I have lots to update on this week. My apologies in advance for the monster post.
Thursday was ops evening. 15 hours (well 3 hours at 5:1) of TT&TO ops with rookie C&W dispatcher Anthony Craig at the helm. All went well and the duplexing Digitrax radio system seemed to behave itself most of the time. The rechargeable batteries do seem to burn out more quickly and when two operators are piloting a loaded ore train to the summit, with a pusher bringing up the rear, taking chances with radio reception doesn’t seem very wise. Next session I am going to try nothing but disposables to see if the last remaining reception issues fall away.
Colin Dover with X8602 East, the eastbound Boundary wayfreight, at Farron summit. He is doing some switching while waiting for 81, his westbound counter part.
At Nelson it is early afternoon so Brian Clogg and Brad Ellerman are likely making up #984 for Cranbrook.
On the modelling-side, it was bridge week.
First I finished the piers on the Lemon Creek bridge and painted and weathered both of them and the bridge. It was my first try at using "the Salt technique" a la Tom Mann for simulating rust and I am happy with the result.
Meanwhile back at Kootenay River I made up all the abutments and piers from Chooch resin castings. Boy was that a lot of cutting and filing.
And finally fellow Railwire poster Tim Horton was over this morning taking photos. I took the opportunity to take some shots with my Point&Shoot at Shields, a siding away from where Tim was shooting.
That's all for this week.
md
