Jo Ann and I will be hosting a second Fall operations session on Saturday 14 Oct. If 14 Oct has rain in the forecast we will move the ops session to Sunday Oct 15. We hope this will provide a good option for those who couldn’t attend the September session.
It’s just a gorgeous layout!
(We missed the last session earlier this summer and we will be away in October, so hope to make the September one!)
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How does one sign up?
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Dylan - I appreciate your interest. There is no signup required.
Jo Ann and I would just like to know if you will be attending.
RC and steam are both welcome. The only issue with steam would be to be able to control the locomotive on the 160 feet of 2% downgrade.
Hope to see you there!
Dylan,
The address is 7103 Vantage Drive, Alexandria VA 22306
Any questions call my cell 703 399-5934
Jim,
Would love to see your railroad, but will probably wait till next year. Any Chance you will be open during the NNGC in Phily?
Al P.
The Narrow Gauge Convention is in September in Pittsburgh.
Tom,
I se that now as the convention website is now up.
Will still be a better opportunity for me to visit. like to combine LD travel. Currently in Denver for the convention.
Al P.
Al,
What are the dates of the NNGC…might be able to work something out.
Jim
Both 14 and 15 Oct have predicted rain (100% Sat and 50% Sun) and are canceled.
Operations will be shifted to 21 Sep or 22 Sep if rain on Saturday.
Jim, Really like the look of your railroad. Sorry but no track connection from my rr in CA to yours. Good luck on the open house.
Side question, what are you using for ground cover, particularly the green plants?
Mike Paterson
Due to inclement weather, Jim ended up moving his Open/Ops session to the 22nd. I managed to attend, along with Jack Thomson, plus Dylan Hutson from Strasburg RR, and his pals Owen and Austin. As the Strasburg guys were there to run trains, the main line got a good workout!
Coming downhill from Ophir, Dylan’s Bachmann 4-4-0 had to stop, and Owen’s C-19 was right behind him in the station.
The 4-4-0 is beautifully decorated, and Dylan tells me the domes were done by the late decal expert, Stan Cedarleaf. Note the flags for the ‘extra’ working. Dylan, being from a real RR, had a flagman ready to put on to the track to protect the rear of the train when he had to stop!
Owen’s C-19 finally got a clear right of way out of Ophir.
Austin had a Bachmann K-27 with a new single-start worm to make it more controllable (cut by Dylan in the workshop.) It ran well all day. Behind is Jack’s consist getting ready to tackle the 2% climb to the summit.
My (ex-Jim’s) C-16 #226 got set up and ran back down to Telluride to collect the main ‘varnish’. Then it ran over the summit and started downhill.
Here it is stopped at Ophir waiting for the main to clear.
And back in Telluride, the C-16 uncouples and moves off to fetch the cattle train out by the lake.
And then the stock train is hauled all the way over to the summit. Here it is almost at the summit.
Now over the top and heading downhill towards Ophir.
Finally, with the sun gone and the wind cooling us down, here’s Dylan’s 4-4-0 bring the freight up from Telluride, while Jack’s boxcars head for the summit.
A great day. Jim has many operations set up, such as fetching the tankers from the oil track near Ophir and placing them in the Telluride oil facility. Some of us worked the proper operations. Others (like me) just cluttered up the railroad!
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Video from the day’s operations.
BTW, Dylan has a small Shapeways shop where he makes available various parts he has made for these locomotives.
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Thank you for the great pics and video. One of the layouts I’d like to get a chance to visit in the near future 
Thanks Pete! A really excellent overview AND video. Very appreciated.
After 15 years of construction (yes I’m crazy) it’s wonderful to see other
similarly afflicted guests enjoy the effort.
David,
Jo Ann and I would be happy to have you participate in a running session, or come by for a visit.
I’ll post other sessions…believe there will be one in November…will post the date on LSC.
We live in Alexandria, VA.
Mike,
First I give all credit for ground cover to my wife Jo Ann. Second, be sure to look up each plant to be sure it will flourish in the climate where you live.
Herniaria Glabra aka Rupturewort or green carpet (great coverage)
Elfin thyme. Two types used, red mother of thyme and thymus praecox
Irish moss, has many tiny white flowers in spring. Needs to be moist.
Corsican Mint, has to be kept moist. Dies off in winter but will come back in Spring.
Creeping Phlox “snowflake” and Fort Hill (pink)
White star creeper, Blue star creeper, Little star creeper, and Country park pratia Lysimachia
(around pond edge)
Creeping wire vine “nana” (this one can be invasive)
Stonecrop (on rock wall crevices)
Gold Nugget Ice Plant (great in Sandy soil)
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