Along the LINENewsletter of the Lehigh & New England Railroad

Operating Session Planned for Spring 2010

We anticipate having another “Operating Session” this April to

celebrate the completion of major work on the east end of the

railroad. For those who have never attended a model railroad

Operating Session, it is a phenomenally enjoyable experience,

very similar to “working on the railroad.” Because it is— at an

Operating Session, there are positions for Dispatchers,

Yardmasters, Engineers and Conductors.

The railroad is “scheduled,” with a plan of trains to be operated,

which closely follows the operating plan of the prototype L&NE

during the mid-1950s. Each freight car on the railroad has a “car

card” and a waybill, so the freight cars you switch out and move

in trains all have a purpose and a destination, either on or off the

L&NE.

You begin the Operating Session by “signing up” for a job

(Dispatcher, Yardmaster, Engineer or Conductor), and you can

change to a new job during the session if you desire. Operating

Sessions typically last 4 hours, a 6:1 compression of a “real”

24-hour day. Just like prototype railroad operation, there will be

waits for “meets” on the line, set-offs and pick-ups enroute, plus

make-up and break-up of road trains in the various yards.

The L&NE is now 100% D.C.C. operation, utilizing the NCE DCC

system, with both plug-in and radio-control “throttles” available.

Operating Sessions are also an enjoyable time for socializing

and chatting up the latest news. Refreshments are available.

To be notified of upcoming Operating Sessions, get on the

“roster” by e-mailing Tom Nemeth at: railpace@ptd.net

ABOVE: The 1:45 p.m. L&NE Tadmore—Nazareth Drill, with RS2 653, passes the DL&W Nazareth-Bath roustabout with RS3 901, just west of Nazareth.

Progress as of January 12, 2010

L&NE Work Sessions during 2009 saw much progress on the

east end of the railroad. Pen Argyl yard trackwork and switches

were completed, providing access to all yard tracks and engine

facility tracks. Yet to be completed and made operational is the

turntable and turntable radial tracks.

Work is now underway to get all Maybrook Yard trackage and

handbuilt switches completed by this Spring, which will finish

major work on the East end of the railroad.

Attention will then turn to the west end of the railroad, which

includes wiring and activating switches in Arlington Yard,

Coaldale, Tamaqua Colliery, Hauto Yard, Palmerton, Andreas,

and the Reading’s Tamaqua Yard. The capstone will be the

installation of the custom-made, signature Lehigh River Bridge,

which will replace the foam-core replica structure now there.

We added sound to another unit, L&NE S2 612 was equipped

with a QSI sound decoder by Tony’s Train Exchange; you have

to hear an Alco 539 winding up to believe it! Two FA1s are being

readied to ship to Tony’s for installation of “Alco 244” sound

decoders.

We also installed “Fast Clocks” for use during operating sessions,

which compress a standard 24-hour day into a four-hour operating

session.

We are looking for individuals interested in help us finishconstruction of the railroad; areas of expertise include

installing Tortoise switch machines and RIX CTC knobs, and

scenery work on the west end.

January 2010

Vol. 4 – No. 1