Saturday, February 9, 2008

Hillmovers Construction was not very active in January, the result perhaps of all the activity in the previous two months. In fact not much was visibly different at all. But the track gang did manage to finally get around to looking into the problems being reported in Redland. The resolution there was to correct the narrow gauge on the front wheel set of the VO-1000 stationed there and do a bit of adjustment of the points on the turnout leading to the warehouse, fruitpacker, and pipe supply.

The crew call produced a group of 16 boomers lookin' fer action. We ran train line-up I (see the Session Info page for details) for the first time. This includes one new train, a passenger express (Walthers had a sale on some SP streamlined passenger cars and I couldn't resist) making a total of 15 regular trains. The session ran 12 fast hours with a 4:1 fast clock (actually a bit longer due to the Deschutes Hauler East needing to double the hill to Mill Bend and amazingly enough even with 16 bodies, there were some crew shortages!

This time the fast-clock repeater worked properly so the time was visible in the train room. I have a new fast clock system on order from GML which I hope to have installed in time for the next session. Divorcing the clock and the computer will also let me get the poor DS out of the crew lounge. For the most part the trains stayed on the rails where they belonged and we didn't have any major DCC snafus.

Norm A. again volunteered to dispatch (apparently not having learned any better last month) and did a credible job. This allowed to superintendent of nearly everything to spend some time with the camera instead of telling everybody where to go. Mike B. also spent some time with the camera early in the session.

The photographic results are presented here for your enjoyment.

Click 'em to expand 'em.

Charlie Comstock Superintendent of Nearly Everything
The Bear Creek and South Jackson Railway Co.