Kip Grant's D&H Railroad....by Don Janrs

D&H RS-3 4078 and caboose have tied up beside the Sunnyvale freight shed after a days work

Operating on Kip Grant's D&H Layout

     Back on Oct.18 Greg Stubbings and I visited Kip Grants D&H layout. This visit just happened to fall on a night when Kip was hosting an operating session with his regular crew and invited us to participate.  I have not done a lot of operating on other people's layouts but have taken part in several operating sessions lately and am starting to really enjoy that aspect of the hobby.  Greg is an avid operator and loves to do so on any layout that he gets the chance to.  On this particular night I was assigned to the engineer on the Sunnyvale Yard job with Kip acting as my conductor.  There were also several other crews working various trains around the layout. What amazes me about operation is that once you start working your train you become completely oblivious to all the other goings on around the layout even if they are almost right beside you.  

   One thing I really liked about Kip's operating session was the way the various trains interact with each other, interchanging cars, swapping power and various other moves.  I was kept very busy at Sunnyvale, switching the main yard, running down to Fenimore and switching the industries there and making up a lift for Hill Freight freight which arrived later in the session. The time flew by and before I knew it  the session was over and it was time for some socializing then we headed back to our hotel.  It was a great evening, seeing Kip's layout again, meeting and operating with his regular crew and just talking trains in general.  Greg and I really enjoyed our time at Kip's place and hopefully will be able to return for another operating session on Kip's fantastic layout.

Here we see Greg Stubbings, engineer and Blair Davies, conductor, assembling SC-6 or the "Hill Freight" as the locals call it, at Junction Yard.  Looks like they are all business

Looks like the local railroaders are having a heated discussion outside the shanty.

The Hill Freight's two Alco RS-3's are just backing onto their train at Junction Yard.

Just outside of Junction Yard is the Hudson Box Company.  Looks like business is good judging from all the activity

Here is a great looking scene where the train is passing a stream and small cabin where two bathing beauties are soaking up the sun

The two D&H RS-3's are passing a farm scene that Kip has created.  The barn is modelled after a real barn on the family property next door.

The folks on the farm pay little attention to the train as it passes the farm.  This scene, like every scene on Kip's layout  is packed with realistic details

Our freight is just pulling into Jasperdale where it will do some switching then head for Sunnyvale.

This great looking lumber yard is one of the industries at Jasperdale that is served by rail

The Hill Freight is just arriving at Sunnyvale where it will yard its train and pick up a new one and run back to Junction Yard.

Another look at the Sunnyvale skyline. A very impressive city scene.

Greg is getting ready to lift his train for the return trip to Junction Yard as I look on.

An overall look at the Sunnyvale area of the layout.  It features great structures and realistic scenery

Here is Kip's great looking industrial area at Fenimore. It is a small area but provides a lot of switching operation