October 17. Jean and I arrived early Friday afternoon, and got to take a look at the railroad. It's been about 3 or 4 years since we were out here and I wanted to see all of the changes.
It's a VERY impressive railroad. And SO LARGE that it doesn't even fit in this distance shot.
L-R: Andy, Ken, Jean, and Jane. It's hard to get a shot without the railroad in the picture, but I managed it this once.
Here we see the town of Bluefield; the Industrial Park is just beyond the row of trees.
October 17. The caboose looks great with the rivets; Jinx enjoys the shade.
Up at Hilltop Overlook we see that the town is not quite done yet; it needs more track and ballast.
But ballast is not an issue when you have your own front end loader to bring it around.
October 17. Jane uses her right foot to point out where the ground is still a bit sort from the rain.
Ken and I decide they need some GOOD supervisors. We lcouldn't find any, so we headed up to do the job ourselves. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew pitched in to help install track and ballast. The sun was setting so we had to quit, leaving just a bit to do for Saturday.
October 18. Saturday is still clear, but colder and windier. There's a bit of work to be done, but you're allowed a generous rest after ballasting Memphis/Evansville. Here, Ric takes time to talk with Dave Masters.
October 18. I get a chance to run my little switcher around this gorgeous layout.
October 18. This is a schematic of the track plan - there's a copy posted on each clipboard. The diagram makes the railroad seem tiny...until you start walking around.
Jean and I choose to run OVER-1 - a train that goes from Bluefield up to Hilltop Overlook - the part that was just finished yesterday. Our orders are to take our cars to Overlook and exchange them for the cars there. Our first challenge is the wind - as you cross the bridge, the boxcars catch the wind and flop over. Dave Masters helps me right them.
Overlook is deceptive. When you first pull in, you're convinced that there's more than enough track to switch everything without fouling the main. Later, it just doesn't seem so. Anyway, Jean is recovering from back surgery and enjoys the opportunity to take a seat while she operates the locomotives. In this shot, the main is almost out of sight on the far left, part of our train occupies the track available to us at Overlook.
October 18. Of course, one can't sit the whole time...
Once our switching is complete, we take the train back to Bluefield.
Later in the day, there's a bit of a traffic jam at Bluefield as our train never came in the house. I send my boxcab switcher out to move it out of the way. It struggles a bit, but eventually moves the cars.
October 18. Jean needs a rest, so Ken and I take the Bluefield to Memphis train. Here we are passing Hadley Forest in the Sparta subdivision.
The train crosses the bridge on the way into Memphis.
October 19. Sunday is still clear and much nicer than Saturday. I come bundled up, but soon remove my sweatshirt and jacket. There's very little wind today.
Normally, the ops session doesn't start until about noon, but a car club comes to visit around 1030, so we need to get some trains running to give them something to view.
Jean and I decide to take out the local, which pretty much runs over the entire layout. It proves to be a very fun train.
The work sheet allows you to write in the cars you take out - which is helpful when you get to a switching location, just to make sure you're dropping cars you brought.
Our journey starts in Evansville and Ric works to get the train ready to go.
We climb the hill out of Memphis and soon come up to Overlook - where we switched yesterday. Today, Ken and Doug have the job, while the car club members look on.
October 19. After crossing the bridge, we run through Bluefield.
We set the switch, cross the Wye Bridge and head into Sparta where we set out and pick up three boxcars.
Then it's down the grade as we pass Hadley Forest.
October 19. We continue down the grade.
Next, we cross the diamond at Woodlawn.
Climbing the hill into Nashville.
October 19. There's a bit of switching the covered hoppers at Nashville. Addieville has four more that we have to replace. There's a very long passing siding to help get the job done.
Once our work is complete, we reassemble our train and head back towards Woodlawn. Here we set out 3 boxcars on the Northbound Interchange (shown on the right) and pick up 3 boxcars from the Southbound Interchange (the track to the left)
Leaving Woodlawn, we head up the long grade towards Sparta.
October 19. Around the bend and we're almost there.
Just passing Sparta and the track starts to level out.
Roger gets a shot of our train as it passes over his coal train.
October 19. I take a similar shot.
Next we head past Overlook again on our way to Evansville.
The railroad is just not large enough yet, so Andy and Jane have more plans for expansion.
October 19. After that run, there's just enough time to grab something to eat in the crew lounge before our early departure. L-R: Rita and Dan Patterson, Doug Matheson, and Andy.
It's a happy crew and we're very pleased to have joined them for the weekend!