Operating Sessions on Harley Smith's Layout

Here's some photos from some operating sessions at Harley Smith's house. Harley's basement contains his Ohio Northern layout, easily one of the largest home layouts I've ever visited and the largest that I've had the privilege of operating on. Here's a map of the layout.

January 20, 2001 session

• Don Murphy's PRR I1 bangs across the diamonds at DSD Tower.
• Frank Louder's B&O GP35 works the industries at DSD Yard.
• An A-B-A set of PRR Erie Builts makes a light movement on the main at the bottom of the gauntlet in Terminal City.
• Russell Robinson's PRR FA cab units hit the DSD Tower diamonds at speed.
• Two trains pass each other between DSD Tower and White Lumber.
• The Erie-Builts lead a loaded stone train towards DSD Tower.
• And the train with the FA's is right behind it.
• At Stone Hill Yard, Al Bush (right) watches the action while Frank Louder (background left) switches cars.
• Rich Lewis' Nickel Plate Geeps drag a general freight past DSD Tower. The interchange tracks for the Stone Hill branch on the right, while part of DSD Yard is on the left.
• There go those Erie-Builts again across the diamonds...
• ..and they pass the Stone Hill switch job their way out of town.
• Our dispatcher, Brad White, confers with road engineer Rich Lewis.
• The PRR Erie-Builts roll down the long tangent through Terminal City.

November 17, 2001 session

We'll start out the session by following an Ohio Northern train, pulled by two SD7's, around the railroad.

• The train begins to pull out of DSD Yard, passing the massive Korner Industries complex...
• ...and passes the Stone Hill interchange at the other end of the yard.
• The train eases down the Gauntlet towards Terminal City.
• Banging across the Valley Line diamonds at Valley Crossing.
• Through Midpoint Yard, the train works upgrade and passes the grain elevator.
• Nearing Midpoint station, it passes the interchange to Iron Hill, where cut trees are shipped out of.
• The train hardly gets a cursory glance as it rolls through DSD Yard again.
• A look at the DSD intermodal facility.
• The ON dispatcher's board.

As more people arrive and start running trains, the action on the railroad begins to heat up.

• John Groters' custom-painted Dash 8s lead a train down the hill at Lower Midpoint.
• John Webster's 0-6-0 switcher works some cars at Hillside Junction yard.
• Fred Lotte's set of Santa Fe FT's approach Upper Midpoint interlocking with a hopper train.
• The GCR (Groters' Custom Railroad) Dash 8s rolls past the Industrial Park...
• ...and are seen again at the passenger station in Terminal City.
• The Santa Fe FT's rumble through the yard at Hillside Junction...
• ...and pass HJX Tower.
• Rich Lewis' Nickel Plate Geeps pass the engine facility at Terminal City.
• Dale Desser's B&LE F units wait for a signal at DSD interlocking.
• The Nickel Plate Geeps pass the Industrial Park.
• Action-packed at Terminal City: three trains at once!
• At the top of the Gauntlet, the hopper train with the FTs passes the coal mine...
• ...and later rolls through Stone Hill Yard.
• Mike Murphy's PRR Geeps at Midpoint Yard.
• B&LE and NKP trains meet at the top of the Gauntlet.
• A brass ATSF steam loco owned by Fred Lotte blasts out of a tunnel and approaches Valley Crossing.
• The same train crests the top of the Gauntlet with the coal mine in the background.
• The Santa Fe FTs pass the mill at Upper Midpoint interlocking...
• ... and with Valley City in the foreground, they roll down the hill approching Lower Midpoint.
• A look at Valley Scrap and Iron Company, located next to the ON main line at Valley Crossing.

Photo Essay: Valley Line Stone

Harley's layout has a facinating branch which is the source of the stone traffic that operates on the railroad. Known as the Valley Line, it leaves the Ohio Northern main at Hillside Junction Yard, crosses the main again at Valley Crossing, and makes its way to Valley City, where a large stone loader is located. Empties are pushed up the branch by the Hillside Junction yard crew, and the yard crew at Valley City is responsible for picking up the hoppers and loading them with stone. The following photos demonstrate the process:

• The enginehouse at sleepy Valley City.
• The Valley City stone loader.
• Mike Murphy demonstrates how to load stone.
• John Webster's Shay pulls a cut of stone cars down the Valley Line and across the ON main line at Valley Crossing.
• The Shay arrives with the stone cars at Hillside Junction Yard.