Set in the western part of the United States, this freelanced late 90′s BNSF layout is CTC controlled by a dispatcher using a computer. The Kootenai (pronounced Koot nee) River sub is what the BNSF calls the location running between Spokane Washington and Whitefish Montana. This area allows me to have some UP and MRL trains exercising trackage rights on the BNSF. The UP train switches out Kootenai River and the MRL works Foston. Most trains have work to do along the way with a few running straight through.
Crews communicate with the dispatcher, when they need to, by using my two way radios. The DCC system is “Digitrax Super Chief” with wireless hand held UT4R’s and some UT4 throttles for the yard crews. Car movements are created by a computer program called JMRI Operations, which creates switch lists for the yard crews as well as manifests for the road crews. The car movements are by need, meaning the same car usually will not go to the same place time after time. JMRI Operations is the “new kid on the block” as far as computer car movement programs go. It is open source and the paperwork it prints out is close to prototypical. After using another program to move my cars, this one is hands down a superior product and will be the gold standard, as far as computerized car forwarding systems go, in the very near future. With any computer program, there is a need to tell “it” what to do. Come and try it and see for yourself.
The layout, which is accessable through a walkout, no stairs, basement door, is one level, point to point, running through the entire basement. It will occupy up to 12 operators with the following jobs. Dispatcher (dispatches trains using a CTC panel on a computer screen. I use CATS for this traffic control) This person also has control over most mainline turnouts. Crews need to watch the signals on this CTC controled system. Other jobs available, Hauser Yard master and yard crew, Troy switch crew, Potlatch Mill switch crew, UP Kootenai River turn, MRL jobs, and the rest for various road crew assignments.
I try to have relaxed sessions so please feel free to come over and take the BNSF Kootenai River sub for a spin.
The Spokane expansion added 100′ of mainline and the new main yard at Hauser, The expansion made me think about a name change. Idaho Falls is an actual location, and Idaho Falls is served by the UP, (didn’t realize this way back when). So I needed to give this BNSF layout a better identity.
