Last Friday evening I hosted the first GC&SF operating session for 2018. We had a big turn-out of crew members, as (unusually) almost everybody I invited came along. The downside of that was that some of the guys got to run very few trains.
Nevertheless, it seemed to have been a great evening socially, and we made it through the complete timetabled session (which is also a little unusual.)
Here are some photos that I took before and during the evening on my Oppo phone. (Sorry Dennis, but I somehow managed to not take any with you in them.)
This first group shows how things looked before we started the session.
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The line-up at South Staging.
L-R: Train 6 (The Ranger), train 38 (a Fast Freight), train 16 (The Texas Chief),
train X2856N (a livestock extra), train 40 (a Fast Freight), and train 66 (the Ringling mixed local.) |
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A view of Wynnewood (left) and Davis (right) from the end of the peninsula. The yard at
Pauls Valley is on the far left, and Dougherty is on the far right. |
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| The siding and storage sheds at the Ardmore Air Base near Gene Autry. |
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| Johnstone Construction at Davis. Just behind the tree is Pitmon Oil. |
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| Stillwater Milling (foreground) and Arctic Processing (distance) at Davis. |
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| The tank-car loading racks at Kerr-McGee Refinery, Wynnewood. |
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| Another view of the refinery at Wynnewood. |
These photos were taken during the session.
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Vic is preparing to leave Davis with the Pauls Valley local freight. In the background,
John F is switching Dougherty with the Ardmore local freight. |
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Rod, Peter and Bill (next photo) were waiting for the clock to count down so
they can run their next assignments. |
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Vic is switching Wynnewood with the Pauls Valley local freight, while Barry is watching for
the southbound gravel train to enter Wynnewood. |
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John F, with the Ardmore local freight at Big Canyon, where
a covered hopper loaded with sand has to be collected. |
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| Barry, and the southbound gravel train en-route to Dougherty. |
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| Darren, and Train 37 (a southbound Fast Freight) rounding the long curve at Big Canyon. |
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| Greg, with northbound Fast Freight #38 at Ardmore. |
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| Brendan, yardmaster at Ardmore, is switching cars for Train 38. |
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| Train 38 approaching Wynnewood, with John C (background) preparing cars at Pauls Valley. |
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Darren brings Train 37 out onto the main, as it departs Ardmore.
Bill is operating the Frisco local, which operates between Ardmore and Hugo (OK.) |
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Vic and the Pauls Valley local at Wynnewood. The train has 'turned' at Pauls Valley
and is returning southwards with a long string of cars for Wynnewood and davis |
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| Rod is switching tank cars at the Wynnewood refinery, while Barry acts at the brakeman. |
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| John C, in his usual role as yardmaster at Pauls Valley. |
I think that everybody had a good time, despite a couple of minor problems (caused by my poor preparation). Thanks for coming over guys.
I'm hoping for my next session to be on a Tuesday in March.
Ron
