Videos

A collection of videos showing the Willow Creek Railroad are available on my YouTube Channel (Vigment13). Links to these videos are provided below. Enjoy!

YouTube Channel Link: https://www.youtube.com/c/Vigment13

https://sites.google.com/site/willowcreekrr/videos-2/YouTube%20Channel%20Header%20-%20Vigment13.JPG

Willow Creek Railroad: Tiny People's Party Car. In this final video of the Willow Creek in operation, follow along as we introduce Private Car #2, “MinPin Spirit” – affectionately known as the “Tiny People’s Party Car” – and follow the final passenger train to run on the layout from Waverly to the Spokane Staging Yard, including an overnight stop in Bucky’s Crossing. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/08PruKl3WIg [12:34 minutes; April 11, 2023]

Willow Creek Railroad: Motive Power. This video highlights the motive power roster of the Willow Creek Railroad. In addition to describing each piece of motive power, the video shows a number of trains and some great shots of scenery on the Willow Creek layout. You’ll also watch the last freight train to run on the layout, traveling from Waverly, through Bucky’s Crossing, and on to the Spokane staging yard. Enjoy this next-to-the-last video of the Willow Creek in operation.

https://youtu.be/FDSfDEpsPpA [18:03 minutes; April 4, 2023]

Willow Creek Railroad: DCC System Update. This video provides an update to the Willow Creek's DCC system installation, describing several changes that have been made to the system since the original "DCC System" video was posted in 2015. These changes to the Willow Creek's implementation of the MRC Prodigy Wireless DCC System have significantly enhanced operations on the layout.

https://youtu.be/gJzc-8s0CVg [5:58 minutes; March 2023]

Willow Creek: Special Announcement! This video details the announcement that the Willow Creek Railroad will become a "Fallen Flag" in 2023.

https://youtu.be/2lX-JccvWJY [4:26 minutes; March 2023]

Willow Creek Railroad: Riding the Rails 2022: Enjoy an updated tour of the Willow Creek railroad as seen from the cab of an HO-scale steam locomotive. This narrated tour runs the entire subdivision from the Spokane staging yard to the passenger station at Waverly. Also included is a short blooper video of an unexpected incident that occurred during the filming of this video.

https://youtu.be/ONGs50vFZKQ [18:33 minutes; May 2022]

Willow Creek - Operations: ML-Turn: This 2-part video shows operations associated with the ML-Turn local freight, including building of the train by the Waverly Yardmaster, switching industries and the interchange track at Summit Springs, turning the train in Bucky's Crossing, and switching the Willow Creek Mining Company's supply dock in Highland.

[Part 1] https://youtu.be/tlZbCyEzTcQ [22:02 minutes; October 2021]

[Part 2] https://youtu.be/u_fijvC-g8k [14:24 minutes; October 2021]

Willow Creek: Layout Tour 2021: This video provides a comprehensive tour of the Willow Creek layout including freelanced background history, layout construction history, and detailed track plans for every major area of the layout. The video tour shows the status of the layout as of June 2021, and includes a "never before seen" in-person introduction by the layout's Superintendent.

https://youtu.be/0VH5tDqQ7fs [35:48 minutes; June 2021]

Willow Creek: Signals and an Arduino for Highland Loop: This video talks about the block signaling system used on the Willow Creek Railroad, including discussion of how an Arduino was used to address a signaling challenge on the Highland Loop Block, a block with three entry/exit points including a yard entrance. This video does not detail wiring or programming of the Arduino, but rather focuses on a model railroading application for the Arduino.

https://youtu.be/bkOICFbiNBU [12:11 minutes; May 2021]

Willow Creek - Operations: Merchant Special: This video shows operation of the Merchant Special, a high-priority scheduled freight consisting of express reefers (fresh fruits and vegetables) and express boxcars (LCL freight). Schedule running of the train is explained as well as the role that less-than-carload freight played for the railroads and for the Willow Creek.

https://youtu.be/gQVm8bWrcYo [19:18 minutes; May 2021]

Willow Creek - Operations: Car Float Operations: This video provides a comprehensive look at car float operations on the Willow Creek Subdivision, including car floats in Bucky's Crossing on the main train layout and Concorde on the Concorde Branch modular layout. The video shows how the car floats are used to operationally connect the two layouts during operating sessions.

https://youtu.be/Q8fVcowzZi8 [25:50 minutes; April 2021]

Willow Creek - Operations: Interchange Job: This video shows how the new interchange track with the SP&S Railway is switched on the layout. The video features one of the remaining steam locomotives in the Willow Creek Subdivision's engine roster.

https://youtu.be/y84iZalqLxo [11 minutes; March 2021]

Willow Creek - Concorde Branch Intro: This video introduces the Concorde Branch - a stand-alone industrial switching layout that is operational connected to the main Willow Creek layout via the car ferry in Bucky's Crossing.

https://youtu.be/AN7Fsd8cZus [6:45 minutes; March 2020]

Willow Creek - Operations: Concorde Branch: This 2-part video describes operations on the Concorde Branch layout. Car float operations using the pontoon float bridge, sorting of cars in the Concorde yard, and switching of industrial sites on the west end of Concorde are highlighted.

[Part 1] https://youtu.be/IArhXBT1GwE [14:52 minutes; March 2020]

[Part 2] https://youtu.be/oLbjxpNcUwg [14:03 minutes; March 2020]

Willow Creek - Operations: Bucky's Crossing: This video provides a comprehensive description of the Yardmaster's job at Bucky's Crossing on the Willow Creek Railroad. Yard operations, railroad car ferry switching, local industry switching, and support of through, limited, and local freight trains are highlighted. [Filmed May 2019]

[Part 1] https://youtu.be/68b9iBzjTQM [19:00 minutes; May 2019]

[Part 2] https://youtu.be/0wzmmCCMuWI [19:26 minutes; May 2019]

Willow Creek - Track Routing Changes: This video talks about some track routing changes made in early 2019. The video describes how some simple changes enhanced operations on the layout. [4:53 minutes; April 2019]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egUsCxgk0iI

Willow Creek - Operations: Passenger Trains: This video describes passenger train operations on the Willow Creek, including operations of Through Passenger Trains and Local Passenger Trains. Switching of passenger train cars is also described. [13:30 minutes; filmed March 2018]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PNN0UCKShs

Willow Creek - Operations: Mine Run: The Mine Run provides operators with a variation of the local freight train to run during an operating session. This video describes the Mine Run and also how coal loads are handled and staged between operating sessions. [6:41 minutes; December 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWBRRrbd1PQ

Willow Creek - Operations: Dispatching: This video is designed to help educate operators who will be dispatching on the Willow Creek Railroad. Various operations scenarios are presented with recommendations how the Dispatcher might handle each of them. The video assumes that the viewer is familiar with the Willow Creek's track plan and how trains are operated on the layout, as shown in earlier videos. Use of the custom Dispatcher's Control Panel is described in detail. [17:14 minutes; October 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukp3q6QyWgQ

Willow Creek - Operations: Spokane Staging Yard: A look at the Spokane Staging Yard including its automated control features and the role it plays in operations on the Willow Creek Railroad. [5:31 minutes; April 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY3UAXBl3yg

Willow Creek - Operations: Waverly Yard: Describes the operations of Waverly Yard, focusing on the yardmaster's job during a typical operating session. [16:18 minutes; April 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzvs0iJnTjw

Willow Creek - Operations: Local Freights: Describes and demonstrates the operation of Local Freight trains on the Willow Creek by following the River Job Turn. [17:40 minutes; March 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCk2tBMQWNQ

Willow Creek - Operations: Through Freights: Describes and demonstrates the operation of Through Freight trains on the Willow Creek. [13.45 minutes; March 2017]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aolRZwno0CU