This month's activities have included: Paperwork, NMRA, Kits, Maintenance, Car Cards, Ops Sessions, Tasks Completed & Scheduled.
Session 4 Paperwork
Well on the first run we found a series of errors/over sights with the cards which resulted in operating the control panel "on the fly" to keep order in the session with three trains "MIA" on the cards.
A critical review has been undertaken since the run and updates to the following have been completed:
- Operator Roster
- Hornertown Yardmaster Overview
- Train Graph
- Mainline Operator Job Cards
- Hornertown Yardmaster Job Cards
The new versions have been uploaded to the webpage.
NMRA Meeting
I attended the meeting on 11 August held at the Adelaide Model Railway Club and it was well attended with 23 members attending. I received my name badge and have a shirt and winter top currently in for logo embroidery. After the meeting I was taken on a tour of their impressive layout by Paolo who is a club member.
Kits
I bought a couple of small building kits as I have some solenoids to "cover up".
Maintenance
This month has seen work on Locos and turnout issues.
Loco Maintenance
There were two dead locos when called up for service on 5 August:
- Flintston Local - one of the GP9R's in the consist
- Express Goods West - a RSD15 in the consist
The locos were taken to the workshop and had their decoders factory reset and reprogrammed.
Ore train F7A-F7B-F7A set couplers between locos disengaging.
There was two issues one of F7A's Kadee coupler was stuck open despite still having a spring in place and it speed had changed compared to the other two and was fighting the other two effectively "bashing" the coupler - the speed was ajusted after trial running and they seem to be back working well as a consist.
The SD45 on the Express Goods West started squeaking during operation.
Taken to the workshop shell removed and lubrication applied to motor, worm and axles in the trucks.
Rolling Sock Maintenance
There is still a need for a few more cars to balance the system so I am in the process of refurbishing six boxcars and a gondola. Weight, bogies, couplers and coupler covers being screwed in place is the order of the day.
Recurring Problem
Again, I had had an issue with Peco above board mechanism failing. The connecting rod between the solenoid base and the point disengaged at the point end. I deployed the proven solution "to hold the throw rod down" so it cannot "pop off!"
The fix...
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| This is in a hidden location |
Car Cards
I have made card cards for the seven pieces of rolling stock to be added as well as a missing one for Loco 6047.
My Ops Sessions
Monday 5th
I was joined by Barry, Denis, Peter S, Rosslyn & Wayne. Peter J was unavoidably detained on Grandkid duties at the last minute, so Barry had "A run" instead of working the Control Panel. Once again new tasks were undertaken by most as we all learn the new Sessions. I must say it was really nice that Rosslyn returned to operating.
I was so busy I forgot to take some photos of the session. I had some job cars "bugs" so it was probably good I was in charge of the control panel as I did some "on the fly" ops changes after we had two loco failures and a problem freight car causing multiple derailments (it was removed from the layout) and some coupler issues on the ore train F7A-F7B-F7A set. I ended up with quite a long "maintenane fix list".
Afterwards we enjoyed the debrief and afternoon tea.
Wednesday 21st
John, Alex, Don, Barry & Denis joined me for the session. We ran a modified session as we has a late withdrawal of an operator. Once again we had lots of new jobs done by operators and I attempted to be mentor. Barry ran the control panels and was on top of things most of the time. Denis has his first go at managing Hornertown Yard on his own, so it was a huge task and I found I did not have as much time to mentor him as I expected but he did a great job under the circumstances. I was so bust I didn't take any photos of operations!
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| L>R John, Alex, Don, Barry & Denis |
Afterwards we enjoyed the debrief and some afternoon tea.
Wayne's Ops Session
Thursday 25th
Denis and Peter J joined me and our host for the session. Even though we were short on operators all trains were run successfully and within the timeframe too!
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| L>R Wayne, Peter J, Denis & Me |
Here is some video taken during the session.
Ross's Monday 29th July
I was joined by Barry, Don and Rosslyn at Ross's and we had a fun afternoon with Barry as Adelaide Yardmaster and Rosslyn as Birkenhead Yardmaster with Ross, Don & I running trains between them.
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| Don doing some "on the run" debugging and adjustments |
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| Ross replacing a lift out section after rescuing a locomotive after "Barry ran over a hidden closed point and derailed" |
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| Me and Barry at Adelaide |
Here is a short video following 1 train.
Afterwards we enjoyed afternoon tea and the usual debrief.
Tasks Completed in last 30 days
Scheduled Tasks for next 90 days
That's it for now so until next time.....
-ooOOOoo-
