The Turntable is operational and the Roundhouse is nearing completion.
Operations Council Meeting Summary
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026 Time: 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM Attendees: 14 members Chaired by: Bob
Financial Report
Kevin provided a financial update. Retired and written-off members have been removed from the roster; membership stands at 76.
Project Status
Rabbit Flat — Roundhouse — Mike
Finishing carpentry under way. Doors are slow to fit because the building is out of square; doors 1 and 2 are being prioritized so Kevin can lay the first track. Smokestacks are up.
Turntable connection (Bill / Kevin)
Bill is designing a connection from the turntable to the roundhouse. Goal: at least one track connected by October.
Rabbit Flat Yard / SWITCH Layout — Kevin
Yard leads are done and usable but need repeated re-leveling. Many yard switches and much of the track are now connected, and Bruce is ballasting. No one should use trains in the yard this weekend — unballasted track will derail equipment. Ed proposed screwing the yard-entry switch shut for the Tri-Club weekend.
Track Signals Update — Ed
The populated PCB boards arrived from China. Ed finished them at Train Mountain with John, the board designer, who also loaded the software; all four test boards worked as expected. Next, Ed will mount a board in its enclosure behind Marty’s faceplate. Field proof-of-concept starts in November (after the ops meet) at the diamond between the riding arena and the Lumber Camp bridge, with the bidirectional yard lead track at Rabbit Flat as the likely next site. Target: working signals by year-end for Ed’s PoC (Proof of Concept).
Speeder Repair — Bruce
Still in our shop (waiting for parts from RMI), with no ETA. Bruce is calling again after the meeting.
New Signs — Steve
All siding and spur signs are made; Steve may install some this weekend. Other signs are awaiting placement, which Bruce will handle.
Big Red Engine Status — Mike
Brief report from Bruce that the parking brake does not work, the piece that the lead end of the cable went through fell off the engine after the cable broke. No other news.
Operations Meet Planning — Ed
Heavy prep for the first-time ops meet. Ed has inventoried all on-site cars (PV&A-owned, member-owned by car type), is defining industries per car type, and is creating waybills for car movements. ~39 cars available today; target ~60 — Ed is soliciting additional cars from members.
Switches — Russ
Russ and Bill checked every switch. Two remain locked out as intended (screwed down and covered); one on a siding and one on a new crossover. Two wooden switches remain to have their ties replaced; the one in a yard still needs measuring.
October Operations Meet - Ed
Format is still open: switch lists vs. car cards and waybills (Ed is awaiting a reply from the creator of a software package). About 30 industry sites exist; temporary spurs at Rabbit Flat add roughly 5–7 more. Ed and Kevin agree Rabbit Flat already has enough spurs for the meet, so work there can slow down if needed to prepare for the November work week.
Kept intentionally small, as a learning session anyone can follow; no broad outside invitation. A few guests may come (Richard, possibly Walter).
Train count and length (3–5 cars) depend on how many locomotives take part. Crews need at least 2 people per train, ideally 3–4; members without engines can serve as conductors or brakemen. A sign-up sheet is coming.
Work Week — November 7–13 - Bob
A good number of members have signed up. The project is to replace worn wooden ties with plastic, starting at Crana’s Corner (the spillway) and working uphill. The plan is also to single-track the Bovine Tunnel (moving one track outside it), then continue past the Midway spur toward the Old High Bridge as far as time allows. The club is willing to leave the track down for a week or two in November.
Plenty of work for the volunteers besides tie work: food, refreshments, hauling ties, and fetching or making parts in the shop. Everyone is encouraged to come.
Detailed team(s) organization is being handled by the board (Bob and Ed).
Tri-Club Meet — Saturday, September 26 (Mike)
48–54 registered plus walk-ins; about 15 volunteers signed up. Ed is yardmaster for the first shift, with Ryan on the second. Sign-in opens at 10:30; Mike, Marty and Bob will collect waivers from earlier arrivals. Lunch will be served and shirts sold at the sign-in table. Campers arrive Friday and Saturday; teardown and signs come down Sunday.
The 10×10 canopy is to be brought down for the sign-in table before Saturday.
News, Safety & Policies
All of us should wear name tags — challenge anyone who is not wearing one (assuming they are not signed in).
All of us should be carrying radios, and should encourage guests with trains to borrow the donated radios.
Supervise children: pair wandering kids with their parents. The ballast pile is the only permitted play area.
No dogs out of vehicles — rat and mouse bait is in use, and they carry it all over the property.
Hosts are responsible for their guests on run days; don’t let them wander.
Coming events
| Date | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sat Sep 26 | Tri-Club Meet | Campers Fri & Sat; sign-in 10:30. |
| October 28 | Operations Meet | Ed organizing; small learning session. |
| Nov 7–13 | Work Week | Tie replacement from Crana’s Corner; lunches served. |
| Nov 28–29 | Run weekend | Weekend after Thanksgiving. |
| Jan 23–24, 2027 | Annual Meeting | — |
Open Questions
Where should Tom’s boxcar covers live, and who moves them back for the ops meet?
Will the railroad open Friday, Nov 27? That depends on host volunteers and permission.
Ops-meet paperwork: switch lists or car cards and waybills?
How long will the track be down in November, given the stated one-to-two-week tolerance?
Adjourned; board meeting followed.