We have Ops scheduled 18-19 Oct…
If you are planning on attending, please me know.
Thanks,
I’ll wait till Fri and surprise ya…
Jean and I are planning to be there…not too many surprises…
Current plan is to be there Sunday.
“Coming up on how can Robbie break his locomotive this year…”
Joyce and I will be there at least one day. I have it marked on my calender BIG this time.
I planing on being there on Sat.
I’ll be there saturday. 
Jan and I plan to be there starting Friday and staying until Monday.
Doug M. and I are sharing a room at the Best Western. Bart couldn’t get off work so this worked out OK. Should be at Andy’s early Fri afternoon, hopefully to watch Jan maneuver that rig back into Andy’s driveway…
People start arriving in the area, tomorrow with Roger and Susie showing up in Carlyle. Let the fun begin.
I hope to be there at least one of the days, hopefully on Saturday 
Should we wear hip boots, or will knee boots do OK ?
Dale Loyet said:
Should we wear hip boots, or will knee boots do OK ?
Got a Kayak???
Am hoping it will dry out some on Thursday & Friday… We didn’t get all that much rain… under an inch and a half…
Change in plans, will be there today (Saturday) and Sunday unless something major changes.
Yesterday was a wonderful day…
Started out with some high winds, that kept blowing cars over… Especially on the high points of the railroad and on the bridges… Wnd did settle down later on in the afternoon…
Had a total of 24 people and we ran 19 trains…
The town of Overlook was worked, and got some good reviews…
A great time was had by all, and we look forward to another day of Ops today…
Pictures will be posted in the coming days…
Anticipation!
Sunday had 24 people for the Ops again, with the addition of another 11 folks from a local ““Car Club”” driving thru and visiting the railroad… Yjere were 11 folks from the car club…
We did run 23 trains on Sunday…
Today is a ““Railfanning day”” with some of the ““Out of area folks””…
Pics will be Tuesday or Wednesday…
I had such a blast! Got to put some faces to names, and learned a lot from Andy. I just wish I could have stayed longer. Anyhow, Here’s the pictures I took.
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/2.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/3.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/4.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/5.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/8.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/9.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/10.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/11.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/12.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/13.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/14.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/15.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/16.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/17.jpg)
(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/Andys%20Ops%20101814/18.jpg)
Friday
Wow! What a wonderful event. Jean and I arrived early Friday afternoon, and got to take a look at the railroad. It’s been about 3 or 4 years since we were out here and I wanted to see all of the changes.
It’s a VERY impressive railroad. So impressive, it doesn’t even fit in this distance shot.
L-R: Andy, Ken, Jean, and Jane. It’s hard to get a shot without the railroad in the picture, but I managed it this once.
Below, we see the town of Bluefield; the Industrial Park is just beyond the row of trees.
The caboose looks great with the rivets; Jinx enjoys the shade.
Up at Hilltop Overlook we see that the town is not quite done yet; it needs more track and ballast.
But ballast is not an issue when you have your own front end loader to bring it around.
Jane uses her right foot to point out where the ground is still a bit sort from the rain.
Ken and I decide they need some good supervisors. We looked but couldn’t find any, so we headed up to do the job ourselves. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew pitched in to help install track and ballast.
The sun was setting so we had to quit, leaving just a bit to do for Saturday.
Saturday
Still clear, but colder and windier.
There’s a bit of work to be done, but you’re allowed a generous rest after ballasting Memphis/Evansville. Here, Ric takes time to talk with Dave Masters.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2274.JPG)
I get a chance to run my little switcher around this gorgeous layout.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2277.JPG)
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2280.JPG)
Pretty soon, it is time for the “real” operation to begin.
This is a schematic of the track plan - there’s a copy posted on each clipboard. The diagram makes the railroad seem tiny…until you start walking around.
Jean and I choose to run OVER-1 - a train that goes from Bluefield up to Hilltop Overlook - the part that was just finished yesterday. It’s not shown on this diagram, but it is on the clipboard.
Our orders are to take our cars to Overlook and exchange them for the cars there.
Our first challenge is the wind - as you cross the bridge, the boxcars catch the wind and flop over. Dave Masters helps me right them.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2282.JPG)
Overlook is deceptive. When you first pull in, you’re convinced that there’s more than enough track to switch everything without fouling the main. Later, it just doesn’t seem so. Anyway, Jean is recovering from back surgery and enjoys the opportunity to take a seat while she operates the locomotives. In this shot, the main is almost out of sight on the far left, part of our train occupies the track available to us at Overlook.
Of course, one can’t sit the whole time…
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2287.JPG)
Once our switching is complete, we take the train back to Bluefield.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2288.JPG)
Later in the day, there’s a bit of a traffic jam at Bluefield as our train never came in the house.
I send my boxcab switcher out to move it out of the way. It struggles a bit, but eventually moves the cars.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2292.JPG)
Jean needs a rest, so Ken and I take the Bluefield to Memphis train. Here we are passing Hadley Forest in the Sparta subdivision.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2295.JPG)
Meanwhile, Jinx keeps an eye on the operations at Woodlawn.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/BS_Ops/2014/IMG_2298.JPG)
The train crosses the bridge on the way into Memphis.
