My version of Penn Central

[conrailman75]

Lines for sale:

Cincinnati to Kankakee mainline
(Cincinnati, OH to Indianapolis, IN to Kankakee, IL)

[conrailman75]

Today at 9:30am, PC train EXC-601 departed Piqua yard in Ft. Wayne, IN bound for Grand Rapids via the GR&I Branch with NYC 4-8-2 3001, NYC 2-8-2 1894 and ten CCP&S passenger cars. A half hour later at 10am, PC train EXC-603 departed Piqua with CCP&S streamlined 4-8-4 6700, PA-1's 4003-4004, and 5 passenger cars headed up the GR&I Branch to Grand Rapids for the Steamfest week. Will update once they arrive in Grand Rapids.

Another train departed Chicago from 55th Street yard, PC train EXC-602, at 9am with CCP&S 2-8-4 6107, streamlined 4-6-4 1700, FT ABA set, and 15 passenger cars. This train will head to Ft. Wayne and after the steam engines are serviced then be turned and head north to Grand Rapids later today as well with a planned symbol of EXC-605.

FWGR-9 is planned to depart on time later today with NS 8102(PRR) and 1066(NYC) for power. The power will be cut off in GR and stay for the steamfest week. Crews are finishing up washing and cleaning up the business train cars along with SD80ACe 6780 and FP7 4371 for the OCS-501 that is going to depart Ft. Wayne later this afternoon to head up to Grand Rapids.

[conrailman75]

To update the earlier story about PC trying to buy some SD60's and 60M's from CP, this is a list of the numbers they are selling off:

SD60's
SOO 6022, 6024, 6026, 6027, 6032, 6033, 6035, 6037, 6044, 6047, 6051, 6053
CP 6221, 6223, 6225, 6228, 6229, 6230, 6231, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6239, 6240, 6241, 6242, 6243, 6245, 6246, 6248, 6249, 6250, 6252, 6254, 6255, 6256, 6257

SD60M's
SOO 6061
CP 6258, 6259, 6260, 6262

PC wants to buy all the SD60M's and at least 20 of the SD60's being offered.

(NOTE: It is true that CP wants to sell off its ex SOO SD60's and SD60M's, the numbers I listed came from a post on the LocoNotes yahoogroup)

[Saturnalia]

To update the earlier story about PC trying to buy some SD60's and 60M's from CP, this is a list of the numbers they are selling off:

SD60's
SOO 6022, 6024, 6026, 6027, 6032, 6033, 6035, 6037, 6044, 6047, 6051, 6053
CP 6221, 6223, 6225, 6228, 6229, 6230, 6231, 6234, 6236, 6238, 6239, 6240, 6241, 6242, 6243, 6245, 6246, 6248, 6249, 6250, 6252, 6254, 6255, 6256, 6257

SD60M's
SOO 6061
CP 6258, 6259, 6260, 6262

PC wants to buy all the SD60M's and at least 20 of the SD60's being offered.

(NOTE: It is true that CP wants to sell off its ex SOO SD60's and SD60M's, the numbers I listed came from a post on the LocoNotes yahoogroup)

MQT would like 15 SD60s.

[conrailman75]

EXC-601 arrived at Grand Rapids around 1pm and the EXC-603 arrived at 1:45pm. The CCP&S passenger cars were removed and placed onto a yard track at Hughart while the NYC steamers and CCP&S power were taken over to the engine facility to be serviced until the crews to take them over to the MQT were called. The EXC-602 arrived at Ft. Wayne around 1pm today and departed for Grand Rapids up the GR&I Branch as EXC-605 at 4pm, with an ETA of approx. 7pm at Grand Rapids. The FWGR-9 with the two NS heritage units left on time at 1pm and arrived at Hughart yard at 4:05pm. The units will be stored inside the diesel house until Monday to protect them from the weather. Also at 2pm the OCS-501 left Ft. Wayne with the consist of PC 4371, 6780 and ten cars to head up the GR&I Branch to Grand Rapids as well. The train arrived in Hughart yard around 5:15pm and will be spending all of next week up there. The CCP&S business train was handed over to PC in Chicago at 4pm and is running right now as OCS-502, which was by Plymouth, IN at 5:18pm. The train will be turned at Ft. Wayne and a new crew will take it up to Grand Rapids this evening.

[conrailman75]

MQT, I talked to CP and they are willing to sell you the 15 SD60's you requested. Your batch will include all 12 unrebuilt SOO SD60's and 3 of the rebuilt and renumbered SD60's in the 6200 series.

[conrailman75]

The CCP&S business train, which ran as OCS-502, arrived in Grand Rapids around 10pm last night and it will be spending the week with the PC business train in Hughart yard at Grand Rapids. Today the Penn Central and CCP&S were hard at work setting up their hospitality tents where fans will be able to purchase railroad themed mementos of their visit this coming week. Crews were also hard at work setting up the ticket tent at Hughart for the PC sponsored excursions this week, more on that schedule as soon as we figure out when what PC routes will be used for official Steamfest week excursions. Forgot to add that 765 ran up the GR&I Branch last Friday as EXC-607 and has been delivered to the festival site already.

[conrailman75]

TENTATIVE PC EXCURSION SCHEDULE:

Monday July 1
CCP&S 6107 2-8-4 runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo via Allegan and return
CCP&S FT ABA set runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo via the GR&I Branch
CCP&S 1700 4-6-4 runs Grand Rapids to Jackson and return via the Grand Rapids Branch

Tuesday July 2
CCP&S FT set runs 3 excursions Kalamazoo to South Haven and return via South Haven Branch
CCP&S 6107 runs Grand Rapids to Jackson and return
CCP&S 1700 runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo and return via GR&I Branch

Wednesday July 3
CCP&S FT set runs 3 excursions Kalamazoo to South Haven and return
CCP&S 1700 runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo via Allegan and return
CCP&S 6107 runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo via GR&I Branch and return

Thursday July 4th
CCP&S 1700 and PC 4371 run Grand Rapids to South Haven via Kalamazoo and return
CCP&S FT set runs Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids via Allegan and return
CCP&S 6107 runs 3 excursions Kalamazoo to South Haven and return

Friday July 5th
CCP&S FT set runs Kalamazoo to Jackson via Grand Rapids and return
CCP&S 1700 runs 3 excursions Kalamazoo to South Haven and return
CCP&S 6107 runs Grand Rapids to South Haven and return

Saturday July 6th
CCP&S 1700 and 6107 runs Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo via the GR&I branch and then up the ex NYC line thru Allegan to return to Grand Rapids.
CCP&S FT set runs 3 excursions Kalamazoo to South Haven and return

All trips subject to change

[conrailman75]

PC has reached a deal with GW to purchase the Whitewater Running track from Valley Jct to Brookville, to be operated under the auspices of the Indiana & Ohio(IORY) for ten million. The portion from Brookville to Metamora will be abandoned and a non profit tourist line, the Whitewater Valley Railroad will take over the portion from Connersville to Metamora to run tourist trains on the line, with trackage rights over the portion in Connersville to reach the CSX interchange track. This portion, which was in sad shape anyways, was given to the WWVR for $1 as PC was glad to be rid of the headaches of maintaining the line. Spencer Wendlin has purchased the portion from Connersville to New Castle for 5 million and plans to use it to store freight cars, under the auspices of the Connersville & New Castle railroad.

[conrailman75]

The excursions have been going very well and everyone has enjoyed touring the business trains of the PC and CCP&S and checking out the two NS heritage units. Today, EXC-600/EXC-601 with 6107 ran Grand Rapids to Jackson, MI and return on the Grand Rapids Branch. EXC-602/EXC-603 with the 1700 ran Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo and return via the GR&I Branch. EXC-605/EXC-604, EXC-607/EXC-606, and EXC-609/EXC-608 ran with the FT ABA set on the South Haven Branch from Kalamazoo to South Haven and return. All trips included photo runbys on the out and back portion of the trips.

Tomorrow's schedule is:
8am CCP&S 6107 departs down the GR&I Branch to Kalamazoo
9am CCP&S 1700 departs down ex NYC branch to Kalamazoo
9am First trip of the FT ABA set to South Haven
12pm Second trip of the FT ABA set to South Haven
2pm Third trip of the FT ABA set to South Haven

In other news, PC has announced the sale of the Richmond Branch to US Rail's Winamac Southern(WSRY) for 5 million dollars. This includes the entire line from New Castle to Logansport, IN and gives the WSRY interchange rights with PC in Logansport. Also today PC completed the deal to sell the Bluffton Branch and Ohio City Secondary to the ICS for 30 million, allowing the company to recoup the costs of the recent rail replacement and upgrade. And the state of Michigan gave PC a 30 day notice that they are terminating their contract with us to operate the Kalamazoo Secondary from K-zoo to Grand Rapids via Allegan. The new owner will be announced Friday.

[conrailman75]

The state of Michigan announced on Friday that Watco has been designated as the new operator of the old NYC Kalamazoo Branch between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. Watco plans to honor the heritage of this line by calling the new operation Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids, reporting marks KAGR. KAGR is the name of the company that originally built the line in the 1800's. The new company will take over on August 1, 2013, which makes PC's last day of service on the line July 31.

Today is the last day of excursions for the Steamfest week. Tomorrow will begin the very careful return of all the power and trains from Grand Rapids back to their original owners, starting with the business trains and then followed by the steam trains. Plans call for the NYC 3001, 1894, and NKP 765 to triple head the first train back to Ft. Wayne, followed by the CCP&S 6700 and PA-1's 4003-4004, then CCP&S 1700, 6107, and the FT ABA set. The two NS heritage units will be placed on Sunday's GRFW and then interchanged back to NS in New Haven.

Also, PC confirmed that GWI is in negotiations to purchase the Cincinnati to Kankakee mainline. There are also rumors that NS is interested in purchasing part of the mainline from Columbus to Cincinnati.

[conrailman75]

PC ran back all the power and trains from Steamfest today. OCS-501 with the PC 4371 and 6780 departed at 8am, OCS-502 with the CCP&S E7 ABA set departed at 9am, returning the business trains back to their owners. The CCP&S business train returned to its home rails at 4pm today. The first returning steam train, EXC-601, with NYC 3001, 1894, and NKP 765 departed at 10am and the 765 was returned to its home east of New Haven by 3pm, while the two NYC steamers were locked up inside the roundhouse at Piqua yard. The second train, EXC-603 with CCP&S 6700 and the two PA-1's, departed at 11am and was returned to home rails at 5pm. The last train, with the rest of the CCP&S excursion fleet, EXC-605, departed at noon and returned to home rails at 6pm. The GRFW-7 ran with NS 8102 and 1066 and arrived at Ft. Wayne around 5pm, where the power was cut off and used to deliver the transfer train to NS at East Wayne yard, turning them back over to NS.

PC will have a couple of anouncements regarding line sales tomorrow.

[Saturnalia]

Y-GRR-EE2 with 23 cars headed your way...

[conrailman75]

Roger that, we'll be ready for you

[legostudios34]

If you are wondering, I haven't updated in a while, but all of your locomotives have been delivered. All 50 45CW-ACs and
50 45CW-DCs. I hope they work well for you.

[conrailman75]

If you are wondering, I haven't updated in a while, but all of your locomotives have been delivered. All 50 45CW-ACs and
50 45CW-DCs. I hope they work well for you.

Thank you, it was a pleasure doing business with you folks.

[conrailman75]

I have made the decision today that due to the fact that I have majorly lost interest in doing this, I am pulling my railroad out of the paper railroad group and all lines will revert to their current owners and abandoned lines will go back to being abandoned.