Today marks the first true operating session for the Hitop. I won’t have photos of the actual session, as I was busy working Spring Street yard which got a little hectic!
I must say except for some minor glitches, all went well, with the participants giving me some excellent suggestions afterwards at lunch. I should have said expert participants, as three of the four have held operating sessions many, many times. We did have a problem with an Atlas switch, and a Peco switch with too much of a gap in the frog, but no other problems.
Being a newbie at this, I could have set the paperwork up somewhat better, and had more trains staged than I did, two suggestions I’ll definitely work on. I also had an excellent suggestion about some type of schematic of the layout with industries being available for crews, especially first timers.
All in all, everyone who attended wanted to come back. I’ll definitely work on some, (actually most of the suggestions), before the next session. It may take awhile, but we’ll get ‘er done! I have to thank Tom C who worked the mine runs, Dave K for working Nitro, and Dave C and Paul S for working Dickinson yard. Many thanks guys!
Below are a few photos of the layout this afternoon after everyone had gone home: