A Closer Look at Trains 301 and 311
I ran these two trains during our train ops session of August 22, 2015.
4-6-0 #27 has the honours on 301 today. We spot the steamer resting beside the engine house at Craig Leigh.
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The crews backs out from the engine house tracks as it needs to be wyed before heading over to Douglas Yard where it will pick up its train.
Backing out on the other leg of the wye.
She's on her train and ready to head out on the high iron.
Let's head back in time a few minutes or so.
Henk has rung the bell to get the train session underway.
Colin, Bernie, Pat, Moe and Malcolm listen in on the pre-ops discussion.
All pre-ops information has been dispersed and its onto the trains for the respective crews.
Malcolm and I will crew the 301 out of Craig Leigh. Malcolm will begin as conductor/brakeman and I will drive the train. We'll reverse roles when we arrive Nelson Yard and take the 311 to Firgrove.
Passing the Northland siding near the wye.
Downgrade between Craig Leigh and Mtount St. Helens.
Note how Bernie, the yard master at Craig Leigh, has placed the stock car immediately behind our locomotive.
With all facing sidings at Mount St. Helens, we must run around our train with our only setout being an IPP&W hopper.
We've made the cut and navigate the three-way turnout as we shove the hopper into the pre-determined industry at Mount St. Helens.
First job of the morning is out of the way.
We hold in the yard for a pass with Train #1.
Once #1 departs, we will follow at a safe distance into Ironwood.
Rounding the bend to the west of Mount St. Helens.
Arriving Ironwood, we pass the Ironwood Brick facility.
With a setout for Ironwood Brick, it's a simple trailing maneuver spotting this single car.
With the back of our train on the Ironwood Brick spur, we snap this shot of the crew up front in Ironwood.
We use the track along the freight shed as a lead into the trailing Windmill siding.
Shoving back into Windmill.
With no trains coming into Ironwood for a while, typically we would conduct our facing moves first, but the simple setout at Ironwood Brick took very little time. We now run around our train to handle the facing spurs.
We couple onto our train.
Push the consist ahead on the siding to give us access into the yard at Ironwood.
This boxcar is destined for Larabie Fuels.
We cross over to the far track.
Where we shove the car into the designated spur.
We pull back with our caboose.
After placing our caboose on the train, we run back to the main and take the station track to run around our consist.
Passing the station, we will be on our train in short order.
We back out of our siding out of courtesy to the incoming train under Pat's control. Providing him access to the siding will allow him to begin his switching moves once we depart town.
We meet Pat's locomotive.
Nice track level capture!
We say goodbye to Pat.
As we head around the big bend between Ironwood and Spruce.
Arriving Spruce, we take the siding track.
Our work has us switching the Spruce spur, a simple trailing move.
Pat conducts his work in Ironwood while Malcolm handles the moves at Spruce.
The industries at Cedar Rock are located across the grassy aisle from Spruce.
With our work complete, we head out of Spruce...destination Nelson Yard.
A "going away" shot at the big curve outside of Spruce.
A nice view of the sidings in Spruce as we head downgrade in a westward direction.
Rounding the curve at Lily.
Approaching the trestle.
We're on a slow order as we step out on to the bridge.
On our approach into Nelson.
Arriving Nelson Yard.
We meet Paul's train in the yard.
We will take our stock car over to the caboose tracks.
As we look across the way toward Glen Hammond and Bell.
The yard sure looks busy on this day.
We've uncoupled the stockcar from our consist and push it down to the caboose track.
Colin gives an assist with the stock car at the caboose track.
Some of the great looking rolling stock found in the yard.
A steamer sits beside the little 44-tonner.
Malcolm and I head over to our new train, #311 and we switch roles. Colin continues to work the yard with the 44-tonner switch engine.
Love this low angle shot taken upon 301's arrival into Nelson Yard. It showcases the three different yards on the railroad, Nelson Yard in the foreground with Glen Hammond and Bell in the distance.
We're on our way out of Nelson Yard as 311 with stops in Peter's Pond and Bell before terminating at Firgrove.
Through Belson and Bellamy.
Crossing the diamond.
An aerial view.
Righthand running through Mercer.
Arriving Peter's Pond.
A busy location.
We've run around our train and head up to Cedar Rock.
Arriving Cedar Rock.
We've picked up a business car.
We run around our train.
Pat and Henk enjoying the session.
We back out on the main to offer the track for Henk's train.
We depart Peter's Pond along the station track.
Love the billboard style signage on the tank cars.
Upon our departure, Henk's train will work the Cedar Rock spur.
Another colourful car in Henk's consist.
311 has reached Bell.
With the crew rounding the bend in the far corner of the property.
Servicing the spur at Brunt's Brewery.
Malcolm steers the train through the yard and out onto the main.
Climbing the grade into Firgrove.
Another train is tucked into bed as the session comes to an end.
Thanks for checking in on the 301/311 operations.
Mike Hamer - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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