OpsLog – DT&I – 10/26/2013

OpsLog – DT&I – 10/26/2013

I‘ve known Terry Harrison for ten years and three layouts.

He’s a sawed-off hot-head, an ill-tempered tosser who harangues his operators.

He also designs some of the most realistic switching I’ve ever worked.

I’ve worked setouts and pickups on layouts that were about as exciting as putting socks into a drawer. And then there are the layouts with owners who are so sadistically clever, they force their crews to work through complicated logic puzzles, as if the railroad is more a mensa club than a working transportation company.

But Terry’s worked on actual railroads and knows what they do and how they do it. His industrial tracks are all authentically laid out, seemingly designed by a miserly railroad (and what corporation isn’t miserly?). But it makes sense – things are tight, because railroads pay tens of thousands of dollars for every foot of comfortably padding. You need to spot specific cars at specific doors, because most manufacturing companies are expecting input and output at different areas of their factories. You work off realistic switchlists and follow authentic practices.

Yes, he’s a bitch. But this is certainly a way to run a railroad!

>>>I HOPE SOMEDAY PEOPLE TELL ME I’M A GREAT WRITER AS WELL AS A PAIN IN THE ASS. THAT’S MY GOAL. BUY A BOOK!<<<