Operating session 16th June 2017

I called the guys over for another session last night.  Almost everybody that I invited was able to attend, so we had the biggest crew we've had in a long time and, consequently, some of the guys didn't get to spend a lot of time running trains. Still, it was a good night, and the very few problems that we had were very minor

I took many photos during the session, but I used a new (to me) phone camera, and was disappointed to find that many of the photos were too blurry to be used. Here are the best of them:

Dennis and John C working a through freight at Pauls Valley.

A couple of rowdy rail-fans heckling the passing train driver.

Bill gathering cars at Davis for the local freight.

Greg and Rod.

Through freight (Graham) passing through Davis while the local (Bill) is at work

Graham's through freight passes through Big Canyon where a local freight is at work.

Bill's local freight has arrived at Wynnewood.

Bill switching at Wynnewood.

Bill's local freight is arriving at Pauls Valley.

Greg (yardmaster at Ardmore) is switching cars.

The southbound gravel train passes through Gene Autry
while the local is switching cars on a siding.

Another shot of the switching at Gene Autry.

Barry taking a northbound through freight through Wynnewood while Bill's local is switching there.

Dennis has moved his locos to the rear of the tank-car train as he prepares to switch the refinery.

Greg working the Ardmore yard.

John F watching as Dennis switches tank cars at the Wynnewood refinery.

Peter and Brendan were also present but I somehow managed to get no photos with them. Sorry guys.

Thank-you to the crew-members, who all did an excellent job in operating the layout and keeping to the schedule. Thanks also to my lovely wife and Harvey House manager, Beth, for doing a great job with the catering.

Thanks for looking in.

Regards,
Ron

Cann River update

Last night the gang visited Darren's Cann River layout to inspect the work he's been doing to extend the layout. It's been a year since I last visited the Cann River, and I was already impressed by the way that Darren has captured the rolling hills of east Gippsland.

From the moment I walked through the door I was gobsmacked by the vista the layout now presents:

Darren (right) discussing the layout with Peter.
(Click for larger image.)

I found this track plan that shows the layout when the planned extensions have been completed.

Click for larger image

My job for the night was to run an engine from Wingan (bottom centre on the plan) to Sleep Creek (bottom right) where I collected six wagons loaded with coal, and then delivered them to a paper mill at Chandler (top left hand corner of the plan.)  I have to say that the size of Darren's train room, and the long runs between towns, gave me a real sense of having travelled a long way with my train. Here's a pictorial rendition of that journey.

My engine and guard's van at Wingan. First step was to run around the guard's van.

Crossing the tall trestle bridge between Wingan and Sleep Creek. Darren scratch built this bridge working from photographs of a real bridge on the Victorian Railways.

After collecting the loaded wagons at Sleep creek I headed off to Noorinbee where I had to turn the train before continuing on to Chandler.

While I was running into the siding at Noorinbee the gremlins got into Darren's DCC system, and we all lost control of our trains. Here's a shot of Darren and Greg pondering the problem, while Brendan (you can just see his shoes) is trying to sort out the problem.

Darren is wondering whether he'd have these problems if he switched to HO.  Yes, Darren.
You would. But they be 1.84 times bigger

Losing control of my train at Noorinbee meant that my train continued right through the town, where I was able to get some photos in locations that I would not otherwise have visited:

Once the problem was sorted out I returned to Noorinbee where I turned my train and then continued on my way. Here's my train approaching a level crossing just before reaching Weeragua.

Here's my train at Weeragua.

Between Weeragua and Chandler there is another level crossing and three more trestle bridges:

Here's Chandler, where I will be shunting my coal wagons.

After swapping my loaded wagons for five empties, I started my return trip to Sleep Creek and Wingan.

My train approaching Noorinbee, where I will turn it before heading on to Sleep Creek:

Here are some more photos of the layout room:

Some of the guys are examining Darren's plans for the next stage of the extension,
which will see more track added at the right-hand side of this photo.

Apart from the glitch with the DCC system, the layout ran like a dream. I'm already looking forward to my next chance to operate on the Cann River.

Thanks for looking in.
Ron