OPERATIONS MEETs
Once a year the PV&A holds an Operations Meet, an "ops meet" for short. It's a weekend of railroading with a purpose: every train has a job, and the crews work together to get freight cars where they need to go. It's set up as a learning weekend, so no experience is needed, and you don't need to own or bring a train.
WHAT IS AN OPS MEET?
On a normal run day we mostly run laps and give rides. At an ops meet, we run the railroad the way a real one works. Trains pick up freight cars and deliver them to the industries along our line: about 30 industry sites around the railroad, plus temporary spurs at Rabbit Flat.
Each train gets a small crew and a short train of three to five cars. Simple paperwork, like a switch list or car cards and waybills, says which cars go where. The crew then works out the moves: which switches to throw, which cars to cut out, and how to leave everything in the right spot. It's part railroading and part puzzle, and it's a lot of fun with friends.
CREW JOBS
Each train has a crew of two to four people. Pick a job, or try them all; crews swap jobs during the day.
| Engineer | Conductor | Brakeman | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs the locomotive: throttle and brakes, smooth starts and stops, and spotting cars right where the conductor wants them. | The boss of the train. Reads the paperwork, plans the moves, and decides which cars to pick up and set out at each stop. | The hands-on job. Throws switches, couples and uncouples cars, and keeps watch, signaling the engineer during moves. |
HOW THE WEEKEND RUNS
Everything starts at the Station House. At the first meet, the weekend went like this:
| Saturday, 9:00 AM | Introduction and training. How the meet works, the paperwork, and each crew job. Total beginners are welcome. |
| Saturday, ~10:00 AM | Operations begin. Crews take their trains out on the line. |
| Saturday, 5:00 PM | Wrap-up for the day. |
| Sunday, 10 M–5 PM | Operations continue. Come one day or both. |
Who RUNS IT
Ed Sarber leads Saturday's introduction and training at the Station House.
The first Operations Meet was directed by Ed Sarber, who planned the industries, the paperwork, the trains, and the training. The club is grateful for the work he put in to make the weekend happen.
THE FIRST OPERATIONS MEET · OCTOBER 24–25, 2026
The PV&A's first annual Operations Meet began with training at the Station House on Saturday morning, then crews took their trains out on the line. A few scenes from the weekend:
QUESTIONS?
New to the PV&A? Start with the FAQ or Membership, or contact us.