Public Run Day

Sunday I went over to help out on Public Run Day. Walt was there and several trains were being made up on the inch and a half line. Don and Stewart were getting their trains ready on the inch side so it was all falling into place. I talked with Walt and we seemed to have it all well in hand. Tom Prescott was there and had his train out. He told me he was parking his locos and was going to be conductor for someone else and it turned out after a few hours I was working as an conductor as well. After the first few hours the standing in the sun gets to be old. The temperature was 84 in the shade and I had to keep hydrating. When I was told we were short of conductors, I volunteered and the chance to ride with the moving air was appreciated.

During the early runs 500 had the compressor car come off the track. The car has a seat bolted in the wrong place so if an adult and child sit in the car with the adult behind, the car can derail as the second seat is back up against the compressor. This puts the weight on top of the rear truck and if the rider leans back it raises the front coupler and the car derails. IT tore up a few feet of track as well so they did a crossover back by Wellington so the trains did not use the Welling Tunnel and pass the damaged track. It made the trip 1/2 as long so they went around twice for the riders until the track was repaired and opened again.

My first time around as conductor someone apparently operated the turnout on the roundhouse lead as the conductor's car came off the track just past where bad track section was repaired. Tommy and Bob Bump were working on the damaged section replacing ties etc. and they do an excellent job. It seems that someone just pushed a remote button while our train was just about clear of the turnout but not quite. After Bill got the car back on the rails we were adventure-free for the rest of the afternoon.

About 3:30 Tommy came up to the station and asked if I wanted a break. I readily agreed and went over to the concessions area and got some lunch. Jack made me a mushroom and swiss burger with fried onions which was really great. When I went back to the station area the inch and a half was done with rides so I got my stuff and headed down to the lower lot area. I noticed that there were still quite a few folks in riding line so I got my camera out and started to take pictures and movies of the groups on the inch line. I spent about an hour with the visuals and then said my goodbys and headed home.

When I got home I showed my pictures and movies to Cindy and Michael and then felt quite tired as it was a full day. I wrote up some of Saturday on the Blog and then it was time to start cooking dinner.