boB, an E8 would lok good on you... Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 6, 2012, at 2:55 PM, "shabbona_rr" <[email protected]> wrote: > Bob > > SHABBONA is a secondary main line system where (at least for now) trains meet > at the terminals. During the open house in April, that was Mooar yard. A > second operator covered yard operations at Terminal District to turn trains > and get them headed in the right direction for the next trip. > > By the same token, the RR does not use car cards, etc., for car spotting. The > trains are made up with the general Idea that the heaviest cars (loads) are > on the head end, and the empties are on the rear. Thus loads on the head end > Westbound become empties Eastbound. The only variation to this is hopper > loads of coal. One direction they are loads, which are removeable and > interchangeable, in the opposite direction they are empties. A variation of > this is what I have planned for the flat car fleet I put together last > summer, where I want to load one car with John Deere tractors, and another > with Caterpillar tractors, and pair them with corresponding empty cars. This > way, using the KUD interchange, the loads can run consistently over the route > in one direction, while the empties can run in the opposite, as if returning > for another load. More on this as it develops. Most other cars are switched > "by eye", in other words the car type designates the final destination. I > just don't have time to work with car card systems, etc., in my > circumstances, otherwise. > > Right now, I'm trying to overcome this overwhelming urge to acquire an E8 in > Rock Island colors so I can run at least one of the passenger train pairs > with Rock Island power, but I'm afraid to commit to that, knowing where it > could eventually lead. > > boB Nicholson _______________________________________________ > > --- In [email protected], Bob Werre <bob@...> wrote: > > > > boB, > > > > glad to see things are getting back to normal, both with you and the RR. > > > > It's been very hot recently as I know most of the country seems to be > > experiencing--but locally we're a lot better than last year. I've > > actually used my lawn mower this year. Haven't been in the train-room > > too much lately, it takes too long to cool the place down to get much done. > > > > In regards to operations, I wish I had some of your thoughts to apply to > > my RR's operations. I have the RailOps program that does a nice job of > > routing cars to various locations, keeping track of cars and engines > > etc. (I also understand that the folks at JMRI have introduced a > > computer based program that does much of that also. ) > > > > However, I have yet to get into deciding how trains should actually run, > > when you have 3-5 guys using essentially the same mainline trackage. It > > seems to me most guys have put in a lot of trial and error to get things > > right. It's hard to run thru freights while someone else is trying to > > do some local switching. I've operated on friends layouts where we've > > had two trains meeting in one location to add to the 'fun'. My fear is > > to have all four in the same location so I think at that point the fun > > is gone! > > > > Bob Werre > > PhotoTraxx > > > > > > > > On 8/6/12 1:43 PM, shabbona_rr wrote: > > > > > > SHABBONA operations slowly getting back on track. I have been > > > assembling the Walthers Power House I've had on hand for about three > > > years. This will be the power house for The Humongous Company. > > > > > > The new spring switch is working well at Terminal District. The next > > > project on that end is a better way of interchanging the solid reefer > > > "meat trains" from Mooar Yard. I'm working on a procedure where I > > > double up a couple of yard engines at Mooar and pull them to the > > > interchange. That will mean tossing the inbound waycar aside, then > > > grabbing the train and pulling it over, then maybe have a couple of > > > terminal District engines pull it back at the proper time. It sounds > > > better than it works, currently, but I'm working on the "bugs". > > > > > > The passenger trains have been running fairly consistent, and I've > > > been running the Mooar Turns, though not always on a daily basis, and > > > I've been doing a little switching at Humongous. That's about it for now. > > > > > > Bob Nicholson -__________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > > >
