P.C.C.M. #96 - Extra!

 

Welcome back to P.C.C.M. #96 Extra on the Atlantic Pacific Railroad.

As many of you may or may not know, Sir John and I go back at least 10 years, maybe a little more. While it's been a long time since we have had a face to face encounter, emails, phones, and of course, our blogs keep us in constant contact with each other. 

John had told me about his virtual op sessions with Ralph and invited me to join. My layout is mostly modern, but many of the cars can be used in the Penn Central Era. I've always been a fan of the PC, and of course some if its predecessors and now, the railroads that came out of their bankruptcies to the present, like CSX, to name some. 

I've always enjoyed the way John has expanded his virtual ops with us, adding industries plus trains that 'make appearances' on his layout, such as his Mail & Express trains, TOFC and auto carrier trains. I've made some trains make appearances as well, but they do serve an industry that I incorporate into my sessions. 

In viewing some recent PCCM sessions, John had a couple of these trains passing his trains that were part of our movements. That is something I wanted to do, so I set out on a mission. 

The following are making an inaugural appearance and will run as time and space prevail. I wanted to delay this announcement, but due to some personal things that will get in the way over the next 3-4 weeks, its best I announce them now. 

Here's the background story for the first train to be added. The PC ran many types of 'dedicated' trains like coal, TOFC, auto carriers and more. I looked on the PCTC Freight Schedule from 1974 (thank you for this file John!), and found that the PC ran an auto carrier train from Little Ferry, NJ to Detroit. They were called "ML" trains or Multi-level trains that carried cars. Here's what I am going to run on the railroad for my virtual op sessions. Train ML-9 will run empty from Little Ferry, NJ to Detroit as PC train ML-9 and return loaded with cars as train ML-12 on an as needed basis. The length of the train will vary...

Let's take a look at the current train that I purchased. The engines on the train are a pair of Athearn SD45 and are in consist since I use DCC. They are speed matched as well, so one is not pulling or pushing the other. Currently the train has 7 auto carrier cars on them. It will go to 10 in a week, and I'll add a third engine to it, if need be. All this train will do will pass thru some scenes as my current auto rack terminal is transformed to Rock Ridge East yard. However, we may be able to work it into this area. 

The cars are Walthers Mainline 89' Flat Car With Bi-Level Open Auto Rack. They were on sale at a few places, so I grabbed them. They run well, and since they have Walthers Proto couplers on them, and they're not going up and down the helix, I've left them on - for now....

Let's watch them in action on the railroad. The first video is PC train ML-9 on the main passing Baskerville Jct. station on its way to Detroit....

Another view of ML-9 on AP mainline track 2. 

The next addition is something John added to his layout. His RDC 'Beeliner' train is a nice touch and it just runs his railroad. I have some of these old Life-Like Proto 1000 RDC cars and I looked them up to see which railroad had them and when. I currently have a pair of RDC cars in the CP logo on them. So the story goes as follows (and I'm sticking to it!). Out in Vancouver, BC, Canada, is a mutual friend of John and myself, Sir Graham S. He is one of the original gang from the now defunct 'Trainlife forum', and not to be confused with the current Trainlife website, which sells model trains. Like Sir John, I've called Graham, 'Sir Graham'. Now to bring this into my virtual op series, 1:87 Scale Sir Neal reached out to 1:87 Scale Sir Graham and asked to lease a pair of RDC cars from his Canadian Pacific fleet for testing and to consider purchasing some to start passenger operations on the APRR. Here's what will make test runs on the APRR...

This is a Proto 1000 RDC-3 car...

And the RDC-1 car...

Here's the 2 car set arriving at Baskerville Jct. station...

The last train that I'm adding to my virtual op sessions is a TOFC train, very similar to what the guys run on their layouts. The PC ran a 'TV' train from "Meadows" yard in Kearney, NJ to Potomac, Maryland. On my layout, I'll be using PC Train TV-23 from Meadows to Potomac with trailers on all cars, and PC Train TV-24 will return to Meadows with empty flat cars. It will have 6 - F30D 50' TOFC Flat Car: TTX Early Red and 4 - 89' Channel Side Flatcar (1960s Brown, 40' Trailer Service). All of these cars were on sale, so I did grab them. 

While I wanted to post some photos of them, the trailers need some work that go on all of the flat cars, so we'll wait to see them on my next PCCM. 

My problem is where to store them when not in use. It's a job right now to move some PCCM cars off the layout to drawers and then add them for another virtual op session. What I do now is store the cars in small rolling carts lined with paper towels and cardboard dividers and all the drawers are labeled and the cars are listed on a spreadsheet. When John and Ralph send over the instructions for the next PCCM, I can find the cars within minutes. Now I need more rolling carts! Oh well, it's my hobby, I enjoy it, and I enjoy doing both virtual ops and of course, live op sessions with the APRR crew. 

Many thanks go out to both John and Ralph for the fun and comradre I have with them. Okay, no tears now, it wasn't that emotional...

Neal

P.C.C.M. #96 Part 6 - Freight Is On The Move To Their Consignees

 

Welcome back! Now that we have your attention, let's see how the APRR crew gets the freight delivered to their consignees...

The AP Rock Ridge Yard crew gets ready to get the freight moved out. Cars were blocked, assignments given out...

Rock Ridge Yardmaster NJ John is on site. Kai is working the pair of MP15 engines #106/107 and Norman will work the solo MP15 #105...

Over at Rock Ridge East Yard, M&E Alco C425 engines #18/19 with Steve and Bob at the ready. Soon they'll depart for a short ride to Rock Ridge Yard and for the PS-2 covered hoppers for the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal. Those hoppers are loaded with sand fron T&R Gravel to be used with the engines. We see EB 8163 on track 3. The engine is not qualified to run on Rock Ridge Yard tracks, so they'll wait for the cars to be brought over. In the cab is none other than Sir John, who came over to meet with Sir Neal regarding some future plans, and to pick up some Freihofer cookies to take back with him. Me thinks that's the real reason. Sir John will never tell...

Sitting at the Rock Ridge Yard limits are AP GP38-2 #303 & #307. Both engines will work local freight deliveries. In #303 is Mark and in #307 is Dan. 

Kai is pulling the 4 covered hoppers and he'll drop them on the yard limit track 2 for the N&E to pick up...

Kai gets the okay to cross over at CP South...

Let's watch the M&E crew pick up the cars...

They get the signal to head out...

Steve and Bob drop the cars on yard track 2...

The cars are spotted and now Sir John and Sir Neal wait for the crew to get permission to leave the yard for the engine terminal. Sir John enjoys spending some time with Sir Neal and away from business at Terminal Yard...

AP #307 get the signal and proceeds to Rock Ridge Yard...

A quick stop at the yard office to talk to NJ John and they'll get ready to head out...

There's one car that needs to be added to Dan's train. PC 142770 came from Superior Furniture and will get dropped off at Three Amigos Warehouse. They'll add it to Dan's train...

Five gondolas will get dropped at Shapeless Steel from Gervais Pipe with a lot of pipes! Also blocked on the train are six reefers from Birdseye for C&P Restaurant Supply....

The PC car is the last car to be added as it will be the first one to be dropped off..

The caboose is added to the train which will now head out as AP Train RTSC-2...

Dan gets his orders from tower operator Rich T....

Dan heads out of Rock Ridge Yard....

Back in the yard, Norman readies the 4 auto parts box cars for Ideal Auto Parts from the Ford Plant in Empire City....

Mark is at the ready on the west ladder as Norman drops the cars on the east ladder. Seems easy enough...

Mark picks up his caboose and gets ready for his run to Ideal as AP Train RI-3...

A short wait for the signal and they roll...

Next stop, Ideal Auto Parts...!

And now they're on the move on the AP main tracks to Ideal....

Mark and his train arrive at Ideal...

There are 4 non PCCM cars that need to be taken back from Ideal. Those cars will head down to the Ford plant outside Louisville, KY...

The cars are pulled out...

The 4 empties are dropped...

Mark now heads back to Rock Ridge Yard with another 4 60' auto parts box cars..

Mark and his train highball thru West Harold Interlocking!

Now back outside Rock Ridge Yard and he'll hold there for now...

Over at West Harold, Dan needs to drop the box car at Three Amigos...

A quick drop and they'll head out...

He's got his caboose and now gets back on the main. Next stop, Shapeless Steel with their final destination of C&P Restaurant Supply....

Dan and AP Train RTSC-2 is on the move! Let's watch him open up to track speed on the main....

Dan stops at the Little Jamaica tower for some additional train orders as he'll need to so a quick run around...

Dan drops the gondolas....

And now spots the six reefers at C&P Restaurant Supply....

Dan is now back at Rock Ridge Yard limit track 2...

Mark gets the signal first to proceed in to the yard since he has some revenue freight cars...

Mark ties down on east ladder track 8...

Now Dan is back in the yard...

So what's next? Sir John and Sir Neal will head out to Richmond Hill Engine Terminal. While Sir Neal's facility is a little different than Sir John's, they both swap ideas and learn from each other, as they should!

They pick up the 4 PS-2 covered hoppers..

And wait instructions to depart....

Let's say all aboard and good by as they depart as AP Train RHET-4 for the engine terminal...

Now that concludes the inbound portion of Penn Central Car Movement #96 on my railroad, or is it? Check back tomorrow for a special PCCM Post....!

Be sure to check the rest of the inbound action on Sir John's New York Central Layout and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division Railroad for all of the action of all of our PCCM's

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. #96 Part 5 - Classifying Outbound Freight Deliveries

 

Welcome back to the continuation of the inbound portion of Penn Central Car Movement #96 on my railroad. Today the Rock Ridge Yard crew will sort the cars in the yard and block them for delivery to the consignees the following day...

Today's crew has Kai in MP15 #105 and Norman in MP15 #106/107. NJ John is Rock Ridge Yardmaster today. Working with John in the yard is Mark. All of these guys are seasoned veterans of the APRR and qualified on all motive power the APRR owns. Both Kai and Norman move some of the cars off the A/D tracks and set up some train blocks for tomorrow...

One of two moves that will happen today will be dropping some cars at Cargill. Norman will run them over to the secondary area. JP on SW1500 AP #100 will shove them on to the Cargill yard tracks, of which there are two...

Norman and Kai get the cars ready for the move...

And Kai brings the cars over to JP...

Back over at Rock Ridge, Kai and Norman will build a train for Shapeless Steel and C&P Restaurant Supply. Before they leave the yard, the PC 50' Box car from Superior will head over to Three Amigos Warehouse...

Norman pulls the 5 gondolas for Shapeless Steel and hand them off to Kai and add them to the reefers blocked for C&P Restaurant Supply...

The cars are pulled and moved over to the A/D tracks...

The 4 PS-2 covered hoppers will get moved to Rock Ridge East Yard and then makes its way to Richmond Hill Engine Terminal...

The second move within yard limits has 4 cars being spotted. One car for American Hardware from Port Owen Brick Co. loaded with bricks. This car was forwarded to the APRR from the KPD...

Let's watch the crew spot the 4 cars by American Hardware and PC Richard & Son...

A quick peek back over at Cargill shows JP getting ready to drop the cars at Cargill....

JP finishes the moves and ties down at Cargill...

We'll stop here for today. Tomorrow the freight will head out to consignees around Rock Ridge.

The inbound portions on both John's N.Y.C.T.L. and Ralph's K.P.D. Railroads are in action. Be sure to check them out to see where my freight cars are headed!

Thanks for reading!