In my years of trying to improve my “Operating Skills”, I’ve come across people I like to work with and then those that you just don’t “mesh” with. Our weekend of operating on the 7.5 inch Michigan Central of Bill Hayes’ has really allowed me to work on my skills and improve my ability to play the roll.
Friday was an exceptional day! I worked with 2 very qualified operators using a small propane fired steam engine as our power and running 4 different trains.
The morning started with a long run. Joe Scales was the engineer of his 2-8-2 and worked it over the hills of Michigan Central’s lower trackage. The rails were wet and it took a lot of skill to make our train move. Dana Bliss was the Conductor and I had the roll of switchman/brakeman. The Michigan Central uses CarCards and most trains are 5 cars with an exchange of one for one cars at each location of a town.
Second run saw Dana Bliss as engineer, Joe Scales as switchman and yours truly as Conductor. Both Joe and Dana worked their rolls well and I think the operation of the Steam Engine is so demanding that it was easy for each person to stay in character. Plenty to do for each participant.
After lunch, it was my term at the helm as we switched the level tracks of the Detroit yard. I was very pleased to take the responsibility of the engine, but glad that I didn’t have to worry about playing it up and down the rolling hills. Joe conducted and Dana threw the iron.
The last run was out to the top of the line, the rails were dry and we were able to carry out our charge with success and little slippage. Dana was at the controls and it took all 3 positions to complete the assigned tasks.
What a great experience!
On Saturday, I worked with Mike on a set of box cabs, one of my favorite little work horses. Battery powered and quite up to the tasks. It was just the 2 of us. Our first call was to switch the car ferry at the end of the line. A long pull, with trading our cars at the ferry and then working the pickups to their assigned locations over the whole railroad. Took all morning. Mike was engineer and forward switchman and I was Conductor and rear switchman/brakeman.
This crew call reminded me of the modern train crews where there are only two members and they have to work together to complete all the tasks.
So many times, a person comes to operate, but wants to do it all. One person to take on all the tasks. This is how we operate many times on the smaller scales. But if you really play the rolls of reading the orders, airing up the train, taking on water or fuel and servicing your train. Even it can be the job of more than one person.
Yes, there are the people that just want to run their train and go around the railroad. Those guys get assigned to passenger runs and have to keep to a schedule at each location. They get priority, but also really have to play the roll.
Its all good and boy what fun!
Today, it starts again and about 3pm we start putting it all away.
