P.C.C.M. 36E / Bedford Park Turn Part 2

Greetings All,

The P.C.C.M. action can now be viewed on two blogs! The freight cars forwarded to Ralph's Kings Port Division have arrived at West Mill in PC Train VW-1 https://kingsportdivision.blogspot.com/

Today we'll take a look at Train BP-41, the Terminal Yard to Bedford Park portion of the Bedford Park Turn. In normal P.C.C.M.s this train as built would not be shown in a P.C.C.M. and probably would not even be run but I wanted to showcase it and the Rock Island boxcar working it's way thru the Rail Traffic Management Form and the N.Y.C.T.L. 

So just sit back and enjoy the bonus coverage! The Rock Island boxcar is really enjoying all the attention!

A panoramic shot of BP-41 heading thru Bedford NY with ALCO C-424 #2415 running long hood forward. Rock Island #35062 is right behind the caboose in this train  arrangement I saw in a New York Central book.

Pulling a string of much needed 89' tri level auto racks and two 86' boxcars for Ford BP-41 engineer 1/87th scale PC Ralph will be taking a tour of Empire City today to reverse direction and limit the amount of shoving on these long cars. 

Before BP-41 has to hold on track 3 as Train VN-4 makes it's way towards Terminal Yard

To me a classic PC consist. Cab units and Geeps mixed together. There was a time I would have never ever run engines in such a consist. Thanks to the influence of 1:1 PC Ralph, Emery Gulash and the many photos of PC engines in print and on the web I've been converted.

With the mainline clear BP-41 gets a highball from 1/87th scale John B at Bedford Tower. 

BP-41 climbs the grade on the High Line as 1/87th scale PC Ralph feeds his ALCO the fuel sending up a plume of exhaust. 

BP-41 running thru the west side reverse track gets a wave from 1/87th scale Larry D at the Hohman Ave Tower. 

BP-41 crosses the Empire City viaduct 

and crosses back to the main for access to the High Line

1/87th scale John B welcomes PC Ralph and BP-41 back to Bedford.

And now for the big test. The shoving of these long auto racks and mammoth auto parts boxcars into the Ford Plant. 

So far so good! Slow and steady is the way to go. 

Success! 1/87th scale PC Ralph comes thru another big test with flying colors as he spots the 86' boxcars. When introduced these over sized auto racks and boxcars presented coupling problems on the 1:1 scale railroads.  

And last but not least Rock Island 35062 is spotted at American Hardware. Much better than sitting in the box!

A very tired 1/87th scale PC Ralph and his conductor / brakeman are ready to head home for a well deserved rest. Nice job boys!

That's it for today. Tomorrow we'll pick up the action back at Terminal Yard and introduce another surprise.

And don't forget to check out Ralph's Kings Port Division blog as the freight cars forwarded to West Mill in P.C.C.M. 36B are showing up at West Mill now.
http://kingsportdivision.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. 36C / Bedford Park Turn Part 1

Greetings All,

We're moving right along with the P.C.C.M. 36 series and today we'll look at P.C.C.M. 36C and focus in on part 1 of the Bedford Park Turn. So without further adieu;

To: West Mill / Rock Ridge
From: Bedford Park Yard

Bedford Park Turn part 1

Last installment, P.C.C.M. 36B, we noted 1/87th scale PC Ralph and his trusty conductor / brakeman had reported for duty on time at 12:00 AM at Bedford Park Yard and were giving their assigned motive power the once over.

In the near distance we noted Train SV-1 (Chicago - Empire City) making it's way over the High Line while heading towards Terminal Yard.

After inspecting their engine, ALCO C424 #2415, the one and only, 1/87th scale PC Ralph and his conductor get right to work pulling the empty NYC double door boxcars from All-City Storage. 

With the empties in tow the Bedford Park Train, TrainBP-12, heads towards the Ford Plant to pull empty NYC 86' boxcar # 67086 and empty 50' RBL AP# 60358.

With cars from Ford pulled BP-12 is reassembled and ready to proceed to Terminal Yard.

With SV-1 clear Bedford Tower Operator 1/87th scale John B gives BP-12 the signal to proceed. 

BP-12 makes it way towards Terminal Yard. We'll keep an eye on the three NYC 50' double door boxcars in upcoming installments. The trio has had their routes modified by the Rail Traffic Management Form AKA- the R.T.M.F.

BP-12 arrives on track 8 as we see the tail end of train SV-1 on track 1.The trio of NYC boxcars will enjoy a little more layout time instead of hitting the virtual ops box.

With BP-12 safely tucked away in track 8 the Terminal Yard Switcher gets busy pulling the caboose off Train SV-1 on track 1

With the caboose out of the way the Terminal Yard switcher shoves Rock Island 50' boxcar #35062 into track 1 as this will be train BP-41 the return leg of the Bedford Park Turn. The Rock Island car is going to American Hardware as an empty car request courtesy of the Rail Traffic Management Form (R.T.M.F.) and Ralph's car routing prowess. Prior to the R.T.M.F. this car would be in the virtual ops box.

1/87th scale PC Ralph's ALCO is now in the clear as we can see the Terminal Yard switcher in the background working the inbound cars from Bedford Park.  

1/87th scale PC Ralph has coupled up to the auto racks and auto parts cars brought in on Train SV-1 which will now be outbound train BP-41. But not so fast! Train NV-3 (Empire City to Selkirk) will be first out of the yard.

Train NV-3 threads it's way out of Terminal Yard past train BP-41 that is scheduled to leave shortly thereafter.

That's it for today. Tomorrow we'll take a look at the Bedford Park Turn Part 2.

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. 36B

Greetings All,

We'll pick up the action today with the dispatching of Train LS-1 from Terminal Yard to Chicago with a block of cars for West Mill on Ralph's Kings Port Division.
http://kingsportdivision.blogspot.com/

This P.C.C.M. series will have at least two separate trains leaving Terminal Yard with blocks of cars for West Mill which is a new twist for the P.C.C.M.s. That and the Rail Traffic Management Form are both under review to see if they meet our needs and increase the fun of the virtual ops. 

Enough of the preamble let's get to the action!

To: West Mill / Rock Ridge Yard
From: Terminal Yard

Dispatch of train LS-1 with a block of cars for West Mill

It's late evening at Terminal Yard and the switch crew is busy getting train LS-1 (Empire City to Chicago) due out at 12:50 AM 
ready for departure. 

Rock Island 50' boxcar 35062 is cut out of the inbound EC-3. This is a Rail Traffic Management Form move. Before the R.T.M.F. at this point this car would have been put into the virtual ops box.

The Rock Island boxcar is then shoved into track 3 being held for the next Bedford Park Train.  It has been designated for assignment for an empty car request from American Hardware to be loaded with bulk hardware for Quality Fabrications on Ralph's Layout. 

Meanwhile the power for LS-1 has coupled on. The guys are sad to see the GP30s heading back into Power Pool A

The block for West Mill; 
BAR 5226: Imported Teas for Cavendish Fine Foods & Spirits
PC 77047: 1/2 ton burlap bags for Hedberg Aggregates
P&LE 43892: Gears for Peerless Appliance
PC 104478: 55 gallon drums of ink for Canton Box

NYC 80779: 55 gallon drums of in for Canton Box.
PC 288673: Irrigation pipe for the Hudson Valley Ag Co Op
IC 30130: Cases of Beer for Reynolds Beverage.
TOFC Flats: Trailers for Williams Yard ramp. 

As LS-1 readies for departure over at Bedford Park Yard 1/87th scale PC Ralph is on duty and checking out his assigned power, an ALCO C424. The only C424 on the PC roster.

And here comes train SV-2 with empty auto racks and loaded auto parts boxcars for the Ford Plant in Bedford Park.

Train LS-1 has left Terminal Yard and is rolling thru Bedford NY.

The T.O.F.C cars for Williams Yard bring up the rear as a jade green NYC Road to the Future caboose brings up the markers.

Next Stop Selkirk!

Next installment we'll take a look at the Bedford Park Turn and see how that ALCO C424 works out.

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. 36A / Afternoon Empire City Turn and work at North Side Yard

Greetings All,

It'a time for the next installment of the virtual ops between the N.Y.C.T.L. and Ralph's Kings Port Division http://kingsportdivision.blogspot.com/ that we call the Penn Central Car Movements.  

Last blog entry I touched on the Rail Traffic Management Form (R.T.M.F.) being developed by Ralph and I to better cycle the current 'common cars' used in the virtual ops. I'll point out some of the new R.T.M.F. moves as we go forward. Some of this will look familiar from the R.T.M.F. post but it should all come together quickly.

Here's a R.T.M.F. route that we did not cover in the earlier blog entry. IC 40 boxcar# 30130 left Blue Ribbon Flour on Ralph's layout loaded with cake mixes for Pilgrim State Hospital an off layout industry on my layout accessed by my L.I.R.R. interchange at North Side Yard in P.C.C.M #29. The car (#4) then left P.S.H. empty on the L.I.R.R. for IC tracks heading back to North Side Yard. 

IC 30130 was then transported to Terminal Yard from North Side Yard by one of the Empire City Turns. An empty car request by Heileman Brewery for a shipment to  Kings Port NY had the car delivered there by an Empire City Turn after it arrived at Terminal Yard. With this move the foreign road car is still headed for it's home rails in accordance with prototype railroad practices.

And with that let's get started on P.C.C.M. 36!

To: West Mill / Rock Ridge
From: Terminal Yard
Subject: Afternoon Empire City Turn and work at North Side Yard

IC 40' Boxcar #30130 is picked up at Heileman's Brewery loaded with cases of beer for Reynolds Beverage Distributors in Kings Port NY by train EC-1, the morning Empire City Turn out of Terminal Yard.

Later that morning the North Side yard switcher pulled PC 77047 from Moor & CO loaded with 1/2 ton burlap bags for Hedberg Aggregates in Marion NY and then proceeded to pull BAR 5226 from Neubaum's Coffee & Tea Importers loaded with loaded with imported teas for Cavendish Fine Foods & Spirits in Mayfield NY.

Still working the West Side NYC 80775 is pulled from Dry Well Inks loaded with 55 gallon drums of ink fir Canton Box in West Mill NY.

In the early afternoon the North Side Yard Switch crew received clearance to run their train to Terminal Yard as Extra 6109 in order to clear the stacks taking PC 77047, BAR 5226, NYC 80775 and EL 73510 as part of their train.

The cars brought in by Extra 6109 were then shoved into track 8 for the building of Train  LS-1 which is due out of Terminal Yard at 12:50 AM or 0050 Hours

The next day the North Side Yard crew got busy with this string of cars left by the L.I.R.R. the day before.

The crew switched out the Gervais Pipe / Ralph's Grocery Warehouse lead picking up PC 288673 loaded with pipe for the Hudson Valley Coop via the Kings Port Team Track. Looks like that lunch and bottle of Cavendish worked wonders for 1/87th scale Bobby G's view of the railroad!

Also ready for pick up was this empty RI 50' boxcar #35062. This was one of the cars Ralph addressed in the R.T.M.F. giving a plausible route to get it on and off our layouts. 

The crew then proceeded to Prestage Gear where P&LE 40' boxcar #35892 loaded with gears for Peerless Appliance in Mayfield NY was ready for pick up.

As the day wore on the North Side Switcher was busy on the West Side picking up PC 77047 loaded with 55 gallon drums of ink for Canton Box. 

The North Side yard crew heads for home as they shove back towards the yard.

The train is now ready for departure to Terminal Yard.

The Afternoon Empire City Turn, train EC-3, meets Train VN-4 at Bedford NY. Hey there's EL 73510 from the last blog entry!

 EC-3 arrives at North Side Yard. I really like these GP30s!

A short time later it's time for the Empire City Turn, now Train EC-4, to head back to Terminal Yard.

EC-4 arrives at Terminal Yard 

The Terminal Yard Switcher gets busy pulling the caboose from EC-3

And shoves another cut of cars for the Kings Port Division's West Mill Yard into track 8 where Train #LS-1 for Chicago is being built.

That's it for today. The day shift Terminal Yard Switching crew is going off duty. We'll pick up the action in the next installment.

Thanks for reading!