Late August Train Ops
Standard Gauge operations were on order this past Saturday.
Bernie is all smiles as he works Douglas Yard at Craig Leigh on this beautiful morning in late August in our nation's capital.
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He's smiling because he's running his gorgeous TH&B GP7.
Chris weathered it for him earlier in the week. Looks fabulous, I say!
Bernie has readied Train 301 and the crew has their CN diesel holding honours on this day.
Paul is in Craig Leigh. Looks like the pool train is ready to head out on the high iron as well.
Love the shirt Seanna is sporting. The hat's a great idea for protection from the hot August sun.
Meanwhile, at the far end of of the line, Bill and Mark orchestrate the moves as they assist the crew on Train 302.
Moe is always in good humour as he keeps this camera man laughing at all times.
The husband and wife crew, Steve and Seanna, are spotted working the yard at Glen Hammond.
Moe has departed Firgrove and he pulls passenger train #2 into Bell.
Henk is found working the western end of Nelson Yard as his diesel crawls out onto RP&M trackage.
Steve and Seanna's Train 327 departs Glen Hammond for Firgrove with stops en route at Peter's Pond, Cedar Rock and Bell.
Colin and Gord marshall the big yard at Nelson.
Lots of colourful cars in the yard.
Gord verifying his lists.
The RP&M version of a tankcar.
Moe has brought passenger train #2 into the depot at Glen Hammond.
He takes a breather on this warm morning.
Doug and Paul make the cut in their train as they proceed to switch out Ironwood Brick.
Paul has permission to enter Bell as his pool train departs the siding at Watkins.
Earlier in the day, father and son team, Chris and Jonah are spotted making up 302 under the guidance of Bill and Mark at Firgrove.
Later in the morning, they are now train 312, spotted here at Blockhouse.
They take the big curve on their approach to Spruce in an eastbound direction.
302 is protected in Spruce while Train #2 passes.
Bob pulls the ore train eastward into Ironwood.
Looking back across to Bob working in Ironwood.
Back on the RP&M, the tankcar is spotted at a local industry.
While some brethren cars rest at the Interchange between the two railroads.
Steve and Malcolm aboard 318 take the siding in Spruce.
A boxcar spotted at Scobie's in Craig Leigh.
Another peek at Bernie's engine.
Artsy view!
Back at Cedar Rock, 327 works the crusher.
Passenger train #1 at Spruce.
"Did you hear the one about?" Steve asks Malcolm.
At the beginning of the session, Jonah is all smiles as he is about to earn his engineer's stripes crewing with his dad, Chris.
The pool train leaves IPP&W tracks and heads onto RP&M territory.
Mark is "command central" at the western terminus of the line.
Rarely does something get past Mark's eyes, but if this rare event should occur, he has backup with his good looking dad, Bill, pictured here in Firgrove.
Gordie working his throttle at the RP&M yard at Rat Portage.
This tankcar must be an empty!
Gordie's engine drilling the yard tracks.
Colin, enjoying a break in the action.
With Doug in back at the Dispatch desk.
Ah, yes! A car after my own heart!
Malcolm is training for Cirque de Soleil.
301 at Spruce in the fine hands of Doug and Paul.
318 continues its work at Ironwood.
While Bob returns westbound between Mount St. Helen's and Ironwood with the ore train of empties.
Here's Bob, the master of ore!
Father and son tandem, Chris and Jonah out of the siding at Mercer.
Crossing the diamond.
Hey, Henk. I'm sure ABBA could write a great song about those sexy legs!
Doug, the ever-so-busy dispatcher.
A look across the yard to the eastern sector of the road.
Colin working to the west of Nelson Yard.
"I think there's a chipmunk in that stockcar!" Malcolm motions to Steve.
302 rounds the bend upgrade into Spruce.
Jonah controls the movements of 302 as his train meets passenger #1 at Spruce.
With 302 safely tucked in the siding, #1 departs in a westerly direction for Glen Hammond.
Taking the broad curve out of Spruce.
We check the parallel spurs that make up part of the switching puzzle at Spruce.
Another view of Spruce.
Steve has his stock car lined up nicely at Mount St. Helens.
As the park car on passenger #2 passes the depot at Mount St. Helen's, we close yet another account of our train ops fun on the Ironwood and Peter's Pond.
Have a great week everyone!
Mike Hamer - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
