Examining New Industries and Freight Traffic / Quaker Oats Company Part 2

 Greetings All,

Examining New Industries and Freight Traffic

Quaker Oats Company Part 2

First Run of Train HH-1

In our last installment we took a look at what materials and types of freight cars would be needed to support the new Quaker Oats Plant in Empire City. Today we'll take a look at the first operating session focused on working the Quaker Plant.

The train serving Quaker and Gervais Pipe & Fitting will be designated as Trains HH-1 /HH-2. EBRR H16-44 #7698 will be the assigned power. The HH is for Haydon Heights, the neighborhood where Quaker and Gervais Pipe are located. This assignment may also be known as the Quaker Job among the EBRR trainmen.

In North Side Yard eleven freight cars needing movement to Quaker are lined up and blocked for delivery.

Three empty gondolas are on the headend for movement to Gervais Pipe & Fitting.

At the Quaker Plant a couple of employees toss a football while on a break as four 40' boxcars are awaiting movement.

The HH-1 starts its work leaving the caboose on the Belt Line.

Pulled from Track #2 are a pair of loaded 50' EBRR boxcars and a trio of empty PC covered hoppers that are getting coupled onto the caboose. 

The HH-1 is now working track #1 to pull four loaded gondolas from Gervais and four boxcars from Quaker.

The HH-1 crosses Hohman Ave on the Belt Line to clear the switch to the mainline for access to North Side Yard. 

The HH-1 rolls into North Side Yard.

Engine 7698 has coupled onto the freight cars going to Haydon Heights and shoves them back to couple onto the caboose which was left on the yard lead. 

The HH-2 crosses onto the Belt Line as 1:87 Emery captures the inaugural runs of this train.

Loaded TH&B and BCK 40' boxcars carrying sugar and flour respectively are spotted at Quaker.

The 50' boxcars and covered hoppers are spotted on Track #2.

Three empty gondolas are placed at Gervais Pipe.

The H16-44 and caboose ties down out of the way on the Haydon Heights lead for the crew to go to beans. The turnout is power routing so the locomotive will not move until the turnout is lined for the lead.

Later in the day the H16-44 pulls the covered hoppers to rearrange them for unloading.

Meanwhile over in North Side Yard the Empire Belt trainmen are preparing to move Train EB-2 that consists of the freight cars from Gervais and Quaker to Terminal Yard. An FB-1 has been added to the consist for additional power to overcome the inertia of the cold bearings on the freight cars.

Train EB-2 arrives in Terminal Yard.

New Labor Agreements in Place Starting January 1st

The Empire Belt RR and New York Central RR have agreed that the transfer freights between the EBRR North Side Yard and the NYC Terminal Yard are to be be handled on a rotating basis to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs. The transfer runs will no longer be required to return to their home terminals caboose lite.

The EBRR locomotives have coupled up to a freight consist for Empire City and will depart as Train EB-3. Prior to the new agreements the EB-3 was a caboose lite move. The EBRR will now leave a pool caboose in Terminal Yard to facilitate the building of the EB-3. 

Train EB-3 rolls into North Side Yard with freight cars in tow. The new agreement will carry over to the Penn Central merger.

Over in Haydon Heights the HH-1 is busy working the Quaker Plant as Extra Train QE-2 (Quaker Expedited) featuring three EBRR SDP40s takes a long train of freight traffic towards Terminal Yard to get the new Quaker Plant up and running at full capacity. 

Catch a full cycle of freight traffic that includes the new Quaker Plant.

Final Thoughts and Comments

The first operating sessions in support of the new Quaker Oats Plant has been completed with a full cycle of freight traffic. With new labor agreements in place both the EBRR and NYC will enjoy the increased profits from the new Quaker Oats Plant.

While the EBRR 7698 had the power to handle the freight traffic for the Haydon Heights industries I may add a second unit. Tying down the engine(s) and caboose in Haydon Heights does and not block the vehicle entrance into Gervais Pipe and worked well. Plus it's nice to get this locomotive running again.

In most cases the regular transfer runs of freight cars between North Side Yard and Terminal Yard will carry the Quaker traffic along with the rest of the freight traffic in and out of Empire City. 

Train QE-2 from Selkirk with three EBRR locomotives is something I imagined as I was setting up the freight cars and waybills for the Quaker freight traffic. I'm imagining the EBRR engines traveled to Selkirk in a PC train for this move which will probably be a one and done.

Next week we'll begin posting our PCCM 109 car movements which will be the first virtual op of 2025.

Thanks for reading and watching!!!

See you soon!!!