Don’t tell Steve but I think we kinked the layout.

o we were asked to bring two layouts to the NMRA’s Iron Horse 2026 convention, our large sectional layout and my tiny Tuscarora. And to support that, I was asked to give two clinics, one on TT&TO (given it before, and well received) and one on how the Tuscarora operates, in hopes we could get a couple of sessions up. So, after $350 in handout/paperwork printing costs, $350 in car rentals, $500 in hotel bills and meals and $100 for pet-sitting services, we were all ready to “donate” a little time to making this show a success.

So…

The Tuscarora – ready for action!

Day 0 (Thursday): We drove up to Ocala, van full of TuskStuff, and set up in the ballroom. Since I didn’t know who was coming and who needed tables, I picked on in the back corner, out of the way. Turns out none of the other tables were in use, so hey, I could have been front and center.

The layout showed up on time, 7pm, and a handful of us (we need more club involvement) got to work. Mark had donated double-iron for some ill-advised medical scheme, so he was goofy. The carpets helped (easy on the knees, soft on the feet) and didn’t (tough to push racks through). What takes just over an hour took two hours, what with the reduced crew. But the layout was set and we were ready to go.

Day 1 (Friday): I was first out of the chute with back-to-back clinics. The first, TT&TO, was well received and understood – I can always tell this when the crowd starts to look ill as they realize that they (as engineers) and not the dispatchers determine their running gambits. Still, a lot of good questions and I think I was pretty upbeat and entertaining. About twenty people came, nobody left or died.

Then the second one: Tuscarora Operations. Not bad but not quite as interesting. Understand that I’m pitching a total mind-blowing change to the understanding of operations. Almost everyone thinks you need a basement, twenty guys, and a fast clock to do ops. I do it in 2×4 feet with five operators and (as several people noted) I jam a lot of operations into a small space. Still, watching the expressions of confusion when I discussed coal operations, I think I’ll have to reconsider how I do this. The tally sheet idea just doesn’t seen to be understandable for anyone without an advanced physics degree. Will reconsider.

Rule one of clinics – block the exit door with your display so nobody can escape. “Professor” Raymond hosts his two clinics. 

The rest of the morning was a high-stakes session on Tusk, with scheduled trains, coal extras and an interlocking/dispatcher (me). We pumped though 2/3rds of the session. For this, Jim Mathis helped on the coal sheet and I am in his debt (which does not translate that I’ll do that switchlist program I promised yet). But the guys had a good time and there were smiles all around. Another fellow who could not join because of other commitments asked for a session on Saturday. Wished I’d gotten his name – nice guy!

I think the rest of the day, I took a nap, then went down and tried to keep our few sectional operators (we need more club involvement) from setting the layout aflame. Dinner with a couple of members and wives was really nice. The hotel is crazy-expensive but there are all sorts of eateries outside their checkpoint.

Day 2 (Saturday): Started today with a bang. Steve called at 7am for breakfast just as I was coming out of the shower. I tried to rush to the phone, found out why slick tiles outside of the bathroom in the entryway is a terrible architectural idea, felt my wet feet go out from under me, and hit my forehead against the door jam. Shakily answered the phone and tried to sound normal with blood running down my face. Bought 30 minutes delay then went back to the bathroom to hold wads of toilet paper to my head. In the end, the trash can was filled with bloody wadding (Tonight on Ken Burn’s Civil War, we bring you The Battlefield Surgeon). Now, I always bitch that my wife always brings way too much – three bags for a three-night stay) but she did have antiseptic cream and a bunch of bandages. So I guess I’ll keep quiet about that going forward.

Another day of railroading in Southwestern PA. Local industries await their deliveries.

After breakfast, I changed out my bloody bandaid for a new one – the cut had stopped bleeding, and went out to the show. Met with my operator so a simple two-man Tuscarora run. We really got a lot done in the 90 minutes we had, getting all the way up to the Easton Turn (basically, two more laps west and the Pee Dee and done) before we had to stop. But the funniest (and sweetest) bit was when a father and daughter (both model railroaders) stopped over to watch.The railroad really caught her eye, and I promised to send out trackplans (actually, I’ll be posting three out in the coming days). I was running interlocking again and Todd (the dad) was explaining to Sophia how interlockings worked. I then slid my chair back – “Hey, you want to try it? I’ll coach you”. So Sophia took over TUSK tower (happily in the series of eastbound loops with only a single pickup to make) but she got the turnouts lined, the locks in, and the signals set – she really smiled when she pulled a signal lever back and saw the model board light up. That was just one of those perfect moments.

After my operator had to go, I decided to clean up the layout  and get it ready for transport – the convention was grinding through it’s last few clinics. The sectional crew was allowing any and all to run. Jeff showed up with the trailer spot on time and we got it eventually loaded (we need more club involvement).

A new top down view of the finished Tusk (different from the older view in the “clinic” picture). Taken from a US Army recon flight.

Afterwards was the banquet. The meal was good, and I sat with Jane and Steve and Lynn and Terry. Sophia and Todd were on the far end. So it was a very friendly table. During the awards, I got two certificates of appreciation (for my clinics). Later in the night, a special document thanking Orlando N-Trak for bringing two layouts out was given to us. They wanted “a representative” to come up, which provoked a series of “You go! No, you go!” fumbling. Finally I stood up and said, “Comon, guys, come up with me! The award is to us, not me!” And, with much appreciation by me, Terry rose and followed me up, which forced Steve up. And then (and how could I forget this since my wife is a member) Jane came up as well. So we got a nice accommodation and very nice applause, and when asked to say a few words, I thanked the NMRA for having us and mentioned that Sophia (already the crowd favorite) was the best leverman of the show. That earned me another sunbeam smile – very nice).

Oh, and the staff never cleaned the room on Saturday. Maybe it was the bloody bandages but, hey, we paid top dollar for that place. You should be able to handle a bit of gore.

Headed home on Sunday and there were the cats, looking up from a nap with that “Oh, were you away?” expressions.

Good to be home. Enough trains.

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All photos with courtesy from (and bribery to) Greg Komar 

The table in the back corner where the cool kids sit.

Team NTrak picks up a participation award!