P.C.C.M. 41D

Greetings All,

Welcome back to P.C.C.M. 41, the Tom Seaver series.

Tom Seaver Fun Fact #4: Between 1970 -1976 Tom led the National League in strikeouts five of the seven seasons. Said Reggie Jackson "people come to the ballpark to hear him pitch"

Today we'll take a look at trains EC-1 and the Empire Belt Transfer as they go head to head with the newly implemented  Empire City Commuter Trains. 

To: West Mill / Rock Ridge
From: Terminal Yard

Dispatch of Train EC-1 (Empire City Turn) and transfer of freight trains to the Empire Belt RR.

1/87th scale Engineer Ed and Conductor John will be assigned to Train EC-1 idling on track #9. They note the arrival of a commuter train rolling in on track 1 and lament  the good old days when freight trains ran supreme.

EC-1 rolls thru Bedford Station and gets the green signal at Bedford Tower to continue toward the Cornelius Vanderbilt Memorial Bridge. Today's EC-1 features a caboose on each end to try and reduce switching moves.  

1/87th scale Double E guides his pair of SD35s and EC-1 past Walsh Steel Wool Products and notes his factory looks to be running well.

EC-1 enters Track 3 at North Side Yard

Greetings are exchanged between 1/87th scale E.E., Sir Neal and AT JOE. EC-1 will drop it's train on track 3 and roll out of the yard's east side entrance to couple up to the outbound cars strategically placed there by the Empire Belt crew.

The former EC-1 now known as EC-2 rolls past Hohman Ave as 1/87th scale conductor John joins the 'what's up Larry' club.

EC-2 heads past Bedford Station on track 3 towards Terminal Yard as commuters wait on the platform for the next commuter train.

EC-2 meets the Bedford Station bound commuter train.

1/87th scale Double E has clear tracks ahead as he prepares to cross over to track 2.

EC-2 arrives on track 9 while the TY switcher is working on Train NV-3

With EC-2 now gone work at North Side yard begins with 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal coupling up to the west end of the train and getting ready to pull the train from the yard.

1/87th scale AT JOE protects the shove down the main and looks over that newly refurbished excavator loaded onto the Penn Central depressed center flat car to make sure it is securely loaded.

With E.B.R.R. caboose 1605 on the industrial lead the crew is at Gervais Pipe and Fitting to pick up M.C.R.R. and K.P.&W. gondolas loaded with pipe. These loads are consigned to the Hudson Valley Ag Coop.
The crew shoves back to pick up these two cars from Ralph's Grocery Warehouse. The 57' EL reefer is loaded with frozen foods for C&P Restaurant Supplyu in Rock Ridge NJ. Empty BM 105 will be heading to Berk Enterprises in Bedford NY on an intra-layout move.

The E.B.R.R. crew works some of the midtown industries including Empire City Caterpillar. The refurbished excavator on the flat car has been approved for travel to Sal's Salvage in West Mill NY.

It's work in midtown done the Empire Belt train heads out to serve some west side industries.

The first move is to switch out Walsh Steel Wool Products and clear out the west side overflow track. GM&O 21129 is an empty that will be forwarded to American Hardware Supply in an intra layout move. 

The next move is at Moore & Company to pull these two A.P.R.R. 50' white boxcars loaded with bulk paper for Marcal in Rock ridge NJ.

The crew shoves back to Drywell Inks to pick up empty TP&W 40' boxcar 627 which needs to be moved over to Walsh Steel Wool.
in another intra-layout move.

Much to management's relief 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal is using a few spacer cars to get under Superior Furniture and pull empty NYC 50 boxcar 80775 from Reliable Machine Works. 

The switching work done it's time for the Empire Belt Transfer to leave the friendly confines of Empire City and head to Terminal Yard as Extra 505.

We'll pick up the action tomorrow with 1/87th scale Senior Engineer Sir Neal and conductor AT JOE threading their way thru Bedford NY to Terminal Yard and follow along with the Bedford Local.

Thanks for reading!! 

P.C.C.M. 41C

Greetings All,

Welcome back to P.C.C.M. 41 the Tom Seaver series!

Tom Seaver Fun Fact #3: 1969 was the first year of divisional series play and the Mets faced off against none other than the Atlanta Braves who had drafted and Tom in 1966 but lost his rights because it was ruled he was ineligible to sign with them because his college team had played two games that year. The Mets swept the Braves 3-0 in the best of five series. Tom won game 1 over Braves starter Phil Niekro.

Today we'll pick up the action at Terminal Yard and check in with PC Trains BP-12 and BP-41. BP-12 is numbered for Joe Namath  and BP-41 is numbered for Tom Seaver.

To:       West Mill / Rock Ridge
From:   Terminal Yard
Subject:Yard work at Terminal Yard 
             Dispatch of PC Trains BP-12 and BP-41

The T.Y. Switcher has pulled six loaded coal hoppers from the Coal Job for forwarding to R.M.O. Electric in Rock Ridge NJ on the A.P.R.R.

The yard crew is building up Train LI-1 on track 3 which will be mostly cars for Rock Ridge Yard.  

Cars for the Kings Port Division are being blocked in Train NV-3. 

PC 104478 loaded with Rheingold Beer and P&LE 35892 loaded with bulk liquor are reweighed at the scale under the eyes of a Penn Central Policeman to make sure there's been no shenanigans with these loads. Both loads are consigned to Reynolds Beverage in Kings Port NY. It's gonna be a good Holiday Season!

A gondola of scrap wheels for Sal's Salvage, a covered hopper for Empire Grain and a 50' boxcar for Van Winkle Canning are being blocked into Train NV-3 

Two hoppers of ore for Kings Port Steel, a boxcar of beer, plus a boxcar of spirits for Reynolds Beverage and P&E 40' boxcar 3638 for Cavendish Fine Foods will be included in Train NV-3.

We'll move over to Bedford Park Yard and note 1/87th scale PC Ralph is on duty this early morning with his trusty brakeman /  conductor. They are receiving directions from the Yardmaster to switch out the Ford Plant only. Note that new Mercury Bobcat in the lot.

1/87th scale PC Ralph gets right to work pulling these loaded auto racks. The FM H16-44 is pinch hitting today for BPY's usual C424.

Now pulling two empty 86' auto parts boxcars including NYC 
67086 that will be heading back to ACME Auto Parts in Mayfield NY. They guys will couple up to their caboose and be ready to depart the Bedford Park Yard limits as Train BP-12.

Train BP-12 hustles past Bedford Station heading to Terminal Yard.

BP-12 running wide open thru Bedford NY

Climbing the grade to Terminal Yard

BP-12 rolls into  Terminal Yard track #7. The TY switcher waits on track 5.

The TY switcher quickly pulls the caboose and freight cars from BP-12.

With the freight cars off his back 1/87th scale PC Ralph runs lite to the other side of Terminal Yard to pick up cars for the Ford Plant.

With empty auto racks, a pair of fully loaded auto parts boxcars and a pooled caboose 1/87th scale PC Ralph guides newly designated BP-41 thru Terminal Yard. 

BP-41 rolls back to Bedford Park. The importance of this train in the Ford Plant's supply chain cannot be overstated. Woe to any employee who causes this train to be delayed and the Ford Plant's production to be interrupted. 

That's it for today. Tomorrow we go back to Empire City with Train EC-1 and catch the Empire Belt hard at work switching local industries . 

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M.41B

Greetings All,

Welcome back to the P.C.C.M 41 Tom Seaver series!

Tom Seaver fun fact#2: Tom Seaver is known to Mets fans as Tom Terrific or The Franchise such was his importance to the team. In 1969 Tom led the Mets to their first ever World Series Championship with a league leading 25 wins and winning the Cy Young Award along the way. Tom finished 2nd in the leagues M.V.P. voting to the S.F. Giants Willie McCovey. 

Today is a good day to take a look at the other participating railroads in the virtual ops;
The Kings Port Division of 1:1 PC Ralph
The Atlantic Pacific RR of 1:1 Sir Neal
The Los Feliz & North Western RR of 1:1 John Bruce is making it's debut in this series.

As for the current train movements, today we'll focus on the Coal Job;

To: West Mill / Rock Ridge
From: Terminal Yard
Dispatch of Coal Job from North Side Yard.

Coal Job power leaving North Side Yard and crossing the very busy Hohman Ave. 1/87th scale Larry D is out to give the engines a roll by inspection and a friendly wave.

The Coal Job holds at Bedford NY on track #3 while an Empire City commuter train heads down the grade towards E.C. Station on track#1. 

The Coal Job engines round the curve behind T&R Gravel as they heads towards Terminal Yard.

The Coal Job engines have arrived at Terminal Yard and head into track #4 to couple up to a string of empty coal hoppers.

The Terminal Yard switcher pulls the caboose off the Coal Job's RS2 9942 

Check it out!!! Fresh from the N.Y.C.T.L. Paint Shop a string of A.P.R.R. coal hoppers are now in revenue service! To meet the needs of the R.M.O. Electric Plant in Rock Ridge NJ A.P.R.R. C.E.O. 1:1 Sir Neal purchased a string of coal hoppers and contracted the N.Y.C.T.L. to paint and letter them. 

The A.P.R.R. coal hoppers go out on their maiden revenue run.

The Coal Job is back at Bedford NY and ready to work Hudson Coal as soon as this Empire City Commuter Train climbs the grade and clears the tracks. 

The commuter train with an Alco at each end is a rail fan favorite so we'll give it another shot as it arrives at the Terminal Yard passenger platform under the watchful eyes of a local pop group, 'The Facades'.

With an open window to do their work the Coal Job shoves towards Hudson Coal

 The Coal Job starts pulling the loaded cars.

 The last of the loaded coal hoppers is being pulled.

Before the empties can be spotted the Coal Job holds at Bedford Station on track #3 as a commuter train from Bedford to Terminal Yard is scheduled to depart on track #2. 

With the track clear the Coal Job rolls past Bedford Tower and tower operator 1/87th scale John B to prepare for their shove move on the newly vacated track #2

The empty coal hoppers are shoved into place at Hudson Coal as 1/87th scale Sir Neal checks out his newly painted cars. The new coal contract between Hudson Coal on the NY.C.T.L. and R.M.O. Electric on the A.P.R.R. is worthless without the equipment needed to get the coal transported in a timely manner. Before the ink was dry on the contract the A.P.R.R. Purchasing Department was making a deal to purchase this string of coal hoppers. That Sir Neal knows how to run a profitable railroad! 

Meanwhile the Coal Job is pumping up the air to release the brakes on the loaded coal hoppers on track #3 as a commuter train heads towards Bedford Station in the distance on Track 2. That's Penn Central GP38 #7675, the 'Sir Larry', in push mode on the rear of that commuter train.

With heavy commuter traffic at this time of the day the Coal Job continues to hold on track#3.

With clear tracks ahead the Coal Job climbs the grade behind Hudson Coal to Terminal Yard.

The Coal Job arrives at T.Y. and heads thru the weigh in motion scale on track #8.

That wraps up today's installment.
Tomorrow we'll take a look at some train moves within Terminal Yard and check the action at Bedford Park Yard

Thanks for reading!