P.C.C.M. #73 Part 2 On The A.P.P.R. - Outbound!

Welcome back to P.C.C.M. #73 on the Atlantic Pacific Railroad!

P.C.C.M. #73 - a three railroad layout adventure taking you back in time to that great era we like to refer to as the Penn Central Era. Participating will be Sir John and his N.Y.C.T.L. and PC Ralph and his Kings Port Division. 

We're going to start today with building the train that will head out to Weehawken and then off to Selkirk where the train will be classified to their final destinations. 


AP GP38-2 #302 will be handling part of the assembly of the train heading to Weehawken. 

Within Rock Ridge Yard are two ladders. AP #302, with Engineer 1/87th NJ John at the throttle works his way thru the West Ladder. All of the outbound freight are located on 4 arrival / departure tracks labeled A thru D. 

First pull are the reefers from track 'B'. 

As you can see, there's a car that will need to be set off and blocked for the cars headed to the KP&W. PC 360063 is sandwiched between cars headed to the N.Y.C.T.L. 1/87th NJ John knows what to do and will set it on another track until needed.

Meanwhile EB Engine #8163 with 1/87th Norman at the throttle is stationed on the north end of the yard. Why is he there? Wait and see...

Back on the West Ladder, AP #302 is dropping cars which will be taken to the outbound track by CP South. There are 24 cars scheduled to go out, and efficiency is the name of the game! Moving them off the ladders to the outbound tracks make trains move around very quickly...

The reefers are pulled and are dropped on the west ladder track..

Next move is to drop off some gondola cars...

Box car pull..

KP&W block is ready!

The 4 cars for the KP&W are dropped off on the outbound track as they will be on the rear of the train...

AP  #302 will start to add more cars to the train...

The next pull are gondola cars and covered hoppers..

On Arrival / Departure Track 'C' were the 4 covered hoppers from the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal. They're going back to T&R Gravel on the N.Y.C.T.L. for more sand to replenish the sand storage in the engine terminal...

A few more cars are picked up..

A quick crossover to add these cars to the train...

We need a caboose! PC Wide Vision Caboose #26403 is at the ready on West Ladder track 1.

A quick run around and he'll shove the caboose on to the end of the train..

The train needs to be pulled up further to clear the crossover. Once they clear, he'll add the caboose..

Over at the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal, a pair of GP 60 engines #600/601 will head over to Rock Ridge Yard and hold at the yard limits until they get the call to pick up the train. 

AP #600/601 are in place. AP #302 needs to cut off and let the pair of Geeps take over..

Here we see the motive power swap out at the Rock Ridge Yard Limit. This move is made at CP East, a crossover to give a train access to either side of the yard. 

Now in place, the last part of the train, a Penn Central Caboose, is added to the rear. At Weehawken, they'll have an engine and crew change. The caboose is Selkirk based, so it's going home...

Ready to head out, AP Train RW-1 heads out to Weehawken..

AP Train RW-1 rolling thru West Harold Interlocking..!

AP Train RW-1 passing by the Holmes Tower just outside Weehawken. "Track 1" is heard on the radio and they slowly proceed into the yard.

Weehawken is very busy. Next to AP Train RW-1 is a Penn Central Train that will head over to the Meadows, NJ yard, drop off some additional freight for PC Train NE-1 with a final destination of Potomac Yard, VA

There needs to be an engine and crew change. A pair of PC GP38 engines will get swapped out and then PC Train VW-2 will head out to Selkirk...

PC 7783 and 7757 are on the move in this power swap..

The engines are moved and now they'll head out. 

Next stop, Selkirk!!

Thanks for reading P.C.C.M. #73 Part 2. Check back next weekend as the A.P.R.R. gets their inbound train from Selkirk.

Don't forget to Sir John and his N.Y.C.T.L. and PC Ralph and his Kings Port Division and follow all of the action!!