Operating Session on Dale Desser's Layout, 2/3/01

Here's some photos from an operating session at Dale Deser's house in Erie, Pa. Dale's basement is the home of the Erie Eastport & Eastern, based on the Pennsylvania Railroad. These are some pictures from a monthly operating session.

• A through freight navigates the puzzle switches at the west end of Brensdale Yard.
• Dennis and his son watch the action at Eastport.
• At the Russell Branch wye, a through freight rolls by as a coke train eases its way out onto the main line.
• A through freight coming out of staging rolls under the bridge.
• Two Alco RS1's work the coal dumper at Eastport.
• Meanwhile, back at Brensdale, a light engine set moves through the yard as the yard switcher crew looks on.
• Dryer Mine at Russell. A roof panel has been removed to show how the coal is stored in the mine building, where it is loaded into hopper cars.
• Led by a visiting Florida Southwestern Alco RSD15 "Alligator", a through train rolls past the sprawling Koheler Brewery and into Brensdale Yard
• An outgoing freight train passes the Eastport engine terminal.
• The freight with the FSW Alligator rumbles past Bridge Tower.
• Things are always hectic at the crowded but efficient Easport Yard.
• A short local train to Furnace Iron Works with a Baldwin AS616 locomotive awaits permission to depart Brensdale Yard.
• Our dispatcher, Mike Murphy, is a little bit camera-shy on this night.
• Ken makes an adjustment to the Dryer Mine structure at Russell.
• John watches his train as he eases it towards Russell Yard.
• The local train from Furnace returns to Brensdale with a few more cars than it left with.
• The Brensdale switcher picks up cars from the Eastern Steel plant for the nightly Slab Train to Furnace Iron Works.