Train sets!

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Thanks for the update Arthur

Thanks for the update.

Hello everyone, here's another update (as of 7:30 AM Central Daylight Saving Time on 8/12/2020):

Unfortunately a disagreement between the plant supervisor and workers at the Cargill elevator in Rustyville has resulted in a work stoppage (for reasons currently unknown to me) has meant the cessation of grain and malt barley loading and transport, but such has come to an end now and this work will resume at some point tomorrow. Some more unfortunate news is that there are now updates regarding the following issues.

-The exact date when the former CP Rail Heavyweight Maintenance Of Way cars will become a regular part of the PLRX's Track Maintenance Train

- When this train will be getting a small crane to assist the train's workers.

-When the wreck train will receive kitchen and bunk cars.

As always I'll do what I can to keep everyone informed.

Hello again everyone!
the loading and transport of grain and malt barley at and from the Cargill grain elevator in Rustyville has resumed now. I also know what caused the work stoppage. 

It turns out that the employees felt that they were not getting paid enough for their work and chose to stage a sit-in until the matter was resolved. The plant supervisor was quick to offer them a better rate of pay and the workers have accepted. So work has now resumed.

Stay tuned for further updates as the Phoenix Line Railroad's story continues.

Hello again everyone!
Got an exciting update to share with you today!
As of 12:30 PM Central Daylight Saving Time on 8/16/2020, the early stage of construction of the Phoenix Line's Oakdale Branch (the planning stage) has begun.
 
There is still a LOT of work yet to be done however, and life's priorities could  interfere with this work as well. I will keep doing what I can to make sure everyone here is informed regardless though. As usual the loading of grain and malt barley at Rustyville's Cargill grain elevator as well as its transport from this industry continues.

Bye for now!!!

Thanks for the updates Arthur

As this branch line will be on the layout's 2nd level, there are plans to have tracks that allow trains to ascend and descend (but not necessarily at the same time). Such remains to be seen for now, but there is a plan to have a lumberyard at Timberneck Gulch and another grain elevator where "loads" from Rustyville can go to be unloaded. As I said earlier, such is just a preliminary idea for now but this has generated some excitement in my family's home.

I was right about life interfering with work on the railroad's Oakdale branch, as my parents are having the front porch of their place lifted and straightened (as of 4:25 PM Central Daylight Saving Time on 8/19/2020). I for one am not all that happy about this, but there's not much I can do about the matter as my parents are the ones who have final say about this and its gone through regardless of my objections. Also, the 2nd grain elevator that I discussed in the post previous to this one will be in Oakdale.

Unfortunately I don't know if there will be any other industries in these towns or not yet, but I will do what I can to keep those following this thread updated.

Hello everyone, got another update to share here.

As of 6:05 PM Central Daylight Saving Time on 8/22/2020, the planning work for the Phoenix Line Railroad's Oakdale Sub has stalled out. I for one am disappointed about this but its not entirely unexpected. As for trains, there's little activity on this front but loads of grain and malt barley are still moving.

Please stay tuned for further updates as the Phoenix Line Railroad's story continues.

Thanks for the updates Arthur

Thanks for the update Art

Hello everyone!
Sadly there is no update to share in regards to work on the railroad's Oakdale Sub but the loading and transport of grain and malt barley goes on.

cool thanks for the updates art

Hello everyone!
Got a few updates to share.
Sadly (and unfortunately) the railroad probably won't be getting any more equipment for its Maintenance-of-way trains anytime soon due to cost-related issues.
 
I for one am NOT happy about this but its out of my hands as the PLRX's Board of Directors has decided this will be the railroad's course of action for the foreseeable future. I also continue to have no updates as to the construction of its Oakdale Branch, but I do know that the line will be passing through the community of Arlee. On the plus side, the loading and transport of grain and malt barely goes on.

Thanks for the update Arthur

thanks for the Update Art

Hello everyone!
Just thought that an explanation about the railroad's maintenance-of-way trains was in order (as of 11:25 AM Central Daylight Saving Time as of 9/3/2020). So here we go...

Part 1: The Track Maintenance Train

     As of the date and time mentioned above, it continues to use between 5 & 6 cars. Its not capable of producing its own food at this time, but the addition of former CP Rail service diner 411297 to its consist will fix this problem. It also has space for the workers to rest, but this will be improved once former CP Rail service sleeper 411296 becomes a part of the train.

     This train was supposed to have received a 25-ton industrial crane to help its workers move rails and ties from the rail cars that transport them and place them for use (ties go down first, with the rails placed on top of them), but this plan has been put on hold. This means the train's workers are forced to do this work manually for the foreseeable future. The plan to physically replace some of its cars (the former New Haven heavyweight combine and former Santa Fe streamlined coach) with the three former CP Rail heavyweight service cars remains in place however (once their coupler and truck issues are resolved).

      The former New Haven heavyweight combine will become a part of the railroad's wreck train after its replacement, while the former Santa Fe streamlined coach will re-joined the equipment pool of the railroad's Phoenix Flyer passenger service as extra passenger seating.

Part 2: The Wreck Train

     This train also can't produce its own food yet, but has been increased to 5 cars during occasional nighttime operations with the addition of a former Burlington Northern Railroad floodlight car. Its first car (former ATSF heavyweight baggage car 1st 3889, which was used as a tool and cable car) has also been partially converted into dormitory space for the work crew (the "B" end of this car has received this conversion). There are plans to convert the front end of this car into dormitory space as well and add the former NH combine to this train once its space in the Track Maintenance Train is filled by former CP Rail service car 404910 (to give its work boss some much-needed office space and inadvertently pushing the train's nighttime length to 6 cars) but these are on hold at present due to the 404910's coupler and truck issues. 

Please stay tuned for further updates as the Phoenix Line Railroad's story continues.

thank's for the update art

Thanks for the update Arthur

Hello everyone,

Don't have much to say here except that the loading and transport of grain and malt barley from the Cargill grain elevator in Rustyville continues. I should also mention that the combined train used by the PLRX's "Gran Express" service will be increasing to 55 cars at some point, but this plan remains on hold (as of 12:55PM Central Daylight Saving Time on 9/6/2020).

Thanks for the update Arthur

Hello everyone!
Once again there's VERY little progress to report (as of 11:15 AM CDST on 9/8/2020) but the railroad has managed to install passenger platforms in Rustyville's suburb of Stackville now. Unfortunately only one of these (the eastbound platform) has a roof on it, but it plans on fixing this problem as soon as it can.

As for freight operations, the loading of grain as well as malt barley at Rustyville's Cargill grain elevator and its transport from this industry continues.

Please stay tuned for further updates as the Phoenix Line Railroad's story continues.

thanks for the update art

Hello everyone, here's another update!!!

As of 11:35 AM Central Daylight Saving Time on 9/11/2020, there is no progress on the Oakdale Subdivision to report but the loading of grain and malt barley at Rustyville's Cargill grain elevator & the transport of these products from this industry continues. Unfortunately there won't be any of these products loaded for a few weeks, but passenger service will continue.

Please stay tuned for further updates folks.

Thanks for the updates Arthur

Hello everyone!
A rather short update here (as of 7:00 PM CDST on 9/15/2020) but its worth mentioning that the railroad has completely abandoned the idea of purchasing a bunk car for the workers of its Wreck Train now, as it has committed itself to the plan of converting former ATSF 71' heavyweight baggage car 1st 3889 into a dorm car (the rear end of this car has already received this work). Its still looking for a kitchen car for this train however. The search for a 25-ton industrial rail crane for the track maintenance train also remains ongoing, as this continues to be a source of complaints from this train's workers.

Also, the supply of grain and malt barely coming from Rustyville's Cargill grain elevator has come to an end now and such will be the case for the forseeable future. Unfortunately I have no idea when (or even if) this will start up again but I'll do what I can to keep everyone here informed.