Oregon, Washington, Navigation and Railway

Photos from our Eastern Sierra Trip

2010-10-09T20:40:00.001-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/kentwilliams108/EasternSierraSept2010#
Last week, we visited some of our favorite high elevation spots in the eastern Sierra mountains. we hiked above Saddlebag lake in the Twenty Lakes wilderness. we hiked up Rock Creek Canyon to Gem Lake. We visited the Bristlecone Pine Forest. it was cooler than back at village. Rated triple R: Restful, Relaxing, Refreshing.

Posted via email from kentster's posterous

Blog has moved

2010-01-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

My website and Blog have moved.

new site is here.

please bookmark

Rochester Yard on the Mud Bay & Southern

2009-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

Recently I was up in Olympia to operate on one of my favorite layouts, Jim Younkins' Mud Bay & Southern. The morning session found me in Rochester yard and the afternoon in Mud Bay. I got so busy running the yard that I didn't get much time to railfan. here is a brief 4 minute video from the session in Rochester. Incredible detailed scenery.

Chama Yard on the Cumbres & Toltec RR

2009-10-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

Visiting Cumbres & Toltec RR here in Chama, New Mexico

We will ride the tourist train tomorrow up to and back from Osier. Today, however, I went down to yard this afternoon after the tourists all departed from their ride during the day, when the real action begins as the road crew switches out tomorrow's consist, then the yard hostelers clean and ready the engine for tomorrow's duty. did you see this? watched them switch out, wash the coal, dump ashes, wow.. walked all over.

If there is such a thing as "railroad heaven". Doesn't get much better than this. Like it was back in early 50's when my father was a railroader, and in some ways like it was when my grandfather worked for old OWR&N railroad 100 yrs ago as an engine hosteler in Starbuck, Washington. I could smell the coal cinders and remembered them from my childhood days in summer out with my father.

I spent 3 hours until sundown in the cold wind freezing to get the latest photos and video. And to top it off, Sraddha made fresh minestrone soup when I got back to trailer. (last photo in album).

local internet isn't letting me upload video. may have to wait until home for that

And, no, I won't be switching to Narrow guage modeling...too much work but really neat.

And, no, I won't be switching to Narrow guage modeling...too much work but really neat.
Photos here.

Galloping Goose and Dolores, Colorado

2009-10-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

first, we are staying at Dolores, CO, RV park. found it in AAA camping book. this is about 30 minutes north of Mesa Verde where spouse really really wanted to visit.

As we are driving into town I see a sign at a station on the left that says "Denver & Rio Grande Southern". Yes, I have heard of it. in fact know that there are a lot of narrow-minded, er...narrow guage guys who model this. Hmm. museum...hmm. so today, after 1.5 days of looking at cliff dwellings, I finally get to stop and take a look.. WOW. see attached photo. Didn't realize Dolores essentially midpoint of DRGS between Ridgeway (never heard of until today) and Durango (where I am headed on Saturday to ride a train). not only that, but it is home to the Galloping Goose #5 and I have that model at home. however, sigh, the Goose is over running in Chama this weekend and coming back here on Monday. Wait. we are going ot Chama on Monday...darn..
anyway, still a find. amazing what you find when you are not looking. (or don't find).

well, onto other trains.

My Life as a Hobo

2009-08-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

from a post on PCR by Bob Booth
Blog here
Pete, the author, was my best friend in High School, both of us avid HO modelers, and shared things like stealing switch lanterns from the SN RR and walking on the old NCNG Bear River trestle after hitching a ride up to Colfax.
Pete has put togeather a nostalgic recollection of riding the rails in the waining days of steam - Any of you that can getg thru it without wet eyes is NOT a railroad buff.

Riding the Skunk Train

2009-07-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Got to ride the Skunk train last week. IN THE CAB! Listen!

Mud Bay & Southern expands its 44 toner fleet

2009-07-22T16:56:00.001-07:00

My friend Jim is at it again. hard to keep up with his creativity. Below are some photos of the Bachman GE 44 ton switcher as customized for his layout using MTL 905 Z scale couplers.

Here is what he said in his email to me:
" As you've seen, I finally finished the last of my three 44 tonners. Now all three are decaled and ready for service in their respective places. I'm going to use the MB&S unit for the Bordeaux Local. The Local usually only has five or six cars at the most. I made Cascade Paper Co. decals for the yellow 44 tonner. It's going to be the paper mill switcher eventually. The other red one I put the Simpson lettering on and will use it at the McCleary door plant."

Special delivery

2009-06-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

While in Portland I discovered that the Central Brewing Company of Vanvouver, BC, had built a facility to brew a really good beer called “Steelhead Stout”. So I ordered a car load to be sent to the CEO of Younkins Paper Company.

WARNING. the CEO's keys to his Mini have been confiscated.

Please view the slide show of the deed

Railfanning the North Bank Road

2009-06-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

While in Portland I had the chance to railfan the North Bank Road SP&S layout and Tennessee Pass (DRG&W) layout.

Photos here

Shasta Route OP session

2009-05-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of operating on the HO scale Shasta Route. Set in 1952, it runs from Redding in Northern California up through Dunsmuir yard (photo on right). to Klamath Falls. CTC from Redding to Black Butte then runs Time Table and Train Orders (TT&TO) from Black Butte to Klamath Falls. about 15 crew members spent most of Saturday operating. I ran helper engines up and down the mainline. mostly big Cab Forward steam engines.
Here are more photos.

Just posted video of helpers on Shasta Route:

UP 844 in Feather River Canyon

2009-05-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

Rainy day..lowsy for fans, great for steam plume. Clio trestle shot is good. So many rabid fans all over the place. hard to get good locations and keep up with it. still it was worth the chase.

UP 844 over Donner

2009-04-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

railfanned this on Friday April 17, 2009
From Truckee to Roseville.

IF you want to look at
High Def here

UP 844 over Donner on Friday

2009-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

We will be up there photographing. stay tuned
About 844
Twitter feed for UP 844 http://twitter.com/UP_Steam
Position updates to you phone!
There's also a web position map.
Also I will twitter

No More Cable Mess

2009-04-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Why didn't I think of this?

How To Make A CHARGER BOX Very Easy - No More Cable Mess! - video powered by Metacafe

New signs at Portland Union Station

2009-03-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Dave Haehn for laser cutting these signs for clock tower on Portland Union Station:

Express Freight on OWNRy

2009-03-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

2 minute video with 3 scenes on my N scale home layout, the Oregon, Washington, Navigation & Railway or OWNRy. Bluffs represent Eastern Oregon areas, Portland city scene and passing Portland Union Station. Do you notice the one little signal glitch and the new Union Station Signs?

M10000 Enters Portland

2009-03-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

Debut of Union Pacific M10000.
1 minute, ambient sound. Notice new Union Station Clock Tower signs.

Also HD version video here

Original 1996 OWNRy video

2009-03-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Al Lowe up in Seattle who took this old Video back in 1996, we have an archive of my original layout in Kirkland, WA/ Actually not original which was on a 5x9 plywood but that is a different story. This video was taken during a local NMRA layout tour. Mark Bridgwater can be heard on the video discussing theautomated layout during video. THe train control I used was Jocotek which ran on Win 3.1 (they never upgraded to Win 95 which is why I abandoned it for DCC when I moved. The Jocotek system used analog cab block forwarding and routing to set up automated train control so I could program a route the train over a particular route. it would run around, turnouts would turn. it would stop and start. In the video I was running 3 or 4 trains at the same time, all automated. Wouldn't that be neat today on the layout? Actually pretty neat and you can see the bluff scenery is similar to current Pasco side of layout representing Eastern WA. first scene opens with a little branch line scene unfinished. you will see some buildings that currently reside on layout. I gave many away to UNW buddies before I left.
The large yard represented Pasco, my main yard. The bridge is Joso bridge and it was given to Mark Bridgwater who incorporated it in a scene on his Feather River layout. it ran through a tunnel to the family room where I had a reverse loop staging yard. Oh, yes, here is the link

real men ballast their tracks

2009-03-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Spent last week with Jim Younkins here working on layout in between operating sessions elsewhere.

Jim took some photos and posted on Picasa (click here for album)

More work on details and checking out track and turnouts for proper electrical and functioning.

Also here is some shots of "before and After"

remember, "real men ballast their tracks"

Twitter is cool!!

2009-02-18T08:55:00.001-08:00

I have a twitter account (kentwilliams) which you can follow if you want. I subscribe mostly to interesting digerati because they sometimes say cool things. Twitter is becoming more mainstream though. I also now subscribe and read Lance Armstrongs twitters, among others.

recently I subscribed to Pete Carroll (USC football coach) and Steve Sarkisian UW coach). Pete noticed and actually sent me a real tweet. I knew I would like this guy even if I am a lifelong Husky. See photo..

FM - H 15-44's

2009-02-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

Was railfanning the owNry and saw these UPRR H15-44's today on the southbank of Columbia River. Pulling an MOW train. Amazing considering only 35 units were built for American railroads.

From Wikipedia:

The FM H-15-44 was a road switcher manufactured by Fairbanks-Morse from September, 1947–June, 1950. The locomotive was powered by a 1,500-horsepower (1,100 kW), eight-cylinder opposed piston engine as its prime mover, and was configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR Type-B road trucks with all axles powered. The H-15-44 featured an offset cab design that provided space for an optional steam generator in the short hood, making the model versatile enough to work in passenger service as well as freight duty.

Raymond Loewy heavily influenced the look of the unit, which empasized sloping lines and accented such features as the radiator shutters and headlight mounting. The cab side window assembly incorporated "half moon"-shaped inoperable panes which resulted in an overall oblong shape. The platform (underframe) was shared with F-M's 2,000-horsepower (1,500 kW) end cab road switcher, the FM H-20-44, as was the carbody to some extent. The platform and carbody was also utilized by the H-15-44's successor, the FM H-16-44.

No H-15-44 is thought to exist today in any shape or form.

Truckee station on Timber Creek RR

2009-02-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

operated tonight at Gordon Briggs' Timber Creek RR. Proto 48 layout.

here is a shot at Truckee Station. SP freight coming through the yard.

Rebuilding West Portland Depot track

2009-02-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Time to rework Portland Depot tracks. Currently we have a depot siding next to station and then mainline then huge freight yard with industries, engine terminal and coach yard. Need to add a way for Inbound Shasta Daylight to get over to station so passengers can disembark or get on train without crossing mainline. In addition, need to improve ability of yard goat to exchange head end express/baggage cars and rear end pullman/diners on the passenger trains.

I have extended the west depot track switch to Willbridge crossing and added a spur long enough to handle 80 ft passenger car and 4 axle locomotive as you can see in lower right. In addition I am adding a 3-way switch at the freight yard throat capable of routing traffic to main or, through a double slip, over to the depot track. Recently, "Fast Tracks" has produced a jig for both of these turnouts that enable switches to be built with code 55 rail.

More soon.

Fast Flying Virginian (FFV) 10 minutes

2009-01-27T02:47:00.001-08:00

Shasta Daylight

2009-01-27T02:43:00.000-08:00

HO Version

Snow removal in Columbia Gorge

2009-01-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

While you have had a lot of fun the past 2-3 weeks iwht snow up in Pacific NW, we have had our fun here on the OWNRy also. Photos here.

Best wishes for a more prosperous and fun 2009!!

Christmas Train 2008

2008-12-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

We had to take down our Christmas tree today because it had dried out. We put up a little tree with lights around the base. We did leave the Christmas train up. Here is a 2 minute video of that train as it passes through the little village. I added the sound from a sound track.

The train has 12 cars representing the 12 days of Christmas. Hope you enjoy.
You can also view in HD on my MobilemMe gallery (larger download and requires more bandwidth)

Fast Flying Virginian

2008-11-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

Passenger Train - Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad ) (FFV)
Filmed this at Andy Schnur's HO scale C&O Layout in bay area
This short video is merely a teaser. If you have good broadband then go to the following link to
View good High Definition version which is longer (10 minute) and more involved.

Originally ran from Washington DC to Cincinnati. We set out Pullman at White Sulphur Springs & change Engines/pickup Diner in Hinton, West Virginia. Sound is in tender using Soundtraxx Tsunami decoders. (We know the bell is a bit loud).

John Provitz' N Scale layout

2008-09-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

one of the most beautiful N scale layouts which lives in South San Francisco area.

From JohnProvitz_SP_BayArea

12 x 23 N Scale with SP & the State Belt RR along San Francisco's waterfront along walls. Central peninsula has NWP with Petaluma, Tiburon, & Healdsburg on one side and Eel River canyon on the other.

From JohnProvitz_SP_BayArea

Market Street has a cable car. The Ferry Building is busy receiving commuters from PCC's. The State Belt runs along Embarcadero & below Telegraph Hill & Coit Tower. 3rd & Townsend station receives the Daylight & Lark plus many commuters during the mid 1950's and early 60's. WP and AT&SF have limited trackage as well.

Link to photo album

Link to Video

WP heritage unit Youtube Test embed code

2008-07-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

Test of better way of embedding youtube video I found from wherethehellismatt website.

This is regular youtube embed code:

This is embed with a change of code:

Can you tell the difference? Leave me a comment

2008-06-29T21:24:00.001-07:00

Just back from Sonora where I ran trains all weekend with freinds. Smoke better here. Hope we don't get more lightening.

2008-06-27T06:46:00.001-07:00

Still only 1/2 mile visibility here due to wildfire smoke. Maybe next week but more lightening this weekend. Going south to get out of it.

2008-06-24T07:54:00.001-07:00

Staying inside today mostly due to smokey outside.

2008-06-23T06:42:00.001-07:00

Fire season here. Lightning strikes over weekend not only knocked out power for a while, but also caused almost 4,000 fires throughout Northern CA. Sunday was pleasantly warm and windy. Monday now is smoke filled. More like an August day, than June.

Feels quiet, subdued, almost eery outside.

Operating the Shasta Division

2008-06-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

Got a chance to operate on Otis McGee's Shasta Division RR. 1952 era full steam, sound, etc. Signals working. Really a lot of fun.

Ran Extra West down the hill. then spent remainder of day running the Grass Lake turn from Klamath Falls to Dorris to Leaf and back.

CTC Panel is new but replica of original. tied in to CMRI signal boards and uses JMRI logic. Pretty cool.

More photos here

2008-06-15T18:59:00.001-07:00

glad to be home tonight watching the US Open...and eating ice cream! Go Rocco!

2008-06-14T22:13:00.001-07:00

in bay area for weekend to run trains, oh yeah, might eat some good food and sleep also...

2008-06-10T07:32:00.001-07:00

iPhone, the day after...Now what?
At least the skunks are gone, thanks to 90000 BTU cayenne, and just about all the other mammels too.

2008-06-09T10:25:00.001-07:00

listening to WWDC Steve Jobs Keynote

2008-06-08T21:59:00.001-07:00

Just returned from Palo Alto where we held video conference with Seattle. Bandwidth problems forced us to use plan S....this after 40 manhours of work.

2008-06-07T06:50:00.001-07:00

Rats, The Battle still rages. Spent 2 hours closing up ways Mr. Skunk can get into back yard, AND more cayenne..Mr. Skunk still ate the birdseed on the ground..sigh

2008-06-06T08:04:00.001-07:00

Putting out cayanne pepper to discourage skunks...hope to see some trains this weekend

2008-06-04T22:02:00.001-07:00

been trying to figure out how skunk gets into our fenced back yard. tonight there are 2 of them. double yikes!!

2008-06-02T22:48:00.001-07:00

what is that in back yard? Skunk? Yikes!!

2008-06-02T07:23:00.001-07:00

spring yardwork completed, 4 squirrels relocated, Leo had 5000 viewers yesterday..how much better can it get?

2008-06-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

Zeroing in on completion of mowing. Got the blisters to prove it too.

2008-05-26T06:57:00.001-07:00

Monday in the rural foothills can be busy. Today it, yet again raining so I will catch up on inside chores while the weeds continue to grow. Hope the wildfire threat is reduced a little.

2008-05-25T07:06:00.001-07:00

Curve ball of rain this weekend curtailed mowing. Soft and moist is nice but I am chomping at the bit to complete the fire clearing work.

2008-05-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

Front "yard" is mowed (all one acre) and snipped. Back yard (2 acres) on Saturday. We only mow once per year when the grass is 3 feet high and dying. Don't need a tractor. Going to new Indiana Jones movie now for a treat.

2008-05-23T07:01:00.001-07:00

Mowing season once again here, albeit earlier than past 2 years. Good news is how cool it is outside, bad news is that it might rain..

2008-05-22T08:05:00.001-07:00

Think I will go to office today and see what trouble I can cause.

2008-05-20T21:34:00.001-07:00

Well, fun time to have a little bronchitis isn't it? Need to NOT work in yard for a couple days...darn...

2008-05-19T21:42:00.001-07:00

Whew..DSL line performed flawlessly. Video conference live broadcast to 3 continents. Really incredible...now if we can just get the mic adjusted next time

2008-05-18T21:06:00.001-07:00

Got the video conference system working with broadcast. Now if the DSL line holds up it might actually work on Monday...

2008-05-17T07:32:00.001-07:00

catching up on Battlestar Galactica this morning. Season 4!!! Great way to spend too hot day while sick

2008-05-17T07:02:00.001-07:00

Mexican dinner at Meditation retreat last night with play about Turkeys. Did you know Nabha can speak Gobble?

2008-05-15T07:24:00.001-07:00

Whew! Just received email from my friends in Jaipur India to say they personally are well and not affected by bombings. I am sure it is not easy though.

2008-05-13T18:31:00.001-07:00

Getting warm here in foothills. Expect +90 on Thursday. Guess I will get to finally wear shorts.

2008-05-12T07:21:00.001-07:00

This sore throat is hanging in there for over a week. Woke up middle of night coughing fit..Ugly...what to do...

2008-05-10T12:17:00.001-07:00

In town tuning errands. Nice to have library for wifi. Now onward

2008-05-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

Thunderstorms last night Lightening was great!! More today.

2008-05-05T19:36:00.001-07:00

Watching really cool documentary on that great American 20th century icon: History of Lionel Trains

2008-05-03T07:42:00.001-07:00

First Saturday in May is Rajarsi Day where all of the community spends the day on community work projects. Always fun.--I am weed eating and painting

2008-05-02T07:44:00.001-07:00

Fridays are technically my day off...I am going into office

2008-05-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

Yes!!! VPN is restored. Now I can resume sitting in my Lazy boy chair while remaining connected to the world!!! (no iPhone yet though)

2008-05-01T08:32:00.001-07:00

Hopefully VPN will come back up soon. My man is on the hunt!!! More for domestic tranquility than for me anyway.

2008-04-27T06:47:00.001-07:00

time to get the shorts out as it will be warm today. Going to the big city to see some freinds!!

2008-04-25T22:51:00.001-07:00

Great day with friends today. Tomorrow we rum trains all day.

2008-04-20T21:08:00.001-07:00

Worked most of day on getting owNry layout ready for next weekend's guest. 8 guys coming down from Portland...should be fun

2008-04-19T07:18:00.001-07:00

If you want an all body exercise that is quite aerobic, then try pulling scotch broom, the scourge of the sierra foothills. watch out for the poison oak

local community clinic looking for providers

2008-04-17T08:15:00.001-07:00

our community clinic is looking for new providers let people know
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPVqAgEfUE

Blog it application

2008-04-16T07:45:00.001-07:00

Just added Blog it application which enables me to post a blog to multiple sites at same time while updating my microblogs- Twitter and tumblr. Wonder if anyone actually reads this stuff. http://www.typepad.com/features/blogit.html

2008-04-13T14:06:00.001-07:00

Gardens at Crystal Hermitage today http://ping.fm/GBw8v

2008-04-13T07:16:00.001-07:00

not a cute post here. But effective: Round-up Rendezvous at 7:30 AM on the road. let's spray those thistles before the neighbors wake up. Ah Sunday!!

2008-04-12T14:35:00.001-07:00

Watching Master's Golf tournament. Saturday is "moving day" as it is called in golf lore

2008-04-11T06:33:00.001-07:00

Yeah!!, finally got Dave's SMD82 devices programmed so now his staging tracks all work!. Satisfaction.. Long trip though. Late night

2008-04-09T21:03:00.001-07:00

United Way visit went well at clinic. Still have the financial review next week....

2008-04-09T07:11:00.001-07:00

today, United Way visits our clinic. Sierra Family Medical Clinic (sierraclinic.org). Hope they want to support our community clinic for low income patients

2008-04-08T12:41:00.001-07:00

At the market having burgers and fries

2008-04-08T07:57:00.001-07:00

No iPhone yet so practicing on iPod touch

2008-04-08T07:35:00.001-07:00

Cold this morning. fire roaring. starting to warm up. Little cabin in the woods... Ha!

building scenery on the owNry

2008-02-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

I have been busy over past few days building scenery with Jim Younkins. We built up Hoyt industrial as photo to right shows.

and we spent most of time building up east end of layout wehre there are multiple levels.

more photos here.

6 trains in North Fork bridge before the storm

2008-02-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Went to Feather River Canyon yesterday in between storms and saw 6 trains Here are some photos. Will also post movies on my youtube site later on

Operations on the OWNRY October 27

2008-02-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

Had a lot of fun. 11 crew and 23 trains.
more photos here

Winter slow down

2008-02-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

Haven't been doing much in layout room. Had a business trip to India in December then holidays, then sick..yada yada. Then snow and too cold so stayed by warm fire in living room. Photo at right was taken at pond below our house.

but I am getting back into groove. Jim Younkins is visiting in 2 weeks to help kick start my scenery so I am going out to work on the Eugene staging lead track and fix the switch power in Pasco Yard prior to his arrival.

Stay tuned

West Coast Grain on Mud Bay & Southern

2007-12-28T10:13:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone. Just returned from my trip to India and still feeling jetlagged a bit so nothing new on OWNRY.

My friend Jim Younkins is at it again on his Mub Bay & Southern N Scale Layout.

He sent over these photos of new custom painted engines to be used in his operations

From the email:

"just completed painting a couple of locos. The experimental BN scheme was applied to a GP-40 by the CB&Q. There are some good pictures of CB&Q 629 in "the BN in Color" volume 2. The VO 1000 is for the grain company in Elma. I've decided to have the company switcher do the duties at the grain silo and flour mill. This will be a separate job from the BN Elma switcher. The operator who does the West Coast Grain job will also do the Simpson, McCleary switcher and he Mud Bay Lumber, log train from Camp 6 out to the woods. This should be pretty much a full time position for one operator. "

Live Japanese train video stream

2007-12-18T06:33:00.000-08:00

Relaxation now: If you're exhausted and longing for a getaway, here's a quick Internet fix to help get your meditation on. Railway TV (ustream.tv/channel/railway-tv) broadcasts video from the front of a Japanese train. With pretty scenery and the train's quiet, rhythmic noises, the effect is surprisingly hypnotic and relaxing.

Blue Mountain Union Pacific

2007-12-12T02:17:00.000-08:00

N Scale Mountain railroad layout Located in Portland Oregon. Blue Mountains are in Northeastern Oregon where Union Pacific RR runs over from Southern Idaho to Pendleton then on westward on Columbia River to Portland.

Owned by Keith Schaber, it is very much a club type layout. Has full CTC signal system. Video taken September 2007

Rock Quarry on the Mud Bay & Southern

2007-12-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

Jim Younkins has been hard at work on his N Scale empire. Having recently been driving dupm truck he frequented a large rock quarry and decided to model it. Where at on his already completed layout? Why not remodel? He has been sending me photos so I am now sharing them. (They are different sizes though). Below is a little slide show but you can see the slide show on my Picasa photo website where you can also download any of the photos

OWNRy Operating session October 27

2007-10-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ran 23 trains. 9 crew members, rookie dispatcher (me).

Here are some photos. Just updated 11.8.07 with new photos from Stephen WIlliams

For larger version of photos or to download - click here

Donner Pass September 2007

2007-09-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Sept 5, I went hiking up in Donner Pass area of Sierra Mountains in California. Went up in Coldwater canyon near Donner lake then headed back home and stopped at Yuba Gap. Here are some trains I saw including the special "Railventures" passenger train (not Amtrak) 8 minutes.
Video

Mishap at Black River

2007-08-28T22:31:00.001-07:00

Last night as a BLS crew was running on the Mud Bay & Southern Ry near Black River there was a near fatal crash. Evidently the bridge over the Black River was out. BLS #10 hit the ground and skidded several feet before coming to rest hanging precariously over the Black River. When questioned, the engineer said the first he knew there was a problem was when he felt the engine lurch to the ground. The conductor said he didn't know anything about it and wouldn't comment further. The MB&S general manager had no comment. So, the question is, who was running the train? No one seems to know for sure. A full investigation is pending. (Photos and text courtesy of Jim Younkins)

Southern Pacific Shasta Route, Black Butte Subdivision

2007-08-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

Operating an HO Model Railroad of the Southern Pacific Shasta Route, Black Butte Subdivision in 1952 era. Layout owner is Otis McGee. Website. What a delight to be able to run on this layout. I will re-record these videos in higher quality next operating session, if Otis invites me back. See links below to photo gallery and videos. Links will open a new browser page.

Some still photos here.

Video - Operating "The Scoot" local passenger train.

Video - running North Coast Periishable train from Dunsmuir to Klamath.."Up the hill"...

Video - Dunsmuir yard engine terminal

Hinton, West Virginia - Andy Schnur's MRR

2007-08-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

I took this video with my digital camera in August at Andy Schnur's Chesapeake and Ohio HO model Railroad in Bay Area of California. This layout is based upon the C&O prototype where main yard is Hinton, West Virginia. You will see a coal drag coming into Hinton Yard, where a helper engine is added to the end of train in front of caboose, and then the train going up the hill to other end of layout. Steam engines using Tsunami sound decoders and Digital system is NCE. (I taped this at 320 with 15 FPS and will record it again at higher resolution someday)

Pesky short discovered and eliminated

2007-07-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

for the past 4 days, I have been searching down a short causing half the layout to be down. As a result I redesigned my power sections and added 4 new ones (see previous post). While implementing this I also discovered numerous little issues such as the DB105 booster was not correctly wired to layout. I also rerouted numerous bus wires and generally cleaned up and further documented the power zone wiring, while also labeling a lot of things.

Finally found the short in West Pasco.

You see I use Caboose Industries 220S ground throws for industrial spurs and branch lines. These require 3 holes to be drilled close together and the 3 bare wire leads dropped through sub-roadbed then wired to power the frogs. Turns out the middle lead and one of the rail leads were touching and so when the switch was thrown one way it didn't short but did when thrown the other way...sigh..Thought I had looked at that earlier..Grr...must have jiggled it when I was rerouting the light cord underneath Pasco and above Walla Walla. Now all is well. Dropped some other leads down where I double gapped the power zones to ensure reliable track power.

Trains running again. Now time to go celebrate by seeing a movie and taking wife to dinner!!

Short in Pasco Power zone - No Ops session

2007-07-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, an occasional gremlin short in Pasco power zone became a full blown gremlin!! I have spent several hours tracking it down and have eliminated most of the easy ones. Still not working. I canceled the June 30 op session...sigh...

I am pretty sure it lives in the common rail wiring. Next week I will begin to disconnect all the leads and rebuild the bus.

My plan will be to add another (3rd) Digitrax PM42 power zone circuit board and subdivide Pasco zone into 4 Zones thus further dividing power zones:

Reversing PM 42:

Short detection for reversing sections
Biggs OS to Troutdale OS
Balloon Track in Portland
Open

Second PM42 will have

Portland Yard including Eugene
Seattle Yard
West Half of Main
La Grande and Spokane Yard Staging

New PM42

Pasco yard
West Pasco and Walla Walla
East half of Mainline around Pasco
Aberdeen and Helix

then re-attach leads to separate bus wires. Hope that does it.
I have spare PM 42 and am ordering more TAP 3M connectors from Mouser.
Hope to start work this week.

Rumors of the OWNRy layout demise are premature

2007-06-02T22:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Photos From Operating Session in April 2007

2007-05-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

City of Portland rounding the Bend

John Benny brought his new Athearn 4-6-6-4 PCM steam which sounds great!!

Coach Yard near Portland Engine facility

Railfanning with Friends = Portola, Proto 48, Clio Trestle

2007-04-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend several friends came down from the Pacific Northwest area and we had a lot of fun. We toured a local Proto 48 layout where we also rode Gordon's larger train he has in his back yard. Then we ran trains on my layout on Friday.

On Saturday, we went up to the high part of the Feather River canyon. First stop we watched a train across Clio Trestle. (5 minutes). I had never seen one there before.

We visited Portola and the Western Pacific Rail museum where we operated a real Southern Pacific GP9 diesel engine.

Later we toured Williams loop and Keddie Wye but saw now trains. Just missed BNSF train . Will H. took some photos of it.

We passed Blairsden on way home and stopped for a coffee but the shop was closed. However we saw a green signal so stayed around for a while. Here is the footage of the auto train we saw.

Coming home over the high pass (6500 feet), we just got through as the snow descended upon us. The Mini Coopers did well. See photo slide show.

Sunday we toured Binney Junction in Marysville, then headed south to Roseville yard to watch the action. Later Jim and John headed home and the rest of us went over to see the new UPRR trestle. No trains there. Greg and I headed home and caught one last train going up over Donner. We found it in Auburn, then again at Cape Horn up past Colfax. The rainbow was incredible. A perfect ending to a really fun weekend.

You can view the videos on my mini Blog also