Getting the 20th Century into and out of GCT

when the 20th Century was made up at Mott Haven, was it shoved to GCT or looped, then backed into place?

I doubt they shoved it 5 miles , I did it once with Conrail OCS and it was big pain in A**

An S motor pulled it into GCT. The motor then ran around the train and shoved it up
To the bumper post on track 34. The trackage in the terminal allowed this operation
To be made. On many of the lesser trains the motor would just pull up to the bumper
and "escape" after the train departed.

thanks.
All this at the beginning of rush hour unless all commuter rail was relegated to the
lower level at that time.

ExNYC63 wrote:An S motor pulled it into GCT. The motor then ran around the train and shoved it up
To the bumper post on track 34. The trackage in the terminal allowed this operation
To be made. On many of the lesser trains the motor would just pull up to the bumper
and "escape" after the train departed.

Yes, this is the way I remember these trains being handled too. The work went to GCT Yard Crews using "S" Motors.
Noel Weaver

When you watch the GCT part of Pentrex' NYC Combo DVD, you will see, that after the Century has left, the motor comes out of the end of the track on its tail, waiting at the end of the platform until the Century has cleared the relevant sections. That confirms, that the train was pulled to the platform by the motor.

Depending on the timing, the preferred routine was to cut the S-motor off at Tower A, couple the road motor (P or T) on the head end (with a GCT emergency engine crew), and shove into the platform. For trains that had obs cars, the passenger dept preferred to have the obs against the block. These included #'s 1, 11, 15, 17, 25, 47, and 65, If time was short, then the S-motor towed the consist into the platform, but that lost that crew until after departure.

If the train was headed wrong-way from MO and had to be looped, that required additional time and track space. Normal move for looping was via the Upper Level Loop through Towers A, F, and C. If the Lower Level Outside Loop was utilized, the turn had to go out to Tower U and then shove in from there.

CP-4070 wrote:When you watch the GCT part of Pentrex' NYC Combo DVD, you will see, that after the Century has left, the motor comes out of the end of the track on its tail, waiting at the end of the platform until the Century has cleared the relevant sections. That confirms, that the train was pulled to the platform by the motor.

That must have been one of the occasions mentioned when the motor pulled the consist all the way in; there are plenty of photos showing the red carpet leading down the ramp, with no motor visible between the bumper post and the obs.
Related question: Did the eastbound Century normally arrive on 38-to-42 and loop, using the road power? And did the road crew take it back to MO?

If anything,the road motor(P or T) would be cut off and sent on to next assignment,
A S motor would do the deadhead run to/from MO yard with the LD equipment,
running the Loop if needed.
Believe the diner crew,lounge car,and porters,stayed on board till yarding at MO

That's right. There were actually scheduled DHE moves in both directions between MO and GCT which were handled by GCT / MO Yard Crews. From GCT, train would go to the car washer at High Bridge, then into MO Yard for servicing. Pullman and Commissary personnel stayed on board as their terminal point was MO until that was closed c. early 1960's and transferred to GCT.

Thanks for the information.

The DHE moves between GCT and MO were actually listed in the employee timetables at times as well and they listed the train(s) that such DHE was to turn for at GCT. I don't know exactly what year the NHRR pulled out of MO but it was in the mid to late 1950's and before 1959.
Noel Weaver

ExCon90 wrote:

CP-4070 wrote:When you watch the GCT part of Pentrex' NYC Combo DVD, you will see, that after the Century has left, the motor comes out of the end of the track on its tail, waiting at the end of the platform until the Century has cleared the relevant sections. That confirms, that the train was pulled to the platform by the motor.

That must have been one of the occasions mentioned when the motor pulled the consist all the way in; there are plenty of photos showing the red carpet leading down the ramp, with no motor visible between the bumper post and the obs.
Related question: Did the eastbound Century normally arrive on 38-to-42 and loop, using the road power? And did the road crew take it back to MO?

There's often a big difference between what you see in staged "company" publicity photos and everyday operations.

This July 1961 video by Walter Berko on the Prelinger Archives has some great footage of the Century's deadhead equipment being hauled to Mott Haven. The entire video is incredible, but the scene starting at 2:06 is where you will see the Century consist on the way to Mott Haven:

https://archive.org/details/6358_HM_NY_ ... 1_00_54_11" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

wjstix wrote:

ExCon90 wrote:

CP-4070 wrote:When you watch the GCT part of Pentrex' NYC Combo DVD, you will see, that after the Century has left, the motor comes out of the end of the track on its tail, waiting at the end of the platform until the Century has cleared the relevant sections. That confirms, that the train was pulled to the platform by the motor.

That must have been one of the occasions mentioned when the motor pulled the consist all the way in; there are plenty of photos showing the red carpet leading down the ramp, with no motor visible between the bumper post and the obs.
Related question: Did the eastbound Century normally arrive on 38-to-42 and loop, using the road power? And did the road crew take it back to MO?

There's often a big difference between what you see in staged "company" publicity photos and everyday operations.

I was just to say the same.

MO means Mott Haven?