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Ops Session on the LVN
The Friday night group attends a number of operations nights on the LVN. Here are some recent photos.
Ron and Dave are discussing the move to get the tank cars out of Husky oil. They have a couple of drop offs that are located on the oil can located in the classification yard.
Here Monique and Jim are eying me as a catch them operating the BNSF coal drag entering the double crossover at the Port Coal Mine. The mines are named after the Navy port and starboard. After 31 years service it seemed to make sense given the colours of the coal cars at each mine.
Here Ron is pulling a section of his tank cars to Shelby where he and Dave will switch out the Glycol plant. The port coal mine is in the background.
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Jim and Fred are working the lumber dealer and Newby Chemicals. There is quite the switching problem with tailing and facing sidings.
Just North of Shelby near the Glycol Plant the boys are just getting ready for the morning shift. The backdrop painting creates real depth to this scene which is only 36 inches wide. I kept my RS-18s and othe Alco fleet on the layout along with Vans even though it is post 2000. Why. Cause it is my layout and it is freelance.
Looking back the otherway, you can see the BN Alco C-415 switcher pulling a block of coal hoppers. These hoppers will be backed some 20 ft into the Port Coal mine which is to the left and along the other wall of the layout room.
Looks like Fred and Jim have finally finished setting out the chemical tanks into Newby fuels which is still under construction. Yes big power but that is modern railroading for you.
Hope you enjoyed one of the many operating sessions on the LVN
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I love posts like this ... lots of photos and good captions explaining things.
Running trains like the prototype I think is a total blast. Once I got bit by the ops bug, it has become the reason I do everything else in the hobby. Nothing jazzes me more about the hobby than a good op session!
Thanks for posting this - it was a delightful read.
Joe Fugate
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine
A couple questions. First, I don't see any switch actuators on the front of your benchwork. Are all your switch machines run off DCC, or how do you change your switch points?
That string of VIA cars along the back. Are those (one of our sponsoring advertisers) Rapido cars? It looks like the Rapido Steam Genny up front, though I'm not sure if its just an optical illusion, but it looks a little off-kilter, like it might be derailed or something. Anyway, keep the photos coming. I always enjoy seeing the Canadian roads.
Dave
N-Scaler still trying to figure out what he's going to model
I designed the switches to be hand throw. The reason is I have found that the trainman are more responsible when hand throwing...especially to return the points to the main or ensure the turnout is positioned properly for the train. Personal preference I guess. They are Rapido Cars. VIA string is used every so often as a prise run after folks complete their switching duties. I think it maybe off the rails I will check. Rough uncoupling I guess. Thanks for the comment Joe. Our ops group gets together quite often and we post our adventures on the Railroad line forum web site normally. I will be sure to put in our next ops session at my place. It will be early next month.
LVN you have a very nice RR there and what looks to be a fine club. You and your modelers have done a beautiful job of building this layout and I will definetly watch your op session photos with great intrest. If any of you can make a video of one of your op sessions and post it on You-Tube with a link here for us to watch that would also be great if not the photo will be fine.
Dan
NARROW gauge MINDED
AND PROUD OF IT
Thanks for sharing - this is a fantastic way to show us what's going on - I'm very partial to operations-themed photography as it mixes scenery and 'purpose' in one photograph with an always-helpful caption below it.
Merci beaucoup