Workin' The Falls Turn - Story and Pics (dial-up warning)

The following action takes place on the less finished portion of my layout. So not everything is as neat and tidy as I normally post.

Sitting in the crew room, at Lampson Yard, discussing the days work, you and your crew ignore the persistent rumors of this new thing called Conrail. It’s a fine late summer day and the Falls Turn has work to do:

  • Ristuccia Plastics - spot loaded hopper of pellets.
  • Consalvi Stone - spot loaded hopper of cement, and a gondola of stone blocks. Pull emtpy gondola.
  • Brodar Woodcraft - spot loaded boxcar of hardwood boards.
  • MNB Publishing - spot loaded boxcar of paper.
  • Dave Brewing - spot loaded grain hopper.
  • Byrd Building Supply - spot one boxcar of lumber, one boxcar of plywood, and one boxcar of roofing material. Pull empty boxcar.
  • Interchange track - no cars to deliver. Pick up any cars there.
  • R. Nicholas Steel - spot empty coil car. Pull loaded coil car.

Finishing the briefing, you tromp out to your train with nearly new MP15 2771 gently idling on the point.

After a quick air test, you get the highball from the conductor, and the OK from the yardmaster to depart. The engineer notches out on the throttle, and 2771 roars to life. The train rumbles past the yard office, and around the curve to the signal at Elise.

You call the operator at Lack Tower, to request 30 minutes on the main to work Ristuccia Plastics and Consalvi Stone. Lack says you’d be holding at Frank anyway and gives you permission to open up and work.

Spot the cement hopper then pull the empty gon:

Spot the load:

Afte

Nick- Great tour thanks. I feel exhausted. Man that coal
train was haulin butt wasn’t it? You have a wonderful layout and
thanks for sharing. You know I have have been scratching my head
for a name for my brewery. Maybe I should keep it simple like you
did, “Dave Brewery” of course I would sub my name “Terry’s Brewery”.
Hmmmm have to grab a beer and think on it.

Terry in Florida

Looking good. Switching cars is my favoriate part of operation. One question; what are you using for uncoupling? Magnets or manual?

Those narrow clearances remind me of some of the industrial switching trackage in Peoria IL where the cars and locomotives really used to thread the needle.

Dave Nelson

Thanks guys. I use bamboo skewers to uncouple the cars. I never liked the look or operation the the Kadee magnets. Although not shown in the photos, I also use push pins keep standing cars from rolling away.

Nick

Looks like some good operation…Cox 47

Hello Nick,

The layout looks great and I enjoyed the story!

nice detailed story w/pics!!! especially like the “rumors about conrail” to give us more of a true feel of the times. Well thought out Operations make a layout be “alive”!! and so much more enjoyable.

Wow. I didn’t expect this thread to come back up. Thank you for your kind remarks.

Nick