Session #11 Narrow Gauge Ops August 11

We're beginning to get deeper into August...and our 11th session occurs on the 11th!

With our operations on the 11th day of the 8th month taking on a rods and whitewall appearance..
Remember, you can enlarge the images by clicking on them and return by clicking outside them.

We must be operating narrow gauge.

Indeed we are!

Steam locomotives pulling people!

Steamers from various countries.

Some in a  "stealth" appearance.

Large ones.

Medium sized ones.

And...our usual cast of characters!

Pat and Malcolm seem to think today is October 31st instead of August...

Steve and Moe prep by relaxing in the lounge.

George visits me in my dispatch hut.

Henk and Chris talk about politics, psychology, sports...hey...what about trains?  (big grin)

Ray has returned to Ottawa from his home in Courtenay, British Columbia located on Vancouver Island.  He'll be crewing with Steve.

Bernie will look after Craig Leigh while Moe supervises.

Geoff and his two sons have paid us a visit.  They are friends of Pat Brennan.

Welcome to all three of you!

Doug and Paul will work for the RP&M on this morning even though they would love to run up the IPP&W just for fun!

Lawrence and Bob will find time in the shade between station stops.

Gaston makes sure Henk does all of the bending over work.

Pat and Brian will start their day aboard 327.

Rest assured, we will meet many more from our wonderful cast of characters as the morning progresses.

Brian is organizing his train pre-ops.

He and Pat are in care of Train 327 bound from Glen Hammond to Firgrove.

We find them on their approach to Bell.

Taking Track 3 they determine their moves.

The fence offers a beautiful backdrop for the crew.

They've run around their train in preparation to switch out the yard at Bell.

Over in Ironwood we find Gaston and Henk studying their options aboard Train 318.

It's slow and steady with Henk's shay.

Henk bends down to say his prayers.

As soon as he does, a ray of light shines on his crewmate.

"Is it the second coming?" Henk wonders.

In the meantime, dispatch has asked Gaston and Henk to assist the ore train with the moves at Ironwood Brick.

We spot an eastbound below Mount St. Helens.

On its approach to Peter's Pond.

With Ray at the helm...

...and Steve as conductor...in this previously seen photo.

This must be Train 302 out of Firgrove.

Bound for Nelson Yard.

The crew has already worked Bell and is now in Peter's Pond.

They will have to work fast as another crew awaits to enter the pond from a distance far away!

Where they travel up the Cedar Rock Branch.

In the dappled shade.

Steve has all of his moves predetermined back in Peter's Pond.

The end of the Cedar Rock Branch.

Speaking of Peter's Pond.

Here is the real deal...in Newfoundland.

And...here is Seanna...waiting patiently for Steve and Ray to finish up their work so she can enter the pond.  Seanna and Steve discovered the hiking trail while on their travels this summer.  We miss you Steve and Seanna...but we know you are having a ton of fun!

301 is hauled today by this overseas beauty.

She's out of Spruce on her way to Nelson Yard.

Much later she is found in Bell with her two operators, Lawrence and Malcolm, now aboard Train 311.

Let's check in on the yardmasters.  Here's Bernie in Craig Leigh.

George will work with Bernie on this day.  This is George's locomotive.

Looking handsome, Bernie...and his Redblacks won their game later that evening!

George and Bernie.

My only photo on the day of our Firgrove yardmaster, Paul.

He is enjoying the shade offered from the big red umbrella.

Things appear quite relaxed in Nelson Yard as Garry also enjoys a break from the sun.

And, it would seem, a break from the action.

For you see, if you are the Nelson Yard yardmaster, the action can be fast and feverish and then suddenly you meet the doldrums.

We are slowly adjusting the activity around Nelson Yard based on Garry's feedback.

Yes, the operations evolve.

The yard is looking pretty clear at the moment.

George is making up Passenger #2 in Craig Leigh.

He had also made up Train 15, the Pool Train.

George handed the Pool Train over to Moe where we find Train 15 beginning its lengthy journey out of Craig Leigh passing a work crew at Northlands.

Meeting the ore train in Mount St. Helens.

Skipper Moe, the man himself.

Arriving the beautiful depot in Spruce.

Later, out of Glen Hammond, he has stopped at Bellamy.

Arriving Bell on the station track.

Bell is busy at this time.

But dispatch keeps the trains moving.

The pool train heads down RP&M rails.

At a different time we catch Passenger #2 departing Bell for Firgrove.

The operator who signs on for passenger service runs three trains, Passenger #1 and #2 and Train 15, the Pool Train.  Said operator visits all stations along both railroad lines, the IPP&W and the RP&M.  They log the most miles of any train in the session and see the greatest variety of scenery while carrying passengers to and fro!

Let's check in on the RP&M crews.

Looks like a train is working Rat Portage.

Off in the distance to the right in blue is Lela.

Her crew mate is hubby, Chris, on this day.

Chris has locomotive #27 climbing the grade out of Pratt's Bottom.

They meet their RP&M counterpart at Bell.

They take Track 4 at Bell to offer them an easy invite to the interchange area.

All four RP&M crew members captured in a single picture.

From foreground to background we find Chris, Lela, Doug and Paul.

Looks like the RP&M crews have completed their work on the day along with "Passenger Moe."

Earlier, Paul and Doug had arrived Bell.

They have run around their train in order to working the facing spur at Brunt's Brewery.

Two handsome lads.

Paul's gorgeous locomotive.

Yes, the RP&M locomotive has been turned and is now hauling their train out of Bell.

Due to a special arrangement with the Firgrove Association of Retired Locomotive Engineers, this RP&M train has been given a special dispensation to travel along IPP&W trackage up to Firgrove for a very special "Ceremony of Appreciation."

Their tail end still in Bell.

For,it seems this "very" locomotive once worked for the IPP&W and had been housed in the once larger engine house up in Firgrove.

With anticipation, the crew climbs the grade at "The Ledges".

The locomotive is beloved by all in the town of Firgrove.

With the champagne bottle shattered once again against the mighty brute of a locomotive and with many memories retold for the umpteenth time, the crew backed the train down the grade to Bell and began their journey back home along RP&M rails with a stop to switch out Rat Portage.

To this day, Paul, the owner of said locomotive is looked upon as God in the vicinity of Firgrove.

Another colossal locomotive is spotted on the railroad.

Must be Bob and the ore train.  It is Bob and the ore train!

At Ironwood he gets a helping hand from Henk and Gaston.

While Bernie looks on.

Henk's booming voice declares some statement of significance.

Which brings Moe to the scene...reminiscent of a herd of animals coming to the watering hole.

Laughter abounds.

Henk and Gaston, aboard Train 318, have done exemplary service in sacrificing their time to expedite the ore traffic along the high iron of the IPP&W.

Ore train...meet pool train.

Later on the ore train returns the other way through the pedestrian crossing with a consist of empties.

Bill observes from the second best seat in the house.

Bill waits for the arrival of the train of empties into Glenn Hammond.

We get back to Ray and Steve in Peter's Pond after hustling their work so Seanna and Steve can make it in there.

They've arrived Mercer and are awaiting clearance into Nelson Yard.

They are now aboard Train 312 from Nelson Yard to Craig Leigh.

Both lads are happy to find the shade.

Ray controls the locomotive.

Train 312 arriving Craig Leigh.

Gaston and Henk have arrived Nelson Yard with their shay locomotive.  They will be taking Train 313 from Nelson Yard to Firgrove in care of Gaston's Canadian Pacific road unit.

Chris did a masterful job of weathering Gaston's unit.

Gaston is a happy camper.

Departing Nelson Yard.

Through Bellamy.

Along the junction tracks.

Heading toward Mercer Siding.

Malcolm captures a picture of me admiring Gaston's unit.

Earlier, Malcolm captured me capturing him in the spotlight.

Catching up with 327, we find the crew putting their train together after working Bell.

They have run around the tail end of their train.

Malcolm videos the action.

The two pumpkin boys!  Pat is one of the crew members aboard 327.

327 arrived Firgrove and is on their return trip down from Firgrove as Train 304.

304 enters Bell near the interchange tracks.

Pat's locomotive is a beauty.

Bell is busy!

They take Track 4 to work the interchange area.

With their work complete...

...they are on their way.

We will find them in Peter's Pond later on.

Rolling stock review.

The brightly coloured billboard cars certainly complement the nice blue of Brunt's Brewery.

A tanker tandem.

Reefer brothers.

Colorado Southern at Hamer's Manufacturing down in Rat Portage.

A virtual yard at Mount St. Helens.

In Ironwood.

The Ironwood Road in Ironwood on the Ironwood, Peter's Pond and Western.

Steve and Ray are at it again.

They are now westbound aboard Train 319 on their final run of the day.

319 meets 304.

Meet met...time to depart.

Rounding the curve by Ironwood Brick.

Steve, Ray and Gaston enjoy the morning.

Ray works Spruce.

With an audience.

We catch up with Brian and Pat in Spruce aboard Train 314, their final run of the day.

They are through Ironwood.

Pat handles the steamer like a magician.

Between Ironwood and Mount St. Helens.

Meeting 319.

Brian examines his orders.

There is certainly a lot of orange and blue here.

The orange and blue move around quite a bit.

But for a few more pics, that sums up our session from the 11th day of the 8th month.

Where steam ruled supreme.

And we all were loving it!

A last look at some of the folks who come out, like my buddy, Bill, with Fred and Geoff.

Bill's having fun!

Lawrence and Paul relax in the shade.

Garry bids everyone farewell.

As does Malcolm.

Lawrence and Bernie clowning around while packing up.

Ray's lovely wife, Maureen, has arrived.

With Opa and Nana.  You've got to check out their webpage which documents their visits to other model railroads at www.opananaland.wordpress.com

Malcolm captured me railfanning.

Doug and Mike, the two dispatchers on the railroad.

Yup, I'm having too much fun!

As is Uncle Fred, our senior advisor, share holder and confidant!

Until another week!  Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada