GNRW operating session.
First ops session since the state of Ohio 'opened up' after the pandemic. Wasn't expecting a lot of railroaders but, as I always say, I only need one other to have fun, with a total of 4 railroaders showing up. The basement has large areas and isles to keep our 6' distance. After pizza, we did some 'ops'.
Videos:
N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 at Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9QnwWCkDoM
N&W Class A and SF 2-10-4 meet at St. Paul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_57STKWa5uU
Class A and 2-10-4 pacing each other:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVtK5evt0Zg
Class A on turntable at Seattle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKEpIyP_mcw
My 'ops' is a little different: the engineer picks what engine he wants to run.
John picked up his N&W Class A 2-6-6-4 and backing the engine to pick up his freight train.
Steve's the engineer on the SF 2-10-4 at Hillyard.
N&W Class A at Tye.
N&W A taking on water at Hillyard. Four of the water towers have functional spouts with sound.
All cabeese and observation cars have marker lights or internal lighting so the LCC signalling system can detect, via current draw, when a train has left a block.
Joe doing dispatcher's duties.
Steve's SF 2-10-4 just west of St. Paul.
N&W A and SF 2-10-4 pacing each other.
Both have the vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.
Class A at Wilmar and the 2-10-4 at Marias pass.
2-10-4 taking on water at Tye.
Class A at Wilmar. Yep. the engineer pulled forward to, also, fill up the auxiliary tender.
Class A taking water at Wilmar.
Dispatcher's board shows location of all trains, their signals and turnout position.
Steve's SF 2-10-4 on one of the incoming tracks at Seattle's freight yard.
Class A taking water at Tye.
SF 2-10-4 dropped off cars and leaving via the escape tracks.
2-10-4 heading for the roundhouse.
The new 'norm'.
GN C-1 0-8-0 attaching to incoming freight cars on the opposite end of the train.
SF 2-10-4 ready for minor servicing at the roundhouse.
GN C-1 sorting cars in the freight yard.
N&W Class A entering incoming track at Seattle.
Ditto for the Class A: cars dropped off and heading for the roundhouse.
Walthers makes a great turntable.
One of Steve's vintage Mantua 4-6-2 pacific. He just installed a decoder. Very quiet and has added detail.
Water hole.
NP A-5 4-8-4 gray boiler northern. Painting is the easy part: masking off all those black parts is the hard part!
NP A-5 at Marias pass.
Whoa: didn't realize it's quarter to 4 AM: not many railroaders but had a great time and the last one left around 1:30 AM.
Probably sleep in this morning and not get up until 8 AM!