Operations Session from 27th December

We had 8 crew and an apprentice turn up for the Operations Session for Wednesday 27th December.  We almost had more Victorian modellers in attendance than NSW modellers.  I might have to start imposing sanctions on Victorian Modellers if they keep multiplying.  It didn’t start well when Greg declared JMRI a failure and we had to resort to Procabs and Procab-Rs only.  Arthur diligently sat in the North Coast Controller’s chair for 3 hours and had trains running smoothly.  Well we ran 37 trains to completion.  It seemed that towards the end of the session, the crew just sat down as the clock neared the end of the session, not wanting to start a train and leave it out on the layout just before a break for crib. I was the only person operating, with the rest just watching me, and Arthur directing.

Now there were about 7 issues registered from the session.  One 80’ container wagon lost a coupling.  So the 0-5-0 hand of god removed the troublesome wagon (for later fixing) and operations continued.  The North Coast Motorail was listed twice as having bad couplers (mismatched coupler heights) - once traveling to Murwillumbah and once travel from Murwillumbah.  I’ve gone and checked things out on Thursday and everything lines up?  I gave it a run and it works OK now.  Maybe someone adjusted something during the session.  I super glued the coupling back on the wagon and returned the wagon to the train.  I fixed up a loco with dirty wheels, and took a file to two pieces of track that were slightly out of height alignment.  So that was not a bad result from the Operations Session.  However, when the session completed, there were still 12 trains to run.

So on Thursday afternoon, I ran 5 trains and advanced the fast clock from 6:30pm in the timetable until 8:00pm.  I also slewed the last 40 cm of number three track in South Brisbane Interstate Yard by about 4-5mm and now the new wooden unloading platform that I made during the Christmas break sits on the other side of trains in the station platform at South Brisbane Interstate and between track 3 on the other side.  I still need to add a few more legs to the modelling platform and add some more detail to the deck, but for all intents and purposes, it is all complete.

On Friday I had 4 people over, Lefty (and Son would have also been over if he didn’t work all night doing oncall), Arthur, Marty (NMRA Div 1 super) and Shelton.  Well wouldn’t you know it – two more Victorian Modellers. We took the timetable from 8:00pm up until midnight.  Had a coffee or cold drink and had a bit of a chat.  So that meant that the timetable had been completed successfully.  Apparently Lefty advised that he did not know the various locations were and where the various control panels are for each location.  But that is natural for people with very little experience on the layout.

On Friday arvo I ripped up two sweeping dual gauge curves that I had laid between Acacia Ridge Yard and Clapham Yard.  These were laid with my own scratch built dual gauge track.  It was HO flex track on which I soldered up a third rail of code 83 to make it dual gauge. On Wednesday morning I placed an order with Queensland Scale Models for some lengths of Tillig dual gauge track.  What service – it turned up on Friday morning.  So the new dual gauge track was substituted for the home made dual gauge that kept causing my 12mm trains to derail around the bend, as I could not keep it in gauge.  It worked on some other areas on the layout, but not at these two locations.  I then ran my narrow gauge train between Clapham and Acacia Ridge and back.  I also found one narrow gauge siding at Acacia Ridge that was not wired, so out came the drill and the soldering iron and voila – that is now fixed.

Just after Christmas 2017, and looky here.  Santa has turned up for an Operations Session.

At Border Loop, a ballast train waits for another train to overtake.

This scene shows a photo from the web, that I have tried to replicate in my scene at Border Loop.

 

Here is the freight train to South Brisbane Interstate coming through on the main at Border Loop.

Further north, the freight train has made it to Acacia Ridge Yard.

Some activity on Fairy Lane, an ambulance is passing a scene of some roadwork.

Just nearby Fairy Hill Loop, a triple loco set powers a long container north towards Fisherman Islands.  It is passing Ron and Marg's B&B.

Looks like PK is staying a night in the bedroom and Lefty is trying to work out what PK is doing.  maybe Lefty is taking notes.

At Acacia Ridge Yard, two trains from the Ops Session are visible.  The Ballast Tamper on track 5 and the ARHS sponsored CPH with trailer doing a run from South Brisbane Interstate Platform to Kyogle platform and return.  It is captured here heading back to South Brisbane.

 

Oh Look, a stock train lead by 4894.  It is here at Nammoona.  Remember this fact for a future up coming post.

The Stock Train at Nammoona from another angle.

On the facia of the layout are a collection of Tea Bag Tarpaulins before they were cut down to HO size.  These ones are being made in Victorian and SAR colours for my modelling mates.