Persistent Operations Part II

Edmonds Landing  August 7th, 1959

      When last we left our little railroad we had completed the work for the week. CMO Cannon O'Reilly went home to make his corned beef hash and the railroad was quiet. Sure the shop crew was out in force and there was track work to be done but all movement ceased out on the high iron.  Until the late hours of Sunday the 9th.  A pair of MILW GP-9's have made their way to Edmonds landing with two cars in tow. And come the morning of the 10th and it will all start again. But how did we get here?

    This is where persistent operations comes into play. The railroad never quit. It just needed to prepare for the next week. So the first thing the owner does is pull all the car cars for the cars destined for Missoula and for Seeley Lake. 

Pulling the CC's for all interchange

Those CC/WB are the broken down, the WB's pulled, CC's set out and the plastic sleeve set aside. Any car flags are returned to their piles. 

Putting the paperwork to rights

    The cars are pulled from the layout and put away. The bottom of the plastic tote is lined with an old towel and secured to keep the lower level of cars from rolling when the tote is moved. 

Car storage

    Now to set the week up for action.  I came up with a dice roll chart for the railroad. The results will get the next week running.

Makes for mostly easy weeks

The result

    So looking at our chart we have 2 cars coming in from the MILW and no cars coming in on the GN at Seeley Lake.  Now the fun part. I put on my dispatcher hat and peruse my cars. Which ones would work? I think a pair of boxcars.  Then I pull out my WB, shuffle them and see what's coming in.

Assorted millwork and general merchandise

    But what makes it persistent is I still have three cars left on the layout. They waited over the weekend and now Monday morning are ready to go. There was no grand reset of the whole layout. This whole process took me less then fifteen minutes.  So I guess it's time to run some ops. 

    The track is cleaned with a lens wipe cloth and the charge on the tablet is checked. It'll do this time. Ask Alexa to turn the lights on over the layout and kick the train power on. The number board lights up on the H16-44 and we're almost ready to go. Check the bill boxes on the fascia to see what work we have and prepare to go. Turn over the one minute timer to get the blue flag dropped and we're way.  Just another day on the Milwaukee Road Clearwater Branch 1958-1964.

Heading to work

    Thanks for coming along. In the final part we'll discuss how we use this idea to work for one move or a full operating week. The railroad is always waiting to work and it's up to us to make sure the tiny  1/87th citizens of the Clearwater Valley are serviced in an appropriate manner. 

Persistent Operations Part 1

 

Mike and Dan operate the CSLP

    The Clearwater, Seeley Lake & Pacific is set up to run what I've dubbed "Persistent Operations" that is operations that persist over time. This is different from a scenario set up where you have a beginning and an end to the operations usually requiring a reset of the layout to enable operations once again.  I developed my scheme over a few months as I prepared to build my layout. I knew I wanted a few things:

• The ability to walk into the train room at any time and operate for as long as I wanted. One car move or a whole "day" the operations scheme needed to support that.
• Not era dependent. If it was the transition era or the modern day I wanted it to feel appropriate no matter the time. 
• Shortline railroading.  What started as a town to town run gradually became a single location and areas within it. This was necessitated by the 11'x7' room and fitting the railroad to the physical space. 
• I wanted a living world. My imagination is deep and I needed the operating scheme to support that. It's not for everyone but I wanted to know the deeper "why" behind my railroad and it's daily operations. 

    With these goals in mind I have managed to meet everyone. Over the next few parts of this series I will address each one, how I arrived at them, how the operations work, and how you can set up your railroad to run them.  Before we get into the full paperwork and thought process I feel I should set the scene for this series with some background. 

NOTE: The time has slipped on the layout. Explanation is HERE.

    The Clearwater Branch of the Milwaukee Road's Ninth/Sixth/Eighth subdivision runs on a five day work week. Monday through Friday. The Milwaukee sends a train to Edmonds Landing on Mondays and Wednesday. The Great Northern interchange is picked up and set out on Friday.  This means that the railroad follows a general pattern for the week. Monday is devoted to priority merchandise and then routine traffic. Tuesday is more routine traffic and preparing for the overnight interchange. Wednesday is again dealing with the interchange. Thursday is preparing for the GN interchange and Friday is getting all MILW interchange ready and working the GN interchange.  So let's ride with our crew on Friday, August 7th 1959 and see how they finish up their day. 

    Here H16-44 #435 is working the team track lead at Hansen's Lumber. This will be the final bit of work in town before the train heads to Seeley Lake to pick up the GN interchange.  Most of the day has been spent pulling all the cars destined railroad west to Missoula and placing them at Edmonds Landing. Sunday night the Milwaukee Road crew will exchange the pulled cars with fresh interchange. 

    X435 West enters Clearwater with the GN Interchange in tow. This is a fair representation of the amount of traffic that is generated at Seeley Lake. The crew will spot the GN boxcar at the rear at Blackfoot Valley Feed.  The X29 boxcar is full of equine supplies for the farmers and ranchers of the region.

    After dropping the boxcar the crew runs around the Deep Rock tank car and shoves west towards Edmonds Landing,, the final destination for the tank car. There they will pick up the Seeley Lake Traffic and head geographically north, railroad east. 

    With Seeley Lake Traffic in two X435 East is now making it's way towards Clearwater out of Edmonds Landing with an eventual destination of Seeley Lake. First the crew will again run around the train as there is no runaround in Seeley. 

    And this is how the weekends. All of the cars on T1 and T2 will be headed to Missoula on the next train. This is a good place to end this part and prepare to start the next one. The stage has been set. The next part of this series will walk you through what it takes to set up the week of work. You'll see it all. The decisions, the paperwork, and all the nuts and bolts of keeping my office empire running.  The goal is simplicity, flexibility and a high play value. 

Berman Agricultural Supply

Berman Ag Supply WIP

    George Berman first moved to valley area in 1946 right after World War II. He had been an aide stateside and wanted to see the west after being stationed all along the eastern seaboard. Upon arriving in Montana he decided to go into business for himself and stumbled upon a small feed store outside of Clearwater. The owner was retiring and George got a good but fair price for it. And Berman Hoof and Hay was born.

    George, his wife Linda, and their children Paul and Georgina worked many long hours at the store. Anything that needed doing they did. But it was worth the effort. In 1955 they asked the Clearwater Lumber Company if a spur could be built to the store. Rail access meant a better supply chain and a covered loading dock was built. Farmers and ranchers up and down the valley relied on George and his family to look after their crops and livestock. It was also a good place for a cup of coffee and catch up on the latest local news.  Hoof and Hay, now Agricultural Supply also was a dealer for a range of farm tractors and implements. George did not agree to any exclusive lines but stocked what the farmers needed no matter the brand.

    George retired in 1985 but the kids kept the store going. In 2001 it was decided to sell the business so the family could enjoy George and Linda's twilight years. A young couple from Washington State purchased the business and have brought it into the 21st century. You an now pre-order your feed on the internet and come in and pick it up. But you can also have your tractor delivered by flatcar anywhere in the region. Locals still call it The Hoof and Hay. And a handshake and an honest dollar goes a long way at Berman Agricultural Supply. Just like it has been since 1946.

    The idea for a flat building came to me from the Last Chance Layout. Some of the industries where just that. A picture cut out and pasted on the backdrop. As an operator I didn't care but I liked that I could get a sense of place. And the car had a home and a mission. So this is my first attempt at a bit more depth. It's not perfect but I think I'll develop the scene over the next few weeks. 
     

Last Chance Ops

Picking up cars in Silver City

     It was a very productive Friday. The Montana Railroad Historical Association in Helena, Montana holds a dedicated operating session the 2nd Friday of every month. I've been down twice for the Saturday Open Houses and decided that it's an organization I should be a member of. Even more so when I learned they do have op sessions. Since getting back into the hobby I've been fascinated with making my trains work. I've listened to podcast, purchased books and devoured just about everything I can get my hands on when it comes to operating a model railroad. And like Bruce Lee I've taken what I find useful and discarded what isn't for me. But more on that in another post. This one is about a local that ran from Livingston, MT to Butte, MT via Townsend, Helena, East Helena, Silver City and Great Falls. 

 I brought three locomotives with me as my engine's don't really get a chance to stretch their legs on the Clearwater Terminal. Mike was kind enough to come with me and was great conversation going to and back. A good road trip partner is essential to missions like these. Helena is 114 miles away or as we say in Montana "Hour 45" and it was good driving with okay train watching. We got in the door at 5:30 made some small talk, ate some pizza then it was off to the dispatcher to get our train sheets. The original idea was to double up on a single train but in the end we went it alone. For power I chose my Walthers Mainline NW2 and Mike had my Bowser SP&S RS-3. 

    I started in the Livingston yard and had my train all made up for me. They use stickers with numbers to help you find your train. Got coupled on, did the air test, figured out the older Digitrax throttle and with bell ringing crawled onto the mainline. Crawl here is the word as the Walthers switcher is geared low for yard work. But surefooted save occasional contact gremlins.

    First work was in Townsend with two pickups. Then it was on to the Helena area where we picked up another one. Now with eight cars in tow we waited for traffic to clear and then highballed for Silver City. As I mentioned I don't often get to run fast on my 7x11 layout so getting up to speed step 40 for an extended period of time was a joy. And #70 handled it just fine, the single note horn barking for the crossings. Once in Silver City we had work to do. Now something about The Last Chance Layout (LCL). very little of it is flat. So you can use pushpins to hold cars back if you need to. Well I pinned half my train, then moved into town for a drop and two pickups. 

Silver City, MT

    The work was engaging but straight forward. Made sure my sound signals were appropriate as I had to work across a crossing and finished in good times. And then it was off.  My steely eyed engineer gaze focused on the scenery ahead. "Did you leave half your train back there?" Of course I didn't! I was.....never mind yes I did. Still pinned town my lone four cars were waiting for me. I was told coulda happened to anyone but it happened to me.  Oh well I guess I owe my brakeman a bottle of something nice. A whole train once more it was off to Great Falls for more work then around the return loop and back the way we came.  Before we left I swapped out the trusty #70 with the GP38-2 for some horsepower over Homestake Pass. 

Arriving at Great Falls

Working Helena

Last major work was in Helena, remember return loop, and that was some real work.  Full tracks, interesting industry placement and a short lead made this the puzzle of the day. But one step at a time and a patient hogger downstream and we got it done. Then came the climb up the helix and down to Butte. That is why we run on this layout. Breaking out at the summit and coming down at a good clip puts it all i perspective. Now we have some time run and just take it all in. And that's why I'm now a dues paying member. I don't get that at home. Well not as much. 

Descending Homestake Pass That's Butte in the distance

    I dropped my cars at Butte and called it a day. I took the full session, that's  four and a half hours for what I just described. And for me that was perfect. When I operate the goal isn't to get it done fast. "Real" railroading isn't fast and modeling it shouldn't be either. For myself I felt I did the run justice and was true to the principles I operate by. I didn't go full "realism" like I can when I'm at home by myself but neither did I make a point to speed through my list. For me it was a good ops session. And having another place where I can get that is so very nice. 

    But the evening wasn't done. Had to do some paperwork with the club and then take a look at the attached hobby shop. Turns out the VEK Railway Supplies proprietor Shawn also does the DCC work for the area. And wouldn'cha know it, I need some done. The #70 really needs a capacitor for Bullet Proof Ops. The Walthers Mainline unit comes with a specific ESU board. Not the full Loksound meaning work is different. And of course it's hard to find the nuts and bolts behind the board. So it was decided to replace it with a Soundtraxx board and capacitor and a flashing light Really looking forward to how it comes out. 

    Helped another club member with a jump start and then it was on the road home. Got in at just past midnight and called it a night. What a blast. If you find yourself in Helena, MT on a Saturday afternoon stop by the MRHA and see the Last Chance Layout. It's a great look at railroading in MT. Just in 1/87th scale. 

Operations?

It being late, and I'm being up, I've decided to touch briefly on operations of my version of the BBRy. The biggest operation is from McNamara to Potomac and Potomac to Camp 3. I figure there would be a small sawmill at Potomac so that would generate empties in and loads out, with Camp 3 lumber generating loads to both Potomac and McNamara. Potomac will be modeled as head of operations so all logging movements will begin and and there. This is of course in addition to the boxcar or two of supplies needed at both these locations, as well as heating oil and the library car. Yes I said library car! The Missoula Public Library had a library car on the BBRy. that housed over 2000 volumes. Makes for an interesting traffic tidbit. Not to mention camp car No. 2. a galloping goose type contraption that would haul loggers and mail when a full size train was not available or feasible.
Rolling stock can be fairly limited thankfully. I'm planing on five 40' flat cars and 3 50' flats. Trains will be a mix and match of these cars for most operations with the standard length train being four cars out of McNamara, with three continuing to Camp 3. The return to the landing will vary according to the lumber hicks production that day and that of the mill at Potomac. Two wood sheathed boxcars for finished lumber and supplies and a tank car for heating fuel.
Scratch building will consist of the jammers of various sizes, details to the flat cars, the library and camp car. I'm in luck that the prototypes for these projects are but a short drive away and in the open.
I'm hoping layout planning can begin in earnest this week and will continue until late May, at which point layout building will commence or I'll be leaving for my summer job.