SANTA CLARA TOWER OPERATIONS

As I prepared to host the second edition of our regional model railroad operating event, Western Oregon OPerationS (WOOPS), one of my tasks was the preparation and update of guides for the various operating positions on my railroad.  A critical position, performed by one of my regular crew, is the Santa Clara Tower Operator.  This position controls the complex switch-work between the Eugene depot and classification yard and the reverse loop arrival-departure yard.  The operator position also manages departures and arrivals for the RR-East end of the modeled railroad.  This operating position has seen considerable development over the past year.  The rest of this document presents my thinking on the current operating position.

The Santa Clara Tower Operator (SCTwr) has responsibility for the Eugene Arrival-Departure Yard and the track throat complex leading into it. This includes oversight of the Eugene Engine Terminal and other tracks in the area such as the Oregon Electric Interchange and the Halsey Branch.  Several of these areas are under development yet, so expect this job to develop as well. On occasion, a hostler job will be called.  As that title implies, this job should deal with locomotive hostling.  It also serves as a general-purpose switch crew for the Arrival-Departure Yard.

Eugene Arrival-Departure yard staged for the start of an operating session.  Clockwise traffic is the rule in this set of reverse loops.

On the left, the yard switcher sits on the "PFE Track" awaiting duty. Beyond it are the five tracks of the diesel engine facility.  The left-most of these tracks (D-5) has a single locomotive on it.  This is the Sand House Track where the modern era sand house will be located and receive sand in covered hoppers.  The next track (D-4) is the Stores Track.  The company stores warehouse will be located at the far end of this track.  The space in front of that can be used for temporary locomotive storage.  The next three tracks (D-3, D-2, and D-1, left to right) are the main diesel facility.  Eventually the tall overhead sand towers and conveyor system for sand will be located here.  These are the primary locomotive service tracks.

Arrayed from inner-most (AD-12) through outermost (AD-1) and the Halsey Branch outside of that against the wall are the departure-side tracks of the yard.  AD-12 has a block of cars for local classification on it with a BN center-beam bulkhead flat car leading.  Next is AD-11 with a 25-car block ready to become an Oakland train.  AD-10 has a Los Angeles train made up on it.  AD-9 has a Roseville train ready to depart.  AD-8 has an Ogden (or Klamath Falls) train ready to depart.  AD-7 has another Los Angeles train ready to depart. This one will leave before the train on AD-10, clearing this track.  AD-6 has been designated for RR-Westbound classification, but has no cars on it. AD-5, the first of the "Portland" tracks, has a Roseville train on it with an early departure planned. This illustrates the dynamic use of these tracks.  AD-4 and AD-3 are empty.  AD-2 has a TOFC train on it, likely a BRLAT.  AD-1 is empty, awaiting AMTRAK (habitual use).  Finally, empty wood chip gondolas occupy the track against the wall, the Halsey Branch.

The primary task for the Santa Clara Tower job is launching RR-West trains onto the modeled railroad and receiving RR-East traffic.  The train line-up should be consulted regularly to determine the order of departures and to anticipate arrivals.

The twelve reverse loop tracks are arranged as an outer group of five and an inner group of seven tracks.  The five outer tracks (AD-1 through -5) represent the mainline to Portland and may also serve as arrival or departure tracks provided those tracks are cleared in time to receive "Portland" traffic.  Portland traffic includes passenger trains (AMTRAK in 1984) and trains with "BR--Brooklyn" (SP's Portland Yard) train symbols.

"Portland" Tracks (AD-1 through 5) and the Halsey Branch.  Empty wood chip godolas occupy the Halsey Branch.  AD-2 has a TOFC train on it, a BRLAT symbol. AD-5 has a soon-to-depart freight (pipe load and empty gondola).

The seven inner reverse loop tracks (AD-6 through -12) are the primary working tracks in the yard.  At least four of these tracks should be semi-permanently assigned for building RR-Westbound trains for Los Angeles, Oakland, Ogden and Roseville.  The usual procedure builds those trains to their specified length (25 cars for 1984 operations) and then add a caboose, moving the train toward the departure end of the loop tracks.  Additional cars for the same destination can then be added to the track behind the caboose avoiding coupling with the caboose on that prepared train.  The other three tracks may be used as needed, although one likely will routinely receive cars needing further classification for Eugene area locals (all of the locals on the modeled railroad).   Motive power should be assigned to prepared RR-West trains and the operating paperwork completed for their departure.

Departure end of the yard with power on Ogden (AD-8) and Roseville (AD-9) tracks ready to depart.

Blocks of cars for local freights should be exchanged with the classification yard, while blocks of cars for outbound destinations are received and switched into the appropriate tracks for those departures.

Arrival end of the reverse loop tracks.  Blocks of cars being built into new trains for Roseville (AD-9) and Ogden (AD-8) are shown.

Arriving trains should be received and broken up as time, tracks, and available switch crews permit.  Motive power and caboose should be removed from Eugene (EU-symbol) destination freights. Leave the power and caboose on Brooklyn trains.  Remove any block of cars inbound as local traffic and transfer those cars to the classification yard.  Consider assigning one of the seven inner tracks to receive lumber empties which generally will be found on the rear of arriving RR-Eastbounds.  

The remaining cars for an arriving RR-Eastbound will have Portland destination waybills.  A developing part of the SCTwr job involves a car clerk job wherein the waybills are cycled back to their RR-West destination.  This is a LOW priority task and is strictly dependent on the ability to handle that work. The alternative is to shove all of that traffic into one or two tracks awaiting subsequent car clerk work (flipping the waybills).

A special case arrival involves the WCEUE (West Colton to Eugene Empties) train symbol for 1984 operations.  This is a box car train.  It will become the CZLAT.  As such, it should be received on a "Portland" track (AD-1-5).  The empties (no waybill) on the rear should be pulled off and the caboose returned to the train.  With that action and subsequent waybill flipping, that train is ready to depart as the CZLAT.

WESTERN OREGON OPERATIONS - 2019

The second edition of Western Oregon OPerationS (WOOPS) was held June 13-15. This bi-annual event has joined other regional model railroad operating events around the country.  Our first WOOPS was held in 2017 with four layouts in operation over two days.  This year's event expanded to thirteen layouts operated over three days by an almost doubled crew of "Boomers"--visiting model railroaders.  

As with the first WOOPS, my SP Cascade Line was one of the featured layouts, hosting crews of fifteen Boomers plus five or six of my regular operators serving as mentors and filling key operating slots.  My operating sessions were Thursday and Saturday, leaving me a day in between to re-stage the railroad.  

I chose to create a "day shift" and a "night shift" for the two sessions with break points at 6 am and 6 pm.  Thursday's session then carried over onto Saturday, with several trains out on the line, "in-transit."  I also increased the local work a bit by calling the Eugene City Switcher for both sessions and ensuring three of the other locals had at least some work to do in their given session.  A returning Oakridge Turn began the Thursday session and its outbound counterpart went out to Oakridge later in that session.  This train was "caught" at Oakridge on Saturday and had plenty of work yet to do.

The following pictures from my two sessions tells much of the story--lots of action!  Yes, I did have a hiccup with Amtrak on Saturday--the lead unit failed.  That was solved prototypically by grabbing a spare helper set at Oakridge to replace the ailing locomotive.  That did cause a bit of a traffic snarl on "the Hill" up to Cascade Summit, but that was very prototypical.  

The 01-EURVY climbs up-grade over Salt Creek Trestle while the Oakridge Turn arrives in Westfir to switch the sawmill there on its way back to Eugene.  Bruce M, can't resist the photo opportunity while Bob W. reports to the Dispatcher with the Oakridge Turn.

Action in Eugene.  In the distance, Conductor Larry A. reports his departure from Eugene.  Jim R. works the RR-West end of the yard with Yardmaster Burr S. watching over.  Bruce N. is working a car cut at the RR-East end of the yard.  Closest to the camera is Ed S, working the Eugene City Switcher. This services Eugene industry spurs near the depot.

Brad T. and Mike M. confer as their 01-EUKFY rolls through Springfield.  The First Springfield job has arrived on the depot side of the mainline at Springfield and its crew is organizing their work.

A meet is underway at Cruzatte.  The RR-Westbound has taken the siding while the RR-Eastbound rolls downhill on the mainline, per standard practice.

On Saturday, the railroad was equally busy.  Scott B. watches his train depart Eugene on the main.  Yardmaster Mark S. watches as RR-West and -East Switchers, Tony T. and Joe G. confer.  Across the aisle, Tom L. can be seen in the distance conferring with his crewmate about their Springfield work.  They have just pulled in to the Springfield siding and will work aisle-side industry spurs there.  

Larry H. studies work for the Oakridge Turn while Brian F. rolls the 01-WCEUE out of town and starts up the Cascade "Hill."  Overhead, the 02-RVEUY enters Cascade Summit, ready to begin its descent toward Oakridge and then Eugene.

The 01-BROAT rolls past Montieth Rock, guided by Tom L. and Kurt S, as Larry H. snaps a railfan shot.  The Oakridge Turn was tapped to provide its power and crew as the regular helper sets had not been returned to Oakridge in time to assist this high priority train.

Meet at Wicopee.  A light helper set has pulled out of the house track and behind a RR-East (downhill) train as a RR-West (uphill) rolls by on the mainline.  <David Lange photo>

Amtrak No. 11 climbs uphill over Salt Creek Trestle.  The lead Amtrak unit failed at Oakridge and was replaced by the pair of helper locomotives available there.  <David Lange photo>

Regular crewmember Jim L. places his helper set on the point of a RR-East (downhill) train to get the helpers back down to Oakridge from Cascade Summit.  This often is the most efficient way to get the helpers back down the hill.

Regular crewmember Craig L. manages Crescent Lake staging, while Ron B. (seated) awaits 

his departure.

Boomer Dispatcher Seth N. works while regular crewmember John B. stands by to assist. 

<David Lange photo>

The Saturday crew is all smiles--a common facial expression for both days' operations. 

<David Lange photo>

Judging by the smiles, chatter and comments, my part of WOOPS was a success.  The same feelings were in evidence Saturday night at the banquet.  For my part, it was great fun showing off my railroad to peers--fellow model railroad operators and owners of operating layouts.

DOT...DOT...DOT...DONE!

The first Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1869--150 years ago.  Rails of the Union Pacific from the east and Central Pacific from the west were joined at Promontory, Utah with a grand celebration, witnessed nationwide via the telegraph (that dot...dot...dot reference in my title).  Recognizing the significance of that event, which joined California and the West Coast of the United States to the rest of the country, this year's Sesquicentennial called for yet another celebration on that site.

Among other official organizations working with the National Park Service were the Southern Pacific Historical and Technical Society and the Union Pacific Historical Society who held a joint convention in Ogden, May 9-11. Understanding well the historic significance, I eagerly participated in that convention.  A major feature of the convention was the bus trip out to Promontory on May 10.  Our convention filled 12 of the 81 buses that reached the site, as well as 1500 cars. The local Ogden TV news estimated the crowd at 20,000.  I figured it would be a mob scene.  I just wanted to be on site with one of the more recognized and organized elements of that crowd/mob.  

Reenactment of the historic image of pilots touching at Promontory Utah on May 10.

The National Park Service, Utah state and local law enforcement did a great job handling the large crowd getting to the site.  Sure, there were a couple of hiccups, notably the traffic back-up passing through the single check point which ensured all had the proper credentials to be on site for the occasion.  Otherwise, they should be proud of their work. 

The Promontory National Historic Site has been promoted to National Park status this year, per recently passed legislation.  On hand to mark the occasion and to unveil the official sign proclaiming Park status were the Utah Governor, Senators (including now-retired Senator Orin Hatch), the Secretaries of the Interior and Transportation, the President of the LDS Church, the President of the Union Pacific Railroad, and other dignitaries.  Think of that as just the modern version of the dignitaries on site in 1869.  The new sign unveiling, driving a Utah copper spike, and the usual speeches were the major features of the official program, followed by an historic reenactment of the 1869 event.  

A major feature of this year's celebration was formal recognition of the contribution to the railroad construction made by the estimated 12,000 Chinese laborers hired by the Central Pacific.  Secretary of Transportation Margret Chou made fitting recognition of that contribution.  

Secretary of Transportation Margret Chou delivering remarks during the official program.  A pair of jumbo screen helped the large crowd see activities at the event podium.

A traditional Chinese Lion Dance started the official program.

The official photo platform.

Photography by the crowd.

The National Park Service did a great job planning for the crowd. Limited seating was available. The site is quite austere.  The Park Servicer allowed a temporary food court and was well prepared for the aftermath of that.

One of the port-a-potty lines at the site.

As with getting the crowd up to the site on time, so also was the departure. State and local police and sheriffs did well moving the crowd out and back to "civilization."

Bus loading after the program.  There were a number of school groups present providing those youth with a great experience of living history.

Meanwhile, back in the Eccles Conference Center in Ogden, appropriate art greeted us.  Those balloons lasted throughout our event.

The SPH&TS+UPHS Convention provided a good program of presentations on the history of the joined railroad and railroading in Utah. The final banquet added the National Rail Historical Society and the National Rail and Locomotive Historical Society for 801 folk in attendance.  I am glad to say:  "I was there!"

TRAIN ORDER OPERATOR HOUSING

Continuing my development of the company "villages" located along the sidings of the Cascade Line, I turned to train order operator housing. During the era of Timetable and Train Order operations on the Cascade Line, the train order stations were continuously staffed.  Since those sidings were quite remote, the railroad needed to supply suitable housing for the three shifts of operators at each train order station.  

Once again, my efforts have been blessed by the kits produced by ALW Lines: http://alwlines.com/  Specifically, kits SP22 and SP23 provide train order operator house with either a left (22) or right (23) porch addition.  The porches were added just a few years after the original line construction in 1926.  The left porch variant serves Wicopee, while the right porches were used at Cascade Summit. I will use left porches at Cruzatte and right porches at McCredie Springs, as well.

Cascade Summit village begins with the train order station and operator houses.

The ALW Lines kits feature laser-cut pieces for walls, roofs and trim, and Tichy plastic castings for the windows and chimneys.  My kits came with laser-cut shingle sections for the roofs. Construction of these kits is relatively straight-forward, though I found it useful to modify the assembly sequence a bit.  I also encountered an "oops" moment that I will describe below.  As with most kits, it is important to read the directions. Even then, one's experience may suggest slightly different assembly order.

During assembly, I found it useful to put the peel and stick door trim onto the door backs before I mounted those assemblies into the walls.  Doing so facilitated a small amount of trimming I found I needed to adjust the door height to more easily fit the door jamb hole. This became very important with the side porch outside door, as the door back width needed to be sanded down to better fit the porch width.  

My "oops" moment occurred when I started to fit the roof sections onto the assembled structure core.  I discovered that I reversed the positions of the two internal roof supports. One of these supports has a different lower profile on the front to support the front porch roof.  The difference is subtle, but real. Fortunately, I was able to remove my original mounting with the aid of a razor saw and then remount after a general cleanup of the removed parts and the ceiling/attic base.  Since the attic would be closed up when the roof sections were attached, I created simple triangular braces to remount the roof supports perpendicular to the attic base.  

Roof Support installation mistake.  The supports for the house on the left are correct.  The ones on the right are reversed in position.  Note the subtly higher right side needed to support the porch roof--correctly located on the left.

Correcting a mistake.  The roof supports have been re-mounted in the correct locations.  Triangular braces cut from the corners of some the kit frets have been attached to help keep the roof suports vertical and perpendicular to the attic base.  

One other significant assembly order alteration was needed.  I installed the Tichy windows before attaching the roof sections.  The front porch roof seals in that porch.  There is a window inside this porch that needed to be installed before the porch roof.  

To help indicate this housing is occupied and in use, I added simple roll shades to the windows of the core building.  I simply added small bits of paper to the inside of the windows with some height variation.  Canopy glue is a very useful adhesive!  During initial assembly I added basic interior walls to prevent a see-through effect. These two additions help bring the houses alive.

Two of the operator houses at Cascade Summit.  The house on the left has a window blind pulled all the way down. The night shift operator needs his sleep!

I used a craft paint antiquing acrylic to add mortar detail to the chimneys. I brushed the acrylic onto the chimneys and immediately wiped most of it off using a damp paper towel.  This left most of the mortar lines defined with a contrasting color (beige against dull brick red).

Cruzatte station village begun.

With two station sets of operator houses built, my company villages are beginning to take shape.  Indeed, I will use these structures to lay out the villages, adding terrain definition and foundations based on these completed structures.

THIRTY-FIFTH FULL OPERATING SESSION

Following my usual schedule of First Saturday operations, I just held my thirty-fifth full operating session.  In contrast to sessions earlier this year, this one had a light turnout, though just enough for all needed positions to be manned.  Operating session attendance ebbs and flows with no particular pattern that I can discern.  This session had quite a number of my regular operators down with various medical maladies--the impact of late winter bugs, I guess.

In spite of, or perhaps because of the smaller crew, this became a very successful session in spite of a derailment event toward the end of the session, recorded below.  With a low crew count, all but one local freights were run with single man "crews."  This may have been a contributor to the easy-flowing successful session.  There were less folk in the aisles and less distractions.  

In spite of the low crew count, we still doubled up on the Dispatching job, as Vic N. gains experience with the Direct Traffic Control system used on my railroad.  Vic dealt with the "valley" portion of my railroad between Eugene and Oakridge. Early on, he had heavy traffic with a couple of through road freights and the Oakridge Turn returning to Eugene via switching at Westfir.  This lead to a three-train meet at Springfield.

Vic N. and John B. work the Dispatcher's desk.  (David Lange photo)

Later on, more meets took place at Springfield, this time with one of the Springfield local freights in town.

Brigg F. and Craig L. work the First Springfield job (depot side of the mainline) while Jereon G. and Bill M. (just beyond the backdrop edge) guide their through freights through a meet at Springfield.

The Eugene Yard crew works, including the Eugene City Switcher, which serves the industries near the depot.

Meanwhile, other parts of the railroad saw plenty of action.  Included in that was a pair of private cars tacked onto the rear of Amtrak Number 14, the northbound Coast Starlight.  Salt Creek Trestle is a popular photo spot on my railroad.  

Amtrak Number 14 crosses Salt Creek Trestle with a pair of private cars tacked onto its rear.

Later on, an OAEUY (Oakland to Eugene manifest) crosses Salt Creek Trestle. Yes, the photographers were out and about!

Bill M. guides his train past Westfir and through the S-Curve into the Natron Block.  I continue to enjoy trains snaking through that S-Curve.

Craig P. held the Assistant Chief Dispatcher job for this session and did a very good job.  He successfully got crews assigned (crew caller part of his job) and got the traffic moved over the railroad, completing all trains on the twelve-hour line-up prepared for this session.

Rodger C. and Jim L. successfully got their train into Cascade Summit.

Toward the end of the session we had an operating event that nearly stalled the rest of the session.  A slight hiccup on the head-end power on a train climbing into Cascade Summit resulted in too much force applied by the mid-train helper, resulting in a derailment inside the Summit Tunnel.  This drew a crowd.  Accidents always do--grin.  Expecting such an occurrence (a derailment inside a tunnel), my fully-lined tunnels have removable side walls on the room wall side of the tunnels.  This still required me to reach up under the layout to remove the panels and then remove the offending cars.  This took a fair bit of bending and reaching on my part, but I eventually cleared the derailment.  Meanwhile, whenever I popped out from under the layout, I could see most of the operating crew nearby, "supervising" the activity.

I am bending to get in under the Summit Tunnel to clear the derailment inside the tunnel.  The rear half of the train has been reassembled to the right of the tunnel on the upper line, while the train crew watches from the platform.  (David Lange photo.)

A crowd has been drawn to the scene of the accident, but they grew bored and began watching activity still underway at Oakridge (lower level, left). (John Brock photo.)

The crowd of on-lookers could not resist the photo opportunity.  (David Lange photo.)

Eventually I pulled out the last car wedged into the tunnel.  (David Lange photo.)

Although one hopes not to have derailments in tunnels, the reality is that they will occur.  This was the first serious derailment inside a tunnel for my railroad and the first time I needed to remove a tunnel liner wall.  Nonetheless, I am happy I was able to clear the problem after fifteen minutes or so, albeit with a bit of contortion on my part.

TRAIN ORDER OFFICES

The primary means of train control (dispatching) I plan to use on my SP Cascade Line will be Centralized Traffic Control (CTC)--once I install the required electronics and create a CTC panel.  CTC was installed on the climb up over the Cascades in 1955.  Prior to that, Timetable and Train Orders (TT&TO) ruled traffic movements.  I retain the objective to use TT&TO for at least some sessions at a future date. A physical reminder of TT&TO operation will be the Train Order Offices placed roughly every other siding up the hill.  Indeed, my selection of which siding/stations to model on my railroad featured T.O. Offices. In spite of building my railroad with the intent of using CTC for traffic control, I still have an active interest in the infrastructure that supported its predecessor (TT&TO), including the Train Order Offices.

Cascade Line modelers are blessed by a full set of company structure kits to represent the remote "villages" that supported Train Order stations.  A typical station had a Train Order Office, three houses for the shift Train Order operators, and housing for the track maintenance section gang and their foreman. Many of the T.O. Office stations also had a signal maintainer.  All of these structures plus miscellaneous support structures are available as kits from ALW Lines:

http://alwlines.com/  With such a rich resource available, I just "had to" model these villages, even though they were mostly gone by the 1960s.  Treat this one as modelers license.  

ALW Line kits serve to model Cascade Summit, Cruzatte and Wicopee.  I will need to model the McCredie Springs T.O. Office separately, as it followed a different plan.  The three offices I did model started the same when built for the SP in 1926, but a freight section was added to the Cascade Summit station soon after the line was opened.  Fortunately, ALW Lines can supply a structure kit for this extension as well.  

As with the tool sheds, I prepared for construction by priming the laser-cut wood pieces.  For the T.O. Offices, I found it convenient to apply the peel and stick trim pieces to the sides before painting and subsequent assembly.  I applied a coat of white primer to both sides of the structure pieces.  The interior surfaces were painted with an off-white paint, while the floor received a basic brown paint.  The exterior was painted with my dwindling supply of PolyScale PRR Buff-- a good match to SP's Colonial Yellow structure color.  

Cascade Summit Train Order Office sides painted "Colonial Yellow."

Once painted, I began assembling the walls, using the floor as a core.  I glued one or two sides to the assembly at a time, letting the joints set before moving on to another wall.  I held walls square with weights.  The final set of walls were held to in place with rubber bands.

Train Order Offices under construction.  Cascade Summit, on the right, has all wall sections in place, with the final sections held with rubber bands.

The original ALW Lines kits used laser-cut peel-and-stick shingles. Later production, exemplified by my Cascade Summit kit, feature laser-cut shingle roof panels.  These are much easier to install--certainly much faster. They also look quite good.  Kudos to Bruce Barney for improving upon an already good kit!  

Train Order Office roofing.  The "standard" office in the foreground uses the old peel-and-stick shingles.  The roof panels have guide lines etched on them to help locate the shingle rows. The Cascade Summit office in the background has the more recent full roof panel shingles.  One side has been applied with contact cement and the other side is upside down on the left, ready to be installed.  

As I completed each T.O. Office structure, I placed it on the layout where it will be planted.  Most sites will require additional footings or even a full set of walls below the station. This is particularly the case for Wicopee, which literally was hanging on the edge of the mountainside.

Wicopee Train Order Office on site.  I need to build support walls to raise the office to railhead height.

Cruzatte Train Order Office.  

Cascade Summit Train Order Office.  

Whether I leave the Train Order Offices in place on the railroad for more modern year operations is yet to be determined.  Meanwhile, I can prepare their sites on the railroad.  Even if I remove them, the T.O. Offices still leave footprints of where they once stood.

WINTERAIL 2019

The annual rail photography exposition known as Winterail was held at the Corvallis High School Performance Arts theater on Saturday, March 17.  This was the 41st edition of this late-winter classic, now held here in Oregon after decades in Stockton, California. Winterail spawned a number of similar events around the country, but it will forever be known as the first such exposition.

Without having the emphasis of a major anniversary year such as last year's celebration (https://espeecascades.blogspot.com/2018/03/winterail-2018-and-special-operating.html), I would rate this year's edition as "average."  It had highs and lows.  Fortunately, the highs were more than sufficient to keep one coming back.

Winterail began with a large railroadiana show in the morning.  Lots of books, photos and other materials were offered for sale.  This always has been an important part of the event.  My library and reference material collection grew over the years from items obtained during this part of the event.

Railroadiana sales held in the Corvallis High cafeteria.  Author Dave Houston is in the foreground selling his new book.

As noted, friend Dave Houston just had a new book published by Four Ways West Publications:  "Southern Pacific--1960s to 1990s, Volume One - Sacramento to Sparks, The Story Behind The Picture."  Dave's extensive captions describe much more of the tale illustrated by the pictures selected from his collection (most shot by him).  

Book Cover for Dave Houston's new book.

As with so much of Winterail for me and others, the event provided a focus for us to see and catch up with old friends from past railroad events and associations.  Indeed, I spent part of the late afternoon catching up more with Dave Houston.

Vic and Annie Neves introduce Winterail 2019 in the Corvallis High Auditorium.

The "main event" of Winterail is a series of photo shows set to music and narration.  Afternoon highlights included the lead-off show on Tehachapi by Scott Allen Sparks. That was followed by a twenty minute excerpt from a video produced this past year by Catenary Video Productions: "Southern Pacific's San Francisco Peninsula Route."  This video produced from movie footage of the mid 1950s features lots of late steam-era action in what had been my old "stomping grounds" from my (paid) working life.  A Cascade Line note on the Catenary Video Productions SP DVDs:  the first two volumes in this five-volume series feature the Southern Pacific Shasta Route.  The second volume concentrates on Oregon and the modern mainline climb over the Cascades.  I just replaced my VHS tape copies with the more useable DVD format.

SP San Francisco Peninsula Route DVD.

Other afternoon programs included a look at railroading in North Dakota, including the depths of winter, a "Missouri Scrapbook," and "Steam on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad."  The Oregon Coast Scenic program featured photography from a pair of steam excursions on the railroad, including extensive use of a photo drone. This is a developing art form, distinct from more conventional fixed photography.  This show, as with several others could benefit from editing--a reminder to all that "less is more."  Just because one has the photos or footage does not mean all should be shown. Keep the audience wanting more. Repetitive shots and angles get tired very quickly, no matter how beautiful the subject matter.  

The evening program (after the dinner break) led off with friends Charles and David Lange's look at "Three Generations of Railroad Photography," which featured their and Charles' father's railroad photography. The Lange's well-earned their evening lead-off spot with three distinct looks at rail photography.  A Jim Boyd photo tribute remembered Jim's work and impact on the railfan community.  Thank you to Mike Schafer and Craig Willett for putting this show together.  

The highlight of Winterail 2019 for me was Ted Benson and Tom Taylor's "Feather River Roots -- Discovering the Western Pacific, 1965--1970."  I have been a fan of Ted's work for some time and was quite familiar with a number of the photos used from their use in various publications.  Still, it was great to see these images again in the context of Ted and Tom's development as railroad photographers.  Yes, I want to see more!

A show on wintertime operations by the Union Pacific over the Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon completed the good to great shows for me.

Winterail remains a great rail photography event.  It is clear a new generation of photographers with access to wonderful new technology (digital cameras, video, photo-drones) is expanding the art.  Meanwhile, there remains a place for more classical presentations.  Winterail attempts to feature both.