"Dis"Patch, "Dat"Patch and All Other "Patches"!

"Dis" and "Dat" Patching is So Much Fun!

In this posting I will take you into the patch of territory I worked throughout today's train ops session...my dispatch booth.

I'll also take you out to that patch which is in the nearby environs around my booth.

Finally, I'll take you on a tour across the whole layout.
To enlarge images, click on them and to come back to the default setting click outside them.

Here's my dispatch board.

You can see the location and direction of trains as indicated by the magnets.

Thanks to Steve, Seanna and Bob, we have a working signal system with the wires hidden below ground.

All lights are red at the interlocking.  Crews cannot traverse the interlocking without their green.

They must also contact dispatch once their train has fully cleared the junction.

The session begins.  Garry, aboard Passenger #2 departed Firgrove earlier and has arrived Bell.

He must switch out the east house track.

Once his move is complete, he is cleared to Peter's Pond.

At the eastern terminal of the road, Craig Leigh, we find Paul working Douglas Yard.

His diesel has been brought into service on this day.

Train 15 is in Mount St. Helens.  Looks like the pool train has picked up some unwanted cargo.

Who is in command?  Look behind the tree.

It's Mr. Moe!

We are still very early in the session and Steve has arrived Blockhouse with train 318.

Who's the handsome fellow who is silhouetted?

With his moves at Blockhouse complete, Steve climbs the grade up to Spruce.

He arrives at the newly furbished depot.

He takes the siding.

At the same time, Pat and Malcolm have arrived Bell aboard 302.

With their work completed at Bell they are cleared as far as Watkins Siding.

Seanna and Steve win the award for creativity on this day.

With a limited crew in attendance on this morning and with no available locomotives to work the yard, these Firgrove yardmasters come up with an ingenius plan.  They choose to work with the "2-5-0".  Yup..."2-5-0".  That is...two legs and five fingers!

Lawrence has signed on to work 302.  We find him at Mount St. Helens switching out the facing sidings.

You've got to love his British steam locomotive.

We are still at the top of the session where we find Pat and Tom assembling 327 at Glen Hammond.

They have been cleared past the signal at Bellamy.

Colin works the west end of Nelson Yard.

With Gord working the east end.

I love Gord's little brute of a switcher.

On the span over Blockhouse.

Assembling trains.

A wonderful railfan location Nelson Yard is!

This CP diesel is in use in the yard on this morning.

Henk has RP&M train 67 in Bell.

With this beauty of a steamer in front of Brunt's Brewery.

Colin pays me a visit as he has Nelson Yard well in control.

Here is the schematic of the system.  Craig Leigh is the eastern terminal with Ralph being the western one.  The only line missing on this map is the branchline from Peter's Pond up to Cedar Rock.
You'll find the RP&M to the right of the schematic.

Let's check back in with Garry aboard Passenger #2.

His train is downgrade to Peter's Pond out of Bell.

From Peter's Pond we spot Garry at Bellamy after taking the crossing.
He's a good engineman/conductor as he notified dispatch of his clearance of the diamond.

Rounding the curve out of Bellamy.

He meets Train 15 at Glen Hammond.

Speaking of Train 15, here is an earlier shot of the pool train departing Mount St. Helens in the dappled shade.

Arriving the sunlit station track at Ironwood.

And into Spruce where he meets Steve aboard 318.

Moe has his train nicely tucked into the station on the bend in the tracks at Spruce.

Steve works 318 eastbound at Spruce.

Then into Ironwood.

With his Heisler, I believe.

Let's head over to Peter's Pond and check in on Pat and Malcolm aboard 302.  They have come in on the station track for a meet with Tom and the other Pat aboard 327.

He-e-e-e-r-e's Pat - Brennan!

Malcolm gives a wave to this railfan...or could these be secret gestures to his crewmate?

302 has completed their work at the Pond and find their way to Belson with an imminent arrival at Nelson Yard where they will become Train 312 with a new consist.

Let's head over to the western end of the line where we spot some more "2-5-0" action.
Indeed, Seanna's two feet, along with her five fingers, will do some heavy hauling!

She has brought Train 20 downgrade into Bell where the milk exchange will take place.
Her husband, Steve, handles the switching chores with her.

Then their train returns upgrade to Firgrove.
Seanna is hauling some tonnage at The Ledges.

Let's back up a bit and visit 301 as it departs Ironwood for Spruce.

Lawrence brought out this great looking British steamer to "work it in" so to speak.

He's switching out the local industries at Spruce.

While 327 works Peter's Pond alongside Train 15, the Pool Train.

Judging by the smirks and smiles, some fun conversation has been taking place.

Pat awaits the departure of 15 before continuing on with his duties here at the Pond.

Taking the turnout to the Cedar Rock Branch.

Meeting 302.

With their work done at Peter's Pond, 327 is cleared to Watkins Siding.

Then cleared up to Bell.

Thanks to Malcolm for the next three images of the Nelson Yard and Glen Hammond area.
Nelson Yard is the hub of the railroad.

Henk directs train movements from afar.  He must be working his train at Bell in behind him.
He must be saying, "No hotdogs...only sausages!"

Colin attempts to interpret Henk's hand signals while Gord (behind the umbrella) checks the lists.

As always, Gord, Colin and Henk keep things moving along so crews have little to no waits upon arriving the big yard.

Indeed, the sun was shining even though the weather was a tad on the cool side.

Seanna continues to conduct "2-5-0" movements while Henk is amazed at her pure strength.

Steve tells Henk that such power is in the genetic makeup of the family.
Not too sure if Henk is buying that one!

Henk continues with his switching aboard RP&M 67 at Bell.

He must be soon finished his work here as he is about to place the tail end onto his train after already turning the locomotive.

Gord signs onto his RP&M Train which will depart shortly for Rat Portage.

 Garry has Passenger #2 piercing the big trestle out of Glen Hammond.

After a station stop, he passes a train residing on the siding at Spruce.

Rounding the bend into Ironwood.  As I snapped this photograph, a gust of wind picked up and toppled a car over in Ironwood.  You can see it resting on its side to the right of the image.

Much later in the session, Garry has reached Craig Leigh and turned his locomotive.
He is now aboard the westbound Passenger #1 in Ironwood.

Passenger #1 in Spruce.

At the Spruce depot.

Into Glen Hammond.

Earlier, Pool Train #15 was spotted in the Glen.

Departing the Glen and into Bellamy.

#15 has the green for the diamond.

Moe pulls the pool train into Peter's Pond where he meets Tom and Pat aboard 327.

Taking the station track.

Later in "The Corners" out of Peter's Pond picking up traction to ascend the grade.

The structure at Ironwood Brick looks over the tracks in "The Corners".

Let's check in on 318 at Mount St. Helens where, earlier in the session, we spot Steve working the trailing spurs. The pool train makes a station stop at the depot.

We're in the shade at this location.

Steve reached Craig Leigh where he turned his locomotive and became Train 319.
319 is spotted in Spruce.

Under the Passover at Nelson heading past Blockhouse.

Round the bend at Lilly.

Pat and Malcolm are now aboard 312 as they tiptoe across the trestle.

Malcolm railfans his own train!

Where he snags a shot of me with his crewmate, Pat.

They are through Spruce and into Ironwood.

Steve and Seanna continue to enjoy the view as Seanna brought 20 up the hill earlier on.

Their yard at Firgrove suddenly becomes busy.  Firgrove is to the left with Ralph Yard in behind Steve, Tom and Seanna.  Pat is in the foreground with Garry off in the distance.

Lawrence has reached Nelson Yard as 301.
He now departs the yard as 311.

He's in Peter's Pond.

In the hole at Watkin's Siding named after himself!

Departing the siding.

Upgrade into Bell.

Where we find 327 on the inside track.

327 has been cleared up to Firgrove where they will terminate.

And become 328 in the opposite direction out of Firgrove.

At Nelson Yard, crews continue to work.

The yard takes on a different look every so often as new trains arrive and depart, are made up and broken down.

Gord, earlier in the session, brings some cabeese to their respective trains.

Meanwhile, over on RP&M trackage we spot Henk's train 68 at Pratt's Bottom.

Gord works the yard at Rat Portage with his RP&M engine.

And a beauty his locomotive is!

Later on we find Passenger #1 westbound at "The Corners".

Through Watkins Siding.

And into Bell with Garry at the helm.

Work is done at the west house track.

Train 15 is also spotted climbing the grade into Bell.

After taking to RP&M trackage, Train 15 crosses the diamond and has a station stop at Bellamy.

Moe has thing in order aboard number 15 in the Glen.

Crossing the trestle.

A "going away" shot.

Through the walkway.

Upgrade between Blockhouse and Spruce.

Through Spruce.

Past Ironwood and into Mount St. Helens where he meets 318.

Steve's 319 is around the bend at Lilly.

Trestle approach.

And through.

Pat and Malcolm are nearly finished their run.

They are on 312 at Mount St. Helens with a final destination of Craig Leigh.

Pat ensures Malcolm aligns the car doors with the stock pen ramps.

Lawrence is nearing the end of his run aboard 311.

Upgrade.

At "The Ledges".

And into Firgrove where Steve and Seanna will break down his train in their now famous "2-5-0" fashion!  Hehehe!.

Tom and Pat have 328 downgrade out from Bell.
This is my locomotive which I loaned out due to the fact I was dispatching.
You never can have enough locos available!

328 services the Cedar Rock Branch.

Back down into Peter's Pond.

Some final views from the session.  Here we see Pat and Malcolm sharing chatter with Colin  in Nelson Yard.

Pat is all smiles as he's found a comfy chair!

Love the rolling stock.

Malcolm's next three pics of - a meet at Watkins.

Lawrence in Spruce.

And Steve in Ironwood.

Can't forget the RP&M.

At Belson.

Henk with his RP&M train awaiting a green signal from dispatch.

Pat and Seanna share a conversation in the shade at the table.

The reason for the three crews in Ironwood was an engine repair on the far track at Windmill Siding.
Henk asked Lawrence to have a look at his locomotive which wasn't running.
Lawrence must have the magic touch as he got it working after quite a bit of time.

The garden aspect of the railroad is evident in this view of Passenger #1 heading into Glen Hammond.

This certainly is a nice railfan location.

Some more great looking rolling stock.

Love this RP&M caboose.

A last look of the view I gain from my perch in the dispatch booth.
Have a great week everyone,!

Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada