Railfan Home Run
I've stumbled across a posting "draft" that was partially created back in the early summer but never posted. I called it "Railfan Home Run" due to the fact that it was the fourth posting from that train running morning...covering all four bases from the session!
The large curve out from Spruce offers up an excellent location to catch trains turning geographically south then west.
Here we spot Bernie's TH&B geep holding honours today.
While steam locomotives may have been living on borrowed time in the year I was born, they live on forever along the rails of the IPP&W and RP&M lines.
Passing one of the signature locations along the route, this CNR road switcher finds respite from the morning sun in the dappled shade offered by the heavily forested area in "The Corners".
Indeed, the future of the IPP&W is not in doubt as evidenced by the tremendous amount of lading crossing the line on this single morning in the summer of 2020.
Conquest of the grade will be achieved in short order in the location known as Watkins Siding.
Days of heavy mine production continue to exist as proven by this long drag of ore.
Heading timetable direction east but geographically west, this heavy coal drag pulls through Spruce with Marcel at the controls.
Unit trains seem to be the order of the day with this "oil can" on the move into Bell.
Passing under the large complex the train continues westbound...
...and leans into the curve leading into the area known as "The Ledges".
A few trappings of earlier times remain in evidence and this glorious passenger train in care of "Mr. Mark" doesn't "miss the mark!"
His train arrives the vacant western throat at Nelson Yard.
Mike has his tanker train climbing the grade nearing the end of its run.
The train hugs the foliage as the crew enjoys the cooler air surrounding the forest.
The train snakes into the arrival track at Firgrove.
The crew goes for a gentle spin.
The local hostler climbs aboard...
...and conducts the moves required...
..to ready the train for its imminent departure...
...back east.
Such stories can be told as we gather to re-create the train movements of the past...
...along the high iron of the IPP&W.
Who says the days of steam are in deep twilight!
Passengers on the port side of the train take note that there are only two spans crossing Brennan Gap at the moment. They hear rumours that the third bridge will be rebuilt at some point in the near future.
Bernie negotiates the trackage at Ironwood...a location on the line that will see many changes in the summer season of 2020.
This passenger train begins its quest for the summit at Clarke Hill.
Paul is the engine driver. His train has reached the top of the hill only to find a sweeping curve he must manage before arriving Spruce.
The mission is easier for crews of eastbound trains at Watkins Siding as they drop down the grade...
...leading them past Wellington Lake and into "The Corners".
The sun collaborates with this railfan allowing for a fine looking shot of one of the flanks of the TH&B diesel unit.
The crew works the siding at Larabie Fuels.
It's consist remains out on the passing siding.
With its train stretched out over the length of the sweeping curve, this CNR crew is making good time.
The RS3 emerges into daylight and will soon arrive...
...Peter's Pond.
Don't let the grease and grime found on this CN engine let you think it is old and weary. It continues to produce revenue for the railroad with remarkable consistency.
We find Neil standing beneath the canopy with a host of fine gentlemen seated in conversation including our good friends, Barry Birkett and Jim Davis.
With its caboose still in Nelson Yard, the headend power approaches the Fred Mills Trestle on a journey that will see the train arrive Craig Leigh by the end of the morning hours.
Off of one trestle...
...and onto another...after tackling the horseshoe curve at Lilly.
Unit trains of two varieties meet along the line. This image brings back memories to the photographer.
...at the very same location...only from a different railfan trip earlier in the summer!
The TH&B crew hold the passing siding in Ironwood as they await an eastbound to emerge out of the curve from Spruce.
It was at this point the cameraman's batteries gave up the juice!
Vintage Video
We've got this gorgeous locomotive in the correct juxtaposition...
...it would read "anadian Pacific" with the upper case letter "C" missing. (Big grin!)
Let's check the train movement on video!
We check in on this little critter spotted during one of our "Invasion of Friends" events.
He may be small but he sure is a brute of an engine!
Let's check out his pulling power.
A colourful lashup brightens the morning.
These next few snips were taken from video footage of Train PM2 on my HO scale layout. Because they are snips the resolution from my camera is not the greatest...but now that the snows have settled over the landscape, feel free to send me your pics of train activities, be they indoors or outdoors and I will share them on the blog!
Train PM2 is a long, manifest freight which had departed Portland, Maine in the morning and will arrive Mechanicville, New York in the afternoon hours. I have the train at high notch as the thirty-three car train with three units hauling must pass by the lens of my camera before 50 seconds elapses. Any video over 50 seconds will not upload to the blog.
Let's check out the action.
A lower angle perspective.
The train is crossing the Salmon River which acts as the border between the state of Maine on the near bank to the left and the state of New Hampshire on the far bank with the F.B. Hamer building, named for my father, also a Fred. Frederic Brian Hamer would have turned 99 years old today had he still been alive! Happy Birthday to you, dad! Mom would be 102 on December 1st if she were still with us. Happy birthday, mom, as well!
We check out the action.
Under different lighting conditions the manifest freight highballs across the borderline bridge.
With a variety of cars in the consist, the train is heading behind the legion hall and will be crossing Boundary Road on the outskirts of town.
Arriving North Dover, the train travels beneath the giant Holy Spirits Distilleries complex...a play on words for this Catholic School teacher.
The train is inbound through the outskirts of North Dover.
Some stills taken with the camera and not snipped from video.
This is the legion hall on my layout.
A boat docks up at the legion hall.
Even though the layout occupies a room of diminutive size (11'x13')...
...I have tried my best to pack in much detail in the various scenes.
This scene I share with you today is but one of some thirty or so photographic areas of the layout.
It is fun running a variety of trains indoors, especially during our non-garden railroad season. My model railroad skills were very much in their infancy when I built the layout as indicated by the stones in the stone arch bridge I carved by hand.
Even the bluebirds get in on the action! The Salmon River Bridge was quite the challenge to build as there are curves in the arches and the track is on a curve as well! Yikes! Stan Conley assisted with the design of the bridge and, even though it shows my earlier skills as a modeller, it is very dear to my heart!
We come to the end of this posting where we find Marcel and his caboose hop beneath the supports of the Fallentree Mine as the train begins its ascent up to Lilly and into Nelson Yard.
Before reaching the yard, the crew must navigate two spans crossing Brennan Gap. With the third span now in over Brennan Gap, it is obvious this image is from yet another day on the railroad!
Let's follow the train's progress along this route of the line.
This "teaser" shot which I snipped from a larger image Marcel sent my way will certainly get your railroad juices flowing as
my next posting in early December will showcase some more magnificent pictures Marcel has been sending my way of his and his friend's garden railroads from his home in Arizona where the warm sun shines every day!
Yes, this has been a Railfan Home Run of a posting! We reached first base with our garden train pics from earlier in the summer. We pulled into second base with our Vintage Video appearances. We made it to third with a few pics of one of the many locations on my HO Scale B&M/MEC railroad. Finally, Marcel brought us back around to home plate as the ball cleared the fence with his wonderful image taken of a friend's layout which you will see more of in our next installment!
See you in December! Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
