Broadoak

I&W # 105 an ex Rio Grande Alco S2 runs into the west yard and into the back siding to pick up two cars spotted there loading. This will clear the track so that the full grain cars in the siding at the Redwing Milling elevator can be pulled out to make up the outbound train and make room for the incoming empty cars. The Alco S2 is an Atlas model and although by modern standards poorly detailed it is a superb performer, and at normal viewing distances looks fine I think. [/url Peter M

The first train of the day to arrive at Benson is a grain extra hauled by another four axle U-Boat. This one is a U28B four axle road switcher belonging to the Illinois Central. Overall she is in good condition if a little dirty. In fact the locomotive is on loan to the I&W who are trying it out. If they find it suitable they may very well buy it, a decision not popular with all the crews as many prefer the smoother running of the Blomberg trucks fitted to most of their the General Motors geeps. Note: Both U boats are Athearn Blue Box models with added details. They are both well over twenty years old and still run quietly, smoothly and slowly. IC #5004 pulls her train of empty covered hoppers into the Flour mill head shunt track and uncouples the cars. Here the loco and train will be left while crew will take a break at a nearby diner. Peter M

It’s early morning and we find a Rock Island GE U33B #286 picking up a small train of pulpwood bulkhead flat cars from the east yard at Benson. She pulls the cars out of the siding and into the main loop, here she uncouples and runs round the train. Once on the point she sets off for the Rock main line and ultimately the Continental Can mill at Hodge in Louisiana. Here the pulp wood is used to make pulp for the paper making industry or used in the manufacture of particle board. In reality the Rock had 25 of these large 4 axle hoods and all were assigned to the Southern Division where they were a common sight in Dallas as well as the UP pool to North Platte. They were geared for 79mph, so not that suitable for branch line work. They also had a reputation for spreading the track due to their weight on only four axles. In 1977 13 of these locomotives were re-geared and became the control units for slugs. This down grading of high horsepower high geared locomotives to slow speed service reflected the deteriorating state of the Rock’s permanent way. Peter M

The AD&N CF2 then couples onto the outbound train from the fiddle yard and pulls it into the main loop, uncouples and runs round its train. It couples onto the front of the train and carries out a brake test then sets off out of town for the RI main line. We see the locomotive as it is caught in the late afternoon sun. I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

The loco propels the Rio Grande hopper to the long siding at the front of the layout that serves the Mutual Service elevator and Farmer’s Co-op elevator. Here it picks up an SF covered hopper and a loaded DRGW covered hopper. The DRGW car is then attached to the cars spotted on the far siding in the fiddle yard. It now re-spots the SF hopper at the Farmer’s Co-op and Rio Grande hopper at the Mutual Service elevator. I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

The loco now returns to the train that it originally arrived with and couples up, then pulls the cars out of the siding. It then pushes the cars into the pulp wood loading track and spots the LP&N bulkhead flat. The Rio Grande covered hopper is spotted temporarily on the fiddle yard track nearest the camera. The RI bulkhead flat is then spotted on the pulp wood loading track. I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

The CF7 picks up a GM&O, and an IC loaded pulp wood car and a Rio Grande covered hopper loaded with soda ash. These are then spotted on the back fiddle yard road. The little powder loading device is made from odds and ends in my spares box and is a generic model rather than being based on an actual prototype. It is a useful model as it provides more traffic but takes up little space. I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

The incoming train is hauled by an Ashley Drew & Northern CF7 #1513, re-built by the Santa Fe from elderly F7’s in the early 1970’s. The locomotive is a regular visitor as it is on trial prior to a possible future purchase, a wonderful thing the imagination. The model is an Athearn Ready to Roll model which comes fairly well detailed, if a little delicate. Of course it is more expensive than the old blue box models, but then you don‘t have to buy the extra details to add yourself. The AD&N CF7’s train consists of an empty Rock Island bulkhead flat car, an empty Rio Grande covered hopper and an empty Longview Portland & Northern bulkhead flat car. I have glued some fine sawdust onto the decks on the bulkhead flats to represent the bark and other wood debris seen on these cars in real life. The train runs into the main loop in the west yard and leaves the train there. The head end power then runs round its train and heads to the pulp wood loading siding. I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

This next selection of pictures featuring the continuing operations at Benson starts with the Mopac SW 1500 leaving Benson main loop with a Norfolk & Southern box car and a UP caboose in the afternoon. As it passes the West yard’s yardmaster’s caboose it encounters an inbound freight waiting patiently for the road into the yard at Benson. I am in the throes of treating the concrete areas to thin random washes of dark grey as I think they are a little too bright. They look lighter in the photographs actually than they do in real life. (probably caused by the flash) I very much regret following a PC crash I no longer have these photos. Peter M

The siding at the back of Benson east yard has from left to right the following industries/structures. The Talbot Valley Farmer's Coop, R. E. Lee Farm supplies and nearest the grade crossing the Bantex Box co. The siding also acts as a head shunt when working loads in or out of Redwing elevator or Arkansas Feeds. It make for more complicated but interesting operation. This picture shows a TVRR Alco S2 #57 switching the track in front of the back siding, it looks as if this this siding is slightly higher than those in front. It is an optical illusion as all tracks are at the same level. I think the bank covered in vegetation helps create the illusion and make the scene look more interesting. In the three pictures above we can see the tracks are all on the same level. The locomotive an SW1500, seen switching these tracks is a detailed Athearn Blue Box model with a full cab interior. She is wearing a UP livery but lettered for Missouri Pacific, a colour scheme she had for a short while before joining the rest of the UP switcher fleet and lettered like all the rest. Peter M

Here is a very rough plan of Benson as it is today. The layout is 14 foot x 2 foot narrowing down to 18 inches at the right hand side. Peter M

Thanks for your kind words and interest Mal. I have some more pictures of Benson as it is now to post, when they are posted I will delve back in the past. I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of Colonel's Crossing in the form that it was exhibited in. However I have lots of pictures taken over some 15 years that show CC and Benson joined together in a U shaped switching layout. There was an article about the layout in the Continental Modeller in May 2013 with photographs and a track plan. Peter M

Daniel, You haven't missed the track plan because there isn't one. What I did do was take a series of Google earth type pictures which are at the beginning of this thread. Many years ago in the early 1990's I exhibited a switching layout called Colonels Crossing and after about fifty odd shows the layout was retired. When I moved to my current address CC was resurrected and joined to a small layout called Benson. It thus became a point to point switching layout. It was in a U shape with a duck under. As I have got older and less flexible the duck under became a problem so the CC part of the layout was dismantled, it being well over twenty years old, and the Benson part extended to become what it is now 14feet long. I will post some pictures of CC in due course. Peter M

Switching the yard now over the Alco now makes up its out bound train and sets off on the return journey to Rosston. Peter M

The cut of covered hoppers is then returned to the Redwing Milling siding but the empty RI hopper is taken out of the cut as it will be part of the out going train. Peter M

The Alco now collects the two cars from the main loop headshunt and returns the RI box car to the Talbot Valley farmer’s Co-op premises where it was being loaded with locally grown fruit. It picks up the empty Staley fertilizer car from R.E.Lee Farm supplies. Peter M

Peter M

Alco #57 then picks up the Cargil Tank car and the GM&O covered hopper that it left earlier. The covered hopper is then spotted at the Trisco Flour Mill, and the tank car of corn syrup at the Arkansas Feeds complex where the contents of the car will be used in the manufacture of animal feeds. Peter M

Alco #57 leaves the cars in the pulpwood loading siding and heads to the Farmers Co-op and R.E. Lee siding to pick up and remove the two cars spotted there. This will clear the siding thus making it into a headshunt to allow the removal of the covered hoppers spotted at the Redwing Milling elevator and the box car at Arkansas Feeds. The two cars are then spotted in the main loop headshunt out of the way. Peter M

Firstly I must apologise for the lack of photos at the start of this thread. I hope I now know how to post pictures. Now sorted I'm pleased to say. Secondly thank you Daniel for your interest. A selection of operation pictures to give some idea of what the layout is about. I have used some helicopter shots as I think they illustrate the locomotive and car movements more clearly. This time we feature a mid week afternoon freight powered by an ex Erie & Lackawanna Alco S2 #57, now lettered for the TVRR. She has come from Rosston, the fictitious headquarters of the Interstate & Western and Talbot Valley Railroads. The small train consists of only two cars, a Cargil tank car and a GM&O covered hopper. The Alco rolls into the main loop and then backs into the long pulp wood loading siding where it stops and uncouples from its two cars. Peter M

Thanks for the welcome Jordan, I've been lurking for some time and thought I might as well join in. Peter M

A view looking towards the fiddle yard end of the layout. A view looking towards the opposite end. The layout measures 14 foot by 2 foot narrowing down to eighteen inches wide at the fiddle yard end. Peter M

I don’t have a scanner so I can’t draw a plan but the following series of photographs should give an idea of were everything is in relation to each other. Benson West yard showing at the top of the picture three different industries served by the railroad. They are left to right, Talbot Valley Farmer’s Coop, R.E. Lee Farm Supplies, and the Bantex Box Company. The yardmaster’s grounded caboose can be seen at the bottom left. In the centre are the minimal engine servicing facilities, sand house, oil tank, and sanding tower. This is where the yard goat is usually spotted at night. At the bottom right is the KAP lumber garage and Smith’s general store next to the grade crossing. This picture shows the grade crossing next to the general store. In the centre is the yard office for King Midas Flour factory complex. The Y point (switch) serves the Flour Mill and leads back into the main West yard area. The Bantex Box Co can be seen to the left of the grade crossing at the top of the picture. The King Midas Redwing milling factory can be seen at the bottom of the picture and the Redwing Milling Elevator seen at the top. The spotted covered hoppers at the elevator give some idea of the length of the siding. This shows the grade crossing between the King Midas Flour Mill and the Medusa Cement plant’s unloading facility. The Arkansas Feed Company plant can be seen at top right, with the east yard yardmaster’s grounded caboose next door to the right. This view shows the east yard throat. The two sidings at the top of the picture are what I use as a fiddle yard. Each siding can hold two trains, usually a longish one and a short one. The UP geep is seen standing next to the yard master’s caboose. In the foreground can be seen the shed and loading dock used for loading bagged cement into box cars. This picture is taken a little to the right of the last one and shows the team track in the foreground. The middle track is a long siding leading to the Mutual Service elevator and the Farmer’s Coop Elevator. Next to that is the pulp wood loading track with the two tracks of the fiddle yard at the top of the picture. This view shows the Mutual service elevator, with the fiddle yard tracks at the top of the picture. I have tried to give an air of spaciousness as I didn’t want things to look as if everything was on top of each other. This is the end of the layout with the Mutual Service and Farmer’s Coop elevators in the foreground. The pulpwood siding in the middle of the picture also has a small loading maroon coloured elevator at the right hand side. A useful device for providing extra traffic. Again the spotted cars give an idea of the siding lengths. Please note as from the end of November 2018 due to a limit set on the number of photographs I can down load for free I am going to have to delete about 172 photos from this thread. Hopefully I will try to delete the least interesting ones and hope you enjoy the remainder. Peter M