P.C.C.M. #95 Outbound Part 1 - Pulling Freight Cars From Industries For The N.Y.C.T.L. & K.P.D.

Welcome back to another P.C.C.M. - #95 in our ongoing series of our virtual operating sessions between Sir John's New York Central Train Layout and PC Ralph's King Port Division HO Scale Model Railroad and my Atlantic Pacific Railroad. 

The crews at Rock Ridge Yard are getting ready for a very busy day. 

AP GP38-2 #303 arrives in Rock Ridge Yard with 1:87 Scale Engineer Mark. A gathering of the yard crew gives Mark his duties for today. He picks up his 1:87 Scale Conductor Jim for the run today. His train, now designated as AP Train RE-2, will pick up freight cars at Mike's Lumber, Freihofer Bakeries, Marcal Paper and Ideal Auto Parts.

A stop at CP South, checking in with Tower Operator 1:87 Scale NJ John, for clearance to depart the yard. 

Crossing over from outbound track 1 to outbound track 2...

Departing the yard limit as the approach signal is given...

Next stop is CP Little Jamaica and 1:87 Scale Tower Operator Bob tells him the moves on the secondary tracks..

A pick up of 6 freight cars at Mikes Lumber. The TP&W box cars are making their debut on the railroad, fresh out of the Patti-O Paint Shop on the N.Y.C.T.L. Those 4 cars will head to University Millwork with lumber. The tow APRR box cars will head to a new consignee on the N.Y.C.T.L - Empire Millwork at Terminal Warehouse..

Here's the move at Mike's Lumber

Next stop is a 4 car pull - three from Freihofer Bakeries with baked goods and one from Marcal Paper for Dan's Supreme with paper products. All of theses consignees are on the N.Y.C.T.L.

Here's the pull from these two industries....

Last stop on his run will be at Ideal Auto Parts. All three cars are headed to the Ford Plant in Empire City. 

Here's the pull of those box cars for the Ford Plant...

Now that all of the freight cars are pulled together, the crew can head back to the yard...

Here we see AP Train RE-2 heading back to the yard off the secondary track...

We see a few trains being held at West Harold. There's another train waiting to get into Rock Ridge Yard, AP Train WC- 9 with tank cars for Cargill being held up on Rock Ridge Approach Track 2. Not sure what the hold up is. AP #307 is sitting on the secondary track on the south side of West Harold awaiting some orders for Tower Operator Rich. AP Train RE-2 is being held up as well. 

Here's why they're all being held up! AP Extra 8163 was making moves to drop off 4 empty PS-2 covered hoppers to Rock Ridge East Yard for T&R Gravel in Empire City. This yard is used by the M&E for County Concrete as well as storage of freight when the main yard is near or at capacity. 1:87 Scale Norman brought the cars up from the Richmond Hill Engine Terminal.

Now that Extra 8183 has cleared the interlocking at CP Little Jamaica, RE-2 can head in..

AP Train RE-2 arrives at Rock Ridge..

We turn our attention to the yard where AP engine #105 breaks down the inbound freight from AP #303

AP Engineer 1:87 Scale Dan is in the seat....

The train is broken down.. Now on to more moves within the yard...

There are 4 box cars at American Hardware - A pair of KP&W box cars will head to Quality Fabrications on the K.P.D. loaded with bulk hardware. A Pair of 40' AP box cars will head over to American Hardware in Empire City on the N.Y.C..T.L. with bulk hardware as well. Lots of goods leaving this industry!!

Here's Dan pulling those box cars from American Hardware. They'll be spotted on one of the departure tracks in the yard...

We turn our attention back to West Harold Interlocking as AP Engine #307 with 1:87 Scale Matt working the job with conductor Stuart assisting him on the moves..

First move is to pull a pair of KP&W box cars from Three Amigos Warehouse for West Mill Yard on the K.P.D. Both cars are empty and head back to it's home base..

Next move is to pick up a KP&W 40' box car from Shapeless Steel with steel bands for Port Owen Brick...

The crew heads over to C&P Restaurant Supply to pick up three box cars for Ralph's Grocery in Empire City. That new TP&W car sure looks nice, doesn't it?

The crew heads back to the yard as the sun is playing havoc with the view on the railroad. Must be late in teh afternoon close to quitting time!

They arrive back in the yard, finally!

Menawhile, Dan headed over to Cargill to pull an NYC Coveredhopper loaded with flour for Blue Ribbon Bakery on the K.P.D....

Back in the yard, the jobs are complete!

The jobs are completed for today. Tomorrow the new crew will build the outbound train destined for West Mill on the K.P.D., Selkirk, NY where the freight for the N.Y.C.T.L. will be picked up by the Penn Central Crew and delivered to Terminal Yard on the N.Y.C.T.L.

Thanks for reading!!

A New Industry On The A.P.R.R. Has Come To Fruition

Welcome to the Atlantic Pacific Railroad blog. This is where you get the latest updates about the railroad itself, virtual operating sessions and new acquisitions.

I've been doing something called 'virtual operating sessions' with two great gentlemen. Sir John of Georgia, whom I've known for at least 11 years (maybe more) as we met on a now defunct model railroad website where you can post pics and have conversations. We've met in person both in NYC for dinner and Atlanta for a Train Show. One day Sir John told me that he does something called 'virtual train operations' with another gentleman based in Minnesota who we refer to as PC Ralph. At that point I was invited to join what is called the "Penn Central Car Movements". This is where like cars move from one layout to another via our blog posts, all set in the Penn Central era. Links to both of their blogs will be posted at the end.

And now on to the new topic - another new industry for the APRR and our virtual operating sessions! 

It all started with Sir John converting one of his industries to a PC Richard & Son building. A little background on PC Richard & Son, with credit from Wikipedia:

In 1909, Pieter Christian Richard, who left Holland in 1899, opened a small hardware store in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn (“Work Well Done” 14). In October of that same year, P.C.’s son, Alfred J. Richard (A.J.), was born. Born into the business less than a month after it opened, A.J. played an important role from the beginning. He spent his childhood helping out at the store, only leaving it to go to school. When he completed ninth grade in 1923, A.J. decided to drop out of school and focus entirely on helping his family and building the business (“Work Well Done” 25). A.J. was responsible for introducing the first electric appliance to the inventory, the electric clothes iron, as well as time payments so his customers could afford them (“Work Well Done” 32).

On February 1, 1947, A.J. officially took over as the company president and majority shareholder. It was around this time that he began to introduce his sons, Peter and Gary, to the family business (“Work Well Done” 58). Soon, the company grew into a chain as it expanded into Long Island. After the death of his father P.C. in 1972, A.J. promoted himself to chairman of the board in 1974, and he held that position until his death, well into his nineties. Peter and Gary were originally named co-presidents, but this arrangement changed in 1982, when Gary became president and Peter became executive vice president. Soon, Gary’s son Gregg began to work his way into the fabric of the company in the same way his father and grandfather had, until he became president in 2004. A.J. died weeks later at ninety-five years old. "The fourth generation, Gregg Richard, Bonni Rondinello and Peter Richard, III" are now involved in helping to run what their great-grandfather began.

When Sir John told me he was making this change, I figured maybe there's a chance that we can take this industry and integrate it on the APRR. Normally, appliance deliveries from both John and Ralph go to my Three Amigos Warehouse and Storage for further distribution. While looking at my layout, there wasn't any space to add any type of 'structure'. However, in Rock Ridge Yard against the backdrop are a number of flats. On the north end of the yard is 'American Hardware', which is used exclusively for our virtual op sessions. On the south end of the yard is 'ShopRite Supermarket Warehouse', which I use in both virtual op sessions and live op sessions.

Here's the progress on the new industry. Sir 1:87 Scale Neal has written a long term lease for the PC Richard & Son Warehouse. Mind you that in the Penn Central time period, PC Richard & Son was only based on Long Island. We've taken some modeling liberty and added the warehouse to enhance our virtual operating sessions.

We can see the 'Leased' sign has been added to the building...

Next step was to make some loading dock doors. Three doors were needed to accommodate 3 Evans DD Box Cars, or cars similar to them. Since I could not add the Woodland Scenics loading doors to this completed backdrop structure, I add some doors and frames that I had from a Walthers Warehouse kit.

They needed to be trimmed so the loading doors would be against the frame itself...

The knife and file was taken to task to trim the inside frame to make the doors flush...

Doors were painted aluminum and the door frames were painted black..

Both needed 2 coats of rattle can spray...

Once assembled, they were hit with rattle can matte finish clear..

Next step is to add the loading dock. Once that was in place, the doors could be added...

The APRR Management Team and the owners of PC Richard & Son are proud to unveil their new warehouse in Rock Ridge Yard. This industry has the ability to handle 3-4 box cars. In addition, there's an adjacent track that if need be, box cars side by side with ramps can go between cars if need be..

The PC Richard & Son industry will be introduced in PCCM #95 - Inbound portion and some new freight cars will be seen on the APRR as well. 

Stay tuned for Penn Central Car Movement #95 and more exciting news from the railroad!

Thanks for reading!

Sir John's N.Y.C.T.L.

PC Ralph's K.P.D. Railroad

P.C.C.M. #94 On The A.P.R.R. Part 2 - The Return Of Penn Central Extra 3175

Welcome back to Penn Central Car Movement #94 - The return of Penn Central Extra 3175!

PC Ralph sent a string of coal hoppers to Sir John's Terminal Yard, which will head over to Pier 16 Terminal for export. Once the cars are unloaded, they will return to their origin, which in the case of PC Extra 3175, will be out in Pennsylvania!

PC Extra 3175 is at West Harold Interlocking waiting for permission to proceed...

...And permission granted!

They have the approach to Little Jamaica, as they'll need to cross on to the APRR tracks to work their way thru Rock Ridge Yard...

Let's watch PC Extra 3175 in action...

At the Rock Ridge Yard Limit, they're held once more for a signal from the tower operator...

...And they have the approach thru the yard...

PC Extra 3175 thru Rock Ridge Yard...

PC Extra 3175 has the outbound signal to proceed thru Little Jamaica. 

PC Extra 3175 is on the move...

Let's watch extra 3175 head thru Little Jamaica...

And thru West Harold. Next stop, Weehawken!!

That concludes my portion of Penn Central Car Movement #94...

Don't forget to check out the rest of this series over on Sir John's New York Central Train Layout and PC Ralph's Kings Port Division Railroad!

Thanks for reading!

P.C.C.M. #94 On The A.P.R.R. Part 1 - Coal Train Detour Thru Rock Ridge

Welcome to Penn Central Car Movement #94. 

It's another day at Rock Ridge Yard. The boys are gathered as they're being told that an 'Extra' Train is coming into Rock Ridge. This train was scheduled to go to Terminal Yard on the N.Y.C.T.L. via another route on the Erie Lackawanna (EL) and the Penn Central (PC). Now it's being rerouted thru Rock Ridge, to Weehawken and on to Terminal Yard...

The 'Extra' Train is Penn Central Extra 3175 with a string of loaded coal hoppers, is destined for the Pier 16 Docks on the N.Y.C.T.L. The coal will be loaded on to ships for export overseas. The train has arrived at Rock Ridge for a quick stop...

The crew awaits the departure signal...

...And proceeds to head out of Rock Ridge...

Tower operator 1:87 scale Rich T. watches as PC Extra 3175 slowly passes by CP South...

Now at the Rock Ridge Yard Limits, the crew awaits the signal to proceed to Weehawken. From there, Extra 3175 will head up the River Line, thru Selkirk and on to Terminal Yard in Empire City...

The signal is changed and PC Extra 3175 heads out...

Next stop, Weehawken! 

AP Train WRC-3 arrives in Rock Ridge Yard. They had to wait for the Penn Central extra train to clear out of the yard so they can bring in the tank cars for Cargill. Engineer 1:87 scale NJ John along with Conductor 1:87 scale Norman (the official AP photographer) bring the train up from Weehawken. The night shift will deliver these cars to Cargill so there's no interference with daytime operations on the Rock Ridge secondary....

That's all for today. Stop back in two days for the return of this extra train as the detour is still in place!

Check out the action for this special Penn Central Car Movement on Sir John's N.Y.C.T.L. Railroad and PC Ralph's Kings Port & Western Railroad

Thanks for stopping by!