We got home from our impromptu trip last night, and tonight I finally hooked up the staging yard bus wires. I also installed the hex frog juicer, which is pure magic.
The daily mixed was sitting on one of the tracks waiting to come in and turn around. So, I uncoupled the engine and ran it onto the turntable. It worked flawlessly on the first try! When I reported this to my darling wife, she replied that she wasn’t aware that we even had a turntable; “the train turntable,” I clarified. “Oh, I see. Well that explains it, then. Great!”
Here is the first ever turning of an engine on the staging yard turntable:
Then I ran the train back into Pembroke, and let the passengers off at the station. This is, I believe, the first time the engine has ever run into the station nose first; it has been pointing south since trains first started running.
I then dropped the combine in the passing siding, ran the engine back to Golden Lake to turn it and parked it on the engine house spur, ready for tomorrow’s run. It’s a long way to go to turn your engine, but it will have to do until the Pembroke turntable is built.
I must say, testing is way more fun if you have a purpose!
Pembroke:87 
Congratulations!
What a milestone. It must feel pretty exciting to have run this first session across the layout. It’s been so enjoyable to follow along with your progress.
Well done. Enjoy!
Chris
Thanks Chris. Yup, now watch progress on the layout slow down as I start to have fun with it!
Heck, this is time to prove the design. As you work toward developing your operating plan this is a great time to step back from construction to test what’s been completed to date.
Run some trains. It’s great!
Looking forward to a few more blog posts on the next trains run.
Thanks
Chris
Congratulations on the milestone. Will you be making a smokebox wreath for the first “Official” train into town?
AH
Well done Rene’. Quite the milestone and a significant achievement. Great looking teakettle too.
Thanks Anthony! If only the teakettle could pull a little more, we’d be away to the races for ops!