Second Section from August 7th Operations
As you will recall, we enjoyed quite the crowd out for train ops this past week. Along with the 22 operators, we also enjoyed some visitors to the railroad.
The IPP&W/RP&M is indeed a welcoming environment. Fred tells us that the family that visited the railroad with the young lad are friends from his community association. It was lovely speaking to the daughter and her son. They certainly enjoyed touring the railroad, Fred!
The Algonquin & Ottawa locomotive handles its early morning chores in Glen Hammond.
This stealth locomotive drifts into Bell with passengers in hot pursuit!
Rio Grande Southern #25 works the eastern terminus of the line.
Canadian Northern #28 travails for the RP&M on this fine morning.
Locomotive #3 toils in Firgrove and Ralph.
The Comber Chair facility has been loading this boxcar overnight ready to go out on the next RP&M train.
Before it can depart, another car has been placed for some quick pick-ups.
Cars are dispersed around the yard in Rat Portage pre-ops.
This gem of a car is sitting on the spur at Hamer Manufacturing. Must be a temporary placement as Hamer does not produce dairy! Likes to drink it though! (Big smile!)
A quartet of cars on the eastward opposing spur in Spruce.
Ah...that's better...Hamer tells us!
A favourite car for railfans is spotted near the end of the track in Ralph Yard.
Twins at Norton Fishery down in Peter's Pond.
Traffic in Glen Hammond.
Pre-ops meeting...
...with pre-ops instructions.
Let the games begin!
Passengers board Train #2 at the station in Firgrove bound for points east.
Bell comes alive to the sound of trains early in the session. Paul and Robin (in the distance) bring 302 along Track 4 while Sid (in the foreground) follows his crewmate, Pat (out of the picture) as their passenger train drops off a headend car to the east of Bell.
A short while later, Passenger 2 is given the station track as 327 holds the mainline.
Let's backtrack a few moments. On the upper deck, we spot 301 working St. Helens as Passenger 2 ducks out of the tunnel beneath the Mount.
The orange pylon has been placed in the vicinity by skipper Fred to remind us of undulations in the landscape at this location on the railroad.
327 is protected for the meet with Number 2.
Number Two slows to a stop in Peter's Pond.
The colour of railroading is in evidence in the Pond on this early August morning.
Let's admire the video footage of the meet.
In quick succession...
...the ore train is hot on the tail of Passenger 2.
The train drives through the canyon out from the Mount.
A lovely CN diesel switcher is in charge on this day.
End cabs meet and greet!
327's crew is patient as they know these two opposing trains will not hold them up for long.
Ore train meets 327 on video tape. Check out the exhaust coming from that CN diesel as it chugs alongside 327!
Seanna and Steve have arrived Ironwood and get down to business with their planned moves.
While off in the distance Lawrence and Doug are found switching out the siding tracks in Spruce.
Lawrence's lovely steam locomotive.
Two trains are captured in this image.
Spruce has undergone develop in recent times.
The yard tracks offer greater capacity for the railroad.
Lawrence follows the progress of his train.
Lovely!
Spruce activities as captured on video.
Well...look-ee here, would'ya! It's our friendly passenger service arriving Spruce.
With the passenger train now out of the picture...
...Doug and Lawrence can resume their tasks...but...look below...something is creeping up on Spruce in stealth fashion!
No problem for the crew at Spruce...their train is safely tucked in the siding.
Earlier we find Passenger 2 in Glen Hammond.
It meets an RP&M crew here.
Why...it just so happens to be "Pat meeting Pat" in this image snapped from inside my dispatch booth.
After trading pleasantries, the two Pats focus on the business each train offers.
A video meet in Glen Hammond.
Let's fast forward once again. This image tells a lovely story. The crew of 301 has lifted the ore cars from Ironwood Brick and have made them available for the ore train to the east of town. This will ensure a simple move for the engineer of the ore train to lift his cars upon arrival. Alas, 301's crew must protect itself on the siding while offering the station track for Passenger 2.
In quick succession, the ore train follows through on this eastbound parade of traffic.
Here is an image of 318 meeting 301 in Spruce.
As Yardmaster in Craig Leigh, Paul ensures all equipment is ready for the second passenger run of the day...Train # 15, the Pool Train.
Marcel is found at the Northland Ore Dock in Craig Leigh while the crew of Train 15 hovers in the background.
Among the many tasks the Nelson Yard crew must do on a shift, this one is very enjoyable to railfans...the lifting of the cars from the Fallentree Mine.
Bill is the engineer on this move.
The big yard at Nelson is in the foreground while Glen Hammond and Bell appear beyond.
Henk motors back and forth...
...monitoring all train movements in the big yard.
Bill brings the ore traffic into the yard with a healthy smile...
...as Marcel arrives with the ore train from the west.
Nelson Yard video footage.
Malcolm has brought his RP&M transfer train up to Bell where he is found switching out the far eastern end of town. This is Train 65. Malcolm will eventually turn his locomotive on the "armstrong" near the interchange and he will return home as Train 66.
Len breaks down and makes up trains in Firgrove. The train that has arrived is Train 327 and the outgoing consist is for Train 304.
George oversees the car movements here in Firgrove as head yardmaster.
Train 304 is readied...
...as 327 is about to be moved over to Ralph Yard.
Moe has turned his engine and is running to the head of his train.
Bernie observes the shuffling of 327 from Firgrove to Ralph Yard.
This image showcases the two RP&M crews...Malcolm off in the distance with Train 65-66 and Pat in the foreground at Bellamy with Rat 70.
The ore train has made Nelson Yard...
...where it will double in length.
Bill has thrown the switches for Marcel...
...as Henk looks on with a smile.
As does Bill!
Let's check out the video review!
Marcel reverses...
...and slowly brings more loads down to his train.
Then, with clearance, the ore train proceeds east.
Still more video of the ore train heading out from Nelson Yard.
Robin and Paul are found in Peter's Pond with Train 302.
Steve and Seanna work 301 at Spruce.
Some of my "not so handiwork" at Glen Hammond. To save electrical tape, I simply cut short strips and placed them from above and tucked them in underneath. No-no-no, Mike! As you can see, one of the strips near the center of the handrail has already loosened in the heat of the day!
Following the session, I went back over all stripes and "double wrapped" each and every one of them. The image above was taken before I did so.
Our RP&M train has work to conduct at Anderson.
As seen coming across the diamond.
The Nelson Yard crew has decided to offer an assist...
...which is greatly appreciated.
Bill has lifted a car for Pat...
...and is in the process of placing it on his train.
He goes one step further!
Bill pulls the consist down the approach track to Nelson Yard where he will place a set-out back in at Anderson.
Video #1 of the process.
Video #2 of the process.
301's arrival at Nelson Yard finds the crew stepping onto the Fred Mills Trestle.
Looking across Lilly to the interchange area at Bell where IPP&W Train 304 meets RP&M Train 65-66.
Train 303 has reached Mount St. Helens while Jill looks on from a distance. Doug determines the moves with his train orders and Lawrence is the engine driver.
The timetable finds the ore train back in Ironwood heading west toward Spruce with a collection of empties.
Train 302 has reached the end of the line up in Cedar Rock.
The crew aboard Pool Train 15 are aghast to find the station at Spruce has been razed!
301 threads the needle...
...over Brennan Gap.
Past the blockhouse.
Train 301's entry into Nelson Yard as capture on video.
RP&M locomotive #28 works the yard in Glen Hammond...
...while Train 15 arrives the station.
The crew aboard 15 will have work to conduct here in the Glen.
304's crew drills Brunt's Brewery at Bell. The mainline acts as an effective yard lead here.
Here we catch up again with the Kawartha Voyageur. When Malcolm shared the latest blog entry with the members of Bytown, David Jeanes responded with this lovely image with a wonderful family memory.
My Dad didn't make that many trips but he did Kingston to Ottawa numerous times, as well as all the other itineraries operated by the Kawartha Voyager. Here he is on the foredeck in May 2009. His last trip with my mother was in 2007. If he was still alive, (he died in 2014), he would have racked up a lot more trips. I think he started his trips when it was quite new.
Later, David sent me this image of the crew and invited me to share it with you.
My family enjoyed a lovely gathering on Friday evening, August 6th.
For this is a very special day...the birthday of my sister who passed away a year and a half ago. From now on, our family will celebrate her wonderful life on this day. My twin brother, Jim, is the lad kneeling down on the far left, just below my wife, Lisa. Yes, we are fraternal twins!
Here's a lovely picture of my big sister, Margaret, who we have always called Marty!
Thanks for checking in on our most recent blog entry. We thank Mother Nature and Father Railroad for allowing us to meet each Saturday and be able to run the system!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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