Year in Review

A year ago, I started setting up a number of my retired UMG modules to have a home layout and the White River Southern (WRS) was created .

This is the system map of the first version of the WRS created by my modules.

This Blog was started to follow the work and activity on the WRS.

On February 19th, the first operating session was held. The four crews ( Yard, Junction, Dogwood and Rosetown) when off to perform their assigned duties.

In March, there were two more operating sessions and a couple more modules were added to the layout.

In April, another area was added to the layout, Bartown. The revised system map is on the left. There was one operating session.






In May there was an operating session and a section was added to Dogwood.

In June there were two operating sessions.

In July, there was a major change in the WRS. The layout was rearranged by moving Junction to the other end of Dogwood and connecting Dogwood and Rosetown together. This changed the WRS to a point to point layout. Also Blue Ridge area was added to the the other leg of Junction.




In August, the changes to the layout was completed and an operating session was held at the end of the month.


In September, a much needed run around was added to Blue Ridge.


In October, there was little activity on the WRS due to other commitments.


In November, operations returned to the WRS, with two operating sessions. Between the two operating session, the classification and departure tracks in the Yard were increased in length to handle the increased traffic on the WRS.

In December, the WRS expanded again. The area beyond Bartown was added. This included the new town of Riverside and the new Yard. The plan is to add an Interchange track(s) to the Yard to allow for movement of cars off of the WRS. With a new Yard, the old Yard will be converted to the Mill (White River Paper Company). This will be the major industry on the WRS.



This year, a dozen operators have helped make the eleven operating sessions on the WRS possible and enjoyable. The WRS has grown from 13 industries with 20 car spots to now 20 industries with 53 car spots. The four crews at the start of the year, has been replaced with seven crews (Yard, Bartown Local, Rosetown Local, Mill Run, Mill Job, Dogwood Switcher and Junction Switcher)


Projects for 2008 will include installing the Interchange trackage, completing the Mill complex track work and installing more buildings on the WRS. The first area to be addressed, is Bartown with the arrival of Green Mountain Limestone Bulk loading complex.


thanks

Doug

Yard Version II

After having a little time over the Holidays to think about how the new Yard was going to operate. An issue came to light. The loco(s) were trapped when they entered into the arrival tracks. To over come this issue, a pair of switches were installed been the third and fourth tracks in the Yard. The picture below shows the installed switches.


The picture below is of the Yard just before an operating session starts.
Track One (next to the wall) is the departure track for the Mill Run (15 cars).
Track Two is the departure track for Roseton Local (10 cars)
Track Three is the departure track for Bartown Local (6 cars).
Track Four is the arrival track for the Mill Run.
Track Five is the arrival track for Roseton Local.
Track Six (which was just added) is the arrival track for Bartown Local.

Now just a few more wires need to be install to provide power to all tracks and then the Yard will be fully operational.

later

Doug

Staging Yard

While taking a break from working on changes to the Yard .... the story for another day ... I did not want to make the same mistake on the Staging Yard. So I started working on the new operating requirements for the new arrangement. I found out that I need three sets of cars for each job and not two that I had on the last version. So now the Staging Yard will need to hold around sixty cars and not the thirty I was planning. This also means that I will need somewhere between hundred and fifty and hundred and eighty cars to operate the layout. May have to open a few of the kits and start building again.

Time to check things again to make sure that I do not need a fourth set of cars.

later

Doug

New Yard

This is the being of the Yard. There are five tracks, the back three are the departure tracks and the front two are arrival. The track with the Conrail units will be the track to staging.



This is a shot of the middle of the Yard.




This shot was taken from the end of the Yard.



Yes I add on to the first two departure tracks. The one with the tank car will be for the Mill Run, which will be a 15 car train. The track with the all door car will be for the Roseton Local and track with the orange boxcar is for Bartown Local. The white boxcar is on one of the two arrival track.

later

Doug

Happy Holidays

The Management of White River Southern wants to wish all the Crews that have made the last year possible, a Happy Holidays and may Santa put many train related items under your tree this year.

later

Doug

Blue Circle Flour Relocates

Blue Circle Flour has moved from Greenfield to Blue Ridge. This relocation was required for the construction of the Mill Yard. Beside me, who would build a Flour Mill next to a Paper Mill.

later

Doug

Ripping Crew

The Ripping Crew was busy, only a few of the departure tracks are left. These are being left in until after Christmas just incase some operator drops by.

Last Trains out of Town

With the operating session in the books, the WRS crew was busy collecting the cars in the Old Yard before the Ripping Crew arrived. You do not want cars on the wrong side of disappearing tracks.

This is the last train out of town.


This is the view from the other end.




The Ripping Crew waiting for the Train to get out of town.

Once the required switches are removed, work will continue on the New Yard ... errr ...The Yard, since the old yard is now know as the Mill Yard.

Later

Doug

Operating Session Dec 17

This was the last planned operating session using the old yard. Sorry no pictures again. Were a little short handed this operating session with the holiday season upon us, so I had to work a couple of the jobs.

The Bartown Switcher had a small change in its normal routine, it continue on past Bartown for the first time and visited both Riverside and the New Yard.

Another noteworthy item is that Bruce was out of the Yard and working the Junction Local and the Dogwood Switcher.

later

Doug

Revised System Map

Below is the revised system map for the WRS.

The old yard is still at the location marked The Mill. This area will have the track removed after the next operating session on Monday Dec 17. Work is continuing on the WRS Yard, it maybe available in limited usage for the next operating session. The staging area will not happen until after Christmas.

The WRS will be roughly seventy five feet of mainline from the WRS Yard to the Mill Yard.

later

Doug

WRS track crew reaches the New Yard

The WRS track crew has been busy again, they have now complete the section from Riverside to the New Yard and have started work in the Yard. For now the crew will work on the roadbed in the Yard, but track work will be on hold until a couple of switches from the old yard can be transferred to the new yard.

later

Doug

Inspection Train Part 2

Management finally arrived at Riverside. There are two industries in Riverside. One is an old customer of the WRS, Valley Produce. Their new warehouse will be built on the siding next to the inspection train. The blue wall on the right is the second business, Valley Growers Assocation's supply warehouse, which is a new customer of the WRS.

Later

Doug

Inspection Train

WRS management when on an inspection run from Bartown to Riverside to check out the new track work and the business in Riverside.

This picture was taken has they finished acrossing the bridge over the White River north of Bartown.

The train is now taking the curve into Riverside.

later

Doug

Update Dec 6

Working on the next section of the benchwork, hoping to have it finished this weekend after a visit to the hardware store. Also been spending time with Cadrail working on designs for the new yard. Need to work on how trains will arrive and depart.

Will update as more things happen

later

Doug

30 Feet Revisited

Last month I discussed adding another thirty feet to the layout. This weekend the benchwork was started and now roughly twenty five feet of the benchwork has been installed. The picture below is the connection to the layout at Bartown.


This is a view in the other direction. Riverside will be at the bottom of the picture and at the top will the location of the new Yard.

Will keep you updated as more work is done on this section of the railroad.

later

Doug

Green Mountain Limestone

Ross of Young Construction reported the last of the material to complete the construction of the bulk loading complex has arrived and the project should be completed in the next few weeks. Pictures will be coming when the project is complete.

later

Doug