The boys get ready for the pre-brief. Hopefully Pete can get that arm sewn back on. (Jim M)

ell, it was a week full of sucking, specifically inlaws sucking cash and me siphoning water from a blown washing machine (which will also suck cash). And eyeball surgery, which made my vision a bit “off”, which sucks, too. And then there was the sucky second-guessing conversation about when, specifically, in the PM this session would take place. So I wasn’t sure if I was going to come or just sit at home and try to read anime subtitles. But I got three offers for rides out (since my driving kinda sucks right now, too) and accepted Terry B’s gracious offer (Chris, on the other hand, withdrew his on the council of his wife). And so screw it, I went with the intention that I’d just stay in the mill and run some furnace jobs (as Mike did, after his sucky eye-surgery). That was the plan.

Which lasted long enough for me to realize that we were nearly out of coal and ore and had only a few lumps of limestone left. Only enough for a single furnace, dammit.

“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: A fellow of infinite jest.“ Robert is either doing Hamlet or digging under the layout for a supposedly misfiring turnout (turns out it was the wrong toggle) (Luke L)

Still, it was pretty cool with the new plant rule – only approved Bethlehem Steel units working the plant. And it was busy. Five minutes after clock-hot, three of us were working on the property (myself on Furnace 3, Jim pulling MT hoppers down the forward line, and Mike working the Mill switching job. And while we were all politely working around each other, Phil came by with 231 – the joint was jumping! Happily, Phil would find great enjoyment out of our second big rule- we now switch wood cars in cuts, not individual cars. Quicker and possibly more realistic. And happily, Chip was agreeable to our demands (besides, we do the same thing for Sterner, Sacca, and Champion, so why not?).

I was only a bit in my work, waiting for Mile to clear so I could run slag cars down to the dump when someone came to me – Horacio was coming our way with two engines on 223 (more like an engine-and-a-quarter) and would need help up the hill. Sure, I wasn’t doing anything so I kicked out a soup ticket to Zeus (who was redeeming himself after his last eventful DS-gig) and who got me down the hill in nothing flat (and happily, 231 was long gone what with his simplified switching). Ran down the hill and tucked into the MOW pocket. By the time Horacio got to me, one engine was offline (I checked the address but the chip seemed okay, just not responsive). Since we were officially “in distress”, the DS and interlocking formed an axis of evil against us, running 415 past (who had his own issues, turning the long eastern slope into Foghorn Leghorn’s Thrill-o-Coaster Ride! Yeah, he broke away at the top and had to chase his hoppers all the way down the to viaduct. By then, we had two trains facing us. While Horacio held down the fort, I ran some ingots over at the furnace, making myself useful.

Classic LM&O – coal trains meeting in Red Rock. Even the Blue Angels aren’t this good (Jim M)

Robert pushing newbie Horacio around. What a bully (Jude S)

Anyway, finally we got paper up the hill. It was a bit of an effort to cut in my helpers into mid-train position (since we were doing it in the interlocking plant). However, Kyle was on the ball, giving me the turnouts and signals needed as we built up, pumped up and got out of town. Since I’ve run helpers since the beginning, I know the trick in facing those long tunnels on the east slope. You get your train reasonably tracking on the flat viaduct and then let it run at those speeds. Worked well, since we ran the grade without any issues. At the top, we were both adding power (had to) and finally broached at Harris with every wheel spinning. Got up into Harris and Horacio throttled back neatly, bringing us to a stop with (as I recall) a train on the siding and Ohio Flyer 2 on the station track. Since we were fouling back, the DS gave us a verbal order to pull forward under flag and clear (my flagman looooved walking out onto Ironwood bridge, the wind flapping through his coat and threatening to carry away his flag (and send him screaming all the way down into White Falls)). But we uncorked the other trains, Horacio got permission to run to Red Rock and I put the units into the pocket and returned to finish up the furnace.

You don’t have to be a Sherlock to know Petey is here today (Pete F, himself)

We only had to extort Chip with inflated per diems to get him to ship in prompt fashion. Another LM&O improvement to service! (Luke L)

I must note that a lot of members used this session to run new jobs and do great work. As mentioned, Horacio was running on his own and covering his own warrants. Jude was over on Zanesville, Luke took on Calypso Yard, and David was running all sorts of stuff (including mill supply runs). Watching people come out of comfort zones to run more advanced jobs is what makes ONT the go-to-club for operators – we write our own tickets (and speaking of tickets – I still have tickets for Al’s Western Bay. If interesting in attending (and carpooling down to Port St Lucie, contact me)). I also have to personally thank Mark for bringing 202 in and then immediatly taking 247 back out, and I didn’t have to threaten him hardly at all.

Martin was also running some new-fangled, hopped-up ideas on their end of the room, but just like I don’t know how sausages are made, I don’t keep up with their dark magics. Yardlettes.

I’ve heard-tell of a whole other half of the layout on the other side of the mountain. Like Flat Earth, unproven (CGI photo “evidence”, Zach B)

Since Chris S was locked in a cupboard by his wife, I sorta handled question-answering/rerailing/counseling duties, but did manage to run the limestone down in the final hour, so yay-me! Since we’ll be operating again this week, I’ll probably run a couple more furnaces and maybe a fast freight. It’s kinda nice to go easy at sessions from time to time.

Anyway, thanks to all who came out and made it into a wonderfully chaotic afternoon.

>>>AT DINNER, PEOPLE ASKED ME ABOUT MY BOOKS. HERE YOU GO! FOLLOW THE LINK<<<

Like a moth to flame, Zeus is pulled to Harris Glen to make ill-advised meets (Jim M)

Everyone gave me shit about this – had to leave a caboose on the main and flagged and hand-braked it all in one go. (Zeus H, who SHOULD be at his panel and not jaunting about with his camera)

Popeye Raymond’s guide to swapping cuts

I came up with this move back in the early days where TPEX swapped out at Mingo and didn’t run to Martin. I showed Bill how to swap out ore jennies in Calypso and wish to share my cleverness with the rest of you.So here’s the easy way to do it.