Latest Ops Session & Open House

The Valley Line has been a bit busy over the last few days. After all the focus I've been putting on scenery & structures lately (with precious little actual progress to show considering the time spent), I haven't been operating the layout much lately. In fact, given my father-in-law taking a turn for the worse last fall, then his passing, then the holidays, and the start of legislative session, the last time we actually had an operating session was last September 8th(!)

But that changed last Thursday - I got a few of my regulars together to make sure the thing still ran. Thankfully, all went relatively well - just a few glitches (I need to be sure I have fresh batteries for the radios and it seems the wireless transmitter needs some attention), but all in all a good session.

And I even operated the Shoreline trains for the first time(!) Heh - let's just say I got a new appreciation for what I expect my Shoreline crew to do during a session. It's busy! Thankfully though, I remembered to take some photos to commemorate the occasion . . .

My co-Shoreline operator Bill, working the East End of the line (New London/Boston)

BobV sorting out his paperwork after finishing PDX-1, the Shoreline Local from Cedar Hill (New Haven) to New London (Fort Yard),

Dick - who should be head-down busy as the Tower Operator - couldn't help but turn around and watch the action going through Saybrook.

Pete with the Haddam Local (PDX-2, the Shoreline Local that works westbound between Fort Yard and Cedar Hill Yard, as well as up the Valley Line to East Haddam)

And, way off in the distance at Middletown, Randy and (barely visible) Tom working the flagship job - The Valley Local - from Hartford to Middletown/East Berlin (it being a "Friday" - Oct. 8, 1948).

As I've said before, other than the primary reasons of camaraderie and getting to see the layout come to life, a secondary - but very important - reason to host an ops session is to highlight any potential issues - and to address those issues on your punch list to make the layout run even better. Thankfully, my punch list from this session is relatively small, especially considering the hiatus, which is good since I'm hoping to have more regular sessions over the coming months!

NMRA Nutmeg Division Open House
Just a couple of days after the ops session, I needed to get the layout back in order in time for an Open House for the members of the Nutmeg Division of the NMRA. This was only my second such occasion, the first one having been over 3 years ago(! and much-better documented %^)

But it was pretty cool to go back and look at what the layout looked like then and compare that to now - very encouraging to see the progress and get some motivation for making some more. Open houses have a way of doing that - egging you on to have more to show off and share than you did last time.

If you haven't hosted an open house before, I highly recommend it for that reason alone if nothing else. But an added benefit is the great new people you'll likely meet - and discover that they may have some great tips and knowledge to share with you as well.

Unfortunately, I was on my own hosting this time. My usual helpers all had other things they needed to do, so I didn't get any photos. It was pretty crowded at times and that would have been cool to show - but I was too busy chatting, answering questions, and generally having a good time sharing the Valley Line that I totally forgot to document anything.

THANKfully though, my welcome signage included a lot of not-so-subtle hints to sign my guestbook - so at least I have that, in addition to my memories, as a keepsake for the day.

Now, if I'd just remembered to do that during Springfield weekend..... ah well, there's always next year. %^)

More from Don Janes . . .

I mentioned in passing a couple days ago that Don Janes and Greg Stubbings had been able to visit the Valley Line recently. Well, while Greg and I were operating the Valley Local, Don was using his considerable photography skills to capture some scenes from the layout. He certainly makes things look nice!

He's uploaded a post over at George Dutka's White River Junction blog with more about the visit. If you get a chance, I hope you'll take a minute and click over to see it!

Thanks again to Don and Greg for visiting and for such a great time - and thanks to George for giving Don a place to upload such wonderful photos!

First Layout Tour!

(just a quick reminder that you can subscribe to this blog by email if you want to get notices of new posts automatically)

I had no idea where I was going to end up when I agreed to do a little talk last March. PeteL is head of clinics for the Nutmeg Division of the National Model Railroad Association, needed somebody to fill a vacancy he had for the March meeting, and asked if I could help. He'd seen my presentation of "A Day on the Valley Local" and thought it'd be interesting for the club (especially since their meetings take place right along the Valley Line) and would be no trouble for me to do (since I already had the PowerPoint done).

The presentation went well, folks seemed to enjoy it, and the club's head of layout tours asked if I'd be willing to host an open house to see my layout at some point. I'd heard a lot about these open houses, how motivating they could be, and was curious how I'd fare. So I agreed, and a date "far away into the future" (or so I thought) was set.

Let me just say - now, from first hand experience - that agreeing to host a tour of your layout, as stressful as it can be, is the best thing you could do to help you make a LOT of progress on your layout. The best comparison I can think of - if you'll excuse the pun - is training. I raced my bike for almost 10 years, and if it wasn't for the fact that I had races to train for, there's no way I'd be getting my butt out of bed at 5:30 on a winter morning to ride. But knowing that a race was looming was what got me going. And I found the exact same thing to be true for having this open house event.

So, if you haven't done one yet, Just Do It - it'll be the best thing you can do for your layout.

As for my First Open House, it went great! Everything ran well (thanks to Bill, Dick, Pete and Roman for ironing out some last-minute glitches), I had about 30 people show up (at least according to my Guest Book, which I pestered asked folks to sign), and everybody seemed to enjoy the day. Even me! Despite how I'd been stressing in the days leading up to it. I actually got to visit with some folks, and made a bunch of new friends. I can honestly say I can't wait to do another one (but will certainly need to wait, if only to catch up on everything else I've been able to let slide lately...)

And now, for those of you who couldn't make it this time, here are some photos from a most wonderful day...

The NMRA provides this cool lawn sign so folks can find you. And you can see my new ride in the driveway (shhh.... don't tell Bill . . .)

It was a beautiful day, but even without lots of folks, it was starting to get stuffy in the basement. So since I turned on the AC and didn't want to have to keep answering the door, I figured a sign would do. I like the script herald - hopefully it made up for the first - of many - reminders to sign the guest book.

After you come through the door, but before heading down to the basement, there were some snacks and my iPad with the Valley Local website on it, in hopes that folks would stop and sign the guest book. 

The Old Saybrook scene is the first thing you see when you come down the stairs. I had just finished the balloon track, wye, and sidings behind the station early that morning. Thankfully, everything ran well through here. Note the prototype reference photos on the fascia (also done about an hour before show time) - that show what I'm trying to model in this spot.

As you turn around, behind you is the Agent/Operator's Desk. I'd set it up with some NHRR paperwork and had the iPod playing some '40s music to set the mood.

While my main keepsake of the day would be the guest book (which is why I so much wanted folks to sign it), the missus reminded me to make sure I took some pictures of the people too in order to commemorate the day. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get photos of everybody - especially during the busiest times - but I was able to get a good representation, especially early in the day . . .

Roman and Dave at the entrance of the "North End" room (Wethersfield to Middletown). That's the siding for what will eventually be Middletown Meat Packing, at the south end of town.

Bill and Lee at Middletown. Looks like Bill is trying to tone down the volume on the S-2 which was so loud it actually made it difficult to have conversations.

I'm standing where Bill was in the previous photo and looking back toward the south end of Middletown (on the right side of the aisle) and the only completed prototype scene on the railroad so far, Rocky Hill there on the left.

Dave and Tim - thankfully, some folks had name tags. I might consider having those at the "entry table" next time. As much as folks don't like them, they really are pretty helpful.

Back at the staging area, Roman is working on a kink in the track - helped with new spikes that I ordered from Tom's Trains which were personally delivered during the tour (thank you!). Looks like Lee is having more fun than Pete here...

Bill doing some switching at Rocky Hill. It was great having a few guys operating trains during the day - it gave me a chance to visit (and to take these pictures!) and gave folks something fun to see.

Rocky Hill - my favorite scene on the railroad, probably because it's my ONLY completed scene on the railroad. Bill was right - it was good to get at least one scene done for the open house so that visitors could get a taste of what we're trying to accomplish.

Trackwork and rolling stock by me - structures and scenery by Schneider (Bill)

I'm super happy with how this area came out. Given the discussion about New Haven Railroad structure colors, note that the freight house - still in use by the railroad here in 1947 - is recently painted a simple all-brown scheme.

Note here (and in the pics just above and below) how the station - no longer in use by the railroad - is in an older paint scheme and is showing its age. Note also the scratchbuilt NHRR specific crossbucks. Custom lettering on stryrene strip, mounted on weathered code 70 rail (also by Bill - but at least that's a boxcar I built, coupled to the engine:^).

It's October, 1949 now and the Valley Local has gone diesel...Here's the 0615 southbound at Rocky Hill. Remember, you can always "embiggen" an image by clicking on it. And you may want to do that especially with this pic, if only to see the cool telegraph and telephone signs on the corners of the station.

Diesel-powered Valley Local, northbound at Rocky Hill. I really need to learn PhotoShop so I can eliminate UFOs in the sky background distractions.

Steam pinch-hitting on the Valley Local southbound rounding a curve between Wethersfield and Rocky Hill.

Ahhhh.... PhotoShop.... that's more like it! THIS is a pretty great shot - which I can say without boasting since I didn't take it. Bill took this pic and did the doctoring - so now I can say "scenery, structures, and SKY by Schneider...) 

Rocky Hill is all quiet now. That cool tall switchstand is one of Rapido's new products. Perfect for the New Haven, and it really completes the scene.

After all the work and time needed to get the layout ready for this tour, I really cannot imagine it going any better than it did. But that success is very much due to the help of a great group of guys. So thanks again to Roman, Dick, Tom, and Pieter for all your help, and especially to Randy and Joseph who made not one, but two special trips to the hobby shop for turnouts. And special thanks to Bill for an amazing amount of time and work in doing the structures and scenery for the Rocky Hill scene - it looks even better than I'd hoped it would. Thank you for using your skills and talent to accomplish what I couldn't (or at least can't yet...). Special thanks also to Pete whose innocent(?) invitation to share my interests generated a wave of motivation that I'm still riding.

I didn't do it for any accolades, but this was really cool and is very much appreciated. This, along with my guest book and photos, are prized keepsakes of a great day. Thank you again to all who were able to visit!