I closed out the year hosting an operating session on the HO scale B&O Wheeling Freight Terminal. Crews worked hard to move the inbound freight to awaiting customers and pull the outbound cars.
Mark Wallace and Steve Wysowski worked as the freight house crew. Here they are spotting the track one inbound cars in the proper order for unloading. This was Mark’s first time on the railroad.
Charles Kadyk and I worked as the team yard crew. Charles is caught here just before he pulls the throttle to shove a string of outbound cars back to the main yard. The team yard is to the right.
Many of the tracks have specific locations for freight cars. These sure spots reflect prototype practices and add a layer of complexity to the work. Not all tracks are filled to capacity, so crews can use empty space to stow incoming cars and pull outbounds. Then the inbound string of cars can be spotted.
Paperwork is helpful in organizing the work. A simple blank table is printed out so a conductor can pencil in the cars in proper order before the string of freight cars are sorted. Another sheet offers tips on the work process. All uncoupling is done with wood skewers. Cabooses are used because the crew needs a place to ride from the main yard to the freight house or team yard. The layout has compressed the distance between the locations, but I remind operators that the weather could be nasty along this Ohio River location. Crews shouldn’t need to walk a long distance. It’s not a scene from The Bridge Over The River Kwai.
The team yard is full of an assortment of freight cars. Space is left open between strings of cars in order for wagons and trucks to access the area. A prototype team yard is paved but scenery is not a goal of the Wheeling Freight Terminal project.
In this photo, all the outbound cars are in the yard and a crew is jockeying around a string to start sorting cars by destination. There are five ways out of Wheeling on the B&O, plus the clean out track. Each of these freight cars was assigned to a destination before the op session began by using a random number generator.
It was great to see the layout come alive again. Crews wrapped up their shifts just after 3:00 pm and headed home with their brains buzzing with spot locations and destinations. It’s not a large model railroad at 10×16 feet, but it does keep crews thinking.
2025 was a busy year for me and a few more updates are coming. It’s been a real joy to see the Wheeling Freight Terminal operate again, and I’ve been able to operate on several area model railroads. I learn something new each time I visit and/or operate on a layout. Here’s to a New Year with more trains built and painted, and more opportunities to operate on layouts.
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So, no yard crews whistling? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k4NEAIk3PU&
dave
No Dave. No whistling!!!! – Eric
This is a wonderful “switching layout”! Eric has created a delightful and fun activity . I look forward to operating again on this realistic railroad.
Thank you Steve! And thanks for participating in the operating sessions! – Eric
Eric:
Now that my layout’s scenery is complete, I’d like to start operation sessions. I have a few questions for you. First are you using two man engine teams Engineer/conductor? Secondly, are using car cards or switch lists and how do you generate your switch lists? Have you computerized it? How many people do you have at your sessions and how many trains do you run? Finally how did you recruit people to come to you sessions?
Thanks, Nevin
Hey Nevin! It’s been great to see you layout progress on your Facebook group. Here are a few answers. Yes, the layout uses a pair of two-person crews to do the work. One pair works the freight house while the other works the team yard. An engineer and a conductor work together as a crew. They are welcome to switch hats during the session, too.
I use a switch list that is compiled by the freight house clerks. Nothing in computerized on the layout, except for the DCC decoders in the locos. All waybills would go to the freight house for incoming cars. I covered this in a recent blog post. I use a random number generator to compile destinations for the outbound cars. The B&O had five ways out of Wheeling; Pittsburgh, Grafton, Kenova, Columbus, and Cleveland. I use a sixth destination for the clean out track.
The layout runs well with four people. As noted, there are a pair of two-person crews. I don’t have a tally of trains run as there are not through trains. It’s all about delivering inbound cars to specific tracks and spot locations, and pulling the outbound cars. The outbounds are typically sorted after lunch or at the end of a session.
The Philly area has several layouts with regular operating sessions. I had been operating on a few when a couple of layouts were dismantled and out of operation. I stepped up to fill the gap. In your area, check with local clubs and the NMRA division. I think Bob W with his Pennsylvania Southern may have a few suggestions, too.
I plan to host an operating session in conjunction with RPM Valley Forge in late March 2026. – Eric
Thank you, Eric, that was helpful. About how often are you having operation sessions?
I’ve been hosting about every other month now since the Spring of 2025. – Eric
Hi Eric, It is nice to see the fruits of your labor coming to life and others enjoying your vision of your railroad operating.
Happy New Year, Eric.
Once again you have provided an informative and entertaining posting. Am pleased the Wheeling Terminal is now operational.
Coincidentally, on Tuesday afternoon, a friend and I operated the first locos on a new HO scale switching layout inspired by the PRR’s one-time Whitehall Branch (Pittsburgh PA). We were pleasantly surprised that, except for an Atlas crossing, the three test locos were able to traverse all trackage absent any problem.
Jim Moore
Thank you for your comment, Jim! Great to hear the loco debuts were smooth on the Whitehall Branch. Solid track work and wiring are key elements to smooth operations and enjoyment. – Eric
Very nice Eric. It’s great to see all of your resin kits running. They look great.