Ken Brunt said:
One last picture.
Jon is fast becoming the guru on RailOps.
Thank you, but I’m sure you meant RailPro, not RailOps whicjh I am still struggling with.
Marilyn & I also want to thank Bev and Ken for a great weekend. We arrived back in our stomping grounds around 5 today after a leisurely breakfast and pack up at the campground. Stopped for a quick dinner then home a little before 6. I also want to thank Ric for the recommendation of the New Holland/Lancaster KOA. We didn’t do much other than sleep there, but for that it was nice and quiet, and being smack dab in the middle of the Amish & Mennonite farm country was awesome. I just love the rolling farmland of Lancaster county…
I’m sorry I didn’t take any pictures. Was too busy having fun.
Thanks again!
Ken;
Please forgive the stupid question. From what I have seen and read, I am guessing no track power? Not a problem for my live steamers, but I wonder how long the runs are. I kept one of my steamers going for about five hours once, just by adding butane and water as needed. I don’t have any RC versions - - yet. So reaching the throttle may be my biggest challenge, should I decide to attend an OPS. I do have Kadees on all the stuff that I bring to run. Just asking, as I am itching to run stuff again. (I’m vaccinated, and pretty sure that inhaling cold steam mixed with cylinder oil kills COVID-19 anyway.)
Best wishes, David Meashey
David;
We have tried to promote the use of appropriate live steamers in operations, but; for you to enjoy your live steamer in operations, it is better to have Radio Control, as you need to have good control of your locomotive at all times. You also need to understand the idea and reason for “Operating” a train, pulled by the locomotive. You would be involved in the OPERATION of THE RAILROAD, not just running a locomotive round and round.
The only equipment you would want to bring with you, for operations, would be your locomotive, as usually there are already enough cars already on the host railroad. Any rolling stock you bring, would in most cases find homes on display stands, or the DRAG & BRAG…
Most host railroads do offer an opportunity, before, and after an operation, to just run your locomotive, and rolling stock, to show others what you enjoy. For that, you could probably get away without any R/C.
Finally…it is best to check with the host, to see when it would be best to run your stuff…
I know that if you came here, you would be welcome, and I’m sure, knowing Ken; you would find a kindred spirit, at his place too.
Fred Mills. (If I know you are coming to my place…I provide a jug or three of distilled water…!!!)
David Meashey said:
Ken;
Please forgive the stupid question. From what I have seen and read, I am guessing no track power? Not a problem for my live steamers, but I wonder how long the runs are. I kept one of my steamers going for about five hours once, just by adding butane and water as needed. I don’t have any RC versions - - yet. So reaching the throttle may be my biggest challenge, should I decide to attend an OPS. I do have Kadees on all the stuff that I bring to run. Just asking, as I am itching to run stuff again. (I’m vaccinated, and pretty sure that inhaling cold steam mixed with cylinder oil kills COVID-19 anyway.)
Best wishes, David Meashey
David, you would be more than welcome to attend an Ops session and run your live steamers, with or without RC. But like Fred said, you may have a difficult time trying to operate without RC. There is a lot of back and forth with an engine doing work in a small space that has very limited access for someone to control it. With that said, it is a dead rail set up and the layout does give an opportunity for roundy round running as Randy Lehrian can attest too. His live steam EBT coal drag was a big hit last year at the Ops session.
Let me also add that it does have grades on the layout. About 4% coming out of Delores and about 3% going down into Porter. Randy can also attest to that. He had to eliminate the coal cars just to get up the grade.
And we would be more than happy to set aside time for a live steam run. With all the BS sessions that go on during these things it’s a wonder we get any work done running the trains. And several guys in the group have threatened to bring a live steamer to operate, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Jon Radder said:
Ken Brunt said:
One last picture.
Jon is fast becoming the guru on RailOps.
Thank you, but I’m sure you meant RailPro, not RailOps whicjh I am still struggling with.
My bad, I did mean RailPro. I ain’t sure where the RailOps came from.
Thanks to all who posted pictures just to show me what I missed, being locked up in Canada here, BUT…
I’LL BE BACK…
Good that Jon came out to join the fun, also seeing Andy in his predictable form. Wish I’d been there to laugh at my fellow clown.
Hi, everyone!
John Le Forestier said:
Thanks to all who posted pictures just to show me what I missed, being locked up in Canada here, BUT…
I’LL BE BACK…
Good that Jon came out to join the fun, also seeing Andy in his predictable form. Wish I’d been there to laugh at my fellow clown.
Hi, everyone!
I didn’t think that you had to be present to laugh at us. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Ack. Duplicate post.
Fred & Ken;
Thanks for the replies. Since I once ran full-sized steam locomotives for a tourist railroad, I DO have a pretty good idea of what it is like to assemble a train. Probably not too enjoyable with manual control. Little Johnson bars and throttles are more fiddley than the big ones. 3% and 4% grades are probably best left to geared locomotives. My Regner Chaloner is geared, but again, manual. I am hoping to save enough for a Roundhouse Beyer-Garrett eventually. Since the prototype was used on the Darjeeling line, it should handle those grades. It is also only available with R/C/
Again Thanks, David Meashey
David, there’s another possibility. Simply arrive at one of these ops sessions with or without your live steamer. Come loco-less altogether and you’ll still be just fine. Every train has a two-man crew anyway, so you’ll fit right in either as conductor or as engineer of some other fellow’s locomotive. You’ll always be welcomed by everyone at these events, and you’ll find a comfortable and enjoyable way to fit right in, although you might have to settle for operating with a battery-powered loco. But at least you won’t go home with any burn marks!!!
John Le Forestier said:
David, there’s another possibility. Simply arrive at one of these ops sessions with or without your live steamer. Come loco-less altogether and you’ll still be just fine. Every train has a two-man crew anyway, so you’ll fit right in either as conductor or as engineer of some other fellow’s locomotive. You’ll always be welcomed by everyone at these events, and you’ll find a comfortable and enjoyable way to fit right in, although you might have to settle for operating with a battery-powered loco. But at least you won’t go home with any burn marks!!!
Good advice! I did NOT bring anything this time. On Saturday I was the yardmaster and used a little switcher than Ken provided. On Sunday, I ran a couple of trains with Cliff. This time, we used a C-19 from Ken. This can be really cool if you have never used a particular locomotive, or controller, and want to try it out! Typically, there’s lots of possibilities; yet, in this case, the controllers were both Revolution.
The other neat part about these meets is talking with folks that use a specific controller (or even a specific locomotive!). Lots of folks are reluctant to put their opinions in print, yet can be very talkative in person. (Just for the record, I don’t think there’s a “PERFECT” controller for everyone.)
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks for the correction, Ric! Sorry for assuming. And you know what they say about that.
Dang, that reminds me, I didn’t get a photo of Rooster’s donkey, I even signed it…
Yes Cliff,
You publicly signed my ASS !
John Le Forestier said:
David, there’s another possibility. Simply arrive at one of these ops sessions with or without your live steamer. Come loco-less altogether and you’ll still be just fine.
Yep,
Then he could meet the LSC crew from back in the day in the hood.
Fred Mills. said:
David;
We have tried to promote the use of appropriate live steamers in operations, but; for you to enjoy your live steamer in operations, it is better to have Radio Control, as you need to have good control of your locomotive at all times. You also need to understand the idea and reason for “Operating” a train, pulled by the locomotive. You would be involved in the OPERATION of THE RAILROAD, not just running a locomotive round and round.
Round and Round is all the rage these days while OPERATING an outdoor RAILROAD that has PHOTO OPS as well.
This post has been edited by: ROOSTER
Rooster said:
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks for the correction, Ric! Sorry for assuming. And you know what they say about that.
Dang, that reminds me, I didn’t get a photo of Rooster’s donkey, I even signed it…
Yes Cliff,
You publicly signed my ASS !
Prior to you signing my ass.
Rooster said:
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks for the correction, Ric! Sorry for assuming. And you know what they say about that.
Dang, that reminds me, I didn’t get a photo of Rooster’s donkey, I even signed it…
Yes Cliff,
You publicly signed my ASS !
And yet…
Rooster said:
Rooster said:
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks for the correction, Ric! Sorry for assuming. And you know what they say about that.
Dang, that reminds me, I didn’t get a photo of Rooster’s donkey, I even signed it…
Yes Cliff,
You publicly signed my ASS !
Prior to you signing my ass.
I hate to break it to you, but you have a female ass…
Ken, I just realized I left Bruce’s beautiful LSCX car on your layout. He’d given it to me, and I just had to bring it.
However, your meet was the closest thing we’ve had to a face to face LSC Drag and Brag for a couple years. So I can’t think of a better new home!
Cheers,
Cliff
Cliff Jennings said:
Ken, I just realized I left Bruce’s beautiful LSCX car on your layout. He’d given it to me, and I just had to bring it.
However, your meet was the closest thing we’ve had to a face to face LSC Drag and Brag for a couple years. So I can’t think of a better new home!
Cheers,
Cliff
It can’t be MINE anymore! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)