n fantasy novels (and some religions), great events are triggered following prophetic signs in the sky. And so there I was, waiting at the clubhouse’s grassy parking lot for Kyle for a ride out to the Komar’s in Tampa for their hosting of the West Virginia Northern, looking up to see a Chinese rocket booster slowly burning up as it crossed the sky, glowing white and emerald, dropping away to the east.

So that’s a differing sort of start at least.

So we three wise men (myself, Kyle and Bruce) journeyed across the desolation of Interstate 4, making out way to the lands of Tampa, where we feasted at a McDonalds before arriving on the spot of 9am on the Komar’s doorstep. Everyone chatted a bit, then we signed up, dialed up and rolled out.

I decided to start with a bit of yard work, doing the Ashbury West switcher. I don’t know if it was the prophecy or what, but I made a string of minor bungles for the first thirty minutes or so, made worse by the fact that Gail the host was running the hostler job right off my shoulder (rather like sitting down to take a test in school and the monitoring teacher settles in at the desk next to yours). I got my shit eventually together (so the prophesy was seemingly not about my death nor disgrace) and finished up in good order. Since east-side was running a little behind, I backed him up and did the south-side industries, working around him to classify. All ended well.

After the usual great lunch, I decided to go out on the line. First I got a shot and the Coal Turn up at Harris. Got in and was lucky enough to not have someone bungling about where I needed to do my masterwork. Nice easy effort, only having to wait a time or two for Eastbound heavies to ascend the grade and their helpers to depart. Following this, I ran an MOW train, neatly ducking around a local at Elkview, followed by a heavy eastbound coal, another interesting run only interrupted with a pickup of loads at Darby, helpers on at Elkview and off at Harris.

Picking up coal at Darby.

So overall it was a great day as only uneventful ops sessions can be – small problems yet a railroad that pretty much runs as designed, allowing me to focus on my moves, blowing at crossings and just enjoying the moving artwork that is the WVN. I don’t know how much celestial fate had to do it with it – it was probably more to having a tuned railroad to operate on and a solid crew to run with.

And our rumors of prophesy? Nah, it was just a Chinese booster launched in 2019 that came to grief overhead in the indigo light of morning. Whatever.

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All photo credit to Kyle S. 

Someone (Kyle, I believe) working Harris. My coal drops are visible on the far tracks, ready for the tipple.