This month's activities have included: Spacky visit, YardMaster's Aid, Maintenance, Ops Sessions, Tasks Completed & Scheduled.

Spacky's Visit

Spacky arrived om Saturday 6th and with his laptop ready to load JMRI and get his SprogIII connected and operational. He had had issues with his ESU programmer not allowing upgrades to use the latest6 decoders. When we fired up the laptop it was very evident.

The operating system as Windows 7 with 4Gb of RAM.

Spacky bit the bullet and after shopping online using click & collect within the hour we collected a new Lenovo laptop running Window11 with 24Gb of RAM.

Two hours or so later we had it setup and working with Java 19 runtime and the latest version of JMRI talking to the SprogIII.

On Sunday we connected his laptop to my layout and he started "playing with programming on the main".

He departed on Tuesday 7th and when he arrived home to "play some more" I got the call "It is not working"... It dawned on me it was still looking for my NCE connection a quick lesson on preferences and away he went!

Good luck with the new system Spacky!

Yardmaster's Aid

I outlined last month what Wayne had made me an Aid. Well, I stacked the magnets in a way he did not seem happy with so this month I added another area for the magnets so the built consists (green) ready for despatch are on the right and the consists to be built (yellow) in the session on the left.

Wayne's feedback was it worked!

The new layout

Magnets not used during current session

I had noticed some operators were placing "arriving cars card cards" at the front instead of the rear to ensure cars are cycled in some sort of order - so - I added some instructional labels

I will have to see if I get compliance!

Turnout Problems

My operators had started reporting intermittent problems with two turnouts that became too consistent. The first was the mainline turnout into Flinston Yard and the second was the double slip in Picard Junction.

This was a job that required two people, I put out a call for assistance and Denis and Barry offered to help. The time that Denis was available suited best so we got to it. Well with my graded glasses on I could not see the crews let alone the slot! I found my fixed focal length modelling glasses and at least I could see the screw head but not the slot - they were the original Peco brass wood screws. Any screw that I unscrewed was replaced with a Phillips head one - much easier to work with.

Access to the turnout motors could only be achieved after moving my stock of wires and a few other boxes

Flintston Turnout

The photos show the story...

Picard Junction

Again, the photos show the story...

I am pleased to report that at the Ops Session on the 17th there were NO derailments!

Thanks for your help Denis!

My Ops Session

Monday 8th

Barry, Denis, Don, Spacky and Wayne joined me to run Session 2.

We completed all tasks and had some fun.

L>R Wayne, Me, Don, Barry & Spacky

L>R Wayne, Denis, Don, Barry & Spacky

Afterwards we enjoyed afternoon tea.

Wednesday 17th

Six members of my Wednesday group Alex, Barry, Denis, John, Peter J and Wayne

L>R Denis, Wayne, John, Peter J, Alex & Barry

Early in the run Barry had an Ooops moment and Denis ran over a closed turnout and derailed a string of cars causing an oh sh.. moment and Denis some additional work!

Wayne working Hornertown as Yardmaster

Alex learning how to shunt Flintston

John concentrating on his Ops

Always smiling Peter

Barry Managing the Control Panel and associated Paperwork

Denis working the coal train in LeMaistre Loco

Peter Shunting Adamsville

Granddaughters Alice & Emily and my Daughter Amy dropped in before spending time with "Grandy" upstairs

Afterwards we enjoyed a chat over afternoon tea. It would appear the new format is being enjoyed by all.

Wayne's Ops Sessions

Wednesday 10th

Information and photos provided by Don: The Wednesday Group (that I can't attend anymore) included Wayne, Ross, Darren, Alan and Don.

L>R Son, Darren, Wayne, Alan & Ross

Thursday 25th

Barry, Peter J and I operated with Wayne.

Even though we were two operators down due to medical issues we ran all but 2 trains. There was a few gremlins today with power issues at Mulga Ridge and a couple of paperwork oversights. It didn't matter as we all had some fun.