Great Northwestern Railway

With the new buildout, the Code of Operating Rules and Operator's Handbook needed updating. This added the new operating areas, new trains, new track plans and so forth. My good friend and model railroader John Marlin had a gorgeous handbook for his layout in a 4.25"x11" format. His booklet inspired me to do the same for the GNW. This, by the way, is a very common format for prototype paperwork. The style allows a booklet to easily fit in a pocket while working or walking.  Biggest challenge was to get the new booklets printed out. He put together a nice video showing how he was able to print his out using free software available: https://youtu.be/WBREcTkKPzI   I think it turned out pretty nice! "The Handbook"   For simplicity, and for those who prefer a cook-book approach to learning, here are the steps:  1.         Set up pages within Microsoft Word: a.        4.25”x11” 2.     ...

 Mesa City has always been a favorite place for crews to work.  Off the main and plenty of switching, it attracts those who enjoy just working a local with some quality throttle time.  Since the expansion of the GNW, on-line industries have been lower priority as the focus was to get the layout running.  Well, now it is running, and I could turn my attention back to creating some industrial spaces. The geometry of Mesa City changed enough that the main did not really run through it anymore.  But... the main TOOK the real estate to go over it, thereby killing the former switching area.  However, the area where the former dispatcher's office was located is now reallocated for a new switching area: Mesa City East. Connecting to it was a bit of a challenge.  There is a set of shelves along the back wall that is more or less permanent.  I integrated the paint booth exhaust duct into the framework, so besides removing all that, I would have to a lot of ...