This week's ops

[Ralph]

I'm in the mood to talk about operations again. Since I go down to the layout room about an hour a day or less during the summer weather I've found it takes me about a week to get through all of the scenarios I prepare to run the layout to its fullest. I'll be posting some pics as I go. Feel free to post pics of your ops this week too!


It all starts with my handwritten scenario cards which I'm now keeping in this nifty box I found in Target's office supplies section. The pink cards in the right compartment are for "bad orders" (track, rolling stock and logistics issues that may occur during the session ) that I'll note and fix.

More to come.
Don't be shy! Post your ops!

[Tyson Rayles]

It's been so long since I ran a train on my layout I would probably need a stack of those pink ones !

[Ralph]

I've run into a few glitches each time so far. It's good to take care of those nagging little issues!

This week I'm starting with KP&W's RDC that runs from West Mill's commuter station to an off layout spur on the other side of the layout.


Once the RDC (which can be seen in the background in the far left) is out of the way, the Float Turn can get to work setting out those two empty gons at Sal's Salvage. It will also pick up a loaded gon at Sal's and then go get four cars from Empire Grain to return to the Float Yard. Those four 50 foot boxcars in the Float Yard will be picked up later by a freight running from Mayfield to Kings Port.


The cars waiting to be picked up at Empire Grain...

[Ralph]

An abbreviated look at the Float Turn's work....

Lining up the exchange of empty gons for the loaded one.


After the exchange...


Picking up cars at Empire Grain. The loaded gon is behind the flat car


Cars pulled from Empire Grain and Sal's Salvage heading to the Main so they can be backed into the Float Yard


A couple of moves place all the pulled cars on the Float Yard siding for eventual placement on the car float.

[jwb]

I think this gives an idea of how much fun operation is. And for some reason, aren't those old Varney, Tyco, and so forth cars all that much more of a treasure when you operate with them????

[Tyson Rayles]

Awesome pics of an awesome layout !

[Ralph]

Thanks guys! This is fun...and it helps keep my mind sharp.

Next up is the Kings Port to Mayfield local KM-3. I've documented this train in other threads so I'll just show a couple pics of it. KM-3 is different every time however thanks to my scenario cards that provide an element of randomness to the train.

Power is the usual GP40 number 3007, seen here rolling past an MOW train that is set there because of a scenario card draw. The MOW train won't interfere with KM-3 but it will be interesting to see how it messes with other trains in the ops lineup this week.


Coupling onto the cars for the train, KM-3 gets ready to move out of Kings Port. The more I look at that blue and white building in the background, the more I think I'll replace it with something else.


Train work: Two loaded hoppers for the interchange track


Two empty hoppers for Hedberg Aggregates


Three boxcars were dropped off at GERN and now four covered hoppers are being picked up at Empire Grain. The gons with steel coils are bound for Peerless Appliance in the off layout town of Mayfield.


The train heads into staging. I recently added a turnout to create a second staging track there. I need to redo the tunnel portal which originally was only big enough for one track.


That's today's ops! More tomorrow!

[Southern Tuxedo]

Ralph,

Is that a Lionel track cleaning car that I see in your MOW train?

Mark

[Ralph]

It is, Mark! Good eye! I've always liked the way it looks. It was originally lettered for the Southern Pacific. I removed the old sponges and placed a masonite block underneath it.

[cn nutbar]

Hello Ralph---all your scenes are outstanding but Hedberg Aggregates is one of my favourites

[Southern Tuxedo]

Ralph,
I have one which is boxed up somewhere. I like how you re-lettered it for your railroad, gives me some ideas.

Mark

[Ralph]

I only ran the KP&W's coal train, a run-through, yesterday evening.

It emerges from the tunnel north of West Mill, headed by a SD9 and an RS3. The KP&W is noted for make-do consists sometimes.


The long string of loaded hoppers extends the length of West Mill. Hmmmmm, seems to be a telegraph pole floating near the carfloat!


Rolling past Empire Grain


Turning the corner out of West Mill. Catskills in the background.


The train is seen rolling through Kings Port.

[Charlie B]

This is a great thread, you may be inspiring me to do something similar. I have a lot of operating possibilities, but with the economy in a recession on the Wilderson division there are cars stored everywhere adding to the problems switching some of the places on my line. It will be fun to try.
Charlie

[Ralph]

Thanks Charlie! That would be great! I'd love to see more ops threads here!!! Looking forward to it!

[Ralph]

Well, this week's ops are taking more than a week! I've been trying to be smart about my train sequences so sidings and spurs are cleared for future moves. An example of this is the way local train MK-4 (Mayfield to Kings Port) clears the float yard for a transfer run that will later fill up those float yard tracks.

MK-4 comes out of staging.


The short local heads onto the main but soon the GP30 at the head end will be backing up to grab those four boxcars in the float yard.


The loco couples up with the boxcars...


...and pulls them out of the yard to hook up with the rest of the local.


...and heads on its way, later to be seen on the high line at Kings Port.