Bernie's Recollections From Saturday's Train Ops
We thank Bernie for sending along a ton of amazing images from our most recent operating session.
It is always a joy for me to receive images from some of the train operators where we are able to see a different perspective from little ole Mike's camera!
It's "all business" in the early morning hours pre-ops as cars have to be set out to the designated industry or yard for the session.
Click on any image to enlarge and outside the image to return to the default look.
Robin holds court with Craig Leigh Yardmaster Paul before he and Bernie board 301, a westbound freight headed for Nelson Yard.
Henk visits Fred in the crew lounge to tell him the latest joke he has heard.
The lads (and lass) assemble for the obligatory meeting.
Grant, Paul, Moe and Mike are prepared and raring to go.
Doug and the lads understand the importance of safety on the railroad grounds.
The session is well underway as Train 302 works the lower end of Peter's Pond. Pete and Moe make up the crew for 302. Robin's train is holding in Mercer so he ambles over to check on the cars he must consider while intrepid Mike takes photos of the proceedings for the blog.
Paul thinks he hears a Pileated Woodpecker...or a Nuthatch...or...maybe a chickadee!
Fred considers another Timbit while Sid takes in the action near the dispatch booth in the background.
302 is protected with a meet with Train 15, the Pool Train.
Grant and Doug wait patiently for access to
Peter’s Pond. Mike is taking photos at Mount St Helens.
Robin offers his crewmate a "thumbs up" following a successful pass at Mercer Siding.
Mark and Andrew are on their second trick, Train 303 in Mount St. Helens as Grant and Doug play the waiting game at the tables near Cedar Rock.
Bernie’s Connie emerges safely from the tunnel at Mount
St Helens
Mike's shirt matches the safety stripes he had painted earlier in the summer!
Andrew peers over to Ironwood before radioing dispatch for clearance west to that location.
Moe takes a breather after hauling 302 into the big yard. He and Pete will continue their westward journey shortly aboard 312.
Pete and Henk in Nelson Yard.
Mike explains the dispatch board to Lorna. She's a great train operator already!
Robin rerailing the caboose after his engineer
ran the switches while taking photos at Bell.
Len has made his way down to Bell aboard Train 20.
Pat takes a seat as Bill and Henk work the western throat of Nelson Yard.
Three trains converge near the interchange at Bell. Robin checks his orders on his clipboard aboard 311 as Len sets the turnouts to gain access to Brunt's Brewery aboard Train 21. Lawrence, in the red shirt in back holds just outside of Bell awaiting clearance for his RP&M train, number 67 to enter the fray.
Indeed, Bell can be a veritable "hot spot" and then it can go cold and stay vacant for long periods of time!
Len is working the siding at Brunt's Brewery while Marcel is close to departing Glen Hammond with the Pool Train.
Pat crews Rat 71 in Glenn Hammond while Doug checks his consist for Train 314 before departing Nelson Yard to the left. Robin glances over at all this activity as he continues to work Bell with Train 311.
Grant walks the aisleway around Lilly while keeping a keen eye on his train, number 314 as it tiptoes onto the Fred Mills Trestle out from Nelson Yard.
We designate Lorna as chief yardmaster in this image!
Len turns the engine for 328 at Fir Grove.
Len has proven himself to be a great addition to the Firgrove yard crew.
328 has begun its eastward journey and reaches the ladder at Bell in short order. The crew will take Track 4 to offer access to the interchange area.
Pool Train 15 arrives Bell along the IPP&W before taking on the RP&M.
Pat is all smiles to the east of Bell.
Mike is all smiles all over the whole entire railroad! Heehee!
Henk and Bill are all smiles...because they are happy lads!
Mike and Bob scurry to halt the runaway cars
from the ore train at Watkins Siding.
The double header on the ore train grabs this railfan's attention.
And...the attention of the other crews including railfan Mike off in the distance.
You've got to love the look of a unit train snaking through a big yard and gathering strength through the yard ladder before departing town!
Thanks, Bernie, for all of the great images! I'll add a few videos on to the tail end of this blog entry.
Number 48 tells me we must be in Len and Lorna's territory!
Indeed, we are...we're in Firgrove.
Len and Laura handle the chores in Ralph Yard as they make up the next outgoing train of the morning.
Here's a nice video of their work.
Click on the white arrow twice to engage the video.
Algonquin & Ottawa #2 has switching chores to conduct in Glen Hammond before departing as Train Rat 70 on the RP&M.
The transfer caboose attests to the fact that she's an RP&M train!
Lawrence reviews his switch list to ensure all cars on the train are correct.
Eventually, the locomotive will run around the consist and swap ends with the caboose.
RP&M crews on video camera!
It takes two powerful steamers to haul the ore up Clarke Grade on this day.
The crew of 301 is protected in Spruce in anticipation of the meet with the ore train.
With new trackage arrangements at Spruce, they are able to continue their work unimpeded.
The videographer has captured the ore train on its uphill struggle. Note the conversation between the crew working in Ironwood which is in close proximity to the action unveiling before our eyes!
We are outside Bell along RP&M rails just beyond the interchange point of the two roads.
Train 65-66 is on its return journey home after working the western end of Bell.
The crew is downgrade toward Pratt's Bottom near to where the RP&M "bottoms out".
Let's give it a video glance, shall we!
We are in Mount St. Helens and the Pool Train is departing for Ironwood to the west.
Check out the head-end cars on Train 15.
Mark and Andrew work Train 318, an eastbound aiming for Craig Leigh.
They first must attack the trailing sidings in St. Helens.
Some fine looking video of a fine looking train!
We find ourselves up in Cedar Rock at the end of the branch.
The crew of 302 is finishing up its work here. Note the Spruce depot off in the distance.
Pete trails his train back down to Peter's Pond where he will meet his crewmate, Moe.
While off in the distance Andrew finishes up his work with 318 in Mount St. Helens.
Some nice video footage up the branch.
We find this nice looking steam locomotive working Nelson Yard!
She's got a colourful personality!
It's a short video but a sweet one!
Mark's Porter works Ironwood on westbound 303.
They have a single car to set out at the far end of the yard in the Ironwood Brick facility.
With the knowledge that the ore train will arrive from Mount St. Helens, they have sufficient time to conduct the run and return to safety on the siding.
Sidling past the station on a reverse move.
Check out all of the radio chatter on this fun video!
Yes, railroading sure is fun!
Grant and Doug are nearing the finish line with their third train of the morning (314) as they depart Mount St. Helens for Craig Leigh with a green signal to boot.
They had just met westbound 319 in the Mount.
Moe looks on as he will be "Grant"ed control of the yard momentarily.
Pete and Moe take advantage of the shade at this location aboard 319.
Video replay of the action!
Wow! Now here's a new kid on the block!
Why...it's Sid's locomotive and Lawrence has kindly fixed it up for him.
Sid is conducting a test run but is worried that this railfan has captured the diesel without its stanchions.
No worries. Let's consider Sid and Jean as being "happy puppies" for the moment!
We raise our drinks to that!
Just a few more "stills" of the diesel as it rounds the big bend at Lilly.
Can't wait to see it fully dressed, Sid!
Looking really chipper, I say!
So are these two! HeeHee!
We thank Bernie for sending along the bulk of the images for this blog entry! Enjoy your Java, Bern!
With Andrew's caboose being shown...
...we must be nearing the end of our posting.
Thanks, Moe and Paul...the lunch was delicious as always!
It's always a pleasure for me to put these entries together. I'm wearing my OVAR shirt while working the train show at Carleton University a few years ago.
Ahar! Maties! It's Father Fred...also in his OVAR shirt here to remind us that OVAR commences its new season this evening!
We hope to see many of you out at OVAR this evening or on-line via the ZOOM call.
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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