SoCalOps

 I flew to Southern California last weekend to participate in SoCalOps. Way back in the mists of time I hosted op sessions for SoCalOps. It’s been a LONG time and I wanted to see the layouts. In fact I chose layouts I’ve never been to before. The funny thing is, I’ve known all of the layout owners for probably between 30 and 40 years. Al Daumann is the driving force behind SoCalOps, in fact when he first suggested the idea I told him I wanted NOTHING to do with the organization of the event, but that I would host as many sessions as I could over the long weekend.

My first layout was actually a bonus session on Thursday afternoon. It was an outdoor G-Scale layout and I must say it was excellent. I had a lot of fun.

My first selected layout was at Clark Bauman’s. I’ve known Clark at least 40 years. We used to live only a few blocks from each other and I regularly ran into him railfanning Burbank Jct. 

-BUT-

In all that time I’ve never been to his layout. Clark models the SP over several decades. He has a GREAT DEAL of operation in a small place, and he has embraced technology in a big, unique, way.

Every operator runs a switch job. Through trains, however, are run my a computer. These through trains, ranging from the Sugar Beets to the California Zephyer (Yes not an SP train but a favorite of Clark’s,), are all interlocked. That is if a local is occupying part of the main track that these automatic trains need, they slow to a stop until their signals are cleared. So there is a schedule of 15-17 of these automatic trains, that just run in order, while the sessions progresses.

I chose to switch the Burbank Branch because I grew up along it. Every industry on Clark’s rendering of the branch, was familiar to me, and brought back memories. Orowheat Bakery, for example. I grew up 100 feet from the bakery. My entire life, at least until I was 19,  was played out within sight, and sound, of the Orowheat Bakery and the SP’s Burbank Branch (Actually the Van Nuys Branch). When the branch was scrapped out I took the switch stand and mile post marker from the Burbank Branch. They are in my garage now.

Clarks model of the Burbank Branch has inspired me, and come hell or high water, this branch will be built somewhere in my basement.

My next layout belongs to Mike Osborne. Mike is #1 on UP’s LA seniority list with 45 years on the job. He currently works the Oxnard Local. I’ve known Mike since I was following the Burbank Switcher on my bike. Again I’ve never been to his layout. He models the SP at Gemco and Budweiser in Van Nuys.

Once again there is a LOT of railroading in a very tight place. There is basically two switching areas, not surprisingly Gemco and what Mike calls Bushco. And main line trains bring and take cars from these two areas. For SoCalOps no through trains where run, and at Gemco they might have been a real problem. Without them I used the main track to hold my pulls. If I had had to contend with through trains I’m not sure how well I’d have done.

Bushco uses an interesting system for their cars. The primary car type needed is an MTY Rbl for beer loading. The prototype Budweiser loads 48 RBLS every shift, 144 cars a day. Mikes model loads 15 cars a shift for 45 cars a session. Because of this MTY RBLS (Insulated boxcars) are routed back to Bushco from all over the layout. These cars are stock-piled all around Bushco, with no waybills. The switch job takes the first 15 MTY RBL boxcars he can find to spot at the three covered loading tracks. Only outbound cars get waybills. These are classified the switch job into blocks based on their destinations. All other inbound raw materials ARE billed and spotted as per waybills.

I like the idea of the MTY RBLboxcars being stockpiled. I did something similar at my Old Dominion Furniture, where inbound MTY boxcars got spotted on the storage track, and loading doors got a MTY boxcar from the loading track. Mike’s model of Budweiser gets far more cars however. I need to see how I can simulate that type of through-put at some on line industry.

It was great to get to connect with Mike Osborne, and I was very glad I got this layout during SoCalOps.

My final layout was Jeff Abbott’s SP Cascade Sub-Division. Jeff models in N-Scale. He was a very early visitor to my Atlantic Inland, I think about 2005. I then dropped by his layout, but he was in very early days. As time passed he and I corresponded, but never got together again. I really wanted to see what he accomplished.

It has been a LONG time since I’ve been to any N-Scale layout, and I audibly gasped when I saw how narrow the rails were. I think this was accentuated by operating a G-Scale layout, then Mike Osborne’s contemporary era layout. Those modern HO cars make my 1950’s era rolling stock look tiny.

Jeff’s game was primarily running long trains over the hill, stopping for mid train helpers to be inserted then removed. There was one large yard, Eugene that had a lot of switching, and two locals. I ran the Springfield switcher. I also ran a through train. 

I need to confess by noon at Jeff’s I was quite sick, I naturally caught something from the plane flight, so I accomplished my switch job and bailed out. 

Jeff’s traffic is controlled by CTC, crews communicate with FRS radios. Local switchers must get in the clear of through trains, and local switch jobs are given switch keys to take CTC switches into local control. Very clean, and efficient. I was not overly busy, but never bored.

Again I was very glad to have gotten the chance to see And operate on Jeff’s layout.

All in all SoCalOps was well worth my trip, but it’s been a week since leaving and I’m still suffering from this respiratory thing. I can do without that.

I know most of you travel for op sessions, but if you don’t I urge you to get out and see what modelers are doing around the country.