Following our morning train operating session on the final day of September, Fred hosted the St. Lawrence Division of the National Model Railroad Association to his large scale outdoor railroad.
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Yes, the title of this blog posting certainly contains its fair share of acronyms!
The IPP&W stands for the Ironwood, Peter's Pond and Western with its RP&M branch line partner, the Rat Portage and Mattawa. Of course the SLD of the NMRA is the St. Lawrence Division of the National Model Railroad Association.
Many of our garden railroad members offered stay for the afternoon visit. They are members of the OVGRS, that is, the Ottawa Valley Garden Railroad Society. (Now, I promise, no more acronyms!)
Everyone gathered to share the joy of large scale train operations in the great outdoors.
Many thanks go to Lawrence (on the right in the blue jacket) for creating a truncated operating session in Rail Ops and to Doug, our dispatcher (in the Red Wings fleece) who helped Chris Lyon lay the groundwork for the visit with the SLD membership.
Some of the lads chose to run diesels. In fact, our regular Saturday morning operations alternate between steam and diesel (narrow gauge and standard gauge). Yes all the freight cars are representative of this fact as well...except for today as we have some diesels hauling narrow gauge equipment just for the fun of it for the operators.
For the "Open House" the operations would take place on the eastern front of the railroad only.
Lawrence created six jobs in total, three freights and three passenger trains and they all would depart from the eastern terminus of the line, out of Craig Leigh. They would run to the central point of the railroad and return.
Steve looks at the camera man while John in the background and Gordon to the right check out the surroundings.
Chris shows Gordon how the remote control throttles operate. Thanks, Chris, for helping put the afternoon together!
Alec and Bruce take the first freight out.
Chris reviews the throttle functions with Alec while Bruce studies his train orders.
They have brought their train into Mount St. Helens. You'll note that all the sidings at this location on the railroad run in the same direction, facing spurs for westbound crews and trailing ones for eastbound trains.
To help our visitors put things into perspective, here is a track schematic created by our good friend, Joel Racine. With new additions to the railroad, it is in the process of being updated at this moment as Joel paid a visit to our morning ops session to examine the changes.
The freight trains we will follow in this posting originate at Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh pictured to the bottom left of the schematic. Passenger trains begin their long journey at the passenger terminal just around the bend from Douglas Yard. The wye in Craig Leigh offers crews the opportunity to turn their locomotives. Passenger trains can also be turned on the wye, although there is a long runaround at this location which allows the Craig Leigh yardmaster to choose to simply back the trains in after passenger crews uncouple from their consist.
Examine the schematic carefully to see how creative the design is in making maximum usage of the backyard space which houses not one, but two railroads!
Here is the order of towns and switching locations en route from Craig Leigh in the east all the way to Firgrove in the west.
Craig Leigh, Mount St. Helens, Ironwood, Spruce, Blockhouse, Nelson Yard or Glenn Hammond (dependent on train orders), Bellamy, Mercer Siding, Peter's Pond with the branch line up to Cedar Rock, Watkins Siding, Bell (interchange with the RP&M railroad) and finally Firgrove where Ralph Yard is located.
The diamond between Bellamy and Mercer is governed by signalling controlled from the dispatcher's booth. The RP&M railroad is in the western sector where trains depart either Nelson Yard or Glenn Hammond, work through Bellamy, then cross the diamond to Rat Portage. If the train goes further on to Bell, it travels through a tunnel opening out on the front lawn of the property before heading upgrade to the interchange at Bell with two flag stops, one out front and the second halfway up the grade at a location dubbed Pratt's Bottom.
Passenger 1 departs Craig Leigh.
John looks on as Paul surveys the line ahead before departing with another freight train.
Gordon and Steve in front of the brand new ore dock.
A big smile from Dave in the shade!
Lawrence has chosen to run the passenger train further west. He is currently near the central location of the railroad.
The old blockhouse stands proud next to the gut.
Lawrence brings his train into the location called Blockhouse where there is a short station stop. Freights sometimes switch out the short siding here.
Two new houses going up with one belonging to a mother and the other to her adult daughter. I loved Kevin Kelly's line "I guess they hadn't noticed that their property backs on to a major railroad line!"
Tom discusses railroading with Doug.
Lloyd enjoys the shade.
Fred experiences some great camaraderie with David and Gordon.
Paul holds his train just to the east of Mount St. Helens (out of sight) while Bruce and Chris discuss their next moves.
Alec has things under control at the throttle.
Bruce and Chris.
Back at Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh, I offer my locomotive to Grant to head out for a spin on the high iron. We have backed it from the engine house onto the train.
We've been given clearance to depart.
Grant poses for a couple of shots.
Green means "go!" We're off to the races!
Meanwhile, Lawrence has traversed the entire railroad and back. He is in the process of wyeing his train.
Craig Leigh is one of the shadier locations on the line...that's shadier in a good sense!
Who's that in the distance?
Ah yes, it's Peter enjoying the action.
Angus takes the throttle while Paul assists and Lloyd looks on.
Lloyd and Angus. "This is too much fun!"
Later on the passenger train is brought in to the terminal at Craig Leigh nose first.
Greg and his son railfan the action.
Kevin has arrived and he joins Grant's run at Mount St. Helens.
With facing moves, Kevin uncouples the locomotive.
Grant runs around the train on the station track.
The tail end of their train.
Greg and son in Mount St. Helens.
Ed comes over to investigate.
Alec and Bruce work the sidings at Spruce with Fred and David in conversation to the right and Chris and Neil in the background.
Peter joins the crowd.
Kevin and Grant continue with their work.
While the property makes maximum use of its space for railroading, there is still sufficient areas for folks to gather.
To railfan as well!
Neil and Ed in the foreground near the main table with Geoff and Deb off in the distance.
These fellows have a great handle on things.
Geoff looking over the new ore dock which was built by Fred and Bernie in a single day!
Hi John! I spotted ya even though yer pretty well camouflaged!
Kevin and Grant pose for this railfan.
As does David with Father Fred!
Chris explains to the crowd just how busy Nelson Yard can be during a regular ops session.
Indeed it's empty but for a lone train at the moment but it wasn't like this early in the morning!
Peter observes as Kevin railfans at Ironwood.
Grant brings the westbound freight in on the station track. They have a pickup at Ironwood brick in the distance and no passenger trains are imminent so this is a good move.
The pickup will be one of those two cars off to the right in the distance.
Note the other train rounding the bend centre picture. It is departing Spruce for the long run to Nelson Yard.
With the lift now on their train, Grant backs the consist up to head over to the siding track while Geoff looks on.
Peter studies the track arrangement here in Ironwood.
Geoff mans the next passenger run.
It's good that we've cleared the station track for him!
Railfans from all over arrive Ironwood.
To catch the meet!
Yup, large scale train running is so much fun!
The whistle blows.
Out from Ironwood with a clearance to Spruce.
A "drone shot" of Geoff's train moments earlier arriving Ironwood.
Looks like another meet is about to occur.
In Spruce.
With the passenger train having left town, Kevin and Grant can now run around their train to handle the rest of their duties at Ironwood. There are two trailing and three facing sidings at this location for westbound freights.
A great "father and son"image at Spruce.
Welcome Stan and Bill!
The windmill is a noted landmark in Ironwood and it governs the siding known simply as "windmill".
A ton of action. Grant and Kevin are in Ironwood to the bottom of the picture. Greg and his son are in Spruce to the top while the passenger train applies its brakes on the downhill grade to Blockhouse and, later, Glenn Hammond.
There's a heavy railfan presence when trains are so frequent as encountered on this day!
Chris, Stan and Angus enjoy the action.
While Neil bends over to video the passing varnish.
Lawrence has yet another passenger consist approaching the scene.
Peter and Grant stand trackside to check on the wheels for Lawrence.
It's a beehive of activity for sure.
Grant is almost finished his moves while Greg's son and Lawrence work their respective trains in back.
Jeff has arrived to check out the action standing beside Peter in the distance.
Two freights from two different eras meet.
The steamer must wait for the diesel to complete its final move as some of the cars are set out in front of the station.
Almost done!
Ah! That's better.
Pulling into the station.
Grant and Kevin drill the spur track at Spruce. They will eventually have to run around their train to work Mackenzie Lumber and Valley Supply, the two facing spurs behind the station.
Doug, Bruce and Alec survey the landscape at Peter's Pond.
Angus and Bill share a chuckle.
My locomotive looks lovely passing the depot.
A replica of the Gananoque Station.
Angus, Bill and Chris enjoy the sunshine.
As do Lela, Lloyd and Paul.
Geoff is all smiles with Jeff in behind him checking out the train movements.
An eastbound passenger rounds the bend just to the west of Spruce.
Yet another meet! Yabba dabba doo!
Spruce normally does not see such heavy action.
But with all railroad activity confined to the eastern sector, it has become a railfans' hotspot!
On the roll out of Spruce.
Grant and Kevin follow Seanna's diesel into Blockhouse.
My shadow is capture in this image alongside my locomotive. Pretty cool, I say!
We are bypassing Blockhouse.
Then stepping out over the gut.
Rounding the bend at Lilly.
Through the big trestle.
Where we terminate our run at Glenn Hammond.
But, for the fun of it, we decide to press on into the west.
There will be no other traffic so it will be smooth sailing for us all the way to the western terminal of Firgrove.
I've gone to the dispatch booth to protect the diamond with a red so that Grant can traverse Bellamy Crossing on his green signal (out of sight).
Crossing the diamond.
It's right hand running at Mercer Siding.
We do have a few cars set out for photographic purposes in Peter's Pond.
In fact, if you refer to the schematic, at Peter's Pond we are actually quite far west of where we began our journey although we are actually in the eastern area of the property again. Indeed, creative track planning has maximized the use of the Fred's property.
Taking the curve outside of Peter's Pond.
We duck beneath Mount St. Helens which was the first town we had switched after departing Craig Leigh much earlier on.
We round the bend at "The Corners", located in the lefthand corner of the property.
Our train climbs the grade along the fence. Even though we are miles and miles west of Ironwood, it is situated right beside us at this point.
Through Watkins Siding (named after Lawrence).
Then into an empty Bell.
Man, just this morning this place was hopping with traffic!
To the west of Bell we notice the interchange area with the Rat Portage and Mattawa Railroad.
Upgrade at "The Ledges". This area is along the far right fence line on the schematic.
We terminate at Firgrove.
Where we turn our locomotive on the "armstrong".
Head back to the train.
Change the location of the caboose.
For a quick run back to where we had started.
If you ran your locomotive around the layout it would take almost seven minutes of real time at a prototypical speed.
Back through the diamond. The turnout in front of the locomotive governs whether you will head into Nelson Yard or take the straight track into Glenn Hammond.
Through the trestle.
In the opposite direction around Lilly.
Into Blockhouse.
Through Spruce.
Two dimes found atop a couple of cars used as switching markers. Fred wants us to know that it is free to come and visit...no need to leave money! Hehehe!
For our visitors, here is a brief overview of the action earlier in the morning while you folks were at your SLD meeting.
Steam in Ralph Yard at Firgrove.
Eastbound 302 is on the ready track a couple of tracks over from the passenger station.
Ralph Yard in Firgrove named for the late Ralph Dipple.
See...I told ya so. Nelson Yard was indeed a hive of activity in the morning hours. In fact, its appearance changes every few minutes!
Nelson Yard is named after the late Bud Nelson.
RP&M crews work the yard. We spot Seanna and Steve assembling traffic at the western end.
Paul, Henk, Steve and Colin check out things in the big yard.
One of the locomotives working the yard.
Glenn Hammond sees the ore train pass through.
It's sidings are relatively clear at the moment.
Glenn Hammond can become busy as well.
Two shots from an earlier diesel session in the season. Note all the traffic to the left in the Glenn.
A meet of the passenger train and the ore train.
The area around Bellamy to the west of Nelson Yard.
Lawrence brings 304 into Bell near the interchange area while Steve looks on.
Bell is filling up.
Garry checks his train orders.
While working Stuart Yard in Bell.
Near the dispatch booth.
Joel maps out some of the latest additions to the railroad. He will create a new schematic for the operators. Each clipboard has a copy of the schematic attached in an adhesive fashion on the back of the board for ease of reference, in particular when visitors arrive.
Joel will have to map out the new trackwork up in Cedar Rock.
This morning Garry and I had to work the sidings at this location.
The branchline up into Cedar Rock.
Here's Nelson Yard on a busy standard gauge morning earlier in the summer.
Nelson Yard with Glenn Hammond and Bell off in the distance.
While I love operating my steamer, diesel days are always colourful.
You just never know what livery will show up on any given day!
While Doug normally dispatches, I get to take over whenever he is away or when he desires to run a train. Steve also dispatches for us at times.
With radio communications and a linear magnetic board, we keep the trains safely apart along the system. We also control four signals governing the diamond from this location.
Here is the most recent project. Bernie and Bob are enjoying watching the ore train activity.
As mentioned earlier, Bernie and Fred had built the ore dock in a single day!
Artsy shot of the wye in Craig Leigh.
Well, it's nearing the end of this post.
Time to head home.
On a slow order.
"Tuck into bed" time.
Almost there!
This is just one of the many creative carrying cases the lads and lasses use.
The foam ensures safety en route.
As for me, I own three large scale locomotives.
Many in the group own a lot more.
On behalf of Fred, we would like to thank the SLD members who made an appearance on the last Saturday afternoon in September. It was a joy for the Ottawa Valley Garden Railroad Society (OVGRS) to host everyone. As always, thanks to Fred for opening up his home for us to experience the joy that can be had in the great outdoors!
Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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