Large Scale Central

Ops on the RGS

After cutting the grass and it being such a beautiful day, I decided it was time for an session on the RGS. I’ve been waiting for this all winter…:wink: The car location report and manifest I had printed up last fall, but never got to using it. so I pulled that out and set the cars out.

No 22 gets it’s train together for an east Bound way freight.

After sorting cars in Burns Jct. and Mills Mining, 22 is ready to go.

First stop is Coal Creek Lumber, but first a stop at Lost Canyon Tank.

Then it’s on to Coal Creek to swap some hopper cars.


After running around the train the hoppers get swapped out.

22 backs up to pick up it’s train to head to Hesperus.

After this I got a little busy and forgot to take pix…:wink:

But it sure was fun.

Nice looking railroad! :wink:

Looks good Ken even though it’s almost June the spring flowering looks great!

Summer doesn’t start until June 21st. So Ken is safe :wink:

Looking good Ken. How are you getting on with JMRI? I’ve got the program figured out, but I still need to get a better plan for routes and demand at industries. Some industries rarely get any cars. The Build Reports help some to figure out why, but i still need to work on a scheme that will make the needed cars available.

This winter I experimented with Car Owner. I think I can use this to have both Fn3 and G29 cars and trains set up in the same system but not allow them to mix in trains or locations.

You’re ahead of me, Ken. Maybe I can sort things out this weekend and we can do something soon.

Jon, I have no problem with the program. It’s doing all I expect it to do. I usually run 2 trains, one eastbound, one westbound. I have about 50 cars. When I build a train, then run the car location report, over half of them are out on the railroad, I cant ask for any better then that. I also have to limit the size of the trains due to grades. They may not service every industry every time, but it does service enough to keep me busy for a couple hours. And usually when one train skips an industry, then next one will get to it. And I haven’t really paid attention to it, but it does seem to move all the cars through a four train cycle.

I also have an advantage of brainstorming with Bruce when we get together. That helps a lot.

Bruce, I figured this would get ya motivated…:wink:

The garden and railroad are looking great Ken. It is usually just December and January when my railroading is curtailed, but you seem to be getting off to a good start.

Alan Lott said:

The garden and railroad are looking great Ken. It is usually just December and January when my railroading is curtailed, but you seem to be getting off to a good start.

Back during the winter I was beginning to wonder.

Here’s what it looked like back in January:

What’s surprising is that it held up so well under nearly 3" of snow, a few minor problems that were easily corrected.

Layout looks great Ken. The Mill really looks nice out their. I think the snow helps preserve everything. I found the longer things stay under snow the better they are in spring. If you think about some of the best preserved artifacts were found in snow and ice.

Ken Brunt said:

What is the fluffy green stuff to the left in the first picture?
And the purple flower thing bottom right in second picture?

Vincent D’Agostino said:

What is the fluffy green stuff to the left in the first picture?

And the purple flower thing bottom right in second picture?

The fluffy green stuff is Dwarf or Miniature Coreopsis. It gets a yellow flower when it blooms.

The purple flower things are called Mazus (this particular one is called “Chocolate”), it’s a groundcover sometimes sold under the “JeepersCreepers” or “Steppables” label.

Correction, the purple flowery thingy is “Bugleweed” , I had the Chocolate part right. “Chocolate Chips” is the variety. Mazus has a purple flower too, but has smaller leaves.

Both are easy to grow and they do spread, although the Mazus is not as prolific as the Coreopsis.

Ken, Railroad looks in great shape…

Nice run and pics…

Ken,

Great! Thanks for sharing.

Hope to get some ops in at your place in July.

Ric Golding said:

Ken,

Hope to get some ops in at your place in July.

I hope so too…:wink:

Ken,
Nice layout and plants…thanks for showing pics