nother cozy little session on Smilin’ Jack’s Yosemite Valley Railroad, a neat little bedroom layout that simulates (sorta) SP operations in a California setting in an anytime (ninties?) period.

John L and I have run with Jack several times in the past. The most notable thing about our growing abilities is our comfort with the timetable itself. The first time we ran, it was a lot of “now what do I do?” and “what’s next?”. Now, a couple of sessions in, we’ve learned the timetable. A long freight comes in. It is broken into three locals in the yard. These jobs go to three different locations to work, returning with outbounds. In the end another long freight is built and out you go. And somewhere in all this, a steamer tourist train runs. Even smoothly (which we were) the session runs about two and a half hours.

I get to run. I get to run SPs! I get to run… kodachromes! Sigh. Anyway, I roll past John’s bloody nose as he works a job.

I really enjoyed this (in the Tuscarora way). There is something in running a small layout with just a handful of people that sometimes is more fulfilling than our massive LM&O sessions (in the same way a beer after a long day of working outside can be better than an entire Oktoberfest). We just worked the cuts and progressed through the sequence, each operator taking the next job. In fact, at one point I was a local ahead of John and there was one to go. Even though he was wrapping up things on his, I had nothing to do so I ran his train out to the side and secured it on the entry siding so he could work it. Nobody just hangs out. Everyone just plays at a casual pace. No fuss.

The crew at work. There is a lot of shunting to do.

Anyway, I need to beg another session off Jack in a month or so. And this time, I need to  get a timetable so I can remember specifically the trains and locations, rather than my charming vague recollections.

Anyway, thanks again, Jack, for that fun afternoon.

>>>BOOKS HERE, AS ALWAYS<<<

All photos care of the Host!

The image blurs as Engineer Raymond opens the johnston, giving the tourists a real thrill!