Something Strange Happened

Yes something strange happened yesterday on the WRS, there was an operating session.  Yes it has been almost five months since the last one.

The regular Crew was joined by a new member Gord, who worked with Pierre switching Dogwood and Greenfield. 

Pierre and Gord checking their orders at Dogwood

The Paper Mill Job was handled by Glen

Barry was busy at the North Yard Job

Wayne taken a break from running one of the five Main Line Trains, as he waits to enter the North Yard.

I ran my usual train, the MEC Transfer.

Roseton and Bartown were not switched due to a couple of the Crew not being able to attend.

Operations when smoothly, even with the long layoff.  There are a couple issues to be addressed before the next session from the long layoff, management forgot to deal with them due the layoff.

Hopefully the next session will not take five months to happen.

Doug



Update Sept 13th

Yes it has been a long time since my last posting, but there has not been anything to report on the WRS side.

Did rebuild part of the North Yard to deal with the issues from the last operating session.  This did help some of the issues, but there is still a few more to address.  Having trouble pushing two Genesis box cars thru the switches, added more weight to the cars, which help but there is still issues. One time it works and the next time it does not, need to test more cars in the yard.

I have not been spending time on the layout this summer, in the summer it is On30 construction time, which has been taking most of my model railroading time.  But this summer I did get a chance to ride the trains in Windsor on Trecothic Creek Railway. It was a birthday party for one of the WRS engineers.

With a number of things to complete on the On30 side before the Truro Show in October, will likely not getting back to the WRS until after the Truro Show.

thanks

Doug

Ops Session June 26

Yes after too long period of time, the WRS finally was on the move again.  Looking back in the records, this was the first operating session for the regular crew since mid January.  Yes there was a special session at the end of March for visiting operators.

The Crew had a chance to see the changes to the Railroad, before the locos came to live.  Barry headed to the North Yard and began preparing the south bound trains.  Wayne picked up the pair of leased BN C424 and headed with 101S for points south.  Pierre headed for the South Yard and picked up the Dogwood Turn, which now departs form the South Yard.  And Glen headed for the Mill to do its required switching.  Roseton crew did not report to duty today.  And I got to run the MEC Transfer.

Operations when well for being shut down this long.  The Maintenance Department does have a list of issues to address before the next session.  Too much rust in places.

 Glen looking over the Orders for White River Paper Co.

 Pierre working Dogwood and over seeing Wayne dropping cars from one of Main Line Trains

 Barry busy in the North Yard

Wayne getting ready to depart the South Yard with another run.

Management also will have to work on some new paperwork to deal with operations in the North and South Yards.  Also a few of the trains may have to be rebalanced.

But the main thing everyone had fun and enjoyed the session.  They hope the next one will not be in six months time.

later

Doug

June Update

May has came and gone and the WRS did not operate.  But did get a few projects completed.

Below are a few pictures of the new South / MEC Yard and the revised North Yard.
Note click on the pictures to enlarge.

This is a view from the center of the Yard looking North.  On the top left is the new engine service area , waiting for the leased MEC units to arrive and a couple WRS locos.

This the center of the Yard.  There are four Arrival / Departure tracks (left side) and two round around tracks and caboose storage in the middle of them (right side)

This is a view of  the south end of the Yard.  On the right bottom is the round around tracks.  On the top right is storage track for more cars if needed.

This is a view of  the revised North Yard. Three more tracks have been added to the Yard.  The Classification Yard will now be five tracks, an Arrival Track, Run Around Track and two Departure Tracks

This is view from the end of the Yard.  On the left is the Classification Yard, Arrival and Run Around Tracks in the middle and the Departure Tracks on the left.

The fascia still needs to be installed in the North Yard as seen in the above picture.

There is still more work to do.  With the changing of Yards, new paper work will be required and trains will have to be re-balanced.  And then the cleaning begins.

I am hoping to be operating on the WRS by the end of month if no major issues arises.

later

Doug

Update

It is time for a little update.

Operations on the WRS has been shut down, and no I have not destoried the railroad. Some of the reasons are as follows.

First, I am rebuilding the North Yard.  The Yard will have three tracks added to the Classification Yard to allow it to become the "Working" yard.  This work is almost completed, just a few adjustments and testing to complete.

Second, with the North Yard becoming the "Working" yard, the South Yard will become a "Staging" yard.  This will require some benchwork changes and relaying about half of the track work.  Work has not started here yet, except for the tracks being removed.

Third, local shows, have been to the shows at Shearwater, Moncton and next weekend is the Convention.

And Finally the On30 modules.  Wayne and I had  the modules at the Shearwater Show.  The modules were there for over a week, because of they were part of a local morning TV show before the show.   The On30 group also had a test setup a couple weeks before Shearwater.
Presently the modules are setup in the WRS space, as a few "little" improvements are completed before the Convention, which is a week away.

I am hoping to get back to the WRS construction in a couple of weeks and having the WRS operational again by the end of May.

thanks

Doug

Grand Performance : Afternoon

After lunch, Derwin departed the Tour to visit a friend in a local Hospital.

The next stop was Wayne's Nottingham Sub of MEC to run a few trains and for our visitors to see his layout for the first time or to see what Wayne has added since their last visit.




Scott showing Barry how to use the Lenz throttle as Wayne looks on.

I departed early to get the WRS ready for its performance. After the gang arrived from Wayne's and a quick tour of the layout, since there had been major changes since their last visit, it was time to get the trains rolling.

Dave headed for the South Yard, with Scott doing the Papermill, Al chose to do Roseton, Pierre and Barry did the switching in Dogwood and Wayne did the Mainline Trains. I did the North Yard and MEC Transfer. Both Dave and Wayne also ran the RDC. Near the end of the session Derwin re-appeared and operated the Bartown Switcher, people in Bartown did not want to think, since this is the first time in almost a year since this train had ran.



Pierre and Barry switching at Dogwood



Al working Roseton




Dave heading out of the South Yard with the RDC.

Scott working the Papermill

Wayne waiting to enter the Papermill with his Mainline train.

Sorry no picture of Derwin, to see Derwin working Bartown go to Scott's website. (link on the side bar) Derwin has also posted pictures of the Tour at his website.

It was a great time and everyone had fun, which is why we do this.

Doug

FR&E: The Grand Performance

The day finally arrived, the Grand Performance on the Fall River & Eastern. Your three guests (Scott, Barry and Derwin) arrived from PEI with a New Brunswicker (Al), which they picked up on the way.

After a tour of the railroad, they were soon put to work on the FR&E with four regulars, Dave, Wayne, Pierre and myself. Pierre was joined by Derwin in the River Yard. Dave and Scott headed for the North Yard to run the South Peddler. Al was joined by Wayne to switch the Meat Plant and I was brakeman to Barry on the Bedford Falls Local.

Below are a few pictures from the morning, that management of FR&E supplied .



Derwin working the River Yard as Wayne and Al look on.


Al wondering when the mainline will be clear for him to continue on his travels.


Pierre checking his paperwork to make sure Derwin did his job correctly.



Shoot of Pierre and Derwin (with his back to you) working River Yard, Scott and I in the distance.

Scott watching his train enter the River Yard as Pierre keeps a watchful eye.

Scott preparing this train in the North Yard, while Barry waits to prepare his train.

As the day continued, the yard crew, departed the yard with a loco and a few cars for what they called "loco test". But their trip quickly ended when they came upon both tracks being blocked by a local switching crew. Once the switching crew returned, they were able to continue on their test , but upon returning home, they found the local peddler crew waiting for their train. So back to the Yard work for them.

As crews finished one job they when on another.

Scott ran the new Mine Run on the FR&E.

After all the fun and few pictures taken, it was off to lunch.

In the next posting I will report on events of the afternoon.

Doug

Rehearsal :Fall River & Eastern

Yesterday, the Crew was busy on the FR&E.

Barry W and Pierre worked River Yard, the main yard for the railroad.

Wayne worked the Meat Plant Switcher and then the Local Peddler, which serves the three local industries near the River Yard, grain terminal, manufacturing plant and coal dealer.

Dave selected the South Peddler, which serves the industries between North Yard and River Yard.

Glen worked the Bedford Falls Switcher, which departs from the North Yard and serves the town of Bedford Falls. The town has three industries, coal mine, Feed and Seed and the Brewery.

Barry R operated the Passenger Train.

I was busy being Freight Agent and Dispatcher.

Other high lights were the new major staging yard Dave added since the last session. Also the visit of Bruce and Andrew.



Dave busy at Bedford Falls


Glen building his train in the North Yard


Barry W and Pierre at River Yard



Wayne busy at the Meat Plant

It was a great time and the new paper work improved operations.

later

Doug

Grand Tour : The Rehearsal

This all began back in November, when a request came from the Half-Nuts Operating Group from PEI. (see Scott's and Derwin's website links on the side bar) to have the Grand Tour and Operating Session. After a few emails discussing dates, Saturday January 15th was selected for the Grand Tour of Dave's Fall River and Eastern, (sorry no website yet), Wayne's Nottingham Sub of MEC, (website on side bar) and the WRS.

Five days before the event, came the email, that they could not make the trip on the 15th.

Since Dave had not had an operating session on FR&E since the Grand Tour by the Codiac Operating Group from Moncton Area in July and WRS was has been quiet since the end of November, a call when out to the local operating crew to have a rehearsal to work out any rust before the next Grand Tour.

Saturday morning started with the crew reporting to Fall River & Eastern. Barry W did the North/ South Peddlers, which services industries between the North Yard and River Yard. Pierre did the Meat Plant Switcher and Brewery Switcher. Dave and Barry R did the Local Peddler, which services the industries around the River Yard. Doug M ran the main Passenger Train. And I was busy dealing with the paper work and checking for "rust".

After the session on the FR&E, the crew headed to the local Arby's for lunch were Glen joined us.
After lunch, the crew minus Barry R and Doug M, headed off to the WRS, for another operating session. After checking the phone abound arrival, we found out were our missing crew member was, something about not getting an email on the revised schedule. Wayne joined us a few minutes later.

Barry W headed for his home in the South Yard. Dave headed to North Yard to pick up 202 which serves Dogwood, Glen headed to the Mill and Pierre headed to the South Yard to pick up Main Line Run. So I headed to Roseton to start that job, until I was replaced when Wayne arrived. So then, I headed to my normal job of the North Yard Switcher and MEC Transfer.



Dave over looking Wayne has he switched Roseton.


Pierre dropping his caboose so he can drop car off at the Mill. While Glen was checking his paper work to see what cars he is getting from Pierre.



Barry W busy switching in the South Yard.



Glen busy working the Mill.

Many of the crew decided to change jobs for this session, which means I have a few items to adjust in the paperwork.

The main thing we all had fun and are waiting for the next rehearsal. At that time, the crew is hoping the script has been adjusted.

later

Doug

Another Year in the Books

It hard to believe another year has past for the WRS. There has been a few changes to the WRS this year.

The year started with a change in operations of the WRS, with North and South bound trains. Since there was no South Yard, a "Fast Freight" move was required, where the train would have to make a quick trip from the Yard at the White River Paper Co to the North Yard and back. After a couple of operating sessions, this issue needed to be addressed. A back drop was installed behind Dogwood and an interchange track was installed in Greenfield to connect to MEC. Now the "Fast Freight" was gone.

With the installation of the backdrop, a few industries changed on the layout. The Metal Works left Greenfield to the MEC and was replaced by the Ice Block. Doug's Organ Works moved from Roseton to Dogwood on the former Big Red's property, The Reload Terminal and T&T's switched properties. Later in the year two more companies started to receive cars in the Dogwood Terminal, XYZ and VGA. This is after reading an article about adding industries without adding tracks. In Roseton, Northstar Industries moved into the old DOW property.

Starting in June, the big change happened, the earth moved again. The new MEC Interchange was removed, Greenfield was re-arranged again and the Mill was moved. A double sided backdrop was installed from end of Greenfield to past Dogwood. This allowed the expanded Mill to be installed on the other side of the backdrop. The other part of the project was the start of the South Yard, now just down the line from the Mill.

With this change, two industries changed locations. The Ice Block is now located at Bartown and Green Mountain Limestone is located in Greenfield.

At the end of July, the new arrangement received its first test with the visit of three members from the Codiac Operation Group.

At the end of September, the WRS Crew had their first operating session on the revised layout. At this time a crew was installed at the new South Yard to make up the trains heading North. This had to be revised after the session, not enough tracks yet in the South Yard.
The last operating session of the year, the new operation's plan for the South Yard was tested and the session improved.

Also during the year work on done on the scenery on the layout.

That is all for the review, as I now have to get ready for the first operating session of the new year.

Doug