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Hartford NMRA Convention - Day 1
July 6, 2009 - Just completed the first full day at the NMRA National Convention in Hartford. We shot video of several clinics and will be posting them on MRH Theater in the coming weeks.
One of the more interesting highlights of the first day was the Operations Road Show that teaches Timetable Train Order operation.
The above photo shows the dispatcher at work on the Wabash-based modular layout that makes up the Operations Road Show. MRH Editor Charlie Comstock elected to go through their training and operate on the layout. We put the session to video - much of the content we found very helpful and may be releasing it as OPs Live volume 5.
Charlie got one of the locals - they use two person crews and Charlie's the conductor (shown in this photo using an uncoupling pick to uncouple some cars). As to Timetable and Train Order operation, Charlie's main job was to watch the timetable and to make sure they were in the clear 10 minutes before any train was due to roll through town.
The layout uses "active staging" or a fiddle yard - also called a "mole" to use the term popularized by Lee Nicholas. The fiddle yard operators took some time on video to explain what a fiddle yard is, how it differs from static staging, and then they demonstrated the process they use for building trains. They have an entire row of boxes with drawers full of cars, and use a clever process to determine what cars to pull when for each given train.
The photo above shows pulling a car from one of the drawers as they build a train in the fiddle yard.
Thus ended day 1 of the Hartford NMRA National!
Follow my blog each day this week for an up-to-the-minute report from the National Convention each day.
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Joe,
Thanks for the update! Looks like loads of intense operations... Thanks for keeping those of us unable to make it there up to date!
Norm
Norm Wolf
e-mail: ndwolf68@gmail.com
Check out my blog: http://www.trainfanatic.blogspot.com
I knew this was going to be there but I didn't expect to see any of it. Thanks for posting it, Joe. I can't wait to see the video!
Irv
Joe,
Just getting ready to leave the house. Save some stuff for me to do!
--
Jeff Shultz
http://www.shultzinfosystems.com
The Willamette & Pacific RR - Oregon Electric Branch
Model Railroad Hobbyist Technical Assistant
I was just recalling the M-R-H coverage of last year's NMRA convention, and hoping for a repeat. What a way to start off the coverage. I've wanted to see and operate this Road Show layout since I first read about it. This is a demo that we need a few more of to cover the country and show modelers (and others) the thrill of operations. I can't wait to see the video, or the rest of your coverage this week!
Eric
Eric Hansmann in Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Modeling the railroads of Newburgh, Ohio, circa 1926:
http://designbuildop.hansmanns.org/
This was something I was really hoping to see when I am there.
I had trouble finding info on when they are running.. is this something that will be going on Friday and Saturday too?
Chris
“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” My modest progress Blog
Chris,
The sched for the OpSIG activities at the Hartford National can be found here:
http://hn2009.org/op-sig.html
I do not see a Friday or Saturday listing for the group.
Eric
Eric Hansmann in Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Modeling the railroads of Newburgh, Ohio, circa 1926:
http://designbuildop.hansmanns.org/
Ok.. I didnt realize they were listed with the other stuff. Unfotunately they scheduled all the opsig activities for Saturday right in the middle of the day.. making it hard to spend time at the train show and do clinics.. it would have been fantastic if they had scheduled some saturday evening ones for those of us who are coming Friday/Saturday.
Chris
“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” My modest progress Blog
This seems to be getting alot of excietment and the blood flowing. Start planning now for Milwaukee next year it will be the 75th Ann. convention and I cannot think of a better location.
I have been too two National Conventions in recent years 2000 St Louis and 2005 Cin. I would recommend that you plan a whole week and do everything. Spend four day on buses visiting some great layouts. The National Train Show is only the last two days.
Check out the NMRA web site. http://www.nmra.com/
Next year convention into will show up in 30 to 45 days.
Art Houston
Grande Pacific RR
ahouston3@charter.net
I am curious on how you would characterize the overall reaction to the ops road show. Are the convention attendees signing up in droves? Or are they having to "impress" volunteers? Or something in between?
They can handle about a dozen people per session and as near as I can tell they've had full attendance all the time.
My impression is the "Road Show" is a real hit with convention goers.
Joe Fugate
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine