It is week two of our 2017 trains ops season in the garden and the session is narrow gauge.
This could only mean that we'll see a plethora of great looking steam locomotives such as this beauty brought out by Lawrence.
Steve and Seanna's specimen.
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My contribution to the show.
George's little delight in Ralph Yard at Firgrove.
Paul's behemoth beauty.
As well as Bob's.
One of Fred's steamers brought out in case an operator requires a locomotive.
With coal being the fuel on this day.
Brian demonstrated this little diesel addition to the mix.
And this CN switcher made a show.
Round the table discussion pre-ops as per usual.
From left to right we see Seanna, Pete, Paul, Lawrence, Doug, Steve and Fred.
Bob, Brian, Pat and Tom listen eagerly to the speeches.
George finds a seat beside Pat and wonders to himself what Pat's arm movements indicate.
Bob and Brian are all smiles because...it's train ops time in the garden!
The weekly crew sign-up sheet prepared in advance of the session.
I'm working Nelson Yard with my two compatriots, Tom and Brian.
I've taken my engine over to Mackenzie Lumber across the gut.
A beautiful trestle spans the dry creek bed.
Brian organized the cabeese for the many trains we will make up at Nelson.
While I began assembling trains 311 and 312 among others.
Nelson Yard is a hotbed for railfans.
At Firgrove, George begins making up eastbound train 302 while Stu looks on from his perch in Rat Portage.
Ralph Yard in Firgrove.
Later in the session Chris handles the duties at the eastern end of the line at Craig Leigh.
I wasn't able to capture many shots of the other main yard in Glen Hammond but here is a lovely car resting on the House Track there.
Along with this little gem.
Much later in the session we spot 319 arriving in Glen Hammond.
Bob makes his first appearance of the season which can only mean that the ore train gets a workout!
And...a beauty of a unit train she is!
Brian and Tom take an RP&M run out of the yard at Nelson where they await clearance from dispatch to cross the diamond to Rat Portage.
Their train has arrived Bell Junction.
We find them on Track 3 in Bell, the second track from the aisle.
Where they meet an IPP&W train.
Brian and Tom will be plenty busy with their work at the interchange.
So, we head over to the other end of the line where we spot Train 318 at Mount St. Helens.
Chris is at the throttle.
With Pat conducting the moves.
Meanwhile, back at Bell, Lawrence works the yard aboard Train 327. Here, we see him using RP&M tracks as a switching lead.
Trains 327 and 302 share the load at Bell.
Along with the RP&M train to boot! That's Lawrence in the blue shirt working an IPP&W train with Tom in the background working his RP&M train.
Lawrence's power on this day.
Steve and Seanna handle the back tracks at Brunt's Brewery.
And we find them later in Peter's Pond.
Where they enjoy the dappled shade.
They've reached Nelson Yard where their 302 run ends. They pick up 312 to continue eastward to Craig Leigh.
Now aboard 312.
This little guy really gets a workout.
While this young lad plays! Hehehe!
Pete and Paul have arrived Ironwood aboard 301 where some fancy hand jives take place.
Their power is this great looking steam locomotive belonging to Paul.
Aha! Now I know why Paul was holding that freight car. Just shortly after the session began, an earthquake struck the region around Ironwood. Tremors were felt far and wide along the entire railroad network.
Dispatcher Doug has things under control following the earth movement.
As operations continue, Fred hosts his good friend, (another) Doug at the table.
While Stu looks on at Lilly.
Mark has made a surprise appearance. It's so great to see you out, Mark!
Bill too! Glad you could make it!
I've found a break in the action at Nelson so I jump at the opportunity to run another RP&M train. I'm out of Rat Portage here with my destination at Bell.
I'm a blur as I pierce the depths below Firgrove.
Upgrade out of Pratt's Bottom.
Ah, their I am, the birthday boy on this day!
To celebrate, I hold a beer!
While the happy gents look on.
So, as this little bear tells us...check in in a couple of days for Part Two of this epistle on our first narrow gauge operations of the season.
But before we go, we'd be remiss if we didn't take a gander at Lawrence's train which he is putting through a test run post-ops.
Lawrence assembled the entire locomotive.
He is running it to check the "wear" in order to learn which areas of the locomotive he must address when he disassembles it.
This "going away" shot doesn't mean we're going away for good. Check back in later on for Part Two of this narrow minded account! (big grin)
All the best,
Mike Hamer
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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