It's an old boy scouts saying that this Eagle Scout won't forget: 'Be Prepared'. When we think about it, those two words are saying a lot about how to live life. It is a motto that changes how we look at life.
Here we have newly outshopped Conrail SD40 6286, a model whose prototype was a veteran locomotive of the B&O, then CNJ, then on to Conrail. I've modeled it to fit its appearance circa 1994, and it looks the part. However, that is not the only thing that matters. The rest is harder to see in a photo. The wheels are in gauge, and cleaned. Couplers are at the right height, and work. The track was cleaned. New lighting works, sound is leveled and adjusted. The unit is speed matched to the others in the fleet on the Onondaga Cutoff, just as all the B23-7's in the distance are matched, as well as cleaned and ready.
It is a lot of work, but cleaning ahead of each session means that dirty track and wheels won't be a problem as we run trains. In other words, we eliminated a few variables that can make a session less fun. Part of being prepared is doing what we can to avoid problems.
The Onondaga Cutoff is a small way in which I can live by that same old motto, and thanks to the help of others, it is part of the fun. It is true that a setup night doesn't fix the other problems in life or in our world, but it is a beginning, and a start, and a way we can make something better. Being prepared allows us to take a deep breath and enjoy that moment where things are in good shape, ready to start. It's a good place to be.
