Empire Belt GP30s

Empire Belt GP30s
The EBRR GP30s round a curve on the Empire City Belt Line.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Penn Central Car Movements #109 / Part 1 The Gathering Begins

 Greetings All, 

Welcome to Penn Central Car Movements #109
It's hard to believe another year has come and gone and Neal, Ralph and I are entering the tenth year of our virtual operations. In 2025 our layouts will be showcasing new industries, scenery, motive power, rolling stock and the train movements that have developed as a result.

So join us as we kick off the 2025 PCCM operating season to see what is new, what is blue, what is tried and what is true. 

PCCM 109 will be a two layout virtual op with my layout interchanging freight traffic with Ralph's Kings Port Division. Fans of the APRR do not despair Sir Neal will be back at the throttle in PCCM 110 which will follow shortly.

The first PCCM train of 2025 on the NYCTL will be PC Train BT-27, the Bedford Turn,  powered by three ALCO C425s. Looks like Alco Joe and Kar Knocker are back for the PCCM action!
Train BT-27 departs Terminal Yard and arrives in Bedford.
The BT-27 stops at Bedford Station on the secondary track under the wary eyes of our local commuters.
Train BT-27 holds for a Selkirk bound freight train from Terminal Yard.
The BT-27 begins its work at the Schaefer Brewery.
Four non PCCM freight cars get pulled from Hostess.
The BT-27 crosses onto the mainline with the freight cars going back to Terminal Yard. 
The three Alcos have shoved into the long Bedford siding to reach Berk Enterprises and pull TP&W boxcar #627 loaded printed labels for Van Winkle Canning in Mayfield, NY.
The Turn has shoved back to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse to pull one non PCCM boxcar and three empty PCCM boxcars, P&LE 35892, PC 77047 and PC 229046 for movement to their next PCCM destinations.
The PCCM cars from Ralph's Grocery Warehouse join the other freight cars going back to Terminal Yard in Train BT-28.
The Alco C425s have coupled onto the cars going back to Terminal Yard and are held on the mainline. The mainline? Looks like the TY trainmaster and dispatcher have something up their sleeves.
PC RS11 #7608 is on the move to Terminal Yard using the Bedford Secondary Track from the Bedford Park Ford Plant with an empty 86' SP Auto Parts boxcar and passes the BT-28 caboose. Ah!
The BT-28 has been sitting on the main and waiting for the 7608 to run back from Terminal Yard to the Bedford Park Ford Plant with a hot car of auto parts. Can't shutdown the assembly line!!!
Train BT-28 heads back to Terminal Yard.
The BT-28 arrives in Terminal Yard.
A short time later three Alco C628s that have wandered into Terminal Yard from Mingo Junction are called for today's Coal Job, Train CJ-1. The big Alcos will be the perfect power to overcome the inertia of the coal hoppers frozen bearings.
The Coal Job departs Terminal Yard.
The CJ-1 begins to pull the loaded coal hoppers from Hudson Coal.
The last of the eighteen loaded hoppers gets pulled. 
The Big Alcos make the long pull from Hudson Coal.
The Coal Job has been cleared directly onto the mainline to shove the empty hoppers to Hudson Coal.
The empties are shoved down the mainline.
Empty hoppers start getting spotted at Hudson Coal.
The last of the empties are shoved into Hudson Coal.
The C628s are coupled onto the loaded coal hoppers and prepare to return to Terminal Yard as Train CJ-2. 
The Coal Job gets held for two!
The CJ-2 is back in Terminal Yard.
The C628s from the Coal Job join the C425s from the Bedford Turn at the fuel rack. Engine hostler Wet Willie will get them serviced and ready for their next assignments. We'll cut it here for today with Kar Knocker and Big Mike sorting out the CJ-2 and BT-28 freight consists. A pair of Alco RS32s are the assigned yard power this weekend.
We'll pick it back up tomorrow in Empire City.
This wraps up part one on the NYCTL. Be sure to catch all the action on Ralph's Kings Port Division!!!

Thanks for reading and watching!!!
See you tomorrow!!

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4 comments:

  1. Neal M.February 7, 2025 at 8:12 AM

    To: Terminal Yard / North Side Yard
    To: West Mill / Kings Port

    From: Rock Ridge Yard/Rock Ridge East Yard

    Acknowledgement – Train BT-27 departs Terminal Yard
    Acknowledgement – Train BT-27 arrives Bedford Yard
    Acknowledgement – Train BT-27 crew begins working Bedford industries
    Acknowledgement – Train BT-28 waits for PC 7608 making moves for Ford
    Acknowledgement – Train BT-28 proceeds to Terminal Yard
    Acknowledgement – Train CJ-1 departs Terminal Yard for Hudson Coal
    Acknowledgement – Train CJ-1 drops empties and pulls loads from Hudson Coal
    Acknowledgement – Train CJ-2 awaits return to Terminal Yard
    Acknowledgement – Amtrak Passenger Train and Fast 50 Freight hold up Train CJ-2 at Bedford
    Acknowledgement – Train CJ-2 leaves Hudson Coal for Terminal Yard
    Acknowledgement – Train CJ-2 arrives Terminal Yard

    Rock Ridge Yard out!

    A great start to kick off 2025 and PCCM 109! No time is wasted in switching out Bedford industries. The crew made the moves quickly and not tying up the main. The quick move for Ford was a nice touch.

    The coal job looked loaded as this time of the year coal is in great demand. Nice choice of motive power. A huge surprise was the Amtrak train thru Bedford! What, and Amtrak train? Was this a test for the Penn Central?

    Looking forward to the next set of moves at Terminal Yard.

    Great work Sir John!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John R.February 7, 2025 at 8:19 AM

      10-4 Rock Ridge!! Thank you very much Sir Neal!!!
      Amtrak was the May 1971 federal government bailout of the PC passenger losses that allowed other RRS to buy in. I wanted to showcase the SDP40 and newly added F7B!!!

      Delete
  2. PCRalphFebruary 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM

    To: Terminal Yard
    From: West Mill

    Acknowledge dispatch of BT-27 from Terminal Yard
    Acknowledge BT-27 holding for Selkirk train
    Acknowledge work of BT-27 at Schaefer, Hostess, Berk Enterprises, and Ralph's Grocery Warehouse
    Acknowledge BT-28 holding for single car hot auto car moves
    Acknowledge BT-28 arriving Terminal Yard
    Acknowledge dispatch of CJ-1 to Hudson Coal
    Acknowledge CJ-1 exchange of loads and empties at Hudson Coal
    Acknowledge CJ-2 holding for Amtrak and Fast 50
    Acknowledge CJ-2 arriving Terminal Yard.

    West Mil out

    Love the big power with the C628s and C425s! Business is booming in Empire city as evidenced by the length of local Turn BT-27/28! Plenty of interesting train meets today including the "Hot Shot" auto car moves, Amtrak, the Fast 50 with al of its trailers, and the Selkirk train with the MOW coach near the tail end. As always the loads out/ empties in operation at Hudson Coal is a favorite!

    ReplyDelete

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