Session Three of the Season - Standard Gauge

 

It's the third day in June and the spring winds blew fair once again in Ottawa, our nation's capital.

 

 

This could only mean that we would once again head out into the garden to run trains along the Ironwood and Peter's Pond Railway.

 

 

Diesels are the serving on this day as we will be running standard gauge operations.

Henk brought out this lovely New York Central unit to work Nelson Yard.

 

 

George ran his Canadian National switcher for the first time at Ralph Yard.

 

 

Lawrence brought out his blue and gold Baltimore and Ohio veteran.

 

 

Brian had his U25 working Nelson Yard and running the RP&M trains.

 

 

Bernie's Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo geep fit in nicely as well.

 

 

As did Malcolm's Conrail unit.
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Fred checks over the master car list to determine the setout location of a few vagrant cars pre-ops.

 

 

The crew sign-up list shows a smaller group on this day due to a train show just outside of Ottawa.

Paul was absent so Pete (from Nova Scotia) took over the duties aboard 302/312/319.

 

 

Chris brings trays of cars to Bell.

 

 

While John checks car data to determine proper track placement at Glen Hammond.

 

 

Brian rails one of the many cabeese that inhabit Nelson Yard.

 

 

Henk's attention is diverted for the moment.

 

 

Ah yes, the Magical Mystery Pennies are coming to take cars away...take  cars away...take cars away!

 

 

Laughter abounds pre-ops as Henk tells Fred a joke while John and Chris chuckle along.

 

 

Lawrence listens in from afar.  "Looks like he's getting tanked!" chuckles Pete.

 

 

We listen in on the first aid drill as provided by Fred on this morning.

 

 

With the serious emphasis on health and safety, all attention is diverted Fred's way.

 

 

Time for train ops.  George handles the chores as yardmaster at Firgrove.

 

 

He's already busy assembling train 302 which originates here.

 

 

Pete brings 302's power along to lend an assist.

 

 

While at the other end of the railroad in Craig Leigh we see Douglas Yard filled almost to capacity.

 

 

The stockyards.

 

 

Preparing to load cattle.

 

Indeed, Bernie has things "tickity boo" at the eastern end of the line.

 

 

The appearance of Nelson Yard as the session gets underway.

 

 

With the smaller yard at Glen Hammond in the distance.

 

 

The team track and the freight shed...hehehe!

 

 

Henk and Brian confer at Nelson Yard.

 

 

Malcolm's and Brian's locomotives.  Both these units will hostle the yard and eventually run RP&M assignments.

 

 

Glen Hammond is the originating point for trains 318 and 327.

We see Chris (in the orange cap) making up 318.

 

 

318 has been granted clearance to Blockhouse and is now underway.

 

 

With Chris at the helm.

 

 

Approaching Blockhouse.

 

 

It was nice of Steve and Seanna to loan Chris their CN switcher for the time they are away on vacation.

 

 

318 arrives Spruce.

 

 

With a "littlest hobo" aboard!

 

 

Chris has reached Ironwood where he meets 301.

 

 

Later into Mount St. Helens.

 

 

Where young Lucas helps with the turnout.

 

It's a three way turnout, but Lucas manages it quite well.

 

 

Lucas visited the operating session with his mom and grandfather.

 

 

We backtrack to Glen Hammond where Pat has 327 underway.

 

 

Typically Pat would run a passenger train with his steam unit, but we required freight operators on this day.

 

 

Lucas and his grandpa Dave check out the steam locomotive as it rounds the bend at Belson.

 

 

"I want a train like this, Grandpa!" Lucas is heard to say.

 

 

The green light tells us that 327 has clearance over the diamond.

 

 

There's Pat, the engineer!

 

 

327 arrives Peter's Pond.

 

 

Where the consist fills the mainline track.

 

 

Lucas mans the throttle while his mom, Ann. looks on with her dad.

 

 

Thanks, Pat, for being a great mentor to our newly minted engineer!

 

 

We head to the west end of the line where Pete has boarded 302.

 

 

He is downgrade at "The Ledges" with Lucas admiring the train.

 

 

Into Bell.

 

 

A shot from my dispatcher's perch in the dispatch hut shows Stuart Yard at Bell to the left and Glen Hammond to the right.

 

 

Pete has pulled 302 on to track 3 seeing as he has very little work to do at Bell.

 

 

My nicely weathered road switcher.

 

 

The tail end of 302 approaches the grade crossing to the west of Peter's Pond.

 

 

Pete has studied his train orders and has assembled his cars to take up the branch to Cedar Rock.

 

 

Cedar Rock is a fun location to work as you have to determine the order of your cars back at the mainline junction in Peter's Pond before you head up the branch due to the fact there is no runaround at the end of the line.

 

 

Thanks to Chris Lyon for the great weathering job on the unit which is totally authentic to the image we found and liked on the Internet.

 

 

It's a "road switcher sandwich" between two tank cars!

 

 

The branch acts as a lead when shunting cars into the industries at Cedar Rock.

 

 

With his work complete at Peter's Pond, Pete brings 302 across the diamond and into Bellamy.

 

 This is a shot Malcolm took of 302 passing by Bellamy.
 

 

Around the bend outside of Nelson Yard.

 

 

Arriving the A/D track at Nelson.

 

 

302 terminates here.  Pete will soon take 312 out of Nelson Yard bound for Craig Leigh.

 

 

We find Lawrence at Mount St. Helens with Train 301, aswestbound freight out of Craig Leigh.

 

 

Lawrence runs his road switcher short hood forward.

 

 

Later, into Ironwood.

 

 

Where he meets 318.

 

 

301 then proceeds into Spruce.

 

 

Here's Lawrence!

 

 

Having terminated 301 at Nelson Yard, Lawrence continues westbound into Bellamy with Train 311.

That's Pat in the background climbing the grade out of Bell aboard 327.

 

 

311 awaiting clearance across the diamond.

 

 

Where he meets Train 302 at Mercer.

 

 

At the end of the branch at Cedar Rock.

 

 

I always enjoy snapping a few shots of some great looking rolling stock.

The two tone colours of CN stock cars are real beauties.

 

 

As is this CP specimen.

 

 

Another CP worker.

 

 

Billboard reefers sure scream loud and clear...in a nice way.

 

 

A pretty clean looking hopper car!

 

 

Speaking of clean cut characters, it was really great seeing Gord out this morning hamming it up for the cameras!

 

 

Fred is trying to read some sign language.

 

 

Offered by Henk.

 

 

We'd be remiss if we ignored the RP&M.

 

 

Malcolm is railfanning his RP&M caboose hop at Belson.

 

This is the actual shot Malcolm snapped which he e-mailed my way.

 

 

At another time in the day, Malcolm managed 67/68, the all important transfer run up to Bell from Nelson Yard and back.

 

 

Here he is at Bell.

 

 

And...earlier he was spotted in Rat Portage where he met a brethren RP&M train coming the other way commandeered by Brian and John.

 

 

Brian and John had earlier run RP&M trains 65/66 to Bell Junction and back.

Here they are crossing the diamond onto RP&M tracks.

 

 

Upgrade out of Pratt's Bottom.

 

 

And, shortly, on into Bell.

 

 

Pensive Pat.

 

 

Snapped a pic of me.

 

 

Then I snapped one of Bernie.

 

 

But not to be outdown, big brother Henk stepped in for some comic relief!

 

 

While Fred enjoyed getting one of his steamers out to run for sheer pleasure.

 

 

Love the two tankers together.

 

 

With some "Flower Power" trackside.

 

 

We couldn't be doing this without  you Fred!

 

 

Like the CP logo indicating how the railroad spans the world, I think this weblog does the same!

Check in later in the week for Part Two of our third session of the season!

 

All the best,

Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada