Running with Teddy

 Teddy is beginning to stretch his legs with operating sessions!  In addition to running trains on the Onondaga Cutoff and also last year on Jerry Dziedzic's NYS&W, in early April we had an opportunity to run at Ted Pamprin's beautiful C&O Allegheny Division railroad in northern NJ.  Ted is always a gracious host and both Teddy and I appreciated the invitation to run trains together.

Teddy's first train on the C&O was appropriately train no. 1, running westbound across the railroad.  Teddy ran while I acted as a conductor, guiding him across the route.  He had a steady hand and a quick eye, learning the layout quickly.  We arrived at Hinton where the yard would add cars to our train, and since it's a division point we also got new orders and a new clearance card there.  

Teddy was all smiles, and eager to continue.  Rich Wisneski also helped Teddy as needed and at one point, their trains passed along the New River Gorge scene.

Sharing the hobby with Teddy, Pete and Susie is a pleasure.  Whether they enjoy trains or choose another hobby going forward, showing them that we can do these things in groups and at a high level I think will be a good memory for them - and maybe, just maybe, help bring the model railroading hobby a few new lifetime members!  

A Weekend of Operations

Operating trains on the Onondaga Cutoff is one of the highlights of the railroad.  The weekend of January 21 and 22 2023 was one where we not only hosted a session, but I was able to attend another one, too.

The OC session modeled a period from about 3pm to about 3 am on a typical Saturday - September 17 1994.  Thanks to Mark Sullivan and Rich Wisneski, we have photos of the prep as well as some from the session.

Here we are enjoying pizza for supper and doing the safety briefing ahead of running trains.  While the safety briefing may sound heavy-handed, it's important to note emergency exits and fire extinguisher locations for people unfamiliar with the house.  It's also a time to build some of the atmosphere ahead of the session:  what was the temperature on September 17, 1994?  What current events get us in a mindset of the 90's?  What was the price of gasoline?  For our operations to work, our minds need to travel in time a bit as well.  

Rich always likes to have a photo of the participants, and this time the group included the kids as well as a number of guests.  It takes people to make a railroad work, and we are fortunate to have a number of good ones!  This session ran into the darkness with a simulated sunset, and the fun continued.  Amtrak train #276 after its run was tied down at Island Yard.

And, later, SEEL from Selkirk, NY to Elkhart, IN was working up at Onondaga Yard, highlighted by the dwarf signal at CP280.

Nighttime brings a magic to the OC, and one of the best spots is the fuel pad where locomotives are serviced through the night.  Two B23-7's idle while being fueled.

Then, Sunday, I was fortunate to be able to attend the operating session at Tony Koester's famous Nickel Plate Road layout, set in Illinois in 1954.  Tony gives his briefing before the session, with regular operator Bill Jamboor sitting behind him.  

While operations isn't the way most modelers choose to participate in the hobby, it is one of the niches that helps set our hobby apart from other modeling hobbies.  Instead of our models sitting on a shelf, in many cases our hard work can be displayed in motion, as intended.  Operations models not just equipment or structures, but the dynamic environments where the prototypes run and - most critically - the coordination with others to accomplish a task.  Operations takes us from train models to modeling railroading.  

On another positive note, see you in Springfield on Saturday and Sunday - if you're at the big Amherst Society show this year, January 28 & 29, stop over at introduce yourself at the Onondaga Cutoff table:  Better Living Center Section 4, Table L!  

Guest Operators - Including a Special Guest

Guest operations are a great experience for both visitors and hosts alike.  The Onondaga Cutoff hosted a session as part of a group of sessions on five railroads in one weekend here in Northwestern New Jersey in October, and it was a great honor to be able to join the fun!  We worked hard to get the railroad ready - and it was worth it.  

We hosted along with Perry Squier, Ted Pamprin, Jerry Dziedzic, and Tony Koester - four legendary layouts, and the OC.  I am still amazed at the good fortune of living in this same area as these railroads!  

The first session Saturday was at Jerry's, and here Doug Tagsold and Dustin Jeffers work the big NJ Zinc Mill in Franklin, NJ on Jerry's NYS&W/L&HR.  

Later that afternoon, the crowd came to the OC, and we got right into it.

Guest sessions work best with helpers on hand who know the railroad well, regulars that can be trusted as guides for the visiting operators.  Sometimes guests jump right in and this group not only jumped in but also caught on very quickly - it was a great session!

Mike Burgett, whose amazing C&O layout was a railroad on which I operated in the spring of 2022, sat in as the Conrail Mohawk Dispatcher on the OC.  He worked it well with guidance from Jack T, who as always puts a tremendous amount of effort into making sure the operating plan works and is robust enough to hold up through the typical ebbs and flows of a session.

An honored guest this time as well as Eric White, who attended with his wife and son.  Eric was recently promoted to be the Editor of Model Railroader magazine - a key role not just at Kalmbach but in the hobby in general - and he has now attended a session on the Onondaga Cutoff.  Awesome!

It has been a thrilling and fascinating start to the fall in 2022, and things are continuing on a rapid pace.  Maintaining balance is going to be a key not just this year but as life goes on and that is something I will explore more in future posts and creative works.  Balancing life, family, career, and an immersive hobby is a wonderful privilege and a huge responsibility at the same time.  

The best for all of these is yet to come!

How We Grow the Hobby

We hear and read a lot of concern about the state of the hobby, and there are loud opinions that it is shrinking.  'As people grow old and pass on, the hobby will disappear.'  'There's no youth in the hobby.'  

Well, I disagree.  I think the hobby has always been one that fits a retired lifestyle well, and so has drawn more older people than young for generations, but I also think there is a growing youth population that is interested, too.  The key?  Ask them to come along.  

We are fortunate in New Jersey to have a robust group of guys willing to host operating sessions, and several are open to new members on occasion.  Recently my sons approached Jerry Dziedzic and he graciously invited them to join in a regular session.   We began with supper, after which Rich Wisneski suggested we take a group photo.

 

It's such an awesome feeling to see the boys here: this is a group of good men, people I trust and admire, and that they were invited and that they fit in is simply a wonderful thing.  They were excited!

After supper we traveled to Jerry's where the session was ready to start.  Jerry assigned the boys with different operators to allow them the full experience and I am grateful for the patience and hospitality everyone displayed.  Does a new rookie slow things down?  Yes.  But when young people are willing and excited to learn and participate, we have a responsibility to work with them, and coach them along.  

Teddy was assigned to work the Maybrook turn, an L&HR wayfreight.  Here he is working the locomotive in the large zinc mine at Franklin, NJ, under guidance of Jerry as well as Tom Schmieder and Ralph Heiss.  

Meanwhile, Pete was working with Al Tillotson and Joe Relation on the NYS&W Hainsburg job, and having a blast:

Pete even got a chance to spend some time at Sparta Junction with the tower operator, Jim Schweitzer, and it's easy for Pete - he didn't even need to duck.

It is people that make the hobby great, and each of us as layout owners can do our part to include young people.  When their excitement grows, they can jump in - and all of this can build a foundation for the future of the hobby.  Thanks to everyone there, and especially Jerry for his hospitality.  The boys are going to remember this one for a long, long time!

Some Time in Chicagoland

 Traveling to see new model railroads is always a fun experience, especially when in the company of other modelers.  When you add operating on those model railroads to the experience, the time becomes something to look forward to - as it was this year for a weekend around the greater Chicago area.

There are a number of great operating layouts around Chicago, and it was the home for one of the first organized operating groups for model railroading.  Some of that stemmed from the early clubs in the midwest including the Purdue University club and the Batavia club, home for the Midwest Model Railroaders layout.  That tradition continues today with the Chicago 'Rail Group' sessions, which this year is celebrating 50 years of operations and hosted ProRail 2022 to commemorate that anniversary.

As is typical of the bigger operating weekends, invitees choose layouts based on their desires and hosts then assign layouts across the group - you get some of the choices you wanted, and a few others that you didn't ask for but which are in their own rights amazing creations.  My first choice on this trip was Lou Steenwyk's railroad that models a group of fictional but prototypical ore railroads around Superior WI and Duluth MN.  It really captures the flavor of the branchline-to-port feel of that region, and was a pleasure to operate with the group.  

Another top choice for me, conveniently placed nearby, was John Bauer's Rio Grande Southern, which is modeled in Sn3 and is an early work of art with all handlaid track, scratchbuilt bridges, and beautiful brass locomotives.  The scenery is just starting but the operation is wonderful - time table train order, but on a well-built, slow-speed main line.  It again captures the feel and is a real pleasure to run.  

At John's I found a new product on the shelf - a new, conductive waxy oil that cleans and leaves a conductive (but not slippery) finish on the rails.  I will be ordering this and trying it myself on the OC, a railroad whose heavy traffic and signal-equipped main line requires a lot of track cleaning!  Learning new techniques by spending time with the masters of the art is a great reason to travel to see other's railroads.  

You never know who you'll see out and about!  Eric White, Kalmbach Senior Editor and a friend of mine, was there - wearing an Onondaga Cutoff shirt!  What a thrill!  

Other railroads on which I operated included John Goodhart's Lake Erie, Cincinnati and Southern, as well as Bob Hanmer's DM&IR/GN, both great fun railroads.  I especially enjoyed seeing another adaptation of Centralized Traffic Control on John's railroad, and of all the sessions the whole weekend Bob Hanmer's really was a great and smooth experience.  His railroad is another that captures TT&TO very well, and I do have a soft spot for the ore roads, which he models in earnest.  

It was a great weekend!  It's always refreshing to see a different region, and while I always miss my family when traveling with friends I came back refreshed and excited to be home - while carrying all the memories of a great weekend with a growing group of friends.   It's the best of both worlds, and I am just happy to be able to participate!

A Long-Awaited Return to 'Regular' Operations

Everyone knows the slogan: 'You don't know what you've got til you loose it.'

That old cliche was never more true than as the Pandemic of 2020 set in for many people.  So much that we took for granted was suddenly threatened.  

Well, we will take good news as it comes, and as the pandemic has subsided early in 2022 the doors have opened on area layouts for a return to some regularly-scheduled, 'normal' operations.  Sixteen guests came to help bring the Onondaga Cutoff to life in March, and while the layout had a few 'rusty rails' and situations arise, we were able to work through them for a successful session.  I am especially grateful for the opportunity!

Operators arrived and the fast clock began after our usual pizza supper.  The railroad today was representing a September afternoon in 1994, and we began running at 3 p.m. fast time.  

Teddy and Pete have taken a real interest in the layout and especially in operating sessions, when they love joining in the running of trains.  Rich and the rest of the managers have been very patient with their excitement which I appreciate!   

Using the 3:1 fast clock it was only an hour or so until nightfall.

As the darkness deepens, operations continue unabated.  Chris, sitting as Dispatcher, and Rich as Trainmaster work together to coordinate power moves, crew availability, and train sequence across the main line while power is serviced at Island Engine Terminal.  

It is hard to overstate the dramatic change in the feel of railroading once the sun goes down.  Capturing that on the Onondaga Cutoff was an early goal, and as I became more familiar with operations I was surprised how few model nighttime.  Here we are at the westward home signals at CP 280, lined with a medium clear aspect for a westbound move from Track 1 to Track 2 while local power is serviced at Onondaga Engine Terminal.  

Engine Yards are fascinating all the time but especially at night as massive machines idle, awaiting a call to duty.  During the regular cadence of the session, four power sets ended up lined up across the Island, each with lit marker lights.  A fitting end to a session that was 'just another regular session' - except now we know how fortunate we are to be able to continue.  

Warm Nights on the Railroad

One of my primary goals in layout construction on the Onondaga Cutoff is to capture the atmosphere I remember from the 1990's on a healthy, busy Conrail. The second definition of the word is as follows:

Atmosphere noun: the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art

Being a professional railroader, and just as significantly being a life-long fan of sitting trackside, has acquainted me with the atmosphere around the tracks. It's exciting anytime but the mystique builds into the night. Add in some warm air, sounds of summer or early fall, the expectation of things to come...you can almost feel the emotion in it.

A few recent images, in my opinion, capture it pretty well. These are taken all in the same few minutes during a recent operation session, and all show train ELSE (Elkhart, IN to Selkirk, NY) waiting and then beginning to work at Onondaga Yard.

For just a moment you can feel like you're back in time, 25 years ago, trackside on Conrail's Chicago Line, while the cicadas and crickets and tree frogs make a racket. For me, I was in love with the railroad and with a wonderful girl; my brother and sister and parents were doing well. The band I was in was playing good music, friends were close and camaraderie all around.  The summer was full of excitement and promise, problems seemed far away and pale in the distance. All of those emotions are tangible again here. The sounds and the feel of locomotives, the smell of warm creosote ties and diesel exhaust, the weight and humidity in the air- these are things that we can almost sense just in allowing ourselves a few minutes to gaze at the images.

Enjoy the last days of the summer, and may your memories bring you back to the atmosphere of good times remembered!

~RGDave

Glimpses of the Operation

Once again we have a fun trackside glimpse of operations on the Onondaga Cutoff, thanks to regular operator Alexander B. whose style you will recognize from some other recent posts.  Using a small camera, we get to see trains passing from unique angles along the route.  This one focuses on the new grade crossing, which is impressive when your view is from about 6 scale feet above the pavement!

Thanks Alexander!  And for the rest of us, enjoy the show!

https://youtu.be/dqlxKNK7tSM

~RGDave

Railfanning on the Onondaga Cutoff

This weekend we have a treat for you all, thanks to TJ compiling some video clips of action along the Onondaga Cutoff.  These are 'revenue moves' during operating sessions that TJ, one of the regular operators, recorded and edited into this clip.  What makes TJ's films even more fun is his use of prototype sounds added to the mix, with locomotives and cars all adding to the experience.  Turn up your speakers!

Trackside on the Onondaga Cutoff

Take a look at TJ's other YouTube videos, posted under 'Belt Line Productions' and worth your time.  Thanks for sharing this unique view of the OC, TJ!

~RGDave

Operations Video! And, Curing Ballast

First, all that goopy mess from last time cured up perfectly.  We're now ready for the next phase of construction, including a working grade crossing!  Lots to come soon on this but for now, here's a quick image or two of the ballast, ready for use.

Quite a change here in a few months, after almost 10 years of having laid the roadbed and benchwork for this part of the railroad!

Next, we have a special treat.  Thanks to regular operator Alexander B., we have a fun presentation this time of a recent operating session, set to video.  He shot and compiled the clips, where we see Conrail trains working along the Onondaga Cutoff and in the yard at Onondaga itself.

Also fun to see is some of the actual maintenance-of-way modeling we do on the OC, and the corresponding delay that the maintenance can bring.  The Track Gang under Supervisor Lee is out in the video, causing trains to need to weave around the outages, or to wait until track becomes available.

Further, you get a taste of the extensive use the radios get in the session through the audio on this video presentation.  Thank you Alexander!

Enjoy a quick taste of operations on the Onondaga Cutoff!

Onondaga Cutoff Operations 2019

~RGDave

A Busy Autumn Season

These continue to be amazing times for model railroading, and I continue to be amazed and thankful for some of the new experiences I am continuing to have in the hobby.

First off, at the start of this month, thanks to the graciousness and tenacity of my wife and children, I was able to spend a few days operating on the famous Tehachapi Pass layout of the La Mesa Model Railroad Club, housed in the museum facilities of Balboa Park in San Diego, CA.  Words and photos cannot describe the experience - it's a must see for anyone who enjoys modeling that can get there.

Check out the details.  The tie fenceposts, the earthwork, ballast, and maintenance roadways.

A brief overview of the trip is in order:  we flew out Thursday 11/1 early in the morning so as to have a day to get to the club and assist in staging the railroad for operations on Friday 11/2, Saturday 11/3. and Sunday 11/4.  Thursday night allowed some time to 'get qualified' on the physical characteristics of the railroad - and to be amazed at the scope and scale.  WOW.  For instance, one of the club regulars was moving this 105-car train of refrigerated boxcars ('reefers' in railroad jargon) west to Bakersfield for the following day.   105 cars!  You don't see that every day, and certainly not on an operating mountain railroad.

The railroad climbs about 15 real feet in elevation, close to the correct scale for the actual line.  The scenic feature most recognizable from the pass and the layout is the Tehachapi Loop, a full helix-in-real-life on a 2.5% grade eastbound.  Here an SP manifest comes down the hill, crossing under its own tail as it moves west.

My first solo trip on the railroad on Friday morning was Santa Fe's #23 train, the westbound Grand Canyon, a first-class passenger move.  Since westbounds are superior to eastbounds by timetable direction, I had an easy run with no opposing moves to worry about - they all had to get out of my way!  But even with no waiting, and track speed the entire trip, my journey from Mojave at the east end of the railroad to Bakersfield at the west end took about 45 minutes.   Amazing.

Here that same ATSF train #23 comes down through the lower part of Caliente, CA, having traversed most of the railroad by now.  This scene is one of the most remarkable in all of model railroading, as it is nearly a dead ringer for the prototype.  Caliente in the foreground, the horseshoe curve up the hill, and then successive levels behind the operator in the distance up to Cliff siding, which is a mile away as the crow flies, but 7 miles away by railroad milepost.  Incredible - because that's what we see here, in HO scale!

A good portion of the scenery on the middle areas of the run are above the head of viewers, leading to angles like this one at "Cliff" siding - very appropriately named.

There is no way to really capture the vast expanse of modeling on the railroad, and the attention to detail throughout the finished portions with scenery.  But, here's a tailing off image of ATSF Train 23, with his markers passing the east switch of Ilmon siding.   Bena is ahead with double track from there to Bakersfield.  You get the sense that you are actually running trains on a railroad here, not a layout:  it's so grand in scale to be prototypically vast.

This post is long enough already, so I'll end with a quick reflection.  As time goes on, my definition for 'busy' seems to change.  In the past I used to think I was busy, with different activities demanding time and energy, and yet those times seem to pale in comparison to these days.  Still these things go on, and there's something reassuring about that.  Holidays like Thanksgiving really allow one an opportunity to sit and breathe and appreciate some of the good things that go unnoticed most days.  Walking without pain.  Food to eat.  The colors of nature, the smiles from happy people, the faith of friends and family, and loyalty of pets.

Best wishes to you and yours for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

~RGDave

Moving Trains on the Onondaga Cutoff

Here are a few videos for you all of the last operating session.  These are minimally processed, taken straight off the iPhone I had available, but I think they give a good sense of what we do each month, when we model the operations of a certain day and night in 1994 or 1995.  

First, we have Conrail TV-9, a westbound piggyback train from Boston, coming upgrade through the approach-lit 275 intermediate signals as he approaches CP 277:

And, here is TV-556 coming downgrade at CP 277 later that day, with an all-SP (and D&RGW) consist up front as was typical for that train in this era:

The operating sessions remain some of my favorite ways to enjoy this hobby, combining modeling with operation and personalities.  We are able to re-create the atmosphere of the railroad on a model of it, and the experience is quite reminiscent of Conrail.  That will only improve as scenery grows more complete and as the crews get more familiar with the operation.   As we say often on the OC, the best is yet to come!

~RGDave

BRSE-1, and a typical scene

Many model railroaders model the past and there are some who say that model railroading is one of the better time machines invented, especially when it comes to operations.

Here's a typical scene on the Onondaga Cutoff, with train BRSE-1 (Belt Railway of Chicago to Selkirk, NY, leaving on the 11th of the month) topping the grade at CP282 south of Syracuse, NY.  This models the daily passage of the prototype BRSE, with locomotives and cars that represent what actually happened.

You can hear and see the lively conversation that surrounds the activity, and it is much like that on the prototype as well.  Operations brings a layout to life, and keeps the interest high.

Enjoy!

~RGDave

A Five-Year Anniversary

Today is the day, 5 years ago, that I hosted the first 'official' operation session on the Onondaga Cutoff.  Six guys got together for a night of model operation and a few beers, and it was a great time that started a long line of sessions that will continue as long as we are able.

I did a quick post on the session that night, which you can find in the archives here on this date in 2011.


First, here's a commemorative shot of a few of the guys at the end of the session a few days after the 5-year anniversary.  This time we have, from left to right, Mark, Al, myself, Doug, Rich, and John - the room looks a lot different than it did then.

For the record, here's the 'staff' shot from that night after the session - five years ago and a different time in some ways.  I'm excited to see what the next five years bring!

Here from left to right we have Scottie, John, Nick, Jack, myself, and Mark.  Thanks, guys - more to come!

~RGDave

"Emergency, Emergency, Emergency!"

Those three words rarely bring good news to follow!

Early in the morning of September 8, 1994, westbound train SEBU with four locomotives and 53 cars went into emergency as it passed upgrade through CP277 on the Onondaga Cutoff, just after 4 a.m. and still well before dawn.  The train notified the dispatcher and came to a stop, and the conductor then walked back to see what the issue was, only to find the following scene:

All cars were on the rail, but between the 5th and 6th car of the train, a mechanical defect caused some slack action to literally tear the coupler and its entire mounting from the frame of CN 377249, an empty covered hopper headed to Buffalo for interchange.  As the train was crossing over between tracks 1 and 2, this was a big mess, with both main tracks blocked.  Delays to priority intermodal trains started almost immediately.  

The train crew contacted the Mohawk Dispatcher, who in turn got in touch with the Trouble Desk, which immediately dispatched a mechanical crew with a boom truck to get out and clear the coupler from the railroad, as well as to assist the crew in getting the defective car set out.  With no coupler on the west end of the remaining train, locomotives from TV-5 were commandeered to push the back to the SEBU's train west up to Onondaga Yard, with the conductor protecting the head end.  The car was set out, and SEBU then started his scheduled work at Onondaga Yard, albeit with a conductor who wasn't too happy with how that run had gone!  Meanwhile TV-5's power reversed to go back to their train and continue their run west, now several hours late.  

Once the regular Mechanical Department guys came on duty at 7, they fired up their block truck and used its knuckle boom to repair the defect on CN 377249 at Onondaga Yard.  The car will be added to an outbound freight later in the day.  No injuries, just a team of railroaders working together to get the job done right.

For me, stories like this one - an actual mechanical defect leading to a very realistic emergency situation, in turn requiring a realistic response to keep the railroad open - are part of what makes Operating Sessions such a great part of the hobby.  Having an HO scale railroad that can even generate prototypical problems is just a fantastic thrill - you never know what problems will pop up during a session on the Onondaga Cutoff, but rest assured the guys running will figure out how to deal with it!

~RGDave

Views of a Recent Operating Session

Happy Thanksgiving!  Thanks for taking time to check out the blog, hope you enjoy what you see!

Here's a few views of the recent November 22, 2014 operating session, during which we re-enacted September 10, 1994 on the railroad based on Conrail schedules and timetables.

First, an extra military train ran, carrying the symbol MIL-401.  Conrail gave the 'MIL' prefix to any dedicated military extra, and the digits worked with the division first ('4' for Albany Division origin) and the section of the train second ('01' for first such movement of the day).   So, the MIL-401 is a military extra originating on the Albany Division and is the first Albany Division military extra origin of the day.  In any case, here it is pausing at CP280, adjacent to Onondaga Yard:

Shortly thereafter, I grabbed a quick shot with my iPhone of the view looking west from CP280, which has in the distant background some of the new scenery along the M&E.   For now, this is the most 'complete' view along the Onondaga Cutoff, and helps give a sense of space in the layout room.

I am also in the process of editing a video or two of this operating session to present here in the next entry.

With this most recent operating session behind us, things will quiet down a bit on the model railroad between the holiday season and the pending arrival of another baby - the Abeles family is about to have a new member!   I will do my best during the next few weeks and months to keep you up to date with all the changes.  I hope to still find a few moments to make some progress on the railroad.

Happy Holidays!

~RGDave

Some Video of the Latest Operating Session

Just a quick post tonight to share a few impromptu videos from a recent operating session - these capture a slice of the experience we have every month or two when on an evening, 8 to 12 model railroad operators converge on the Onondaga Cutoff and run it like a railroad.

Here, SEBU is finishing a setout and pickup at Onondaga Yard and is shoving back to put their train back together while TV-7, a fast Boston-to-Chicago piggyback train, comes around him on Track 2.

We take it seriously enough to keep things organized, but the point is and will continue to be having fun, while trying hard to capture the experience of mainline railroading using actual schedules, scale models, and Conrail and NORAC operating rules.  Here, train BRSE from Chicago to Selkirk comes east through CP282, passing the signal crews who are out removing the old manual signals in the interlocking.  The train is led by a pair of run-through locomotives borrowed from the AT&SF Railway.

Excuse the poor quality of the videos - I think the sound and sight of the experience is worth sharing!

~RGDave

On Operating Sessions...

A photo for you all:  It’s 4:25 a.m. on September 14, 1994, well before dawn, at CP 277 on Conrail’s Onondaga Cutoff.  The Mohawk Dispatcher has lined TV-8W, an eastbound stack train from Chicago to Worchester, Massachusetts, on Track 2 around WADE-30 (stopped at left) and SEEL, whose headlight is visible in the distance.  TV-8W's approaching headlight illuminates the signal bridge for just a few seconds.

One thing that has surprised me over the course of the development of the Onondaga Cutoff is how much satisfaction I take from hosting an operating session.  In the past, I’ve always enjoyed the building part of the hobby.  Operations was something that came later, largely thanks to my interest in prototype operations, and the steady influence of Jack, my longtime friend and partner in all things railroad.  During the design phase of this layout, it was apparent that this project would be much larger than any I had constructed before, and therefore could be fun with multiple operators.  Still, I generally imagined running trains myself more than I thought about any organized operations.  That changed in a hurry after the tracks were in place and operational!   It was quickly apparent that some sort of organization was needed to avoid chaos.  Paperwork was part of the operation from the beginning, but has taken on a critical role for each session now.  Thanks to the fact that the track design is as prototypical as the space would allow, operations really came very naturally to the layout. 

Over the next few blog entries, I plan to present some of the paperwork we use to make it all happen.  Once a month, the Onondaga Cutoff comes to life, and for a few hours, it feels like 1994 all over again.

~RGDave

Operations

This past weekend, I hosted the most recent Operating Session (OS) on the Onondaga Cutoff, and it was a success - a crew of 6 ran approximately 30 through trains, two locals, and the M&E turn over the course of about 4 hours (and several beers).  Jack was a stellar DS, as always, and the crew was great:  Nick, Mark, Al T., and our special guest this week, none other than the Doctor, Mr. Al Werner, many thanks to you all.  Al W. drove several hours down to the OC just for this session.  Thanks, Al!


Conrail train SEBU works the North Runner at the west end of Onondaga Yard while setting out cars on 6/22/12.

With much wiring still to do for the signal system, that work is the next major push for the railroad.  As it requires re-wiring one main track as well as locating junctions for the BD-20 detectors, the railroad is out of service while each pair of blocks is wired up. 

Plenty to come here, as always.  It's a great hobby, isn't it?

~RGDave

A Success!

The first operating session on the Onondaga Cutoff was a success!  We ran trains from about 7 until about 11 p.m., accomplishing all the work I'd come up with for the crews to do, and having a lot of fun in the process.  One of the great things about the session was that I learned a lot about about the layout!

We ran with a crew of 6 - a dispatcher, two-man crews for the M&E and for the road local, and one-man crews for the road freights.  Based on feedback from the operators, we will likely post someone full-time in the yard to assist road freights for setting out next time.  There are also a few infrastructure issues I will work to address.  There was only one collision, a rear-ender that was a simple mistake and that we have now taken steps to prevent - from now on, every move needs an engineer for a full trip on the head end after turnouts are thrown to ensure proper routing.

From left to right, we have Scottie, John, Nick, Jack, me, and Mark.  I appreciate their help and enthusiasm!  One thing I realized very quickly is that this model railroad is a LOT more fun when there's an operating session, so we're already scheduled for the next one! 

Let me know if you might be in NJ anytime, with a few days notice there's a chance you can operate too.  It only gets better from here!

~RGDave