Bulletin Number 100

Bulletin Number 100

     Early last week I sent out one of my regular Bulletins to invite all of my operators to the September, last Friday of the month operating session. It so happened to be bulletin number 100 which made me wonder how many ops sessions I have held on the SFRSD. In my estimation there has been over 85 since 2007. Several bulletins were produced to announce the extending of the RR shed and its progress. Another was when the RR was converted to DCC and others followed announcing the move to ABC signalling then to full CTC.
    There have been many more held in earlier years when I used a very cumbersome operating system and they even go back as far as on my third Layout back in 1973/4.
    Last night we had 9 of us to operate the RR and that's including myself. I felt like running a few trains which doesn't happen that often so I asked Greg to be the dispatcher for the session.
    John C ( little John) was the Augusta yard operator while my Guest Rob operated Flynn yard.
    To start the session I usually stage two trains. The first a through freight Loaded Grain Aug/Fln departs Augusta at 7.10 am whilst the second, Empty Grain Fln/Aug departs Flynn at 7.30 am. These two meet at Red Rock. I decided to take the Flynn to Augusta train while Darren took charge of the Augusta to Flynn. All my main line trains are hauled by two six axle locomotives many with sound.

    Here's a few images from the session.

Augusta yard looking a little empty

GE 8028 is in charge of the Aug/Hac/Aug Sweeper Grain. Here it is crossing the dry creek between Winfield and Hackney

Noel is in charge of the Aug/Hac/Aug Sweeper Grain. It is just arriving at Hackney and has just passed under the cantilever ready to switch then return to Augusta. This train takes out empties to Udall, Winfield and Hackney and returns with loads to Augusta ready to be dispatched to Flynn.

A few cement hoppers left at the McFarlane Redi Mix Plant at Hackney by the Win/Gut/ Win local Cement.

Ron was in charge of the Win/Gut/Win Local Cement train. Its locos sit on the house track waiting to complete its work at Winfield having just returned from Guthrie. This train can take a while to complete its job as it has absolutely no priority. I custom painted the GP35 to the SPSF Kodachrome scheme and added the smoke deflectors.

Local Turn Aug/Pon/Aug holds at Udall waiting for the mixed freight to run through. Darren was the engineer.

The Directors needed to get to Flynn post hast so the dispatcher needed to clear a path to let the directors special Hauled by E8A #85 & B unit haul the varnish as quickly as possible.

Here it is seen at the Hackney grade crossing

No time to give it the main so here at Red Rock it overtakes the Fln/Pon/Fln Sweeper Grain on the passing siding.

Crossing the culvert after leaving Red Rock as it heads for Perry.

My train the Fln/Aug Mixed Freight headed by FP45 100 holds at Red Rock.

    I would like to thank all my crew, Big John, Little John, Vic, Greg, Ron, Darren, Noel and my guest Rob for helping to make the session a success.
Thats it for this post.
Thanks for dropping by.
Rod.