We continue with Part Two form our final session of the season.
Will Henk's beer reach him in Nelson Yard...time will tell?
Fred offers a few sage words pre-session.
Let's catch up with Lawrence again. Love the plow he has in front of the ore train.
Passing through Spruce.
Then into Ironwood for a meet with Train 301.
On his return trip back into Spruce where he meets Train 15.
Train 15 holds the main and Lawrence takes the siding.
Through Spruce.
Then, through the trestle outside of Nelson Yard.
Round the bend to the east of the yard.
On his approach.
Later near the interchange at Bell.
Changing the direction of the plow.
Meanwhile, we catch up to 301 in Ironwood as the crew meets the ore train.
Then, it's uphill through Lilly.
With some precious cargo.
Through the trestle.
Soon to reach its destination in Nelson Yard...more on that later.
There seems to be a hive of activity over in Bell.
Pat and Paul have 302 coming into the yard.
We also spot the Pool Train, #15.
As well as Garry's RP&M train.
Finally through Bell and Peter's Pond, 302 makes Nelson Yard where they will become 312.
Train 15 meets Passenger #1 in Mount St. Helens.
Moe handles the pool train while Seanna and Helen handle Passenger #1.
With the meet complete, both trains will be on their merry way!
Helen (out of sight) commands the throttle while Seanna ensures all is well with their train.
Passenger #1 arrives the depot in Ironwood.
Lovely locomotive, Seanna!
Meanwhile, Paul and Lela have 319 on its return trip back to Nelson Yard. They are in Spruce at the moment.
Paul's locomotive is a beauty.
Lela handles the switching chores while her husband, Chris, works with Pat in Cedar Rock. Helen looks on beside Lela.
Paul is at the throttle of 319.
319 rounds the bend after reaching yard limits.
Lela's hand gestures orchestrate the move into the yard.
Heading over to Bell, we spot Garry with his RP&M train on the mainline.
While Brian and I bring in our train, 328, and we head over to Track Four.
Behind us, Henk is spotted enjoying his operating session!
Our train departs Bell.
Around "The Corners".
Along the lower track.
And...later...in Cedar Rock.
Finally, we take the siding at Mercer to await a passenger train.
Back in Mount St. Helens, Bernie, the Craig Leigh yardmaster, brings a short hop down to the Mount.
Lovely locomotive, Bernie.
An "over and under" shot of our train and Bernie's.
Bernie continues to work the sidings above while we drift into Peter's Pond.
Nearing the end of the session, Pat is spotted running light at Watkins Siding.
Where you can see all the new work that has been completed here.
Playing "hide and seek".
Ah...there he is!
Pat and Paul have 312 outbound from Nelson Yard.
Paul is standing in front of Spruce while a bunch of train action takes place all around him.
His train arrives Ironwood.
Where he meets Passenger #1.
Pat looks over their work orders for Ironwood.
The two handsome lads.
On their way upgrade to Mount St. Helens.
While Seanna has Passenger #1 on the station track.
And...later...Passenger #1 arrives Glenn Hammond where they work the siding in behind the depot.
Passenger #1 out of Glenn Hammond.
With a quick station stop in Bellamy.
A beautiful station it is!
Green means go!
Passenger #1 meets a freight at Mercer where it is "right hand running".
On board that freight train are Brian and me.
With the meet complete, we are given our green to cross the diamond.
Rounding the bend.
Through Bellamy.
And into Glenn Hammond.
Where we take the aisle track. There's Lawrence over in Bell.
Dispatcher Doug and Firgrove Yardmaster, George, enjoy a conversation.
Earlier Henk and George were engaged in train talk.
Norm arrived with his four-legged friend.
So Henk greeted him.
With a handshake.
Norm says to himself..."That's one heckuva handshake!"
Resting in the shade.
An overall look of one amazing railroad.
In one amazing garden.
Let's backtrack. We find Pat hauling 311 upgrade into Watkins Siding.
Where he meets our train, 328. We are eastbound so we have priority and take the main.
We've protected our train for the meet.
The newly lengthened siding makes operations easier, for sure.
Aha! We must not forget the tale of the liquid freight.
Well, it finally did reach Henk in Nelson Yard.
Although, a bit of a mishap developed.
Let's just call it a minor "service interruption" shall we?
Nothing broken.
And Henk is once again a happy camper.
As are Chris, Pat and me.
And, of course, Fred!
Thanks Fred for another great season of train running on the IPP&W/RP&M!
See you next season!
Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
