Large Scale Central

TrainOps 2017

Conventions, Shows, Clubs and Get-Togethers
#101

I only took a few shots of the group relaxing late Saturday afternoon, then a bunch of my loco/caboose out on the line after sinner Saturday. I’ll sort through them when I can and post some. Hopefully they will also show off what Martha and Bob have done inn the gardens - it looks fantastic this year.

Our trip up on Friday was over 90 minutes longer than expected due to traffic, so we decided to take an alternate route, and lots of 2-lane home. Drove Rt 2 West to US 202 South, then cut over to Palmer, MA. Was hoping to get lunch at the Steaming Tender restaurant, but they are closed Monday. Train action was slow as well, but I did catch a 4 engine light move on the NECR with engines in three different paint schemes.

#102

It’s just that some of us could not make it that far. So we rely on the pics. I really appreciate it when you guys post. We can travel coast to coast and even overseas now right in front of our computers (or devices).

It’s also funny to me, That I was trying to talk her into going over to the east coast for train stuff. Her daughter and family just happens to be there already, traveling with their new camping travel trailer. I should have stowed away onboard with them! They said they went to Plymouth Rock today? I don’t really know much about it. I just know they went to Mass. without me. Rats.

So when you guys do get the time, I am excited to see the pics of the trains running. To my girl, they are OK. To me, they capture my attention.

Until then, I’ll go back downstairs and slug away at my next diesel…

#103

If I haven’t already, I would like to thank Bob, and Martha, Stan And Deb for a wonderful weekend. All are great hosts who make you feel more than welcome and make it seem hosting one of these is easy, which I know it’s not.

I didn’t even bring my camera since I have no where to host pix anymore, but I know that Bob H. took plenty of them.

I bugged out of Fitchburg about 3:30 am yesterday and arrived home about 10. Ran into the usual mess on 287 between I 80 and I 78, but other then that it was smooth sailing.

#104

after sinner Saturday

comes Salvation Sunday?

#105

I echo Ken’s comments. There’s a lot of work that goes on ahead of time to make these events happen. Many thanks to Bob & Martha, Stan & Deb, as well as others, I’m sure.

We had a great time. I did bring my camera, but I get so busy having fun that I often forget to take any pictures! I never seem to have as many as I would like…

Friday

Friday kicks off the weekend. As it is a travel day, folks wander in as they arrive.

Jean and I first head over to Assabet River NWR. There’s not a lot of bird activity, but we do see at least one great blue heron.

Not many birds, but certainly LOTS of bugs.

Later that morning, we head over to Bob & Martha’s and the start of TrainOps.

As you enter through the gate, you first encounter a nice new patio that Bob recently installed, with steps leading down to the layout.

The layout is just too big to fit in one picture. Here’s the left side:

Williamsport in the foreground, Burke behind that and Franklin Falls is up against the fence.

Shift the camera over to the right and this is the result:

Majestic is in the center, near the bridge. That’s Pearce to the right. Downhill and way behind the bridge is Oak Hill.

Here’s a closer view of Majestic:

Turning the camera left a bit and up the hill I spot Martha and Jean.

Since Friday is just “Run what you Brung” I get out my little boxcab and LSC Anniversary car to run around the layout. Here it’s in Burke, with the coal tower in the left background.

Jean and Martha relax…and you can see the warehouse in Williamsport.

Andy and his nephew Connor start to make up a train in Burke yard.

Meanwhile, I have snatched up a combine and take it around the layout, crossing under the viaduct after leaving Majestic.

Bob arrives and runs his nice little locomotive - here he has just left Burke.

I get a closeup…

Dennis shows up with a gorgeous passenger train, shown here arriving at Burke yard. You can just see part of Franklin Falls to the left.

Ken, Bob and Jean ponder the action…

I usually take a picture of the layout from their deck, but by the time I remembered they had already set up some tents for shade, so I only got the right hand side of the layout.

It’s a good shot of Pearce in the lower right, with Majestic near the bridge left of center. It does not do justice so show off all of Martha’s gorgeous flowers. Everywhere you look, there’s just another great batch of them.

This is near the back of the house.

Friday night, we order pizza and socialize. A great time!

(Apologies for any names and places I got wrong!)

#106

Saturday: It’s the first day of a weekend of operations.

Jean and I show up and are greeted by the dog alarm trio!

Sort of hard to see, but they’re lined up in size order. Piper. Greta, Sophie. Jean is reflected in the glass.

I make up a train in Franklin Falls and get ready to take it out, while Paul prepares his train for departure.

I am pleased to see my boxcar on the layout, in Burke yard.

There’s time to take some great pictures along the way.

And there’s always time for lots of socializing.

For the visible faces, (L-R) I think we have Jane, Don, Bob, Andy, Al, Stan and Paul…with Sophie in the foreground.

But we can’t talk all the time - there are trains to be run! Stu and Jon wait for my train to leave Franklin Falls.

Meanwhile, the cast of characters at Dead Rooster Gulch seems to have expanded.

My train runs downhill from there, crossing the viaduct.

Eventually, we wind up in Oak Hill, after going through Majestic. Doug is the conductor as we switch Oak Hill. It REALLY helps to have a short locomotive as there’s just not a lot of room on those spurs.

Meanwhile, there’s still switching going on on the rest of the railroad. Williamsport seems to be a popular spot for meets. I’m not sure who has what train, but that’s Jeff, Al, and Ken.

After all the trains are run we have a dinner catered from Deven’s Grill: lasagna, salad, and bread, with some of Martha’s brownies. Yum!

#107

Sunday - it’s the final day of TrainOps and we head over to Chelmsford to run on Stan & Deb’s S.J.R. & P. Ry. for another day of operation.

Jean and Marilyn relax on the deck at Deck.

Andy and I are assigned a train: CHSL - Chama to Solitude. It’s a LONG run as it goes from almost one end of the layout to the other.

It’s only nine cars long as we’re headed up hill and that K-27 can only pull so many. Here’s the train leaving Cumbres with Andy waiting at the next plug in point.

Next, it’s Whiplash curve as we wind our way up hill to Stiege.

We proceed up the hill and get ready to enter Stiege loop. Stiege is on our right, but we don’t have any work there today.

Continuing up hill, we pass the Cascades. Sandbox Junction is in the background.

We have a meet near Mosquito Junction.

Everywhere you look is a great view:

(http://jbrr.com/Pics/Events/TrainOps/2017/IMG_4118JPG)

I usually get a shot at Lake Sarah Jane with trains on the viaduct, but it just looked cool without them:

Well, we made it through Bat House Yard and got past Day Lily Junction, but we still need to keep going up hill.

And past one of the few buildings on this great layout. (Created by our very own BD) Well, I walk past it; the train didn’t really go here.

We continue uphill toward Solitude.

Later, Bob and I take a train from Riley to Chama. Downhill, so we can take 12 cars! (And I get a great shot of his feet!) (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)We were having some problems with the K, so I brought the boxcab over…but I wasn’t sure it had enough charge left over from yesterday. Instead we just got another K-27)

Approaching Bat House Yard; you can see the deck and house in the background.

And of course there’s always waiting time on every railroad…

But we keep heading downhill…

You can just see the dispatcher’s shed in the background.

Thanks again to everyone that made this a great weekend!

#108

I know that it takes away some of the fun when you are taking pictures. It can become almost a job in itself. So normally I would say thanks for doing it, like here Bruce. These pictures and the posts are above and beyond what I usually do. Outstanding job of explaining and telling the story of the layout!

So I have to say WOW!!! to both the hosts, and your pictures and descriptions that are exceptional. THANKS!!!

#109

Ken Brunt said:

If I haven’t already, I would like to thank Bob, and Martha, Stan And Deb for a wonderful weekend. All are great hosts who make you feel more than welcome and make it seem hosting one of these is easy, which I know it’s not.

(snip)

Can’t say the words to express our thanks to the hosts any better than Ken stated… Was a great weekend…

#110

Great job with the pictures, and especially the people, its always great to put a face to the person, so that when and if I ever meet any of us here you feel like you have known them longer. Thanks for the tours on some great layouts.

#111

Great pictures, thanks to all for sharing and participating. The OPs really make the layouts come alive. Looks like everyone had a great time, sorry we missed it. Really need to work on this cloaning stuff. Need to be in more than one place at a time.

#112

This picture you captured looks AWFUL suspicious ! Could there be some jedi mind tricks or perhaps a little bribery going on here?

Good stuff guys !!

Thanks for the pictures Bruce!

#113

Thanks for all the pictures so I can see what I’m missing. Maybe it will motivate me to make it next year!

#114

To everyone who posted pictures… THANK YOU, most appreciated.

Fred Mills

#115

JON, Looking good there buddy.

Thanks for the pictures Bruce. This really is a place I need to get to. Glad all enjoyed.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#116

What happened to the other half of John …hmmm You look good John !

I know… no camera …

Sorry I missed this again…

As for Stan & Debbie’s you have to see it … pics do not do it justice!

#117

I am still on the way home. Just stopped in Illinois for the night. Should be home by tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. I have a lot of photos from both Bob’s and Stan’s ops sessions. Will try to get some of them edited, sized, and posted by Thursday. Special thanks to Bob and Martha, and to Stan and Deb, for a great weekend. It was well worth the trip. We’re already planning for next year.

Bob

#118

Bruce Chandler said:

" Rooster " said:

Bruce Chandler said:

And a great time was had, that’s for sure! I’ll have pictures eventually

The typical Ken over dosing on coffee will not suffice Bruce. But I/we would love to see them when you find the time in your busy “retired” schedule.

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

I’m not sure how to respond. We decided Rooster is just a figment of our imaginations. Posts a lot ( although seldom saying much) but NEVER attends an OPS session.

Welp Bruce … 2017 was supposed to be the year of the Rooster according to the Chinese. However they didn’t factor in tidal shifts, leap years and full solar eclipses along with full rear end nudity equating a full moon. So with that said perhaps after crossing the meridian date line and latitude and longitude factors figured in 2018 might be the year for this Rooster. I gotta see BD’s, Dad’s and especially Stan and Debs place in person!

#119

Thanks Hollywood and Sean for the comments. Not quite half of me is missing yet, more like a third - but I’m back to working on it today.

I didn’t get out my camera until after ops were done on Saturday. Took a few pictures of people who were still there and did a few photo run-bys with my C-19 and caboose. I’ll post a bunch of those below, not so much so you can see my loco in a myriad of poses, but so you can see close up some of the beautiful models and gardens that Bob and Martha have put together. Unfortunately, I took no photos at Stan & Deb’s - to busy trying to figure out our 3 assignments for the day.

A huge Thank You to Martha, Deb, Stan and Bob for hosting this event yet again. It has become a tradition and a very enjoyable weekend. Now the pictures. First up some peeps. Shown here L to R (all rows) Andy Clarke, Andy’s mom, Jean Chandler, Jane Clarke, Doug Matheson, Don Sweet, Paul Norton and Deb Ames…

In this shot L-R; our dog Shadow, Stan Ames, Marilyn Radder, Bruce Chandler, Jean Chandler, Andy’s mom, Andy Clarke, Jane Clark and Deb Ames…

And, after most of the crowd had left, the die hards relax in the shade. From L-R Jean Chandler, Gretta, Martha McCown, Bruce Chandler and Bob McCown…

And now, some beauty shots of CVSRy #8 out on the line showing off some great models and gardens. On the high bridge heading up grade from Majestic…

Turned around and running down-grade on the high bridge…

Crossing over the main heading down to Majestic…

Passing the Majestic Mine and Colliery…

Leaving Majestic, back up-grade again…

Can’t wait to do this again next year!

#120

" Rooster " said:

I gotta see BD’s, Dad’s and especially Stan and Debs place in person!

If and when you finally decide to un-glue your a** and get out of “Tombstone”, you’d be more then welcome to occupy the navigator’s chair in the mini van.