Santa Ops 12/17/22

[david]

Today we held our annual Santa Ops, a scheduled 4-hour session....that lasted about 6+  It was so fun and people only left when they had to. All enabled by sandwiches, etc. by my awesome wife Katie.

Attached are some quick snaps from today.

David

[RickBacon]

I’ve got a couple “pre-game” shots.

Train 261 waiting for a crew.

[RickBacon]

Overview of Millport with the hump on the left and the receiving and departure yard on the right. It all looks so tidy right now…but gridlock is only a couple hours away!

[RickBacon]

Staging set with northbound traffic.

[RickBacon]

Pawns of the game wait their call at Ricksburg service track.

[RickBacon]

At the south end of Ricksburg, trains await their crews.

[RickBacon]

What looks like a dream lash up is formed while power awaits assignment at the Millport service tracks.

[RickBacon]

This small pile of lost parts has been accumulating at the base of the hump tower for a while now! That brass spring in the pile turned out to play the part of hero during the ops session. A south bound coal empty lost a knuckle passing through CM Tower…and just happened to need a spring! Thanks to a couple carmen, only a tiny delay was had, and the Dispatcher never knew!

[Bob]

Dropping an interchange car.


This C425 will be the road power for a southbound coal train.


Northbound coal rolls through Sobol Springs.


Railfanning.


SW1200 in Havens Yard.


Running past Point Vincent towards Havens Yard.


Appliance job in Glenn Forge.


Quick regauging of spread rails.


C425 with southbound coal in Ricksburg.


Ricksburg yardmaster sorting cars with an Alco S4.


Happy camper.


Southbound empty coal behind a C424 passes a loaded coal train in Morrison.


RS32 switching Fillmore Heights.


Santa train repositioning outside of Linnwood so it can run down the Kayford coal branch.


Santa.


Unloading coal at International Paper.


These Atlas hoppers have opening bottom doors.


Mill job switching International Paper.


New working coal loader in Brooks.


Kayford dispatcher planning moves.


Santa train headed for Brooks.


Pulling loads from the Hawkins tipple.


Backing empties at Hawkins.

[Craig]

Looks like a great session!!!