Operating Session #18

 NOTHING is better than when hosting an op session, the layout has nominal breakdowns. Usually, I need to change out 1-2 locomotives for poor performance. This past Saturday, all three trains ran quite well. We had only 2 operator errors. This usually occurs when the locomotive has entered an opposing switch. The other issue was a faulty truck on a passenger train. On occasion, the link may hinder the car's ability to adjust to the curve and pull the car off the rail.

This photo shows what an opposing switch looks like. As soon as the loco enters the turnout, it is doomed to short. Two issues here. One is the engineer's mistake of not looking ahead to ensure the switch is set correctly. 

The second issue is that when the crew pulls the loco back and thinks it has cleared the switch, the pilot wheels are across the rail gap, preventing the breaker from resetting. It happens. Here, you see the locomotive is behind the rail gaps, allowing the breaker to reset.

There is a distinction between a switch and a turnout. During the 1800's, maybe later, a stub switch includes the moving "fly rails" and the frog. A turnout back then referred to a passing track or siding. A more contemporary definition of the turnout is the entire mechanism, including stock rails, converging rails, guard rails, wing rails, approaching rails, and the frog. 

Bill and Steve are assessing the best maneuver to drop cars in Chattanooga.

Below, Dave, a longtime friend from high school, and Andy, a concert cellist and professional photographer, are checking the schedule as they travel through Dalton. Andy is the engineer, hence the handheld throttle, and Dave is the conductor and brakeman.

Next, we have DC and Dave as they respond to a "Random Event" on their Train Orders. These are operating situations I include in a crew's Train Orders. These reflect actual events that occurred spontaneously in the midst of a crew's run. Here, DC and Dave were ordered to pick up a passenger car with officers in Kingston.

A new ops feature for this ops was the use of a flagman. As many of you probably know, a flagman was posted a certain distance behind a train if it was delayed. This would alert any oncoming train to reduce speed or pause until the line was clear. The fladman would be recalled to the paused train. Our good friend Don Ball had these made up and given to us for this purpose.

The operators for this session left to right... 

Rob Davis, professional photographer and restoration contributor. George Speidel, a former Marine and long-time model railroader. Me, host and dispatcher. Bill Myers, retired engineer and yard master. Andy Salcius, Steve Woodward of Atlas Trains. And Dave Eberhardt, retired officer from NJDOT, overlooking Atlanta, 1863. Photo by DC.

Nick Kane's Scratch Built 4-4-0's

 If you have been following Nick Kane's new layout build of the Sacramento Valley, circa 1860, here are two photos of his locomotives. Left is one modeled after the Garrison loco. On the right is the Robinson. 90+% of these gems are SCRATCH BUILT folks!! 

Here is a lithograph of the Globe along with Nick's model of the Garrison in process.

I will be posting more photos and hopefully videos of Nick's layout development and his livery of cars.

Nick Kane's Turtable and Trackwork

I have posted other images and videos of Nick's remarkable work. He has scratch-built two 4-4-0 locomotives based on two that ran on the Sacramento Valley RR, a line in California that Nick is modeling in HO scale. 

Here are a few photos of his turntable build. He worked off this period image.

Nick's table is a board by board construction.

This photo below is Nick's bridge. As with everything else he does, it is completely scratch-built. 

This photo shows how he wired it.

And here it the turntable installed, code 70 rail.

As time goes by, I will continue to add construction updates on this magnificent layout.

 

https://western-and-atlantic-rr.blogspot.com/2026/01/nick-kanes-turtable-and-trackwork.html

Prototype to Model

Prototype to Model, also known as PtoM, is a relatively new section in Model Railroader magazine. Editor Eric White publishes photos of models that replicate an actual prototype image. When my dear friend Andy submitted this photo, his intention was for the Trackside Photos section of the magazine. However, Eric responded, informing us of this new segment in the magazine called PtoM. 

The first photo is by George Barnard, the photographer who accompanied Sherman during his Atlanta Campaign, showing the Atlanta yards in1864, after the Union capture of the city. A few weeks later, the Car Shed, or passenger station, along with all rail facilities were destroyed by the Union forces.

The photo below shows what Andy did to blend my layout with this image. Can you tell which aspects are modeled?

NMRA AP Entries - Certificate Achieved!

I have embarked on the NMRA AP (Achievement Program). To date, I have received certificates for scenery, structures, author, volunteer, and cars. I was motivated to go this route because a couple of NJ Division Members indicated that I had most of the work done. It was just a matter of completing the paperwork. Here are the cars I recently had evaluated for the Equipment - Cars certificate.

This is Adams Express was scratch-built. The trucks are a unique feature known as a "swing truck". It was designed to handle tight curves. This model is based on two period photos. The one below the model was taken in 1863 or 1864 in the Nashville yards. The other is in Chattanooga. This latter photo was the basis for the walls, doors, and roof, which was tin.

This is a modified platform car kit by Mantua. In addition to the artillery, by Musket Miniatures, I added Alexander link & pin couplers, the device attached to the car which is known as a draw head.

Open top cattle car. This is scratch-built on a Mantua frame. The walls and doors are board-by-board construction.

Conductor's car. Scratch built from two images. These could also be called a Way car and were used primarily for the conductor

A BTS (Better Than Scratch) kit, flat cars were one of many different railroad cars used to transport military personnel. Worst situations was when wounded troops were transported in cattle cars, recently occupied by cattle.

Nick Kane's Brass Loco Scratch Build

 Some of you may have seen Nick's work on a prior post or have heard about his remarkable talent. He is truly a master. His skills are second to none. 

Nick is modeling the Sacramento Valley RR circa 1855 in HO scale. In addition to scratch-building all his structures. He is one of us who are devoted prototype modelers.  His first build was the Robinson. I will post photos of it another time.

This loco is his second. Check out the cab detail! Remember, this is an ALL-brass scratch build!

I will be adding at least one post a month on Nick's progress with all the aspects of his layout build. Please stay tuned, and comments are always encouraged.

Uodate on LeBron Matthew's Layout

 LeBron models the Western & Atlantic RR as do I. Hence, his model RR is referred to as the south branch, being that he lives in Georgia. 

Several months ago, LeBron had a new layout built by a local company. He has been quite busy and enjoying the scenicing phase. Here are his latest photos of his scenery work. 

Downtown Atlanta, Decatur Street...

On the outskirts ...

His selective compression of Atlanta. Although best seen in person, LeBron's modeling is in the master model railroader category. He is meticulous in his detailing to create authentic representations. He also paints his backdrop! Remarkably talented! 

We have been friends for over 20 years and have had many visits with one another, sharing building techniques, working on projects with each other, and the miseries of adding decoders, speakers, and motors to convert Mantua Generals to a prototypical look. But we certainly do have a whole lotta fun!!

Here is one from about 2004 at his original layout. Chris Brannigan is on the right, and he, along with LeBron, DC Cebula, Brian Kammerer, and I, are the original members of the ACWRRHS.

Brian met up with the General's curator over a few beers one night. The curator was gracious enough to allow us to have our photo taken on the pilot. He told us to stick around after the visitors left the Kennesaw museum, as the General is cordoned off. WHAT a treat!

Operating Session #17

August 12, Trainmen assembled into three crews of two operators each. Bill Myers was assigned to the special running out of Atlanta. A wide range of trains were dispatched, including artillery, mixed, cotton, and hospital. "Random Events" added the unexpected, a wreck train and a telegraph section. Operators also encountered a car with a broken axle, sabateour torching a bale of cotton, officers intervening and demanding two cars off fed and hay dropped on a siding. Bill's special was the spoiler as the other trains had no idea to expect him. Makes for a real-life prototype experience.

After each session, I ask everyone to supply me with highs and lows of their experience. During their runs, they also note where they had issues, e.g., derailments, short, poor loco performance, and anything I need to know for a smooth operation next time.

Here are a few pics from that Saturday...

Corey and Roger are picking up platform cars of cotton in Kingston. Their Random Event was a torched cotton bale, and to uncouple that car.

Here we have Jim on the right, a first timer. He is the Superintendent for our sister NMRA Division, The Garden State. You can read about Jim,  layout updates, and the activities of their division in the Whistle Stop newsletter. Google the NMRA, Garden State Division and their website will pop up. He and Glyn are taking a train through Kingston, on its way to Chattanooga. 

Rob, the engineer, and conductor Dave are making a move in the north end of Big Shanty. Most of you probably know that the Great Locomotive Chase began nearby. By the way, this crew had the car with a broken axle. 

Operating May 31, 2025

We had our 16th op session here two days ago. If you have ever hosted an operating session, you are familiar with the preparation and setup required for a smooth, or relatively smooth, running of the trains. I begin with an email confirming the operators, date, timing, and other incidentals. One example is that we are an inside slipper or sock home; outside shoes are deposited on the inside porch. 

We have an orientation 15 minutes before the first run. I find this is critical to ensure operators are aware of operating nuances. A key one for me is the new hand-thrown switches using a push rod anchored on the fascia:

The rod is attached to the Tortoise switch machine. I plan to add more, as this was a manual railroad. It provides a more active role for the operator. One issue was that I did not allow operators to "practice" using the push rods. Consequently, I would hear the switch machine gears grinding because the operator was pushing and pulling too hard. I will now include a time to practice after a brief instruction.
Here is the Orientation sheet that continues to evolve:

timetable

I find that an orientation, even for operators who have been here a few times, helps anchor them into the time and era as well as new information and how the time table, etc, are to work. 

Below, the Yard Master is building a train with his yard engine, Alabama, for a crew's next run out of Chattanooga:

Switching maneuvers in Dalton with 

two crews negotiating the right-of-way. 

To the right, Dan is functioning as the conductor while a new operator, Andreas, takes position in the cab, figuratively speaking, of course.

Above is a close-up of Dan and Andreas with loco Catoosa.

The first part of the operating session went flawlessly. However, after the first 45 minutes or so, one locomotive was not receiving power, and another had its motor turning but no movement. If the issue is not solvable in a couple of minutes, a replacement loco is acquired. The motor turning one had an issue with the shaft separating. Easy repair with CA super glue. She now became a backup.

This is a pano looking over the south yard in Atlanta, over to Dalton:

And to give you a close-up view on how crews pin the link, as we say, here is a photo by Jim Judge, YM for Chattanooga, showing how it's done. I have found tweezers with LED lights, which help immensely in a dark area of the railroad.

I ask crews to be sure to make notes on their Time Table sheets with any issues, including track repair, car breakdown, and areas where they experienced a short; also to note the actual arrival and departure times. These notes allow me to fix the issues before the next ops.

Bottom line, they continue to come back and enjoy operating and hanging with friends.

LINESIDE DETAILS

These are slides from a power point presentation i did to show all the possibilities for someone's model or virtual railroad.

The first slide indicates categories or areas. This is followed by slides of each category.

More to come. A slight technical difficulty prevented additional slides to upload. Please revisit another time.