TrainOps 2024

[RGSNH (Al Pomeroy)]

Here are a few from today’s operations on the RGSNH
the nearing completion Ophir loop area. some terrain is next.

Phil Johnson in the background as 315 comes by the new house by the trestle.

315 southbound by the house by the trestle

From Left to right we have Phil Johnson, Cliff Jennings and his wife (sorry i am bad with names), and Jon Radder examining a derailment at Ophir. this gives a good overall view of the outdoor trackage.

And Cliff Jennings Shay Inherited from the Jackson And Burke comes by the newly (near completed) scene at Ames tank

I am sure others will have more.

AL P.

[Rooster]

The RR is looking awesome Al !

You usually post close ups of certain areas but the overall layout (distance pics) are great!

[rmccown-admin (Bob McCown (Admin))]

Was good to finally get to see Al’s amazing work. Hoping the weather holds for tomorrow.

[Hines (Bill)]

Could we have a backstory on the three railroads and what you TrainOps guys tend to run?

[rmccown-admin (Bob McCown (Admin))]

Latest weather show the rain breaking between 10 and 11, and then mostly cloudy until 4ish, so we might get a late start.

First batch of switchlists generated and waiting on crews.

[rmccown-admin (Bob McCown (Admin))]

@Hines

Could we have a backstory on the three railroads and what you TrainOps guys tend to run?

Well, “TrainOps” actually started as operations software that I wrote a bunch of years ago. Then in 2010, I invited a bunch of LSC members to come up here for a weekend and help me finish my RR, and, in return, I fed them and then invited them back a couple months later to operate. That turned into the TrainOps weekend here at my place. Friday was “run what you brung” where people would bring their own trains over for photo runs. Saturday and Sunday were operation sessions. Then several years ago, Stan and I talked and we included his layout on Sunday, and Al joined to show off his RR on Friday. We’ve been doing it ever since (with a couple years off for COVID)

Crowds have been huge (especially when the weather is nice and we are included on the town garden tours), and small. But its great for me to have a hard deadline that the RR has to be in good shape for.

EDIT: Adding a link to the original build-a-rr thread Build-a-RR event

[JRad (Jon Radder)]

Sounds good. We’ll hang out at the campsite for a bit and show up a little after 10.

[rmccown-admin (Bob McCown (Admin))]

Some pictures from today.

Bruce, Linda and Cliff switching at Burke Yard.

Jon

Bruce, Jon, Jeff Gerow

[RRRR4 (Lou Luczu)]

Thanks for the pix. Good to see old familiar faces.

[Hines (Bill)]

@rmccown-admin

I’m working on some quick and dirty signs for those sidings that have no buildings on them yet.

Are you casting iron to make the “quick and dirty” signage?

[mcginty26 (Pat McCarty)]

Thanks for posting pics for those of us that couldn’t attend

[rmccown-admin (Bob McCown (Admin))]

Yesterday got a late start due to rain, but we got in enough running that everyone was satisfied, though the day was hot and humid after the morning rain. Only one car issue (broken coupler) and one switch throw that needs a bit of work. Possibly two cars have tight trucks as they were troublesome on and off, but all in all the railroad was in fine fettle.

[Cliff_Jennings]

What a total blast! This was the first time Linda and I have done an operating session, so we learned a lot.

Thank you Bruce for being such a great instructor, and thank you Bob and Martha for a wonderful time!

[Cliff_Jennings]

Here’s Bruce’s logging train on the indoor portion of Al’s beautiful layout.

Logging train at Al's

On Bob’s layout, here’s Bruce and Linda bringing our train to its last stop on the switchlist.

Bringing the completed train home

[PeterT]

Lot of puzzled-looking train operators. How about adding the names for those of us who don’t get out of the house much?

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]

First pic it looks like Bruce on the left then I am guessing Linda then we have Cliff .
Second pic we have Jon.

[Cliff_Jennings]

Stan’s was amazing. Linda and I were handed a pretty challenging uphill run from one the lowest to the highest point of the layout, picking and setting cars along the way. First time using a car-card system, and once we got the hang of it, all made perfect sense.

Here’s a bit of a layout tour.

Deb & Stan Ames fantastic SJR&P Railroad, my 2nd trip

[Cliff_Jennings]

That’s because it’s indeed a puzzle, Pete, haha! It took a long time yesterday, especially with the second switch list.

Left to right: Bruce, Linda and moi.

Left, Al Pomeroy; right, Jon Radder.

There were more folks there, but I’m afraid I don’t have pics showing them.

[mcginty26 (Pat McCarty)]

Jon showing his good side