As Ralph and I worked out, as it happens, there's a direct car float connection between the KP&W/PC at the Kingsport car float and the LF&NW at the West Egg car float. Up until very recently, the West Egg float was purely imaginary, with the float bridge leading to the end of the benchwork. This past summer, I've been working on a removable shelf between the benchwork and the wall that will hold a car float. The latest car float connection was an excuse to put this into operation. Here's Ralph's PC box car arriving at West Egg:

A couple more shots of the car float -- it's still unpainted, I have to fill some gaps and sand some dings, but at least it's functional now:




As it happens, the PC boxcar on its way to Woollett was caught by the camera with the XTRX covered hopper on its way to the KP&W behind it:

Here's a better shot of XTRX 76983, now on its way to Empire Grain on the KP&W:

That's great John! Glad to see the PC boxcar made the trip safely across the harbor. Looking forward to using that handy connection to forward XTRX 76983 to Empire Grain!

NKP 53 is on today's West Egg Roustabout, switching out the PC boxcar. It will take it to Manhattan Transfer, where it is scheduled to go out on the Jaques Turn.

The West Egg Roustabout is heading back to Manhattan Transfer.

Past the West Egg passenger station:

And onto the West Egg Moveable Bridge:



And past the Department of Docks, where things are still in a state of flux:


More to come -- it's a long trip to Woollett, this'll probably take up a good part of the holiday week.

Its fun to see the car on the move John. I really like that bridge shot! Very nice!

The West Egg Roustabout pulls into Passenger Track 3 at Manhattan Transfer to let its loco run around. (The passenger tracks are the only ones with runarounds here):









Next: there are two ways a car can get from Manhattan Transfer to Zenith. There is a yard transfer run that goes directly from yard to yard. However, there's a train called the Jaques Turn that runs from Manhattan Transfer across the aisle to Jaques, where it leaves cars on an interchange track for pickup by one of the regular main line locals, which will also take cars from there to Zenith. That's what's going to happen here. There is a high-wide load already set to go to Jaques, and Ralph's PC box will hitch a ride on that run.

The PRR got today's run of the Jaques Turn. As is PRR practice, it is running as a special high-wide extra, with the PC boxcar coming along for the ride:


The train backtracks through West Egg, taking the nearer track through the depot:




And then heads out over the drawbridge that crosses the aisle, with Jaques on the other side:

Nice! Looking forward to the further travels of the PC boxcar! You know, that photo of all of the electrical boxes near the tower inspires me to want to add more track side details to my layout.

For what it's worth, that cluster of boxes is patterned after the NYC at the Maumee River swing bridge in Toledo -- it turns up in various Emery Gulash DVDs. I couldn't resist it, especially since it "controls" my own swing bridge.

The line to Manhattan Transfer joins the main line on the other side of the aisle, at Bay City. The Napa Valley Wine Train sells tickets here, and one of its trademark grounded bay window cabooses sits behind the Amtrak depot:



The dispatcher has held an SP freight to let the high-wide extra go onto the main:



Just past Bay City is Jaques (pronounced JAY-kweez), which is named for pioneer model railroader and well-known nature artist Francis Lee Jaques:





Scenery is only partly done here, this is the "leading edge", or maybe "bleeding edge" area of the layout. The track in the foreground below is the newest addition.



per Ralph's comment about bridges, when I planned this layout in its current location, I took into consideration the fact that there's almost as much scenery below track level as above it, so I made sure to incorporate bridges, culverts, and drainage throughout.

jwb Wrote:For what it's worth, that cluster of boxes is patterned after the NYC at the Maumee River swing bridge in Toledo -- it turns up in various Emery Gulash DVDs. I couldn't resist it, especially since it "controls" my own swing bridge.

Sure! I have his series of PC videos and know what you're talking about.