Large Scale Central

Boy, that was a night

Regular OPS session last night.

One of the OPERATORS was starting setout, I find a stock car (botch) on my bench, with no coupler pin at all.
“I found it that way”…

Knew it was going to be “odd” when the same OPERATOR hit the setout so hard, he knocked some cars off the curve and dumped half a log car into the turntable pit at the end of the track.

So, I get up on the benchwork, fix the cars, tell the OPERATOR to “hang on a minute while I un-snag the log car…”, and he goes WOT (wide-open-throttle), and pulls all the log cars off the inside of the curve up against the cabeese…

Get THAT fixed, go to the house to make coffeee, look over at ENO junction, where the OPERATOR had parked his sweeper train and Shay on the Lower Loop, there, past the loop, was the setout Shay, on it’s side, backed into all the stock cars accordioned behind it…

We’d left the switch wrong, went through it, and backed up…

So, before I even get the coffee started, I am out fixing couplers…

Then, couple hours into the run, it starts to rain.

Two hours later, it freezes.

Had to fight turnouts freezing up, wet couplers that wouldn’t uncouple or couple as they were frozen…

Then, the old Porter (botch), seems the cold and heavy use got to the stack, snapped off at the base and took the smokebox-mounted dynamo with it…

One of the short open gons for mine service (botch) had a journal bearing failure, you could hear it squealing for miles…

Crews spent the morning repairing equipment.

An now, 1330 hours local, it’s 40 degrees, steps still frozen, street still frozen…

Dave,

It sounds like your equipment is too hard on your “Operator” guest. It might help for him to have a crew member with him. You know to help him overcome the problems your equipment is having. It might really help if that crew member was you. Give him some of that personal charm and instruction to help him get past that cantankerous equipment you are forcing him to use. I just feel certain it is the equipment and not his fault.

Sorry you had problems, I’ve had that type of problem occasionally with younger operators. Speed sometimes seems to be a big culprit. Stress could also be a factor. I had one lady tell me that Operating on our railroad was far more stress than she wanted in her life. I told her rations of rum were available for medicinal reasons. We’ll see if they come back.

Wasn’t me :smiley:

Well Dave, so much for the practice run. Now…let’s get down to the “real” operation! :wink: :slight_smile:

I hope the official RR photographer recorded the night’s events for posterity. Something to post on the bulletin board. hehe!

With the accodianed cars and engine laying over, I told him to wait while I got my camera.
When I came out with said camera, he already had the engine back up.

This is fun?!?

(http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/rolleye/rolleye0003.gif)

-Brian

fun.

Dave,

Next time have the OPERATOR smoke one of your cigars before the “fun” starts. That should “mellow him out”. :lol: :lol: :lol:

OK you Jokers, it was me and it was a BAD NIGHT! By the way (botch) couplers do get water in them and do not couple or uncouple for s____, and can be a real pain in the a__ when it is dark and you are too lazy to go get the flash light! And yes we do have those days, and yes it is fun! I think!

HJ, I don’t get any of those ‘cigars’, you mean the one that have green weed in them? I’ll stick with my pipe, thank. I do bring some new couplers every once in a while, replacements.

one thing you all need to remenber, TOC’s rolling stock does get a real work out and not from just the ‘accidents’ but just plain running.

The Operator

Gee, what a surprise, I never would have guessed!
John

Did someone say cigar? Well, if you want to distract an “operator” for a while, try one of these!

(http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/cigars/cigars3.jpg)

Greg,
If that “stogy” was any longer…someone else would have to light it for you :wink:
Ralph

Lilly I know where you live!

E. Paul Austin said:
Lilly I know where you live!
Why? you're planning on having an "operating session" at his place? :D :P :D

E. Paul Austin wrote:
Lilly I know where you live!

“Why? you’re planning on having an “operating session” at his place?”

Now that is SCARY!!!

John

Why not?

I don’t have enough insurance coverage!
John

It’s about time we should be hearing the latest NEWS from young Dave Goodson…It was suggested that he has been making improvements on the pike…

(http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/5700000/Gomez-s-Train-Wreck-addams-family-5704531-400-300.jpg)

Sounds like a typical day on my layout :lol:

TOC has been unusually quiet on the forums in the last year. I think he got tired of the bull.