Saturday this week a few of us ventured to Anthony’s for the monthly Border
District Running Session. This is a top session. The layout room was packed
with 7 bodies. Four are from the dark side – Anthony, Mark, Ian and Shelton
(Victorian and/or South Australian Modellers). Brendan has recently gone to the
dark side (aka being a Victorian Modeller). So it was left to Darren and myself
to bring some form of resemblance of properness and decorum to the session as we
were the only NSW modellers in attendance.
As usual it was a great day. I was awarded the ‘Train Controller’ job and also had the opportunity to run three trains in the 26 movement roster. The session is packed with shunting activities. It did not get off to a good start, as I caused a few issues. I sent the wrong train out of the staging (even though I did not drive it – I set the points). I also set the points for the locos for the Overland Passenger to couple up to the wrong end of its consist and it began heading off in the wrong direction until picked up by the host. At least the rear was still in the staging siding – so we could say that it was just being test run before leaving on its real run. I only heard of one bogie derail during the session - Hey Geoff (sorry Brendan – you had to be there), and one set of points being run through the wrong way – Hey Darren! Shelton caused a few shorts – at least his name was the one called out – I know in at least one occasion he was not even driving but he still got the blame. All this added to the mood of the session. Someone drove a brass loco (Ian) without looking where it was going ( I distracted him by talking to him across the layout). The loco was supposed to be heading through Tatiara Downs on the main platform, and the signalman there had incorrectly routed it into the dock (Hey Anthony). It was only just able to pull up before ploughing into the station stop blocks – and potentially killing hundreds of passengers. This session is filled with excitement, stress, deep concentration and thought and the comments that occur make it an afternoon to remember full of banter, jest and laughter. I certainly look forward in attending. The planning that goes into arranging this running session must be immense and congratulations to Anthony for his preplanning. It is just immaculate. For the price of a few beers and nibblies, Anthony even got a piano moved. A few photos were captured by Shelton and Ian, but they have not yet surfaced on various blogs - What are you guys waiting for!
Today I got down to the shed late in the arvo. I put the TV on the tennis and the AFL (Lions). I sat at the workbench and made up two more lengths of dual gauge track. I then laid them those pieces with a few other pieces of Tillig dual gauge track that I had from Dutton Park Junction and into the throat of Fisherman Islands. I then ran a string of ballast hoppers through the Standard Gauge point work and everything works well so far. So I have one more piece of track to buy, a narrow gauge RH point. Then I can complete the last of my track work on the layout. I still have to install the point motors of all the points in Fisherman Islands and also install the track bus for this area. I am currently undecided if I would use a separate power district for this area. So I think that might be a task for the next few weeks.
As usual it was a great day. I was awarded the ‘Train Controller’ job and also had the opportunity to run three trains in the 26 movement roster. The session is packed with shunting activities. It did not get off to a good start, as I caused a few issues. I sent the wrong train out of the staging (even though I did not drive it – I set the points). I also set the points for the locos for the Overland Passenger to couple up to the wrong end of its consist and it began heading off in the wrong direction until picked up by the host. At least the rear was still in the staging siding – so we could say that it was just being test run before leaving on its real run. I only heard of one bogie derail during the session - Hey Geoff (sorry Brendan – you had to be there), and one set of points being run through the wrong way – Hey Darren! Shelton caused a few shorts – at least his name was the one called out – I know in at least one occasion he was not even driving but he still got the blame. All this added to the mood of the session. Someone drove a brass loco (Ian) without looking where it was going ( I distracted him by talking to him across the layout). The loco was supposed to be heading through Tatiara Downs on the main platform, and the signalman there had incorrectly routed it into the dock (Hey Anthony). It was only just able to pull up before ploughing into the station stop blocks – and potentially killing hundreds of passengers. This session is filled with excitement, stress, deep concentration and thought and the comments that occur make it an afternoon to remember full of banter, jest and laughter. I certainly look forward in attending. The planning that goes into arranging this running session must be immense and congratulations to Anthony for his preplanning. It is just immaculate. For the price of a few beers and nibblies, Anthony even got a piano moved. A few photos were captured by Shelton and Ian, but they have not yet surfaced on various blogs - What are you guys waiting for!
Today I got down to the shed late in the arvo. I put the TV on the tennis and the AFL (Lions). I sat at the workbench and made up two more lengths of dual gauge track. I then laid them those pieces with a few other pieces of Tillig dual gauge track that I had from Dutton Park Junction and into the throat of Fisherman Islands. I then ran a string of ballast hoppers through the Standard Gauge point work and everything works well so far. So I have one more piece of track to buy, a narrow gauge RH point. Then I can complete the last of my track work on the layout. I still have to install the point motors of all the points in Fisherman Islands and also install the track bus for this area. I am currently undecided if I would use a separate power district for this area. So I think that might be a task for the next few weeks.
I don’t think I will get much done next week with family activities planned on both days. I might be able to have a day off during the week and get the wiring started.
Craig,
ReplyDeleteSincere thanks for your kind words regarding both the layout and the pre-planning. The monthly operating sessions continue to see concepts grow and evolve. The highlight though is indeed the interactions - our hobby makes for meeting some great people, and I am fortunate to have a wonderful group of modellers who bring the Border District to life each month!
Anthony