Comment: CN 6700 left the Coaldale at 10:15 am. The route passed through Queenston and around Pine Ridge before approaching Black Diamond. I stopped at the reversing loop turnout to let the trainman off, then proceeded into the reversing loop. The trainman reset the turnout to receive the loco from the reversing loop. Once the locomotive was back on the mainline the loco stopped, the trainman moved the turnout back to the mainline, and hopped back on the loco. The loco then backed into the Black Diamond yard moving onto Track 1 where it coupled with gondola 44700. All fine so far. The logic of the switching worked perfectly.

CN 6700 then moved forward out of the Black Diamond yard and onto the mainline. But when I was on the mainline curves going south onto the peninsula the gondola car kept derailing. It derailed again on the western end of the peninsula mainline. I finally stopped at the lead to Prairie Dog, the trainman jumped off and set the turnout to move the train onto the lead. He jumped back onto the loco while I moved forward onto the lead and uncoupled the car. I then continued forward to the end of the lead and stopped. The trainman got off and reset the turnout to allow the loco back onto the mainline. Once the loco was on the mainline he reset the turnout for mainline traffic. I reversed the loco, he jumped on, and we continued back to the turnout for the Prairie Dog lead. I stopped the loco, he jumped off and reset the turnout for the lead. I moved the loco onto the lead and then waited for him to reset the turnout for the mainline and then get back on the loco. We then proceeded to push to gondola car to the turnout for CoaldCash Heating. He jumped off and set the turnout and I then pushed the gondola car onto the unloading platform. I then revesed the loco back onto the Prairie Dog lead and stopped. The trainman reset the turnout and we proceeded on the Prairie Dog lead. I stopped to let the trainman reset the turnout to let us on the mainline and then moved onto the mainline where I waited for him to reset the turnout for mainline traffic and then jump on the loco. We then sped down the mainline to Coaldale.

CN 6700 entering Queenston	leaving Queenston
approaching the reversing loop (counterclockwise)	circling Black diamond
picking up loaded gondola 44700	rounding Pine Ridge

The derailments of the gondola were frustrating. I think the problem is more with the track than the gondola car. I think I have fixed the problem at the western end of the peninsula (the joint was uneven between two sections of track). I am still not sure about the problem on the southern approach to the peninsula. It is very important that I solve all of these problems so I can be assured of (relatively) few difficulties when running my trains.

I was pleased that the overall logic of the switching worked out the way I had originally envisaged it. There is only a short period of time when the loco is on the mainline track while carrying out its switching maneuvers.

I have given names to each building and loading track on the layout. I am not yet familiar with the waybill system for keeping track of the train orders, but wanted to try running an actual train to move some goods from one location to another.

Comment: CN 6700 left the Coaldale at 12:15 am. The route passed through Queenston and around Pine Ridge before approaching Black Diamond. I stopped at the reversing loop turnout to let the trainman off, then proceeded into the reversing loop. The trainman reset the turnout to receive the loco from the reversing loop. Once the locomotive was back on the mainline the loco stopped, the trainman moved the turnout back to the mainline, and hopped back on the loco. The loco then backed into the Black Diamond yard moving onto Track 1 where it coupled with gondola 44810. The unmarked gondola was already coupled to 44810.

CN 6700 then moved forward out of the Black Diamond yard and onto the mainline. We then sped down the mainline, past Pine Ridge, through Queenston and on to Coaldale. I dropped the two gondola cars on the receiving track (using an under the track magnet) and then returned the locomotive to its standby location.

CN 6700 entering reversing loop (clockwise)	on the reversing loop
trainman throwing reversing loop turnout	CN 6700 with two loaded gondola cars
leaving Pine Ridge	entering the arrival track at Coaldale
uncoupling the locomotive	reversing the locomotive on the end-around

This run worked very smoothly. However I am having a little difficulty keeping track of the trainman! But this is part of the realism of an actual run. Where is he, when does he have to change a turnout, have I remembered to pick him up for the next task, etc. I love it. But it is more fun being the engineer than the trainman. It is a long walk home if I forget about him.

I was pleased that the switching in the Coaldale yard worked as I planned. A yard switcher could now pick up the two gondola cars and place it somewhere else in the yard.

Two sessions in one day! This is really working.