Freemo 2015

[Glorious NSE]

The initial electrical shutdowns were the command station thermal cutout, Neil did a quick redistribute of the power districts to even out the loads and we were okay from then on.

I'm really pleased that we seem to have cracked the expressnet reliability problems we saw at Exeter as well, we thought we probably had it sorted, but there was no way to really put it to a big enough test, so it was a worry for us before the event.

I think you're right Paul, everybody went with a great attitude and it really made the event work. Lots of new modules too.

Could it be better? I've a few things to take away for the planning side, I think there were things on the dispatching side that we can learn from for the future (quite a few were things that were for me to communicate info to the dispatching team and to crews more accurately, and for me to better understand what info each side of that equation needs) - but on the whole I agree - that was superb.


 

[Talltim]

With regards to dispatching, from the crew side it would be good to know what info the dispatchers actually need from us. Possibly a sheet on the clipboard with the correct protocol

[PaulRhB]

I think the learning things would happen with any new layout to an extent and couldn't be foreseen for this first really large and complex one. The fact we learnt what needed to be done this time and even tried some of it out, getting paperwork to the yard early etc meant Sunday was even better.

The train descriptions you'd put on all the folders and we had the print out of were superb once we realised how we could use them to manage the starts so we weren't creating a problem from the beginning for the Dispatch desk.

I think getting the dispatcher a simple list like we had on the TM desk would help too, just boxes to write train, number, crew then columns for acknowledge Request Block / Wait and Authority. Just to provide a aide memoir. It was much easier to track who had what where with Tom's sheet than moving them on the screen for me so I was updating the system using the sheet

I didn't actually drive a train at all, though I did crew one with Dan, as I was busy doing the TM or just watching and chatting. I did pootle round with a switcher Saturday but made sure I put stuff back where I found it.

 

 

 

 

I have to say I find this more fun than conventional exhibiting

[DanielB]

My thoughts on improvement for the next event - though purely from a "train crew" perspective as I've got zero idea of how the other roles are done.

 

Communications - the radios were poor. I'm wondering if we might want to introduce train orders which are completed and passed back to the dispatcher at the end of every move - i.e. the Dispatcher hands a train order to the crew to go from point A to point B, and to stop at point B for further instructions. Once the train gets there, the crew completes the train order and passes it back to the dispatcher to issue their next order to move from point B to point C.

 

Or simply get the "brakeman" out of each 2 man crew to head back to the dispatcher to relay messages face to face.

 

 

Next, I think we should take a look at the modules we all had at the event, and look to see what modules we didn't have. We should then concentrate on boosting the numbers of the modules we are short on.

 

Primarily, I feel that we needed a much larger second yard at Springfield past the intermodal yard. That would have reduced the strain on Dale and kept trains moving more easily, as we were encountering bottlenecks in trying to get trains into and out of Dale when there were no yard tracks available to move around cuts of cars and build up and break down consists!

 

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone involved for letting me turn up and help, and I'll definitely have a module available at the next one!

[PaulRhB]

Geoff and I were talking simple yards so he's thinking of extending Springfield anyway and I'm considering a 15x1 yard that would fit in the car with Sunnydale at the expense of either the jcn or 45° boards. I couldn't bring it all but it would give Martyn or whoever options.

[roundhouse]

I did get chance to run the Amtrak Acela under its newly fitted auxilary diesel power (no wires!).

 

It ran from Fort Myers to Armstrong which was virtually all the way around the perimeter of the hall so quite a run. The Acela has 6 cars plus driving cars each end so it was good to see that it didnt derail once nor on the way back when the power car was pushing. This was a good test of all the different modules and all the individual owners quality of construction.

 

It did give the dispatchers a bit of a headache as many of the passing points werent long enough for a freight to pass but they dealt with it well and with a small delay at one point I hope all the Amtrak passengers weren't too upset and certainly not as long a delay that some services on Amtrak such as The Empire Builder have been experiencing over the past year and a bit!

 

Thankyou dispatchers for letting me run this special as its the first time I have had chance to do so and dont knowwhen I will get chance again.

 

A few photos of the tour from Fort Myers to Armstrong.

 

Departure from Fort Myers

 

A brief stop at Collins. The loop here came in handy on the way back as it was long enough to pass a frieght put in it to let the Acela pass by.

 

 

Passing Jonesville non stop

 

Crossing Twin Rivers Junction

 

 

Trundling through Alpha

 

A quick stop at Rockwood station

 

Passing through West Elkhart

 

Nearly there - slowly passing through the town at Steyning Park

 

Final stop at Armstrong, right up to the stop block

[Northpoint]

The conversations were constructive

 

Overheard at one point:

 

Dispatch: "Proceed to Springfield"

 

Crew: "I can't - I'm already there!"

 

Seriously though - on a couple of the points raised, I think that as many people hadn't used radio comms before, as Tim said, they didn't necessarily know the protocol. A short briefing, either in writing beforehand, or verbally at the time, would have been good.

 

The venue has availability for the wekeend of 24/25 September 2016........

[Northpoint]

They certainly made their presence felt.

 

Talltim - I'm only in Bolsover if you need some help with working on your module.

 

I believe the chap who brought the modules called Sheldon and Cooper is over in Mansfield too.

 

The three of us should get together to work on some modules.

 

There is an embryonic Midlands group in place. The other chap (Martin Hogg) is a member.

 

All serious applications for membership considered...

 

Also, we seem to have quite a North/South divide. Come on you guys from the North, how about it?

[Glorious NSE]

Hiya Dan, glad you could make it and enjoyed yourself anyway, that's the main thing.

We did do many of those things differently on the Sunday, for crews that said they were struggling with the radio's we told them they could walk over and talk to the dispatcher directly, that I think made for better communication, the ones that were okay with the radio's kept using them I think?

I would agree about communicating procedure, I intended to do a "team talk" type thing before we started but effectively chickened out and just got things running, I think that may be a must in future even if it risks boring some. As a result of dropping that for instance I don't think some of the crews got the idea of talking to the dispatcher in terms of DTC blocks rather than in terms of their physical location. I also intended to measure the passing sidings in advance to let the dispatchers know, but didn't, which would have helped them a lot, so mea culpa again, I need to have a good chat with Peter about what info they absolutely need as well, as I think some may have distracted and confused rather than informed!

Dale only ended up over-full as something "broke" in the Ops program meaning it stopped pulling cars from the "staging" road (road #4) - by the end of the day there were a nominal 40+ cars just "in staging" sat at Dale, which is probably something over half the yard capacity not including any cars making connections - I did a rewrite on Saturday night which solved it, and by the time the four initial departures from Dale had happened it was down to something like 10 cars in the entire yard, much, much better. I'm not sure what caused that failure, it had been tested for the best part of a month beforehand without failing!

More yard space would have been nice, but I can only use what's built (and offered) - (not intended as a complaint!) - The other thing that  in retrospect would have been useful was a loco servicing area near Springfield, that would have cut down on a lot of "dead" mileage by light loco's that was also partly responsible for the initial queues to get out of the Dale area.

If local groups want to work out what modules they want to build then I'm happy with that, I don't really want to get into (as the organiser of the plan for something like this) asking folk to build us something specific though.

(Although if somebody built a return loop staging with a power plant, and another person a return loop staging with a coal flood loader, that would be really cool.)

[shortliner]

More pics  - nothing to do with me - I just copied the link across 

 

https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/ModelRailroading-1/2015-09-26-Armitage-freemo/

[Northpoint]

(Although if somebody built a return loop staging with a power plant, and another person a return loop staging with a coal flood loader, that would be really cool.)

 

Don't throw down challenges like that - you might just get what you wish for!!

[DanielB]

If I knew what the heck I was doing in terms of the benchwork construction, I'd certainly have a go at that return loop!

 

I'm considering doing a small ethenol plant if anyone is interested in fitting that one in somewhere?

[PaulRhB]

I agree with the extra yard and loco facility so that will be my next project

Only limit there is I will have to check what fits in the car as I even filled the passenger seat this weekend

Can't fit a flood loader in but I can provide a modern coal train

[Adrian Wintle]

I did get chance to run the Amtrak Acela under its newly fitted auxilary diesel power (no wires!).

 

You need a CN or VIATurbo (7-9 car consist) to go along with that...

 

It looks like you had fun.

 

Adrian

[DanielB]

A flood loader shouldn't be TOO hard to do - at the least all you need is a passing loop with a bit of space to fit in the loader building itself.

[Glorious NSE]

A flood loader shouldn't be TOO hard to do - at the least all you need is a passing loop with a bit of space to fit in the loader building itself.

The loader itself could be a relatively tiny two track module, using adjacent modules to define the length of train you could serve.

[DanielB]

My photos and a quick video from Saturday.

 

The setup, looking from White Rock Jnc. and Fort Meyers right across the hall.

 

Dale Yard before freight cars were added to the layout:

 

Dale Yard after freight cars were added!

 

Arrival/Departure tracks, along with the throat of the locomotive stabling facilities:

 

Locomotive depot:

 

The Roundhouse and entrance into Dale Yard:

 

#932 heading short hood forward into the stabling area:

 

#932 on shed at Dale Yard:

 

#932 ready to start the day:

[DanielB]

And video:

 

[Talltim]

(Although if somebody built a return loop staging with a power plant, and another person a return loop staging with a coal flood loader, that would be really cool.)

I'd considered a Mount Tim Power Station module, based on Mount Tom in Mass. Only cos of the name really!

[DanielB]

FREEMO Photos - round 2!

#932 leaving Dale past Jillsburgh Depot with a manifest freight bound for Springfield.


With the cars delivered to their destinations, #932 sits in a spur at Trident to let an intermodal train pass on the main.


Heading through the interchange at FX Tower back toward Jillsburgh.


Hitting the grade crossing, horn blaring, at Twin Rivers junction:






Crossing over the bridge at the depot throat in Jillsburgh:

 

[PaulRhB]

Couple more of one of the new Bronze Rail (ex CP) switchers at work at Sunnydale.

 

 

 

I really like this imposing spot and hoping to use a similar idea on my link span to my yard. Thanks to Andy for the ideas.

 

 

And finally two of the switchers working Dale Yard

 

 

[Mike Kieran]

I'd considered a Mount Tim Power Station module, based on Mount Tom in Mass. Only cos of the name really!

As long as you don't place it near a men's prison, you'll be ok.

[Talltim]

As long as you don't place it near a men's prison, you'll be ok.

That had occurred to me after I posted... I almost edited it to Mt Tim, but decided that wouldn't make much difference.

[DelawareAndHudson]

Been checking out the pics the past couple days.  I am impressed.  You all did a killer job.  Wish it wasn't across an ocean as I'd love to attend next year.

 

 

Also, whoever the owner/builder of FX Junction is, PLEASE start a thread on the build of this module.  Very curious to see what direction you go with scenery on it.  

 

 

I think I'm going to take a crack at some Fremo modules myself this winter.  Have a plan for a scale half mile of 'middle of nowhere' running built from a set of bifold closet doors.  From watching videos of large U.S. Fremo setups, I think many of them could benefit from the addition of 'less busy' stretches of mainline running to give some breathing room between between towns and switching locations.  I'll start a thread on the build when it gets underway.

 

Jason Cook

Boring old Indiana

[bxmoore]

Been checking out the pics the past couple days.  I am impressed.  You all did a killer job.  Wish it wasn't across an ocean as I'd love to attend next year.

 

 

Also, whoever the owner/builder of FX Junction is, PLEASE start a thread on the build of this module.  Very curious to see what direction you go with scenery on it.  

 

 

I think I'm going to take a crack at some Fremo modules myself this winter.  Have a plan for a scale half mile of 'middle of nowhere' running built from a set of bifold closet doors.  From watching videos of large U.S. Fremo setups, I think many of them could benefit from the addition of 'less busy' stretches of mainline running to give some breathing room between between towns and switching locations.  I'll start a thread on the build when it gets underway.

 

Jason Cook

Boring old Indiana

In respect of FX Junction, we built a similar junction (but with two chords) which we use at our monthly modular meet in Plymouth.  It's called Lipson Junction, and that's LJ Tower you see.  There's also a small depot:

Brian