Session #7 August 21st

 Seventh Session of the Season

The sun gods have been in our favour once again.  

While we do appreciate them showing up for our Saturday sessions, perhaps they could tone down the heat a tad when they do appear!

This Midwest Quarry & Mining Co. locomotive leads off for us today.

(Click on an image to enlarge.  Click on your "back arrow" in the upper left corner to return to the default page.)

This is George's engine of choice in Firgrove when it comes to Narrow Gauge sessions.

Doug works the short spur outside of Nelson Yard.

Steve and Seanna run the Bell Turn for the RP&M in the early morning hours.

Paul engages his locomotive with the many tasks around Craig Leigh.  

Bob has his behemoth "Yellowstone" running the ore train through Peter's Pond.

The sun basks the flanks of these cars in Glen Hammond and the clock is barely above 9:00 AM.

Indeed, colours abound in the Glen.

Bernie is in total control of the situation at Nelson Yard.

Soon, the coloured chips will come into greater focus as each train is assembled by the crew.

Nelson Yardmaster, Bernie!

We love all of the railroad shirts Seanna brings out each Saturday morning.

Love that Lancaster on the shirt, Bill!

George, from behind.

George...out front!

 My good friend, Pete, has arrived from his home in Wolfville, Nova Scotia!

Pete plays sax in my bands whenever he visits Ottawa.

A shot of the bunch of us at one of our "Wheelchair Association" fundraiser dances we played.

And...from another year.  Giving back to the community is what we enjoy doing the best!

Pete and Marcel...two talented musician friends!

Steve and Seanna can't wait to get the trains running!

Bill has rung the Bell...or has had his bell rung...so let's assemble!

These next number of pics come from Bernie's camera.  Seanna and Mike discuss the video efforts Mike has underway on his layout for the Capital Region Model Railroad Tour.

Pre-ops, we find Marcel carrying a brace of narrow gauge cars.

Steve and Pat discuss the morning's activities.

Doug works his train across Brennan Gap.

Looking great, Doug!

Bernie has caught me snapping an image of the Blockhouse.

More pre-ops gatherings.

Soon, the discussion will be over and we will head to our respective locomotives.

Pete follows his train out from Glen Hammond as Marcel works Passenger 2 at Bell in behind.

Pat calls out instructions to his engineer, Pete.

Doug and Bill sort out items on the agenda at the western throat of Nelson Yard.

Steve and Seanna have RP&M 65 underway as Bill will set the turnouts at the western throat of the yard.

Sid observes the proceedings as Pat and Doug get things underway.

Mike snaps an image as he stands beside another blue-shirted railroader!

Thanks for those images, Bernie!  I'll share more of your shots later in the week.

Malcolm studies his train orders as Pat and Seanna enjoy a chuckle.

Lawrence, Bill, Moe and Pat pay attention as Pete sits in the back row.

There's Fred!

My dispatch board appears "clean" pre-ops.

Rest assured, those magnets representing the different trains will commence their dance across the railroad in short order.

There's Pete in the back row with a great smile!

Pat and Pete have 318 assembled and will be underway in mere moments.

Malcolm had no work in the Glen, so he was underway immediately with Train 327 heading westbound to Firgrove with stops in Peter's Pond, Cedar Rock and Bell.

Passenger 2 draws up to the station in Bell.

302 has tailed Passenger 2 down to Bell. 

Pete continues to build 318 in Glen Hammond.

Bernie and Bill take a front row seat in Nelson Yard.

Paul has 301 readied and their crew is backing their CP switcher onto the cut in behind.  All this action takes place at Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh.

A perfect stack of bread trays!

Lawrence gets down to work repairing the ramps for Mount St. Helens.

Speaking of Mount St. Helens, the crew of 301 has arrived and has run around their train to work the facing sidings here.  Moe and Neil resemble the Edmonton Oilers team colours.

Shortly Doug will have Rat 70 underway as Pat and Paul work the interchange at Bell to the left.

Pete and Pat have found Spruce.

Malcolm has arrived the Pond.

The crew of 318 have assisted the Ore Train.  Bob is appreciative of Pat and Pete's help.

As part of the RP&M crew, Steve and Seanna assist the Nelson Yard crew with their tasks.

Eventually, they will head out on the RP&M 65-66 Nelson Yard - Bell Turn.

Pat and Paul are spotted later in the morning at Spruce.  This means they must be on their second trick of the morning, IPP&W Train 312.

Following their assist of the ore train, 318's crew gets back down to business with their efforts at Larabie Fuels in Ironwood.

Malcolm's White Pass locomotive finds the junction.

He takes IPP&W rails to Mercer.

In the background, Passenger 2 is spotted downgrade at "The Ledges".

Marcel is in care of the train.

Malcolm follows his consist into Mercer.  He is cleared directly into Peter's Pond, so there will be no stopping here.

Some video reels of Malcolm's train.

(Remember to click on the white arrow in the center of the video two times to engage movement.)

Locos work the western zone of Nelson Yard.

Doug finds some cars in the yard.

He yields to his RP&M colleagues.

RP&M 65 departs the yard as Rat 70 holds back.

Lovely loco, Steve and Seanna!

I've always loved this tanker!

Nelson Yard video views.

Bob is found departing Firgrove.

His train hugs the foliated wall.

She's a beauty, Bob!

You'll have to tell us how well the video turned out!

Video of ore on the move.

An eastbound passenger train indicates that this must be Train 15, the Pool Train.

The crew of 301 had cleared the station track for Train 15.

Both Ironwood and Spruce are alive with activity.

The hustle and bustle continues.

Some more video (and humour) from around the neighbourhood.

Bob takes a break to follow his ore train as Malcolm works Wellington near the fence line.

That Yellowstone is a true beauty, Bob.

Number 1791 is being given an assist by the crew of 318.

Ironwood video.

Lengthy ore drags always grab the attention of local railfans.

The specially adapted Rio Grande Southern caboose.

(You'll have to ask Bob how she fared beneath St. Helens!)

Bob's thumb is on the throttle as Pat mans the turnout.

We've managed to grab all this on video tape!

Neil and Moe with 301 working Spruce.

It's a far reach...yet Moe is up to the task!

318's power in Ironwood.

Pat teases the dispatcher...

...as the ore train "assist" warrants a great deal of time away from his "team's work"!  Pete doesn't mind, though...as it is always "teamwork" first!

Let's watch the video fun!

Finally done with Ironwood...

...318 is on the move once again.

That locomotive is a lovely specimen, Pat!

(Dispatch is sucking up!  Big grin!)

A video moment.

Like Bernie, I have also captured Doug out at Brennan Gap.

At the blockhouse.

Returning to Nelson Yard.

Here's the man himself, Doug!

Some video of Doug's efforts.

We have snuck our way into Nelson Yard.

Bernie is the traffic cop...and boy oh boy...do the operators listen and follow instructions!

A caboose meet.

Moe's power at the western end of the yard.  Train 301 has just terminated and Moe and Neil head west as Train 311.

More video of a Nelson Yard moment in time.

Pool Train 15 makes the outer curve at Nelson destined for the Glen.

Paul manages to set the turnout for Marcel just in time!

A hazy trio of steamers.

Pat is all smiles as Malcolm arrives with 304 at Nelson Yard.  He switches over to his third trick of the morning, Train 314.

Let's check that out on video, shall we!

Steve works his RP&M train in the environs of Nelson Yard as Bill gets a turnout for him.

Lovely shot of two handsome figures!

Doing a slow dance on the high trestle.

Drilling the Fallentree Mine.  This must mean that the ore train is underway!

We've captured that on video.

Yeah!  It's a triple play once again!

Indeed of triple header of activity in Ironwood.

Nothing better than a triple meet!

A "trio of trains"!

Amazing...the wonders of invention!

304 races off to the east as 303 plies the rails westbound and 312 will be able to get back to work locally.

It's an "Ironwood Morning" in August.

Video of the triple meet.

Early in the session Bernie smiles.  Indeed, he managed to keep the smile throughout...as...

...model railroading is fun!  And the statement is true in any scale!

And while the humidex reading reached the low 40's...we still managed to find the fun in it all!

Once again we thank Fred for offering a "home away from home" for so many of us each Saturday morning!

All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada