[rgolding]

The Kaskaskia Valley Railway will hold its 6th Annual Spring Operating Session on the first weekend of May. This is a change from in the past because of other events, a wedding and the Yardmasters desire to be a little more "Spring Like". That is May 3 and 4, 2008. We use RailOps software for the control of car movement and radios for dispatching. It is a weekend ops session with both days starting around noon and going until nobody is running trains anymore. Our goal is to run 18 trains to a schedule each day. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes some of the trains have to be annulled or extras have to be added. It is not really as regulated as it may sound, but there is lots of food and its a lot of fun. The live steam track will not be set up for the Spring Ops. We do that in the Fall. If you can make it to 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, you are certainly welcome to join us. There are usually about 35 to 40 people for the weekend. In the past we have had guests coming from other areas, including the IPP&WRR in Ottawa, Canada. For more information contact me at [email protected]

 

[Torby]

See you then!

 

[Dave F]

Ric. I sincerly hope that your Ops sessions will contiue for a few years. I'm sill in Utah, but I feel the pull of Illinois calling me home. I should be holding an Illinois Drivers license in about 5 years... I'm already looking at property around Carbondale.. When I can be there.. I'll be there.. Please send/post photos to keep my enthusiasm whetted..

 

[Torby]

Looks like nice weather planned for this weekend. Cool and 30% chance of rain Saturday. Partly cloudy Sunday. Here's the weather report:

http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/USIL0188?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

 

[Biblegrove RR]

Can't wait! gotta stop in DuQuoin and help a friend with demolishing a fence and then shoot up 127. I hope to be there by noon! Have to leave by 5:30 or so because of a function the wife scheduled me for! geeeeeeez But I WILL be there! Hey Torby, whatcha bringin to run?

 

[Torby]

I'll have both my Annie 4-6-0 and my Mallet 2-8-8-2.

I'll should get to Carlyle late Friday night.

 

[trainbuffjr]

Wally World has me working today, But I am looking forward to being there on Sunday. See You then.

 

[rgolding]

First report of our Spring Ops is up at

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?pid=63324#p63324

Your welcome to check it out.

 

[NTCGRR]

Ric
the RR looks like its in mint condition. Even Tom Ruby has shoes on.

 

[Dougald]

Ric

Those pics bring back memories of the four ops sessions I have participated in on the Kaskaskia Valley. All good fun and it seems your operators were enjoying themselves.

I noted that Pam (the young lady in one of the pics) had the RailOp manifest in her hand - you did not report on how the computerized freight car forwarding worked for you but the evidence of cars moved suggests it went pretty well.

All things permitting, I expect to make my annual visit for the Fall Ops Session and enjoy the great midwest hospitality that Ric, Jan and all the Gateway Club are famous for.

Regards ... Doug

 

[rgolding]

Marty,
Yeah, it was strange - Tom wore shoes all day. I think this marathon running thing is having an impact on him. He has said all the big marathon runners from Ethiopia or Kenya or someplace run barefoot. I told him that was because the lion that was chasing them had already eaten their shoes. He may be saving his soles for the big race.
Doug,
Car forwarding worked good. We did set all the delay factors back to 1:1 at the end of the day to see if we could get some of the industries to release their traffic.
23 trains run, carrying 2905 tons of freight and switching 100 cars enroute.
Looks like another great day coming to life.

 

[rgolding]

Sunday's Ops pictures added

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?pid=63383#p63383

And so went another OPs Session on the KVRwy. A great deal of thanks go to a whole lot of people as they helped to bring our railroad to life. We are exhausted, but it is a great exhaustion. THANK YOU!!!

 

[Henson]

Ric, looks like a good time by all. You sure have your place looking good for this early and all the rain & cold we have had this spring.

 

[Stan Cedarleaf]

Thanks for posting the link to the LSC report and images, Ric. Looks like you guys/gals had a great time.

 

[Torby]

I told myself I'd take lots of pictures this time, but then didn't get the camera out of the car till Sunday/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif

The storm front they though might bring us a little rain Saturday passed Friday evening as I was driving down I57. The sun was going down on my right and the storm was on my left, and there was this incredible double rainbow.

With that out of our hair, Saturday was cloudy and cool, but quite nice. Sunday was warm and sunny.

Ryan hauls freight with Ric's Mogul at Fiddle.

Some brat mopes on the porch at the farmhouse.

The dogs wonder why he won't come play.

KV Cabins.

My Annie stayed in the car all day Saturday, but did lots of work Sunday.

Jan has lots of little buildings around the layout.

Water tank at Pin Oak.

Aw, shucks...

I wish I could remember the name of the guy I loaned Annie to.

( No, I didn't forget to get her back/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/doze.gif )

"Little Ryan," not "Big Ryan" did lots of work with the railbus.

Andy Clark's GP40

The ladies kept the engineers very well fed.

A little cutie kept things running smoothly indoors. She calls her dad, "My Tod."

I was looking for the Consolidated yard master. Found him here.

Jane did the dispatch and tried valiently to keep things running. We managed to thwart her/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

Andy Clark has a very odd TE. Used it for several months before he noticed there wasn't a SLOW button.

 

[Torby]

A sight you don't see in ANY other scale: The wives sitting around reading train magazines. Wish I'd taken a picture.

 

[trainbuffjr]

I had a great time on Sunday. Here are a couple photos I took when I got there.
Here is a string of log cars at KV cabins

The Boston and Maine Railroad has found a cheaper crew to run this train.

And here are a few taken through the afternoon.
Here is Dave Masters talking to the Yardmaster at Consolidated about the cars he needs to pick up.

When Dave's Railbus couldn't pull the string of cars, they brought in a bigger engine to help

Here comes the helper engine

And here is Tom Ruby talking to Andy Clarke at Consolidated.

And here is Tom's Annie pulling a string of cars into Southern Yard.

It was a great day of talking to friends and running trains. Tom, Thanks for allowing me to run the Annie for the afternoon, it was a fun engine to run.
I am already planning on coming in the fall. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did, And many thanks to Ric and Jan for opening there railroad to us and being great hosts.
Aaron Loyet
Silver Creek & San Juan R.R.

 

[Biblegrove RR]

Here the boys head out of Souther Junction in train#250

Where is that Rubber Ducky ?

This is how you do it! little brother

 

[Biblegrove RR]

why can't I post pics? I put the

after the address...?

 

[Torby]

Nope. Your url is cut off.