Andy Clarke said:
Saturday was a great day… About 15 folks, weather was good, high in the mid 60’s, sunny, but a tad windy…
Sunday is supposed to be the same, but temps around 70…
Wow. Sounds good!
Sure wish we could be THERE!
Glad it worked out. Nice to hear NO rain! Of course WIND IS a problem there…
“A tad windy” , as long as all the cars stayed on the tracks and didn’t do scale Twister movie things a breeze is almost always ok. Hope someone will post some videos
Sunday was almost a perfect day… Sunny, a slight breeze, temps at 71…
About 16 folks today, was a good day…
A tad Windy = a few cars laid over, not a big deal…
Real windy is when crossing the big bridge on the Hilltop Subdivision and all the cars
are blown over onto the bridge laying at a 45 degree angle… It’s a sight…
Bruce, you all were missed, I just hope Jean is healing well…
Andy Clarke said:
Sunday was almost a perfect day… Sunny, a slight breeze, temps at 71…
About 16 folks today, was a good day…
A tad Windy = a few cars laid over, not a big deal…
Real windy is when crossing the big bridge on the Hilltop Subdivision and all the cars
are blown over onto the bridge laying at a 45 degree angle… It’s a sight…
Bruce, you all were missed, I just hope Jean is healing well…
Thanks, Andy. Sure did miss it as well. Jean is doing very well - still using the walker to get around and has even tried the stairs - although she is still sleeping in the recliner in the family room. We get to see the doctor tomorrow, so hopefully all the staples will get removed and she can finally shower (she has been going through a lot of body wipes!). She’s in a LOT less pain, so I am really encouraged by her progress.
It was yet another amazing time! Thank you ALL for another great session!!! I can’t wait until next time. Thanks for all you do!
Pulled into my driveway about 11 last nite after a quick visit with a Nam buddy in Louisville. Unloaded the car and remembered I had my camera which didn’t see the light of day the whole weekend. Oh well, Matt got a some nice video.
Had a great time. Met some new Midwestern faces, and got reacquainted with some old ones and missed some that didn’t make it. Ran the set out in the industrial park, then fumbled my way through Freeman Spur. Dale showed up for a bit and both of us fumbled our way through it. Got yelled at by Ric for using the wrong trackage on my way back, but it was all good. A “tad windy” is putting it mildly, but the sun was shining and not a cloud in the sky.
Sunday was a beautiful fall day. Ran the MCL2 out to Oakaville (Matt’s favorite), then a sweeper train through the industrial park. Spent more time BSing then running trains, but it was great getting somewhat back to normal and seeing everyone again. And a big “Thank You” to Jane and Andy for putting up with us. Couldn’t have asked for a better weekend!
Ken, glad you made it home without incident. Good to see you, Matt and others
.
A big thank you to Andy and Jane for tolerating all of us and having such a great railroad. The weather was fantastic, though a little windy for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon. Jan and I were remarking about how good the railroad looked overall and how great the condition of the track and ballast were. Lots of work went in to making the weekend run so smoothly. Andy’s nephews and a visiting young man named, Miles, were excellent Engineer Trainees and provided a lot of energy to keep us all motivated. Bo took his first full body plunge into Lake Clarke and enjoyed making the birds fly. What a great event!
Ken, glad you could make it and make it back home safely…
Was a great weekend, thanks all for coming…
It was good to see the gang again! Been a day or two since I had seen Ken. Glad I got to see everyone!
Pics from the Oct OPS… Folks all watching and/or working the town of Overlook.
Top left is Overlook, Joann checking the track of EVWR.
Pete running the switchback with Joann as the conductor…
Another shot of Overlook…
Casual observers…
Observers watching the Freeman Spur local run down the Sparta Sub…
Jan, my Yardmaster for the Bluefield Yards…
Great pictures! It was a fun weekend.
TMark working the Industrial Park…
Young engineer bringing a train down the Sparta Sub.
Just a shot of the railroad…
My Son on the left, Jan & Ric, with their dog, Bo and my dog, Jinx heading for shade…
One of our goals when we bought this land and build the house was to have
a pond in the backyard… After 16 years of dreaming, we were finally able
to hire someone to come and dig it out for us… below are some pics of it.
The first pic is standing at the west end of Freeman Spur and looking east…
Pond is tear-drop shaped and still needs more rain to fill it… The dark spot
slightly to the right is the overflow pipe…
Below shot is taken from up top of the switchback…
Well Andy, if you ever get tired of playin’ trains that would make a nice golf hole with water hazard 
Great pictures. Getting out there is on my bucket list.
Yanno Jon, you are right… It would make for a nice golf hole…
I did play golf when I was in the military, but stopped playing when
I retired… Played on the squadron or base teams at Kelly AFB, tx.,
Kadena AB, Okinawa, McClellan AFB, CA, and Travis AFB, CA…
Well, I’ve never been a golfer. My BIL tried to get me interested and took me to a small course. On several holes my club went further than the ball. That’s when they decided I should just caddy 
It was that last shot…
That reminded me of a golf course!
I knew the shot you were talking about…
Like I said earlier, that shot was taken at the top of the switchback… It overlooks Memphis in the middle of the picture and the power plant turn slightly to the right… Actually, the pond itself is a
dogleg left… Hehehe
Thank you for the pictures, everyone
Fred Mills
