Extra RBF1

Yes, a revenue train was made up in the new 6 track (for now) Rutland yard! It made a trip around the layout and stopped at the Rutland Depot for train orders before proceeding to Bellows Falls, VT. The engine is B&M 4-6-2 Pacific #3713 (being used as part of a mileage sharing agreement), CN #117719 a coal hopper, C&O #63827 also a coal hopper - both being returned to the Penn. coal fields to be loaded again, NY,NH&H #30565 a 40' boxcar headed to Boston with a load of newsprint for the Boston Globe and bringing up the rear is Rutland van #14! Sounds good, don't you think?

The yard is coming together. There will be a couple more tracks for inbound / outbound trains as well as some sidings for industries and a van track to clean and store vans (cabooses in Rutland terminology) for their next assignment. There is a great deal of wiring under the table that needs to be connected. I have found a new method of connecting the track leads to the track bus but need to make a Radio Shack run to find the connectors - no more soldering! - I hope!

The crossover connectors leading to the yard are working well. They are 4" pieces of track that bridge the gap between the the main layout and the drop leaf yard. I soldered pieces of # 12 gauge wire to one end of the track so it "snaps" into place on the yard side. It also conducts the necessary power to keep the trains running. Gerry, the proprietor of my favorite hobby store, had told me of the technique so I gave it a try. I could not be happier with the results.

There will be pictures of the layout soon