Model Railroading > First Session on sd39u's Emporia Sub

Hi there,
I was lucky enough to have received an invite to run on the inaugural operating session at sd39u's great new layout, and I just wanted to share some pictures that I took along the way.

I was dispatching, so I didn't really get out to railfan at all, but I figured that some shots of the layout in it's infancy would be of interest to you all.

Photo 1: A shot west at the Sunflower Lift in Kansas City, KS, just west of Argentine Yard. This was taken just before the session, so the action hadn't quite gotten going.

Photo 2: Looking east from the same location as in Photo 1, you can see Argentine Yard. AY Tower and the Diesel Shop are on the east end of the yard in the background, just as on the prototype. The staging yard is visible directly below Argentine, while the siding at Bazar above on the second deck. This too was taken just before the session, so the action hadn't quite gotten going.

Photo 3: Here's a shot of my home for the day, the ole' Dispatcher's desk. Call me crazy, but I love doing this kind of work, and actually "called" this position a while ago. As fun as it is to watch Warbonnets roll by, I've always enjoyed the mental exercises presented by dispatching or working yards.

- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/13 06:34 by bnsfsd70.

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Just a few more for ya, with these shots having been taken following the session.

Photo 4: The Santa Fe 5170 west leads a wb Red Rock coal train on the Main at Bazar, KS, while an OKC-KC auto parts train holds in the siding.

Photo 5: Here's the 5375 on the point of a wb manifest at WSS Matfield Green.

Photo 6: For those curious, here's a look at the track diagram for the layout, largely based off of the prototype Emporia Subdivision. For those of you that may have seen me asking about the "Q" logo last night on the Western board, now you know where it was headed.

Though the session had it's handful of "first session" quirks, things largely ran quite well, and I'd like to thank sd39u for the invite. Like everyone else, I had a great time, and I'm looking forward to seeing the layout progress.

- Jeff Carlson

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Jeff,

Thanks for posting the photos and for taking the time to dispatch the first session of the RR.

I was so busy taking care of all of the minor issues and writing down all of the things that needed to be corrected that I didn't take the time to take some pictures myself.

We definitely learned a lot. But all in all we made it further in the session that I thought that we would. I'll be making some corrections and staging the RR for the 1800-0600 Ops Session next!

Eric Goodman

I've been meaning to ask everyone that has a large layout. How do you keep all that track clean? I have a small switch layout and I'm spending more time cleaning track than anything else. Granted, my railroad room is not ideal, but until I move back to the states, the rental home is what it is...

Looks like a lot of fun! Sounds like the Maintenance Supervisor was adding some gray hairs... ;)

Cheers,
Brian

Nice to see the progress on Eric's layout!
Thanks for sharing!
We never stop learning...

Jürgen Dietrichkeit
Weilheim, BY

All good stuff here!
Good to hear that all was well!

Eric

Looks like you are headed in a good direction. What program did you use for the track diagram?

Regards
Russ

Posted from Android

NSTopHat Wrote:
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> Eric
>
> Looks like you are headed in a good direction.

He is, for sure. Its coming along nicely, and its cool to see the yard slugs actually getting to stretch their legs.


> What program did you use for the track diagram?

Russ, I can actually take credit for that one. I made this up in MS Publisher, and once I got my styles set for it, it moved along pretty quickly. If you'd like, I'd happily email the file to you so you could adapt it for your own purposes.

Thanks,
Jeff

A beautiful new layout with a talented crew. Congrats Eric and friends! I look forward to future installments!

Cheers,
Harry

Looks like fun. I also enjoy dispatching. Are you using track warrants?

Thomas G.

There are plenty of ways/ideas to clean track.Everyone has their own
ideas.Google it and find the best way you like.


Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Eric,

Dumb question but, looking at the 5375 photo you have the MKM and American Flag. Did you get that from a photograph because that's the first I have seen with both. Thought the MKM program came later after the flags had warn off or removed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/13 12:57 by 226speed.

Well done Eric!

Al Seever
Phoenix, AZ

It's a weathering project never finished...I was gonna rub the flag off and leave a small patch of shiny paint under where the flag was...

226speed Wrote:
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> Eric,
>
> Dumb question but, looking at the 5375 photo you
> have the MKM and American Flag. Did you get that
> from a photograph because that's the first I have
> seen with both. Thought the MKM program came
> later after the flags had warn off or removed.

Splitrock323 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Looks like fun. I also enjoy dispatching. Are you
> using track warrants?
>
> Thomas G.


Warrants? Sort of. For this session, we weren't using full-on paper warrants, but rather going with "shorthand" radio warrants. I was using the paper track diagrams along with a trusty ole' pencil as a poor-man's CTC board.

For example, I would end up calling up "Train S-CHLA, you have permission to proceed west on Main 1 from MP34 to WSS Matfield Green. Hold on M1 at Matfield," then wait for the crew to repeat the orders. It's not perfect, but it got the job done.

I'm not sure what the future holds for the layout's signaling, however, I think warrants may continue for a while, though I've been wrong before. Eric?

- Jeff



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/13 19:06 by bnsfsd70.

Long term...it will be all signaled. Less chatter on the radio's. Until then, we'll probably keep going with the verbal orders. Paperwork gets to be a mess.

Nice work, Eric.
Good to hear the first op session went well.
Wish I was close enough to beg an invite (grin)
cheers
Dave North
Sydney
Australia
Modelling from Wellington KS to Amarillo TX (much compressed) in 1985 from a distance.

Wow, Threads like these really amaze me.

Eric models KC to Wellington.
Dave models Wellington to Amarillo.
I model Amarillo to Clovis.
And, Jürgen models Clovis to Belen.

4 people on 3 different continents modeling the vast majority of the heart of the ATSF transcon in close to the same time period.
What are the odds?

SantaFeSammy Wrote:
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> Wow, Threads like these really amaze me.
>
> Eric models KC to Wellington.
> Dave models Wellington to Amarillo.
> I model Amarillo to Clovis.
> And, Jürgen models Clovis to Belen.
>
> 4 people on 3 different continents modeling the
> vast majority of the heart of the ATSF transcon in
> close to the same time period.
> What are the odds?

HA! I'm prepping to model KC to Denver...

Andy/Peoria, IL

SantaFeSammy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Eric models KC to Wellington.
> Dave models Wellington to Amarillo.
> I model Amarillo to Clovis.
> And, Jürgen models Clovis to Belen.
>
> 4 people on 3 different continents modeling the
> vast majority of the heart of the ATSF transcon in
> close to the same time period.
> What are the odds?

Don't forget that fellow TO member Bruce Carpenter models the line from KC-Chicago, though in the present day. When I was in college, I got to run on his layout a number of times, and had a great time doing so.

Mike Tomei, another KC-area modeler has the Santa Fe covered to the east and west of Albuquerque, set in the early 90's.

Surely the guys out west have plenty of the California and Arizona segments covered as well.

- Jeff Carlson