Rutland Railfanning....by Don Janes

 

Rutland #37, a USRA Mikado is just leaving North Bennington with a freight train

Chasing Rutland Trains on the Green Mountain

    I recently finished installing a new Tsunami 2 Steam decoder in my Rutland 2-8-2, an Athearn Genesis model. After working my way through adjusting settings to improve the many features this decoder offers I decided to send the engine around the layout for a test run.  At the same time I thought this would be a good chance to try out the new Canon 50mm 1.4 lens I just purchased for my camera.  

   I have to say that even though I have just touched the surface of what this Tsunami 2 can do I am extremely impressed with this decoder and its features and will likely replace all my older steam Tsunami's with them in the near future. As for the lens I think it did a great job also.  You do have to get used to a prime lens in the fact that you cannot zoom it but rather move around to get the proper composition.

   I might also note that the Alco RS-1 in the photos has a Tsunami 2 decoder installed in it and really sounds great also.

    Follow around the layout as we shoot a couple of Rutland trains along the line.

Our train has just departed North Bennington and is crossing the stone arch bridge south of town.You Can see the creamery in the background.

Further south #37 is about to pass North Dorset and will take water at the line side water tank. Not much action at the station, just the operator who will hand up a clearance to the crew.

A closer look at #37 at the station.

Our last view of the steamer is it crossing a long deck bridge over the Connecticut River

Back at North Dorset we catch Alco RS-1 #405 pulling into town.

#405 has cut off it's train clear of the crossing and has backed into the factory to lift an empty flat car that had brought in supplies.

Over at East Northfield we stop and get a shot of Rutland #500, a GE 70 tonner assigned to the stone crushing plant there. The 405 should be along shortly. It has just had an ESU Loksound Select Micro decoder installed in it. The crusher is scratchbuilt.

This is the last shot we got of 405 as she popped out from under the highway overpass.  The signal on the adjacent track is lit up green for an approaching CV train. Hopefully next time out we can catch some trains on that line.