Last week I got the layout plugged in and running again, and after cleaning track and polishing up a few wheelsets, and testing operation of all the switch machines and points, I ran a little ops session.   While I was at it I took a few photos with my son’s iPhone 10.  

I ran this session with New York Central equipment.  Power was provided by a single Kato RS-2 with Loksound and DCC installed by my friend Mike Christianson in Albert Lea.  And old Alco Models NYC caboose was on the back end carrying the markers.  The engine model is still under construction—you can see there’s no window glass or details or weathering, but it sounds great and runs beautifully and I enjoy using it, finished or not.

Below.  Here is our train, Extra 6219 South, heading into town.  I’ve already made a plan to work the town and have left about half the train and the waycar out on the mainline so I can switch the cannery first.

Below.  You can see the rest of the train on the mainline (see the tank car in the background, in the “tunnel”?).   First, I’ve pulled three empty 40-foot box cars consigned to the cannery into the passing track.  I’m going to pull the four loaded cars from the cannery first, then shove these three empties into position.

Below.  The iPhone 10 does a great job with close-up photography.   This is my favorite picture in the whole set.  The cattle pen is a new addition to the layout.  I kitbashed it using the Walthers kit.

Below.  We’re pulling the loads…

…and now shoving them back to the rest of the train, and out of the way.

With the cannery track clear we can shove our three empties into position.  The crossover switches here are handlaid Code 55 using Proto87 Stores components.  These are the first Code 55 turnouts I’ve ever built and they work well.

I’ve pulled the loads ahead so I can bring the rest of the train into town.  The train wasn’t blocked so now I have to do a little work and sort some of the cars at the back end.  This is a perfect spot to do it.

Below.  Now I am running around to bring up the rest of the cars.  The rest of the train can be seen in the distance.

Below.  I’ve brought the rest of the train and left it next to the station on the main track.  After switching a few cars to get them in the right order I pulled a Burlington gon loaded with coal and a GATX tank car loaded with gasoline for delivery on the City Track.  Here’s our engine crossing the IC, which is required to allow us to reach the switch.

I’m still working on scenery here.  I’ve made a mess of the ballast work in the foreground.  The foundation for the interlocking tower is on the right.

Below.  This photo shows me running the engine up the City Track to pick up a loaded box car at the grain elevator.  To save a few moves I’m taking the tank and gon with me.  When the box car is out of the way I’ll be able to spot the gon and tank.  The main track and siding are temporarily full of cars.   

The box is picked up and we’re pulling it south across the dirt road.  The box, by the way, is an old NYC USRA single-sheathed car.  It’s 1950, and that old car’s days are numbered…

I’ve kicked the NYC box car back to the train, and now I’ve gone back up the City Track to drop off the tank car at City Oil.

Below.  Next, we cut off the CB&Q car at the Roosevelt Brothers coal house.  That car doesn’t look very full…I think the Roosevelt Brothers might be losing a lot of money.

The last car we need to deliver is CMO 31248, a box car with a load of bagged feed consigned to the old city elevator.  I don’t want to waste time switching out that reefer so we’ll take it along for the ride.

Here we are, shoving the box into position at the old elevator.  This is some of my favorite trackwork on the whole layout.  It is Micro Engineering Code 55 flex track.

We’re carefully putting it into position…

…and now pulling away.

Below.  After that last drop, I brought the engine and reefer back to the main track and reaassembled our train for the next station south.  

Once the train has been reassembled, and the air tested, and everybody is aboard, we’ll give five short blasts on the horn to request signals from the tower operator.

The staging yard on the south side of the layout hasn’t been connected yet, so we have to end our ops session here.  Once it’s connected we’ll be able to actually run the train off the layout and into staging, simulating the run to the next station south of Ackley.  For today, this is as far as we can go.

Maybe a Seaboard Air Line scenario next time???  – John G