BDR Operations Report 31 August 2023

 Yep, some of us met for the last night of August 2023 on the BDR

Geoff, Train Control & the winner of the Johnny Award :-P   for the night

Steve, having an easy time at Border Downs

with all the work handled by Ray, Reg, Ron & Tony

A few niggles in the operations such as couplings coming apart/not centering so re-coupling is a tad hard; derailments for reasons unknown but the problem with new 900's entering Yumali & coming off at the entry turnout ex Riverbend - yep..  Ray thinks he found the problem - styrene strip in the guard rail making the clearance too small !
It appeared to me to be a relatively easy Monday PM session to the extent that Tony thought he was due for a gold star or two as he finished trains early but No, no gold stars issued !

The Johnny Award was issued due to setting turnouts incorrectly nearly causing a huge cornfield meet in sleepy Border Downs ( see photo above).

Ray got confused with car cards/rolling stock on the Overland.
A small train didn't like the climb to Donald - needed the big hand from sky to add weight to the loco - of course having a big grade on a curve doesn't help.
KiKi saw traffic for the first time for a few days - Ray enjoyed blocking the main line :-P

I am not sure but I think I heard at least once during the session, a comment "I am extremely efficient" ...  let you guess who said that !

Now before I add the rest of the gunzel snapshots, the crew for the next TWO sessions
Sept 14:
Ray, Ron, Steve, Tony, Craig & Geoff

Sept 28:
Ray, Ron, Steve, Tony, Reg & Geoff

let's see what the gunzel brought to the event

514 South East goods rolls thru Coonara

515 shunter at Border Downs

                   590 grain in the loop at Coonara

835 Overland at Coonara                  

Overland after loco swap at the Downs

             BL31 just arrived the Downs on 669
    

A cross at Coonara                          

            Jacarandas in full bloom at Coonara

Out in the country side

Stockyard at Donald                       

That's that but before I go - two things
1.  Sept 14:
Ray, Ron, Steve, Tony, Craig & Geoff

2. Missing facts/stories
It may pay for people to TXT me 0413 565 577 by the end on the de-brief,  for any unusual comments that are made during the session that I may have heard but forgotten - I maybe a very good train driver but the memory is not 110% :-P

Sol