We left off section one with Paul enjoying the sun's rays as our train, 304, continues to be held outside Nelson Yard at Mercer Siding.
303 is given priority clearance into the yard...
...as we snap an image of its tail end.
Lawrence and Henk get a kick out of this railfan.
Nelson Yard...
...remains its busy self...
...with trains from both roads entering and exiting.
Paul awakes...
...to find a red aspect...
...as Pat and Ken depart the big yard...
...aboard 311.
311 crosses the junction tracks...
...as we look back at Nelson Yard.
303 says "hello" to 304.
A lovely meet.
A wonderful sight.
Hip, hip...hooray! We've got our green!
We're on the roll.
Through the junction.
On a slow approach.
Entering the yard from the west.
We meet an RP&M train sorting cars.
He backs away to allow us in.
It's a busy place.
Many locomotives.
Many cars.
Many trains.
Looking good.
We will find our new train in short order.
Henk and Bill.
Love the look of parallel tracks.
Lawrence finds his new train.
Crews are moving about.
15 is cleared out of Glen Hammond...
...as 314 is cleared out from Nelson Yard.
Neil is in control of 15.
Through the span.
He aligns the turnout for us.
Off he goes...
...and here we come...
...past Fallentree Mine.
Rounding Lilly...
...with 314 in hot pursuit.
The lilies at Lilly have changed colour.
The local crew works the tracks to the east of Nelson Yard.
Over the gut.
Suspended in the air.
Some nice looking freight cars.
Indeed.
314 passes Blockhouse.
Heading beneath the eastern throat of Nelson Yard.
The two trains continue with their game of tag.
15 in Spruce.
Henk and Lawrence work 313 up in Cedar Rock.
314 eases around the bend...
...on a slow order restriction...
...with 15 ahead of us.
In Spruce 314 works the trailing sidings.
As 314 gets underway toward Ironwood, Sid offers to throw the turnout back to the mainline. Thanks Sid!
313...
...in Cedar Rock.
Fred, Jean and Lisa...as previously shown in the earlier post.
An overall view of part of the eastern sector of the line.
Sid and Paul.
313 arrives Wellington Lake...
...where Lawrence throws the turnout for Henk.
Len and Moe are found in Ironwood.
Skipper Len...
...and skipper Lawrence.
314 departs Wellington...
...where they meet eastbound Train 328.
Moe is in control of Train 319.
319 arrives Ironwood...
...as 314 backs out of the siding to offer a clean alley for the in-coming train.
With 319's arrival...
...314 is able to depart.
Our train is spotted at the rising ridge up to Mount St. Helens.
In natural light, the train continues its climb up the grade...
...while 328 makes its way along the outer edge of the railroad...
...through "The Corners."
Paul and I have completed our work in Mount St. Helens. We are "breaking the code" by running the red on an "oral clearance" from the Craig Leigh yardmaster.
Ken and Mark...
...with their train...
...arriving Peter's Pond from the west.
They head up to Cedar Rock.
We arrive Northland in Craig Leigh.
A lovely hopper...
...found in Bell.
Mark and Pat.
The "other" Pat handle the role as Craig Leigh yardmaster masterfully!
Paul smiles...
...as we wye my locomotive...
...along the eastern leg of the wye.
Nearing the engine house tracks.
328 has arrived back in Peter's Pond fresh off the Cedar Rock branch...
...and they gain clearance to Glen Hammond.
Saying "good-bye" to the Pond.
Following the session, we must pack the cars away.
Henk makes use of the rake handle to pull cars from the deep siding in Spruce.
Post ops lounging with Paul and Fred.
Henk, George and Paul.
Pat and Garry.
Neil, Bill and Doug.
Little fishy!
Moe, Mark and Andrew.
The penalty box.
The other penalty box.
We're starving for lunch about now.
Beer first, though, indicates Henk.
Moe and Henk...
...with Henk's big grin.
Seanna and Fred.
Well, that's it for another season folks! We thank Fred for hosting 21 awesome train operating sessions. Here's to next season!
All the best, Mike Hamer. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
