The Anachronistic Region operating crew (a round-robin group) participated in six sessions. The addition of a Digitrax LocoNet Wifi Interface (LNWI) facilitated operations. A restaurant, AT&T substation, soda distributor, savings bank, Woolworth store, movie theatre, and a number of apartment buildings were added between Twining City and Uniontown along Minnesota and Nichols Avenues.
There was a lot of activity in the locomotive shops this year. The railroad sold a Babbitt Railway Service 4-6-0 locomotive without the tender and a Locomotive Workshop brass motorizing kit for an 0-8-0 switcher. A sound decoder was installed in the AtlasO SW-9 and it was renumbered to B&O 9608. The All Nation NW-2 was renumbered B&O 9501. An AtlasO SW-900 was acquired from the Erie-Lackawanna and repainted and decaled as B&O 9416. An AtlasO RS-1 was repainted and decaled as Washington Terminal 43.A sound decoder was installed in the recently acquired Weaver RS-3, C&O 5600.
Sidenote: The railroad now has at least two more
locomotives than it really needs to operate. While the two
Red Caboose GP-9s, B&O 6464 and 6469, are more appropriate
for the theme of the railroad, they do not run as well as the
two Weaver RS-3s, masquerading as Washington Terminal RS-1s.
A B&O flat car with trailer was sold and a Atlas/Roco wide vision caboose, C&O 3230, was acquired to pair with C&O 5600.
The MOW Department successfully resolved the derailing
problem with one of the right-hand turnouts leading into the
Port Shepherd yard.
No significant improvements or additions were made this year.
Operations on the OR&W were undertaken concurrent with the operations on the Shepherd Branch.
Only one full-size structure completed this year: the Ohio Valley Lumber Company was scratch-built from styrene using my own plans based on memories of a lumber company building in my hometown.Recurring shutdown problems were encountered with the three 2-6-0s during operating sessions. After a period of operation, the locomotives would simply stop running. The locomotives did not experience the problem at the same time or even during the same operating session, but all three fell victim during the year. After sitting all night, the locomotives ran without incident. Overheating is suspected although the layout is essentially flat and the locos are only pulling 6 cars. A Soundtraxx technician suggested that an amperage mismatch between the amplifier on the decoder and the speaker might be the problem, so the speakers were upgraded. The shutdowns continued to occur. Replacement of an older Soundtraxx DSD-100 Steam decoder with a Tsunami2 1100 decoder did not help. The shop foreman is requesting funding in 2023 to upgrade all three locos to 2 amp Tsunami2 decoders.
There were no changes to the car roster, but the shops did install sliders of masonite that fit under two the passenger cars and clean the rail heads.
There were no serious MOW service issues this year.
Shepherd Branch management hopes to continue regular operating sessions, complete the backdrop scenery between Twining City and Uniontown, and reduce the number of locomotives on hand. Management also plans to continue to sell excess, unopened, or incomplete parts and kits. P&P management will focus on adding more scenery and operating accessories to the three-rail display railroad. OR&W management plans to focus on the locomotive stallaing problem and continue regular operating sessions.