time later PC Ralph puts together Empire Belt Train EB-2 that will take the PCCM gondolas of scrap metal and some non PCCM traffic to Terminal Yard.

Train EB-2 departs North Side Yard.

The EB-2 heads to Terminal Yard.

After delivering Train EB-2 to Terminal Yard PC Ralph and Conductor Rocky chat with the PC yard guys before heading to North Side Yard caboose lite.

With the EBRR guys back in North Side Yard Big Mike pulls the non PCCM traffic from the EB-2 freight consist.

Before working the PCCM gondolas of scrap Big Mike grabs this LV boxcar to act as a buffer to protect the crews because some of the loads are above the height of the gondola sides and ends.

Big Mike couples up to MCRR gondola 350623 and two others loaded with PCCM scrap wheels loads.

The PC 525702 loaded with scrap wheels is coupled up to the PCCM gondolas of scrap from Train EB-2 that are going to Kings Port Steel.

Big Mike couples up to a caboose for today's trip. NYC boxcar 164000 is being used a buffer to protect the crew in the caboose.

The train of PCCM scrap metal traffic for Kings Port Steel is placed on the departure track.

Engine hostler Wet Willie has coupled on a pair of FP7s to power the train that will be identified as Extra 4369 West.

It's time to go!! Extra 4369 West departs Terminal Yard.

Next stop Selkirk!!!!

Tomorrow Sir Neal and I will run Penn Central TrailVan trains between Terminal Yard and Rock Ridge Yard via Selkirk which will be a PCCM first while PC Ralph will be busy switching out Kings Port Steel.

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

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you tomorrow!!!

Fooling Around with Flatcars

Greetings All,

Fooling Around with Flatcars

Another Purgatory Box Project

The Flatcar

AAR code FM. A simple piece of equipment and a railroad rolling stock staple from the beginning. Anything that doesn't need weather protection can be hauled on it. Most of the loads will add visual interest and I have enough industries on my layout that could use them. So the question here is, why don't I have a good number of them in my 1:87 scale fleet. Today that will be corrected using rolling stock from the purgatory box.

"Western Pacific Maintenance Of Way Flatcar #8522 07" by Jack Snell - Thanks for over 26 Million Views is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

This current purgatory box project actually began in October 2011 when I repainted four Life-Like Bi-Level auto carriers as Turtle Creek Central auto racks using Microscale decals that came in a Model Railroader magazine. I described the project in this blog entry.

The TCC auto racks looked pretty good and were upgraded with body mounted Kadee couplers and metal wheelsets. They are very free rolling and track very well. However once the novelty wore off they headed to the purgatory box for most of the next thirteen years.

In October 2023 I experimented with de-racking them and putting them into service as standard 50' Flatcars. I reported this in a Purgatory Box Rescue blog entry.

In early June 2024 the Turtle Creek Central flatcars finally went to the Patti-O Paint Shop for repainting and lettering. Here they are fresh out of the shop.

Empties

The local pop group "The Facades" are on the East Bedford train platform waiting for the train to their next gig and checking out the newly painted and lettered MEC 1442 and BAR 1250 flatcars.

The group checks out the BAR 1256 and BAR 1256 flatcars. In a teen magazine "The Facades" later credited seeing the three BAR flatcars coupled together for inspiring the lyrics to their hit song Barbara Ann that was later covered by the Beach Boys.

The main issue that stalled this project was how to cover the six holes in the decks that held the auto racks in place. Some leftover 1:87 scale lumber did the trick for the most part.

Steel

Now in general service the four new flatcars come into Terminal Yard loaded with steel slabs.

A close up of the steel slabs made with wood strips. Decals are from Highball Graphics.

I like the way these cars look with these loads. The 1:87 scale wood strips on the deck covering holes that held the auto racks in place don't look bad with a load. 

Pipe

Four flatcars of pipe are another load that looks good.

Three oversized pipe loads span the four flatcars.

These flatcars as loaded handled the minimum radius 22" curves on the layout with ease and looked good doing it.

Electrical Components

On another day electrical components either make their way to the Long Island Lighting Company or head towards a Northeast utility.

Wrapped / Crated Machinery

Chooch wrapped machinery makes for a good flatcar load.

Wrapped and crated machinery traveling to their next destination.

Heavy Equipment

This is one of my favorites. Caterpillar Equipment to or from Empire City Caterpillar. 

A small bulldozer, heavy equipment tires, crated parts and two diesel engines add to the visual interest of the four car block.

Various loads are on the move.

Final Thoughts and Comments

These four realistic looking flatcars fill a hole in my rolling stock roster and will see much more layout time than the Turtle Creek Auto Racks ever did. 

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!