Ashland, VA?

Starting to get more of the urge to get back to model railroading and trains in general. Went through Ashland VA on the way to my Dads this week end. I am going to get all the MEC track work diagrams and MEC books out while watching the Pats tonight and see if I can narrow down the next layout design. Remembering simpler is better.

Enola, PA

On the way back from a quick trip to Maine to celebrate my Mom's B-day we stayed in Enola, PA. Across the street from Norfolk Southern's Enola yard.  Why this AMTRAK retro engine was sitting here I do not know. I can only assume it broke down and they set it here.

This is the beginning of a cut of cars going over the hump. I did not realize this at first since it is not like the classic hump yards I have seen where there is a definitive "hump".

 A car has started down into the bowl.

 The row of tracks in the back ground are much higher than the bowl track and retarders, which cannot be seen but are just down below the paved road.

 A set of yard goats has just completed running autoracks down into the bowl and is returning to start humping another cut of cars. There were two sets of hump engines working in tandem. As one set finished a cut the other set would push the next cut while the first set went back to get another cut.

The NW two bay hopper is accelerating down the bowl lead, the retarders will be activated shortly which results in some load screeching.

Nothing new yet

I have not gone past the thinking stage yet on the layout, still working on my side track building ship/sub models. Summer activities and getting the finished sub models off the layout will be required.

Thoughts on the new design

I have been sketching new track plans. Basically I am on a path of having 4 Layout Design Elements (LDEs) separated by scenery dividers. Staging will bring trains onto the layout and provide an area to change out cars. Each LDE will be of a specific portion of the Maine Central but not from any one area. The idea here is to have several different scenes for operation and the layout as a whole will be operated as a single section but I am going to pick actual MEC prototype trackage for each LDE.

Here is today's thought, Calais (small yard), the wood chip mill at Oakland, The pulpwood loading siding at East Newport, and the Gilman Paper Mill. All four elements can fit in the space I have and I will be able to use the actual track arrangements. I have extensive information on operations at Gilman and Calais. I will do a detailed study and post additional thoughts after that.

Random Pictures from WMMD Op session.

At the end of the session I am back were I started with the shifter, Luke.

The car float at Baltimore.

 Elkins yard.

A busy Cumberland yard.

The layout is multi level uses the classic car card system for car forwarding and uses a fast clock. Throttles are radio controlled DCC and all operators wear radios with the exception of the Cumberland yard crew.

Main positions are Dispatcher, MY Tower, Cumberland Yardmaster and two minions, Baltimore Yardmaster and minion, Elkins yardmaster and minion and a bunch of engineers to run the trains. This is the second time I have worked on Dick's railroad, he has a fun operating scheme and we had a great time, just don't push those other buttons on the throttles!

Running the Mine Shifter on the WMMD

I ran the mine shifter which runs from Elkins Yard to all of the local mines. I started my shift by picking up my train off empties on the siding at Luke. There is the large "Black Diamond" mine and a smaller loader on the opposite end of this area. in this photo I have brought down my second train of empty hoppers from Elkins. I am in the hole on the siding and a peddler freight is on the mine lead. We are waiting for a train to pass on it's way to Elkins.

This is Thomas were another mine and a coal dump is located that the shifter is responsible for keeping supplied with empty hoppers and pulling loads.

Elkins Yard, a crew of two is assigned to this yard also, I have requested entry into the yard with a 14 car train of loaded coal cars.

Operating the WMMD

Saturday I made a trip up Richmond way and operated the WMMD Western Maryland Moseley Division, owned and built by Dick Munnikhuysen.

The railroad is large and busy. The Cumberland yard is shown above and has three assigned positions. This yard is at the middle of an X looking route map. The ends of the X are Baltimore, Elkins - WV, Connellsville - PA and Lurgan.

 Baltimore is a main terminal and has two position assignments.