Benson Arkansas

[Broadoak]

# 145 stops with its last car opposite the yardmaster’s grounded caboose, the  empty Rio Grande covered hopper is uncoupled and left on the inbound track.

 

 

Peter M

 

[Broadoak]

The switcher continues into the west yard and stops in the loop before reversing back into the pulpwood loading track in the east yard. Here the cars are uncoupled and left to be loaded by truck loads of pulpwood later.
#145 returns to the inbound track and couples up to the empty Rio Grande covered hopper. She then trundles down to east yard and couples up to the cars standing in the Mutual Service siding.

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

The cars in the Mutual Service siding are pulled out to allow the empty Rio Grande car to be spotted at the Mutual Service elevator so that it can be filled with a load of Soya beans. Having collected the UP covered hopper it is re-spotted in the siding where it is waiting to be loaded with wheat at the Farmers Co-op at the end of the siding.

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

#145 then heads to the west yard and the Medusa Cement Co’s unloading facility. Here she pulls out a cut of cars including a Frisco box car loaded with cement in bags on pallets. These are easier to handle and more convenient for the customers at Hope the cars destination. The Frisco box is propelled to the inbound track and coupled to the Rock covered hopper to make up part of the out bound train.

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

Having spotted the Frisco box car, the cut from the Medusa Cement Co are returned to the unloading facility there.
#145 then rolls down to the head shunt of the Trisco Flour Mill to collect another Rock Island covered hopper, this one having been loaded with flour. She couples to the CNW hopper and the RI hopper in the siding and pulls them out. She then propels the RI hopper to the main loop and leaves it there.

 

 

 

Peter M

[JAMO]

I like to follow your operating stories!

Edited February 28, 2019 by JAMO

[Broadoak]

Thanks for your interest Jacky, I think it adds a certain something when operating and makes it seem more realistic.

 

With the RI hopper left in the loop the switcher returns the CNW covered hopper to the loading point at Trisco Flour.
She then backs down the head shunt and goes forward to collect the RI hopper in the loop. Having coupled up she heads for the inbound road to collect the Frisco box and the other RI hopper.

 

 

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

#145 pulls the cut of cars into the loop and uncouples so she can run round the cars. She then backs down and couples up to the cut and does a brake test. When the crew are happy that all is well they leave Benson and set off for Hope.

 

 

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

It is some time since I posted photographs of an operating session at Benson so I thought it’s about time I did one. This session features the Rock Island and two of their locomotives, a U33B and an NW2 end cab switcher.
We start with the U33B arriving at Benson early one morning with a mixed freight, these locos were the largest and most powerful four axle road switchers on the Rock. They were in fact used mainly in the UP pool at north Platte, however some were later re-geared and became control units for slugs.
#286 spots her cut of cars in the long loop and uncouples, then runs to the house track where the crew walk down to the yard masters caboose and take a coffee break and get their train orders.
The NW2 which some how has managed to miss a trip to the paint shop leaves the flour mill headshunt and heads into the yard to spot the incoming cars.

 

 

Peter M

 

Edited July 15, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

 

Peter M

 

[Broadoak]

The end cab switcher runs out to the back end of the cut of cars and couples up. It then pulls the cars that have been uncoupled at the fuel tank car and pulls the cars into the incoming track in east yard. The U boat  pulls out of the house track as this is were the full fuel car will be spotted and parks in the flour mill head shunt out of the way.

 

 

 

Peter M

Edited July 15, 2019 by Broadoak

[Broadoak]

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

The NW2 can now spot the tank car at the loco servicing facility. The ATSF and the Rock Island covered hoppers are pushed into the back siding in the west yard. Here an empty tank car is coupled up to the two hoppers and lifted out. The two hoppers are then coupled to the empty ACR and Railbox box cars  and spotted at R E Lee Farm supplies for loading with seed and feed.
The Rock and ATSF hoppers are pushed into the Mutual Service track for loading.

 

 

 

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

Peter M

 

[Broadoak]

The empty Hubinger tank car is backed into the pulp wood loading siding in the east yard and coupled up to a cut of loaded pulp wood cars. The whole rake is then pulled into the main loop in the west yard and spotted. With the crew of the U boat suitably refreshed they back out of the flour mill headshunt siding. They then make their way to the head end of the pulpwood cars and couple up. Having done a brake test the U boat and its train sets off for the Rock Island interchange and eventually the mill in Louisiana.

 

 

 

Peter M

 

[NickBrad]

Nice operations update, it's great to see people enjoying their layouts and not just focusing on new purchases or builds, (although they are equally great to see).

[JAMO]

On 22/07/2019 at 21:42, NickBrad said:

Nice operations update, it's great to see people enjoying their layouts and not just focusing on new purchases or builds, (although they are equally great to see).

 

That's right! When a layout is built, its life begins

Edited August 1, 2019 by JAMO

[Broadoak]

I have photographed another operating session at Benson this time featuring a rather dirty SP SD 45 and a small train.  She is seen doing a little switching which makes a pleasant change for the crew from just doing road jobs. She stops at the yard master’s grounded caboose and the engineer collects his train orders. Having remounted the SD 45 he runs into the main loop in the west yard and stops.

Peter M

[Broadoak]

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

A Rock Island SW1500 is waiting to leave Benson with a few empty covered hoppers. She will then make her way to the RI main line.

Peter M

[Broadoak]

The SD45  backs the cut of pulp wood cars into the pulp wood loading siding in the east yard and uncouples the tank car from them. The tank car is then spotted in the east yard on a siding giving access for trucks to unload the contents and deliver to local customers.
The loco then heads off to the west yard to collect the cars that will make up its outbound load.

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

Before it can collect the out bound loads the SD 45 has to clear two box cars being loaded in the Redwing Milling head shunt. These cars are pulled out and spotted in the main loop.

Peter M

[Broadoak]

With the head shunt clear the SD 45 can now pick up the RI and BN empty covered hoppers. The cars removed from the head shunt are picked up and pushed back into the siding so that loading them can continue.
#8803 spots the two covered hoppers in the shorter loop and runs round its train. Once at the front it couples up to the covered hoppers and backs into the house track to pick up an empty fuel oil car. Having done a brake test the loco leaves the yard and heads out of town on its way to the SP main line.

 

 

Peter M

[Broadoak]

 

Peter M

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Peter,

Wonderful stuff!

I really like those big 200 ton Espee monsters, your's is in a fair approximation of typical SP condition too. Nice to see it being used well.

Cheers,

John.