Branch line Cabride on the UPSF Joint Line

It was time to give the branch line some spotlight. I gave the GoPro a ride on the camera car from the shelf staging area across the entire branch line, down the helix, and onto the main track at Martin Jct, before turning the camera around and heading back to where we started.

Sights along the way include the combo Power Plant/ Coal Mine. Coal loads are brought up and shoved into the power plant. Then empties are pulled from the coal mine and taken back down. Then on the next operating session, the empties are brought up, ran around in the siding then shoved into the coal mine, then the loads are pulled and taken back down.

Trains movements on the branch line are coordinated by the dispatcher via two-way radios and verbal track warrants. The signals seen along the branch from the shelf staging area to the bottom of the helix are a mix of Atlas & scratchbuilt signals, using Atlas' signal system.

The helix is made from plastic and threaded rod. It was commercially produced many years ago. Unfortunately, the company that made it is no longer in business. We are using Kato Unitrack on the helix. It is not glue down in any way. The feeder wires are the only thing keeping it from moving. It has been like this since the layout was first built 15 years ago, and has not given us any trouble.