Operating session on 24th October

I invited some guys over to run trains with me last Saturday. We used a modified version of my timetable because I'd called a smaller crew that we usually have, and I figured that after such a long break we'd all be a bit rusty. Instead of using the fast clock, we operated the trains sequentially, which meant fewer trains on the layout at any time, and eliminated most of the meets between through trains. I stupidly thought that I could operate both yards, but that didn't work out so well.

It turned out that we weren't as rusty as I thought, because in my post-session tidy up I found only one car that was not where it was supposed to be. The guys did very well.

I was so busy running the yards that I almost forgot to take photos. Here are a few that I did get, along with a couple of still images from videos that Greg made.

John F. on the right has cut some cars from his northbound Fast freight, and is running the engines back to rejoin the train. I'm in the background, switching some cars to add to the rear of John's train.

Brendan is switching tank cars at the Wynnewood refinery.

Me and my covid lockdown hair.

Another shot of Brendan switching tank cars at the Wynnewood refinery.

John F with a northbound freight departing Pauls Valley.

Chris appears to be waiting for his train to emerge from the track that leads down to the south staging yard.

A southbound grain extra (driven by John F) and the northbound Texas Chief (driven by Greg) do a saw-by at Davis.
This was Greg's first operating session on the GC&SF and he didn't miss any opportunity to run a train.

Greg, with the Texas Chief arriving at Pauls Valley.

(L-R) Peter K, John F and Greg.
Greg is running the "The Chicagoan" while John is running the Pauls Valley local freight.

Brendan fiddling with one of them new fangled Digitrax throttles. This was the first time one has been used on my layout,
and Brendan said that he had no problems. The GP7 is the yard switcher that I was driving, until
I put my UT4D down to take this photo.

Greg again, this time with a northbound train of tank cars that has just emerged from the south staging yard.

Business must be booming at Johnstone Construction.

Jacobson Concrete at Pauls Valley.

Pauls Valley grain elevator. This model is based on a real industry in Pauls Valley that has been there for 60 years or more.
From what I can tell, it was once the Farm-Ranch Grain Company.

Wynnewood.

Another photo of Wynnewood.

A big thank-you to the guys for coming over. I'm hoping to hold another session before Christmas.

Thanks for looking,
Ron