Bernie's Saturday Session Pics

Pics From Saturday From Bernie

Congrats to Mark and Family!!!

We thank Bernie for taking a ton of photos from this past Saturday's session and sending them my way.  

Thanks for all the captions as well, Bernie.  Great job!

Also, congrats go out to Mark and family...see below!

Fred is found early in the morning getting his paper work ready.

At the top of our list is a note of congratulations to Mark and his entire family...

...upon the arrival of Baby Leo this week.  Such a cutie, Mark!

Len and George populating Fir Grove.

Paul N. carrying a tray of cars for Iron Wood.

The birthday boy arrives with a big smile.

Bill has a laugh as Henk looks a little bewildered.

With the sun behind them, Pat and Robin get ready to help Bill at Nelson Yard.

Paul N. checks his orders for 302 as Len watches Mark put his loco on the tracks at Fir Grove.

Pat B. bringing flat 115 to Bernie at Bell. 

Sid setting up Mert’s Fish at Peter’s Pond.

A tray of passenger cars await Paul A. at Craig Leigh.

There’s Paul A. 

Douglas Yard appears ready for the morning ops.

Tank cars at Eastern Oil.

Pool 15 and No. 1 are ready for the arrival of No. 2 from Fir Grove.

Robin ready to frizbee the birthday cake to Bernie

 Sid, Pat B. and Pat B. enjoying their cake while Mark anxiously awaits his piece from Henk.

Fred giving his Saturday morning sermon while Bill listens.

…or does he?

Chris and Paul N. bring 302 into Bell.

Bernie brings a quite long passenger No. 2 into Bell while Chris and Paul work 302.

Chris and Paul working 302 at Bell while Moe works 327 at the Glenn.

Passenger 2 is too long for the Peter’s Pond station track.

Passenger 2 had to back up to let 327 into Mount St Helens.

No. 2 chuffs past 70 at Glenn Hammond.

 Bill is all smiles sitting on the throne in the tower.

 Mark’s WP&Y 111 hauls ore loads over Brennan’s Pass

  There’s Mark

 Passenger No. 2 traverses the Fred Mills bridge.

 No. 318 holds at Spruce for Passenger # 2 

 Pat and Sid switching Iron Wood as No. 2 waits at the passenger station.

Spruce is very active at the moment.

 Ore empties reside on the Northland Ore Dock. 

 No. 2 is too long to wye so it has to be broken up to complete the turn.

 Paul guides No. 2 into the Craig Leigh passenger track.  

 Pool 15 is ready on the outside track for Bernie’s next run. 

Power has backed onto Pool 15 and is ready to depart.

 A few engineers had to work their trains on their own. Robin is seen here switching 318 at Iron Wood. A long train for one operator to work.

IPP&W No. 15 leads 318.

 Train 318 arrives at Mount St Helens as Pool 15 holds the station track.

Robin has moved onto Mount St Helens as Mark is ready to bring the ore train through on the main.

 The Pool stops at Spruce station before heading to Glen Hammond.

 Back at Mount St Helens, Mark brings the ore train past 318.

 Pat Brewer has switched Lilly and is returning to Nelson Yard.

 Pool 15 crosses Brennan’s Pass on the Fred Mills bridge.

 Moe is at Bell as Pat brings his loco into Nelson Yard. Sid and Pat wait patiently for Henk to prepare their train.

Len and George waiting patiently for the next arrival.

 Apologies for cutting Moe’s head off. His colourful steamer has 304 ready to depart Bell while the Pool on the station track has some work to do before parting. 

Pat's RP&M run arrives Bell from Rat Portage.

 A thing of beauty!

Mike has arrived and got right to work photographing Len switching Fir Grove 

Bernie Geiger watches Sid and Pat switch Cedar Rock.

 The Pool and 303 at Iron Wood as 312 climbs the grade into Spruce.

Moe’s 304 descends Watkins Siding.

Billy checks up on Henk to make sure he is doing things right in Nelson Yard.

  Pat is all alone at Bell as he switches the interchange. 

 Fred and Bill watch the action in Nelson Yard.

 Marcel takes a break as Henk puts Marcel’s train together. Pat is working Bell in the background.

Paul has brought No. 30 down to Mount St Helens from Craig Leigh.

 The Pool interrupts Paul’s switching as it stops at the Mount St Helen’s station.

Bernie’s Pool 15 approaches the wye at Craig Leigh without any hint of what is about to happen.

Disaster...as the combine and coach roll onto their sides!  A close look shows the switch is not fully closed. Fortunately, there were no injuries and the five-finger crane had the cars back on the track in no time.

Passenger No. 1 has departed Craig Leigh and has arrived at Mount St Helens with a nice colour matched set.

Chris and Paul work Iron Wood while Pat and Sid appear to be attending to a problem on Watkin’s siding.

That is Robin uncoupling at Spruce.

 Len has brought another train from Fir Grove into Bell.

Bernie will no longer be allowed to run passenger trains! But Sir, four cars made it through the switch before this one went on its side. Doesn’t matter, you’re fired...after you finish the run of course.

Busy at Peter’s Pond.

Heavy activity in Mount St. Helens.

 Pat and Sid are all smiles as Pat ensures there are no runaway cars heading down Watkins Siding.

 Following a wonderful day of railroading, it is time to put the railway away until next weekend. 

We thank Bernie for all of these amazing images and captions!  So much appreciated, Bernie!

The White Pass locomotive Mark brought out for our enjoyment is a Bombardier Class 111.

She's a 1200 horsepower C-C wheel arrangement.

Between 1982-1993, she was stored about an hour east of Ottawa at Les Cedres, Quebec near the Ontario/Quebec border.

We love her in this video, Mark!

Moments earlier, 111 had departed Nelson Yard...

...with a string of empties in tow.

She's westward bound...

...where she meets an RP&M drag at Anderson.

Video of the ore train's escape from Nelson Yard!

We catch up with the Firgrove Yard operators, Len and George.

Number 48 is earning her keep on this day...

...with engineer Len at the helm.

Nice video up in Firgrove!

The crew aboard 312 tidy up in Spruce...

...before seeking clearance eastward to Ironwood.

They must hold for the time being...

...as another crew is occupying their targeted destination.  Indeed, train running does involve a "waiting game" at times!

Some video of 312 occupying Spruce.

We find 311 in "The Corners" about to ascend the grade beginning at Wellington Lake.

A rather interesting consist we glimpse!

Skipper Pat with his train!

Moe, aboard 304, is holding in the siding awaiting the meet with 311.  Then he will be granted clearance down to Peter's Pond.  Oblivious to all this action is Robin, working Train 303 in Ironwood.

A video review of the proceedings!

With 311 now in the rearview mirror...

...304 is full steam ahead...

...passing the Wellington Lake depot...

...onward to Peter's Pond!

304 as captured on video camera!

312 has finally been cleared into Ironwood.

They switch out the eastern side of town.

Those empty ore cars are situated on the Ironwood Brick siding.

Paul regales us with his interesting stories about his dad's work on the railroad.  Great sharing, Paul!

Ironwood video footage.

Bernie hauls Passenger 1 into Ironwood on its westerly heading.

Paul continues with his very interesting story.

Throughout a morning's session with some 22 trains running, it must be amazing the number of meets that occur!

Looking down the line in Ironwood.

Bernie's train as seen in this video segment.

Thanks again to Bernie for sending in all these amazing images to entertain us!  Thanks as well to all of our followers and viewers.  It is fun to celebrate train running each week plus the birth of a new engineer!

Congrats again, Mark and family!!!

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