Mark and Family Visit Fred - Pre-Ops Session

Mark and Sons Visit Fred

Pre-Ops Session

Mark and his two sons visited Fred Thursday. Here is the story in Mark's own words.

Oliver, Matthew and I dropped by for a most enjoyable visit with Fred yesterday afternoon. In between sun showers, Matthew managed to run a train with the 0-4-0 Porter locomotive I recently converted.  I will be sure to bring this beauty out tomorrow to the narrow gauge operating session. 

Hence my title of “pre-ops” session. This special loco (Dartford Lumber Company No. 1) once belonged to Dale Summers who is a good friend of Barry's in Belleville. 

Barry, please let Dale know how much joy the loco brought to a “new generation” of railroaders. The boys had so much fun. Thank you Dale!

When we began our visit I let the boys know they could choose any ONE tray from the Narrow Gauge shed they’d like to run. I was hoping for a freight consist, but they chose a very colourful passenger set, with a reefer thrown in. So let’s call it a “mixed goods” train.  We began our journey at Peter’s Pond (easier for the boys to stage it on the ground - although we grownups prefer a higher level!).

Matthew carefully operates the switches.

Can Oliver catch up to the speeding Porter?

Maneuvering carefully through Bellamy.

The lone train plying the rails in an otherwise quiet Nelson Yard.

Getting into the sprit of "Fall Colours" with this gorgeous palette of yellows, oranges and reds crossing the trestle.

Playing “hide and seek” as we round up the bend to Spruce.

Quick whistle stop at Ironwood. Nothing slows this little loco down!

To my pleasant surprise the boys were genuinely interested in operating at Mount St Helens.  We cut the train into the various sidings and pretended the cows could enter the combines!

At journey’s end on the Ore Dock. Three cheers for our intrepid engineer Matthew!!!

Copy and paste this link into your computer's browser to see some video footage from the action!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1xlksp6uw7v9xv4/AADkcVcbqc1yRgtXBHuc29Mua?dl=0

Thank you, Mark, for sending along these great pics, videos and stories!

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