Large Scale Central

It's Snowing!

Model Photography
#1

Snow has definitely arrived in at the Candlewlood Valley… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_1_1024.jpg]

[/url][color=blue]West Escape` Canyon Bridge. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_3_1024.jpg]

[/url][color=blue]West Escape` Canyon Bridge. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_4_1024.jpg]

[/url][color=blue]CVSRy Plow Extra cooling it’s wheels FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_5_1024.jpg]

[/url][color=blue]CVSRy Plow Extra cooling it’s wheels FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] The plow extra is waiting for the wheels to cool before attempting to clear the line to Northville. I [i]really[/i] need to paint that door !

#2

Don’t paint today, Jon. Give us some more pictures. That looks like a lot of snow.

#3

Plow Extra crew was called for 16:00. They immediately attacked snow piled higher that the top of the plow on the trestle leading away from Escape` Canyon… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_6_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_6_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]West Escape` Trestle. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_7_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_7_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]West Escape` Trestle. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_8_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_8_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]CVSRy Plow Extra working hard toward WALL. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_9_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_9_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Plow Extra stalled at WALL. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] The crew made many attempts to get up the curving grade beyond wall. Backing up and ramming the bank again and again, but it was no use. The snow trench towered above the SD-45 and was overwhelming the plow. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_10_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_10_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Snow at WALL overwhelms the plow. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Eventually additional help was flown in, knocking the snow down to a height that the plow could handle, but even with help, the crew was not able to make any progress beyond Indian Hill. They finally gave up around 17:00 as it was getting too dark. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_11_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_11_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Arriving back inside the shops. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_12_1024.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Snow-12-08_12_640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Bringing home some fresh snow for the shop crew! FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] The railroad had hoped to get in a winter run of their live steam Shay, but there just wasn’t enough time. New radio equipment finally arrived today after being weather delayed for two days. It will be fitted into the Shay and if the snow doesn’t melt away, there will be s winter steam special during the Christmas break.

#4

Cool! (or maybe) Cold!

Our temp is now down to 9 degrees. Wind out of the nw at 20. Wind chill -10 degrees. I give thanks often for the comforts of the warm house. Jan has been cooking cinamon rolls all day, so the house smells wonderful. Walked the docks twice today and out amongst the frost 3 times. Checking the back of the marina, saw two guys fighting what looked like a capsized boat, about 1/2 mile out. Eventually one guy got off the john boat and onto/into the “sunkin boat”. The other guy headed for the ramp and I spoke to him for a minute. Changing crews in a layout boat - duck hunters. Tis the season.

#5
Ric Golding said:
Cool! (or maybe) Cold!

Our temp is now down to 9 degrees. Wind out of the nw at 20. Wind chill -10 degrees. I give thanks often for the comforts of the warm house. Jan has been cooking cinamon rolls all day, so the house smells wonderful. Walked the docks twice today and out amongst the frost 3 times. Checking the back of the marina, saw two guys fighting what looked like a capsized boat, about 1/2 mile out. Eventually one guy got off the john boat and onto/into the “sunkin boat”. The other guy headed for the ramp and I spoke to him for a minute. Changing crews in a layout boat - duck hunters. Tis the season.


You have to be crazy to be in a boat with those tems. We get the fisherman in the canoes on the delaware river every winter. Crazy!

Great pictures john

#6

My lovely bride and I took a canoe down the Skagit River on January 1, a few years back.

Yup. Crazy.

:lol:

#7

its so cold here now that my dog froz to the tree.

Great pictures. I’m guessing your not running track power.

#8
Geoff George said:
its so cold here now that my dog froz to the tree.
Hmm... I put the dog out before breakfast. When I looked outside I thought we had a pointer :D
Geoff George said:
Great pictures. I'm guessing your not running track power.
Not for the plow train, although I do for regular trains and have for the plow. The trail car has an 18V drill battery and the circuit board from an Aristo trackside TE. I connect that to the battery plug on the SD-45. The square cover on the gondola is half a paper milk carton painted black. It protects the circuit board from the snow.

I’m still searching for the correct power that will attack my 4% curving grade while pushing a plow. The SD-45 even with the extra weight and battery power will slip when trying to push snow on the grade. I’ve used two USA GP-9’s on track power. They do OK because of the sliders, but still can’t push up and around the hill.

I have 3 Aristo RS-3s that are set up to MU on battery. I’ll try them next.

Speaking of MU’ing Aristo locos. What were they thinking putting male connectors on both ends? It sure would make sense to allow units to plug in MU style. But now that I think of it, I guess that would end up forcing elephant style, so never mind :smiley:

#9

But Jon…you should know as a runner of N&W power…they regularly ran in elephant fashion!

#10

Just 'cause I run it doesn’t mean I know anything about it :smiley:

Besides, the RS-3’s are and LV pair in red and a black WM unit.

#11

For Geoff — Here’s a track powered plow extra stalled in the exact same spot in December 30, 2005 with a lot less snow… [url=photo.cvsry.com/12305-Plow1-1024.jpg]

(http://photo.cvsry.com/12305-Plow1-640.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Plow Extra stalled at WALL. FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

#12

Jon, good pictures…

Now, why can’t you run the battery operated engines as pushers and help the track powered units push up the hill???

Just a thought…

#13

That rules!!!.. Great pics Jon

#14
Andy Clarke said:
Jon, good pictures...

Now, why can’t you run the battery operated engines as pushers and help the track powered units push up the hill???

Just a thought…


No reason at all, other than I’ve never thought to try it :smiley:

If I put every road diesel I had in a consist, it would be 2 GP-9s (TP only) + 3 RS-3’s (TP or Batt) + 1 SD-45 (TP or Batt). 6 Engine’s might be able to push snow up the grade.

Possible problems: I’d have to try and coordinate two remotes and I’m not sure how much current I can get out of my trail car. I know I’m only about 8 amps on track power, and snow cover can pull that down due to leakage. That and the famous Aristo single pole track/battery switch.

The weather is supposed to turn warmer. We have rain coming in Christmas eve and it will be milder on Christmas and the day after (Boxing Day?). I’ve got a 4 day weekend, so with milder temps and more power [ /me makes a Tim Allen grunt ] I might just be able to clear the line to Pine Summit and Northvile. Deep Cut is a lost cause unless I shovel. No place for the snow to push to.

#15

Giant 0-5-0 crane allows plow consist to start at top of grade. News at 10.

#16

The 0-5-0 crane is froze solid. Must send rescue train from the HEATED INDOOR SHOPS at bottom of grade !!!

And that SD-45 with the added weight is too heavy to lift more than a few feet from the storage shelf to the track :smiley:

#17

All of that snow ended up melting away with rain and warm temperatures. It was replaced New Years Eve day with 3-4 inches of nice powder and very cold temps. Management decided to let the train crew knock off early New Years eve and take the day off on New Years. They were back on duty today took the plow extra out this morning to clear the entire line. Plowing was a lot easier with less and drier snow. Only stalled once and that due to ice on the track, not too much snow to push. Hand scraping the rail got the consist past the icy spot and up the grade with no troubles.

Minor derailment going over the crossing at WALK. Again the crew had to hand chisel ice out of the flangeways so the consist could make the crossing. Once that was done, and switchstands dug out, the plow extra was able to make it around the Wye to open the entire line.

Back in the shops, the crew has petitioned management to purchase a second plow to carry on the rear to facilitate plowing the Wye. Current single plow operations require clearing to Deep Cut, then shoving back to Indian Hill Junction, throw the switch and plow across Walk to Northvile EOT. Then a long shove move back to the indoor division to turn the train on the balloon track and continue shoving back up the hill to Northville. From there, run forward plowing the east leg of the Wye back to Deep Cut, then shove home. Adding a second plow on the trailing end would eliminate the long shove moves to reverse the plow train and allow the plow extra to turn on the Wye and return home running forward.

The steam crew has been called and the hosler is warming up the Shay. If enough tickets can be sold, a caboose special will be run up the line behind the Shay. Will try and get some photos if that run happens.

#18

Well, the Steam Powered Caboose Special was run. Many pictures were taken and posted in the Live Steam Forum. That may end up being the last time the entire line is open before spring…

Several times this week we had freezing rain. The worst was a pretty heavy coating on Wednesday. We have 6-10 inches of snow forecast for Saturday so I got home befoire dark, went out on the line and tried to scrape the ice off the rails using a wooden scraper (2x4). I was successful at clearing the main line and a few feet of both legs of the Wye, but as I approached the walkway crossing the ice was just too thick, so I gave up rather than risk damaging the rail.

I should be able to plow the main, but there will be no turning once I get up the hill.

Battening down the hatches and preparing the galley for French Toast.

#19

(http://www.outsidetrains.com/mls/DSCF0109s.jpg)

#20

What one does to get a new engine! Tsk tsk tsk! The drive to Vancouver on Dec 29th was an adventure. Duly recorded on the FS100, at least as long as it wasn’t bouncing too much on account of the compacted snow.

Check out Part 3 Parts 1 and 2 are relatively tame.