Saturday, June 02, 2007

Rumors of the OWNRy layout demise are premature

Last fall, I sent an email to many freinds advising them that my layout might very well be torn down and that I would be holding one last operating session. Since then, the situation has changed and the layout for the forseeable future will remain. As you can see below, however, the layout room contains a 50 inch HDTV which can be used to monitor for my N scale camera car as it proceeds around the layout. The image on the screen, however, is not of my layout but one from the "Tracks Ahead" HDTV program. The Screen lives under the Pendleton switch and is very watchable while I work on the layout or work on a small project at my workbench to the right. It does not interfere with operating sessions.
2 full all day operating session will be held this year. One was already held in April and the other one will be October 27. Periodic 2-3 hour "fun runs"' will be held as interest is determined. Let me know if you want to stop by. Next fun run is Saturday June 30 from 9AM-Noon and August 25 from 9 AM until Noon.

I am adding 4 new trains to the lineup. 2 Grain trains and 2 reefer block trains. All are blocks of cars which should add operating interest in the Portland and Seattle yards due to the amount of handling necessary. Seen below are some diesels in Portland Yard. The SP diesels are pulling the Shasta Daylight. The UP diesels pulling a grain train and the NP diesels arrived with a block of empty reefers bound for California. The head end power and caboose will need to be swapped with SP power and caboose prior to departure.

meanwhile, an SP GP-9 and Santa Fe GP-9 are arriving from Eugene with a full block of produce which will need to be iced and get new power before heading east through Pasco and Spokane to destinations on the Northern Pacfic Route.

New SP&S NW-2 switcher waits on yard tracks for action in Portland.