The New WRS

The redesign of the WRS, all started after an operating session a few months ago. During that operating session, where was an issue with people movement around the layout. The Mill is the busiest area on the layout with two operators, on the opposite side of the aisle is Riverside. This aisle is only three feet wide. So at one time there was four people in an area three feet wide and eight feet long. Then the brakeman from the train working Dogwood want thru this same aisle so he could get to the other side of layout to assist the engineer in switching a section of Dogwood. This required everyone to stop and find some spot to hide in, while he when thru. Then ten minutes later, it happened again when the brakeman wanted to get back to the Roseton. During this time there was only one person in an area four feet wide and sixteen feet long, the aisle between Roseton and Dogwood.

So the redesign started. First the Mill was going to move completely in its present arrangement, to the area next to the stove. This would increase the length of run by twenty feet from the Yard to the Mill and address the issues of crews being in the same place at once.

this is a early version of the planned changes.

This would require first removing Junction and Blue Ridge area and a two foot section from Roseton and replacing this with a 180 deg corner set. Then adding a balloon section to the end of Dogwood and then a long straight section to collect the Mill in its new location to the layout.

I was planning to add a two track hidden staging yard between the Mill and the new corners connecting Roseton and Dogwood. This would address another issue I had with the present layout of having only one connection to the "outside world".

At the end of June, we had an operating session, where I tried the new operating plans. A Northbound train was staged on Track 1 at the Mill to begin the session. It worked better then planned, except I found that I would need more then two trains heading North from staging. So back to the drawing board. I am still working on the plan, so that is why I have not posted any drawings of the new layout.

Since I am re-using my present modules for most of the new arrangement, it will still be a single level layout and not the double deck that I presented back at Christmas, which is on the back burner until I can address a few issue with the design and the basement. Also the WRS would be out of operations for six month to a year as the layout was being build.

So that is a little history of why the changes are happening. At present, the new connection between Roseton and Dogwood has been done after old connection was removed (see past postings). The layout is back in operating condition. During the next few months, I have to work on a few items in Stage 1 that still needs to be completed, before I start on Stage 2.

later

Doug

Stage One - Update 2

The connection between Greenfield and White River Paper Company has now been finished and rail service to the Mill has been restored.

Now comes the hard part, finding a new home for the modules that were removed and all the "stuff" that was stored under them.

later

Doug

Stage One - Update

WRS Inspection Train on its way to Dogwood

WRS is pleased to report that rail service has been restored to Dogwood. Management is hoping to have rail service to White River Paper Company completed before the Mill finishes its yearly shut down.

later

Doug

Stage One

Stage One of the new WRS has started. This week I have removed the last section of Roseton, Max's Corner, Newtown, Junction and Blue Ridge sections from the old layout. The Newtown section will be reused as well as one on my older corner modules.

This is looking down the line at Roseton at the new sections.

To square up the layout a wedge was added between the end of Roseton 0n the right and the old Newtown module, dark brown corner module. On the far left, between the two corner modules, is where the "river" is going.

That is Roseton on the back right, the edge of Dogwood on front right. The old corner module, is the one with green on it. The gap will be closed when Dogwood is moved and connected to the corner module. The track on the corner modules will have to removed and relocated, since the old corner module was build to Group "X" standards for the first Railfest.

Now back to working away on the layout.

later

Doug

Operating Session June 29

(left) Wayne and David busy at the Paper Mill and (right) Glen swithing Junction / Blue Ridge


(left) Pierre at Dogwood with Wayne in the background (right)David wondering why he took Mill Switching Job

The freight was rolling again on the WRS. With four crew members and myself, it was time to start the day.
David departed for the Mill to doing that days work. Pierre chose the Dogwood Switcher and Glen took the Junction Switcher. That left Wayne to operate the thru freights.
This was the first operating session with the revised operating session.

Wayne's first train was 101 N, a pair of C424 and 12 cars, which services the Mill, Dogwood and Junction. This required the local switchers to pick up any cars in their areas for the 101 N and set them out on the siding for Wayne to pick up. Wayne also dropped any cars in his train for those area. After Wayne departed, the locals delivered the cars that was just dropped off. Wayne arrived in the Yard with 101 N. His next train was 202 S, a RS11 and 7 cars. After leaving the Yard his first stop was Junction, where Glen had to remove his cars from the train because the switch was not trailing and there was to siding to drop the car off at. Once the train was back together, it was off to Dogwood to drop their cars and then off to the Mill. After running around the train at the Mill, 202 S became the 203 N and headed back to the Yard. With stops at Dogwood and Junction.

After arriving back at the Yard, Wayne switched the RS11 for a pair of C424 and head back to the Mill with 102 S, with stops at Junction, Dogwood and the Mill, before heading south.

Once the work at Dogwood and Junction was finished. Glen and Pierre picked up 300 L, a local out of the Yard which services Riverside and Bartown. Once they finished this train, they headed to Roseton to work the Roseton Switcher.

Wayne now has another pair of C424 for 103 N, with the first stop being at the Mill. After dropping off the cars for the Mill and picking up the northbound cars, Wayne depart for Roseton. After stopping at Roseton, it was off to Bartown and then the Yard. Then it was time for Wayne's last trip of the day, 104 S, with stops at Bartown, Roseton and the Mill.

This operating session kept everyone busy all night.

The changes seemed to work and the Crew was happy with the way it worked. There are a few things I have to work on. There are a few issues with the new paperwork. I did not have all the trains in the right order on their paperwork. Also a few of my instuctions were not as clear to the Crew as they were to me. But everyone had fun, and that is all that matters.

I am not sure if I am going to get to run another session with the new paperwork, before the changes on the layout start. Depends if I can get a Crew together over the summer.

later

Doug





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Update

The morning section of the new operating session is complete and working on completing the afternoon section of the new schedule by the first operating session with the new arrangement next week.

Also the Repair Shops are going to be busy with the arrival of the long waited parts to repair a couple of locos that have been in the shops. The new operations will require a few more locos.

Doug

New Paperwork

While I have not started moving around the modules yet. Still working on a master plan. I have started on the new paperwork.

Gone are the Runs. Now there will train numbers. 101N and 103N will depart the South Yard for the North Yard and 102S and 104S will travel from the North Yard to the South Yard. For now, until the layout is rearranged, the South Yard will be Track 1 at White River Paper Co.. Note the 100 series trains will not be doing any local switching.

The 202S and its return trip 203N will be a local departing the North Yard for Junction, Dogwood and Mill. The 204S and 205N will depart from North Yard serving Riverside and Bartown and maybe Roseton. There will a local switchers for now, at the Mill, Junction and Dogwood.

This will likely be changing as more testing is done by the Crews.

The layout of the paperwork also will be changing for the Locals. Since cars will now be coming in and departing on different trains.

One of the other things that will be changing is the length of trains. 100 series trains will have two loco and 12 to 13 cars, down from the 16 cars of the old Mill Run. 200 series trains will be a single loco with seven cars max, down from 10 cars of old Dog Run.

Now back to working on the new Train Orders, the first operating session with the new arrangement is coming soon.

later

Doug