First Narrow Gauge Session of the Year

Our First Session With Narrow Gauge Equipment

Indeed, Week Two of the season finds the crew running Narrow Gauge equipment.

Steve has his steamer ready to go at Firgrove.

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Steve will have to assemble his passenger equipment before Passenger #2 hits the high iron.

Initially, I wasn't going to be able to make it out to this session as I had meant to attend our last NMRA meeting of the season for the St. Lawrence Division.  As things turned out, it was my birthday the day before and my family had made plans to do some celebrating.  But, on my birthday night I had to attend a special meeting with other railroaders so my family chose to celebrate Saturday afternoon with friends.  The NMRA meeting would have activities flow through the entire day, so instead, I was able to fit in garden train running in the morning.  Yup, just turned 58 and I was born in '58 so I guess It's my lucky year...again!  (27 on May 27th was my other lucky one).  Oh yes, that's my girl, Lilly, with me on my doorstep as taken by a neighbour walking by.  In my other hand, I'm holding my birthday present which my wife picked out for me, a new Fender Thinline Telecaster, to go along with my other guitars in the stable!  Ya can't have enough locomotives and ya can't have enough guitars, I say!  Hehehe!

Enough about me.  Let's get back to the trains.  Indeed, there are always smiles when we run trains as Steve's big grin attests.

Lawrence briefs us before the session begins.  Note the young lad, Mason, an exemplary listener to the briefing notes in our pre-ops gathering around the table.  Also note the signal bridge in front of Mason.  It's the one I built for his granddad, Henk.

Everyone listens to his sage words.  A smaller crew is present on this day due to many absentees attending the NMRA meet, but there were sufficient bodies to run the entire fleet of trains scheduled for the day.

The session begins.  Steve is at the controls of Passenger 2 downgrade into Bell at the Ledges.  Note how the foliage pops "green".

His train is the first to arrive Bell on this day.

Paul is all smiles as he prepares to take on Train 301 on this beautiful morning.  He's a smart lad wearing that hat.  Temperatures would rise into the 30's before the session and lunch would be over.

Paul has already arrived Mount St. Helens and has run around his train to prepare to drill the multiple industries found at this location on the railroad.  That's my train, #327,  running on the tracks below.

Paul's hat protects him from the sun even though he is in one of the shadier areas along the line.

With his work done at Mount St. Helens and Ironwood, we spot Paul drilling the two facing spur tracks at Spruce.

He is shunting a car on the siding at Spruce towards one of the facing industries.

Meanwhile, back near the western end of the line, Pat brings 302 into Bell from Firgrove.

Pat has his train in the yard at Bell while Moe is spotted in Glen Hammond with the Pool Train.

Our trusty dispatcher, Doug, keeps cool in the shade of the dispatch booth while Henk and Steve hold a brief discussion in the background at Nelson Yard.

 

Much later in the morning, Pat has 312, (the continuation of 302) switching out the spurs at Spruce.

While Moe's got it made in the shade!

As always,  Bob has a firm handle on the ore train.  We spot it arriving Peter's Pond and meeting 327.

The ore train at Bellamy.

Holding at Nelson.

Still holding.

Ah, that's better!

On the road eastward.

Another time of the day in a westward direction.

 

At a leter time meeting Train 328, my return train.

Train 328 began its day as 327, the Glen Hammond/Firgrove Turn.

I'm in charge of this turn on this day.  I'm rounding the sweeping curve out of the Glen and will soon pass Bellamy.

Upon arriving Peter's Pond, I will have work to do up in Cedar Rock.

What's this?  A new building at this location...cool!

Heading back down the branch, my protected train meets Steve's Passenger Train #2.

Pleasantries with Steve are exchanged.

Time for a railfan shot.

I've run around my train, but must hold for a meet with the Ore Train.

I'm out on the high iron on my approach to Watkins Siding.

Through Watkins and up the grade into Bell.

I meet 302 at Bell.  I see Pat reviewing his switch list for Bell.

Pat and I teamed up handling each other's facing moves and in no time we were both on our way out of town.

Departing Bell for Firgrove.

My approach into Firgrove.

I'll have to turn the locomotive for the return run back to the Glen.

Love the Armstrong.

Ah...that's better.  I'll have work to do to make up the return train, Train 328.

Before we check in on my return run, let's head over to the RP&M and investigate what's going on over on the other railroad.  Aha!  A grandfather/grandson team of operators.  Henk is in the foreground and Mason is over in Bell.

Here's Mason a few moments earlier bringing his RP&M rain up to the interchange at Bell.  My train, 327, is on the IPP&W tracks above heading into Firgrove.

The umbrellas certainly help with their offering of shade at Firgrove.

Mason has brought his train into Bell.

And...a handsome one it is at that!

Here was Mason earlier at Rat Portage.

Man, he was able and adept at getting around the entire system!

We divert our attention back to Steve.  He earlier brought eastbound Passenger #2 into the terminal at Craig Leigh and now we find him at Mount St. Helen's.  Steve is now in control of westward running Passenger #1. 

Passenger #1 climbs the grade just past Blockhouse.

Rounding the big turn at Lilly.

Meeting the ore train on the outskirts of Nelson Yard.

Arriving Glen Hammond.

Now, over to Lawrence.  He chose to run the opposing turn out of Glen Hammond.  He ran 318/319 from the Glen easterly to Craig Leigh and back.  We spot him as 318 at Spruce.

The two spurs here are trailing industries for him as 318.  They'll be facing spurs on his return trip.

Lawrence is now in Ironwood with Paul at Spruce.

Lovely looking locomotive, Lawrence.

Later in the morning, Lawrence is on his return journey as 319.  He's protected himself on the passing siding at Mount St. Helen's keeping the station track clear.

Back over to Paul.  He rounds the bend at Lilly with 301.

301 pierces the trestle outside Nelson Yard.

301 terminates at Nelson and will continue on in the same direction as Train 311.

Nelson certainly is a hive of activity. Gord and Henk kept the yard in "tiptop" shape as always.with their other trains all made up and ready to go.

I always enjoy taking a gander at the rolling stock in the big yard.

Love the load on this flat car.

Such a variety of equipment.

Bob's got it right on this hot morning!

Gord at the helm in the yard.

Fred having a chat with the dispatcher.

Doug has that little fan doing the RPM dance to a fast song!

Time to head back to Firgrove to catch my return trip of the 327/328 Turn.

Moe has the Pool Train heading down RP&M trackage while my train hugs "The Ledges" out of Firgrove to the extreme right.

I'm through Bell and will approach Peter's Pond in short order.

Below Mount St. Helens.

Emerging into daylight.

Shunting cars at Cedar Rock, the branch out of Peter's Pond.

Terminating at Glen Hammond.

I'll share some final pics from the session in a moment, but I'd like to take you on a short diversion showcasing my birthday activities with the family in the afternoon.  (Don't worry...I'll stick to railroading for the other blogs entries throughout the season).

Following the train session and devouring a great tasting sausage, my wife picked me up and we headed out to our favourite haunt...Stella Luna's here in Ottawa.  Our daughters biked there to meet us for a tasty dessert of Gelato.  Photo from Ottawa's Citizen newspaper.

What to choose, what to choose?
Photo from Ottawa's Tailgate Party.

Then we headed over to the famous Rideau Canal.  My daughters, Karen and Alison were on their bikes while my wife, Lisa, and my friends David and Monica all gathered for a 2:00 rendezvous for a spectacular siting...something special will occur on Ottawa's famed Rideau Canal.  A side note...my great-great grandfather was one of the miners and sappers who arrived Ottawa with Colonel By to build the canal.

The Kawartha Voyageur had arrived Ottawa the evening before and had docked down near the National Arts Centre in downtown Ottawa.  It would be navigating the canal on this afternoon.  It is the largest vessel to navigate our famed canal system.  We see the University of Ottawa in the distance as the vessel approaches the Queensway Bridge.

Just made it!

Here's what we came to watch.  The famed Pretoria Lift Bridge would rise to its maximum height in order to accommodate the transit of this large cruising vessel.

Here she comes.

Note the height of the captain's wheelhouse area as well as the awning near the rear passenger deck.  They have both been lowered to get below the lift bridge.

Both of these sections are returning back to their normal height as the vessel passes by Immaculata High School.  Cool!  The bow of the vessel can also be "tucked in" when the vessel has to navigate locks on the Rideau System that are shorter than the vessel itself.

To watch a cool two-minute video of these special ship maneuvers, check out this site:
http://ontariowaterwaycruises.com/about-us/the-ship/

My friend, David, had snapped this shot of my two daughters atop the Corkstown Bridge looking down over the vessel as it nudged below this downtown structure.

After the transit of this remarkable vessel the family headed to the downtown area to await the start of the Ottawa Capital Marathon.  Just thought you'd enjoy an account about another mode of transportation up here in Ottawa.

Now...back to some final pics from the train session.

The session draws to a close and Paul and I line our locomotives up in order to drive them into their carrying cases.

Here's Paul's case for his substantial locomotive.

Henk and Bernie enjoying a moment of reverie over in Craig Leigh.

48 handled the switching chores on this day.

Bernie brought out his TH&B diesel to showcase some detail modifications he made.

He removed the steam generators that were not meant for this particular diesel.  He added the horn and the plate.  Bernie punched the nail holes as well.  The Bell had been added last year.

He side-mounted another horn which appeared on this unit.  Great work, Bernie!

We'll end with a few "above and below" staged shots.

That's Mason's train hovering above Pat's steamer.

Mason is on the outskirts of Nelson Yard and Pat is stopped at Blockhouse.

Later on, they reverse roles.

Mason is on his approach to Peter's Pond while Pat is found in Mount St. Helens.

Love this artsy shot of a turnout at Firgrove.

Final thoughts:  It's great to see some new developments on the railroad.

And...running trains helps bring out the little boy in all of us!

I can think of no better way to spend your birthday than being out with the IPP&W/RP&M gang running trains in the garden.  Every single visit to this masterpiece of a railroad makes one feel so celebratory - why, it seems like your birthday every Saturday morning!

Have a great week everyone!

Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada