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Friday Night on the LVN Journals/Blogs
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Regular poster 163 posts LVN Regular poster 163 posts
LVN

Lots of action on the LVN on Friday.  Had 10 operators over.  They were divided into teams of engineers and trainmen.  The two hour operating session saw continuous action and by the looks on the faces of the folks below we all had a good time.

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Here you can see Ron, Chris and James operating a NAR SD38-2, two BNSF SD70Macs and a leased CFX SD90 Mac through the classification yard.  Modern operations include hauling coal, grain, mixed freight and intermondal.

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Ron is watching closely as Chris backs the NAR SD38-2 onto a string of Glycol cars at the new facility located at the south end of Shelby yard.

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Meanwhile in Richmond yard Mike is pushing a string of cars beyond a switch point.  He needs to clear the switch to move them onto the departure track.  Bob, his trainman is  in close as well and planning the next move.

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Joel and James are pulling a string of coal hoppers from the Port Mine.  Thumbs up....All must be going well.

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After that operation the BNSF units have returned to pickup a string of green hoppers for the Starboard mine.  Joel is surprised as the Richmond RS18 switcher blasts a horn warning of its presence.

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Jim and Dave are carrying out the classic coupling of grain hoppers.  Dave is giving him hand signals and is at Slow to stop.

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Joel uncoupling hoppers at the Starboard mine.

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James is posing with his train at the double crossover next to the Port Coal Mine.

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After collecting the Port string James is heading through the Edmonton Yard.  He now has 42 loads on his train.  You can see Joel way in the back indicating how much of the train is remaining to clear the switch.  In fact you can see the red hopper in the distance near the farm on the back wall.

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Here is the mixed freight exiting Hamer's Curve.  The hoppers are on the yard lead and are being split to fit into Edmonton Yard.

The boys did a great job and we sat down in the crew lounge for a few pops (beers), cheese curds and cake.  Lots of conversation about the goings on and discussion about the next ops session which will be at my freinds CN layout.

Every Day is Train Day
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kcsphil1 Prolific poster 1,235 posts
kcsphil1

Nothing Like

Fizzy adult beverages and cheese curds!  Especailly after a successful modeling run.  Nice post!

Now, next time - video please!

Philip H. Chief Everything Officer Baton Rouge Southern Railroad, Mount Rainier Div.

"You can't just "Field of Dreams" it... not matter how James Earl Jones your voice is..." ~ my wife

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Geared Frequent poster 838 posts
Geared

Gotta have fun

Great post, thanks for sharing. Lots of inspiration in the pictures.

Roy

Geared is the way to tight radii and steep grades. Ghost River Rwy. "The Wet Coast Loggers"

 
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LVN Regular poster 163 posts
LVN

Ok Ok Ok

Well I better find a video cam. However it is bad enough to catch these guys in stills.  As you can see by Fred as brings his string of hoppers to Joel and James''s train.

 

Every Day is Train Day
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caboose14 Frequent poster 647 posts
caboose14

No, I agree with Phillip!

Video is a must! We can put up with the crazy crewmen.

Nice post. Looks like a really great layout with plenty of operating fun. LOVE the Port Coal Mine scene!

Keep 'em coming please!

Kevin Klettke CEO, Washington Northern Railroad
ogosmall.jpg 
wnrr@comcast.net
http://wnrr.net
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BlueHillsCPR
BlueHillsCPR

Nice report

Great to see pictures of the OP session but as mentioned a video would be even better!  Thanks for sharing.
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kcsphil1 Prolific poster 1,235 posts
kcsphil1

The problem here

Is that Charlie and Joe have us hooked on good ops session videos - so naturally we want to see all the ops sessions we can.

Perhaps MTV/MRH would consider producing an ops vidoe of your layout . . . .

Philip H. Chief Everything Officer Baton Rouge Southern Railroad, Mount Rainier Div.

"You can't just "Field of Dreams" it... not matter how James Earl Jones your voice is..." ~ my wife

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LVN Regular poster 163 posts
LVN

Coal Mines

Glad you liked the mines.  The Port Mine was made from combining a number of Walthers Kits.  There still needs to be some conveyors added between the buildings the open pits and slag piles. Depth is created by adding the open areas painted on the backdrop. 

 

The Stbd Coal pit was made by cutting a large hole in the benchwork.  Then I added layers of pink foam of different thickness into the hole and above it.  Added trees to the ridge and combinations of black paint, sand and grout.  I ran the road around the outside using celluclay to form the road which winds from the upper surface down into the pit.  I used the same sand and grout process and added wodland scenic coal to the surfaces.  The coal piles have  kitty litter under them to reduce expense for the mounds of coal..

 

 

Every Day is Train Day
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ratled Frequent poster 926 posts
ratled

Live Op's #5 you say????

"......Charlie and Joe have us hooked on good ops session videos - so naturally we want to see all the ops sessions we can.

Perhaps MTV/MRH would consider producing an ops vidoe of your layout . . . . "

Gee and I thought Joe was going to shoot it this weekend.........

Steve

http://klamathline.blogspot.com/

 
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BlueHillsCPR
BlueHillsCPR

Open Pit

The open pit mine is a great scene.  Thanks for the construction details.  Kitty Litter!  Brilliant!

Thanks for sharing!
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joef MRH Founder 17,574 posts
joef

LVN - we'd love to come shoot an ops live

LVN - if you're game, I'd love to start planning an ops live of the layout ... just click my name and use the contact form to email me directly if you'd like to talk more about it!

Boy, do I LOVE ops!

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

[siskiyouBtn]

Read my blog
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rickwade Prolific poster (deceased) 6,447 posts
rickwade

Ops session

Oh man, I wish I was there!  What a great layout and a great time!  I'm part of an operating group but we've yet to have any operations as only one member has a layout that is "operation ready".  Thanks for the posting.

Rick

Rick

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The Richlawn Railroad Website - Featuring the L&N in HO  / MRH Blog  / MRM #123

Mt. 22: 37- 40
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ChrisNH Super User 1,277 posts
ChrisNH

Good stuff

Living in New England I don't get to op too many coal roads. I would really enjoy seeing an op video featuring the distinctive action of a coal hauling railroad..

Chris

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.”           My modest progress Blog
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bear creek MRH Editor emeritus 2,340 posts
bear creek

Gary Siegal

Chris,

I'm assuming you watched the Gary Siegal op session videos on MRH Theater?

Charlie

 

Superintendent of nearly everything  ayco_hdr.jpg 
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ChrisNH Super User 1,277 posts
ChrisNH

Yes!

Yes! I enjoyed them!

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.”           My modest progress Blog
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LVN Regular poster 163 posts
LVN

Video Possibility

I did contact Joe through his email address that I used in previous contacts.  Hope it still works..  Have not heard back yet.  Hope to be able to do something in the future.  I think what is most interesting is to create an operating environment in a mid sized railroad.  It can be a real dance so that there are few log jams in yards and mains.  Ore Hauling is fun.  I really like the mine environments.  I have watched the videos that Joe made of your pos sessions.  It was a blast.

Every Day is Train Day
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