Operation session on the Virginia Central

I have been wanting to do an operation session on the my layout for about 2 weeks.  I finally got around to doing one today.  Having 2 railroads on the layout, I can choose which one to do.  Usually I choose to do the VC.  It's close to the edge of the layout and most of the time it's pretty quick.  I took some pictures of how it went during the session and it actually took a whole hour to complete.

VC GP35 #3 starts part 1 of it's switching duties.  It has 5 hoppers to take but only 4 fit on the run around track.  The VC had to do some switching in the yard before it could leave.

VC #3 approaches Industrial Drive.  It will cross this road several times today.

Crossing Industrial drive. 

Clear signal at City Junction, where the VC crosses the Virginia Midland Railroad's line to Orange.

After dropping the cars and running around them, VC #3 starts switching out the hoppers.  This is a very tedious switching job since most switching is in the vicinity of the diamond and the signals.

The 2 empties are sitting on the middle track, while the UP (X-Rock) salt hopper is spotted.  Must be getting ready for the winter weather?

Before the VC #3 can get a clear signal to proceed across the diamond, the VM train from Orange must cross heading east.  VM #289 U23B leads a 2 car train to do some switching in Fredericksburg.

Now VC #3 has a clear signal to cross the diamond again.  

 After switching out the first 4 hoppers for the 3 empties, the VC #3 heads back over to the yard to drop off the empties and grap the last hopper.  After spotting the 5th hopper, it graps the empties from Mid-Atlantic feeds and pushes back to the VC yard.  Then #3 graps the grain hopper and boxcar for it last trip across the diamond for today.

Part 2 of the VC job is to switch out Mid-Atlantic Feeds.  After dropping the 5th sand hopper off, it's time to switch out the elevator.  Two hoppers and a boxcar needs to be moved.  

After all the switching, the empties are ready to go over to the VM yard.  In all, 4 sand hoppers, 1 salt hopper, 1 boxcar and grain hopper were delivered.  This leaves the VC with 5 empties to take over to the VM.  The RF&P will take them from there.