Garden Railroading: Session #10 Of the Season

Our Season's 10th Session

We have been blessed this season with most Saturdays in Ottawa offering up fine weather for train ops.

We have now concluded our tenth session of the season within an eleven week time frame with but a single Saturday rainout! Lucky us!

Let's hope the skies of September continue to offer up blue skies with billowy white clouds.

Session 10 was standard gauge and Chris brought out this beauty of a diesel he customized. He ran 327 with crewmate Pete. We catch his locomotive exiting Bell bound for Firgrove.

Mark's motto on this day is, "Go Big...or...Go Home!" Hehehe! We love the bright colours of this CP behemoth.

Bernie's reliable GP7 in TH&B colours holds the honours on 302 this day out of Firgrove.

We admire the green and gold on Paul's FP unit in Canadian National colours. This diesel will power Train 318 out from Glen Hammond bound for Craig Leigh to the east.

Marcel's Canadien National sports the name in French on this flank and in English on the other side.

Andrew's SOO LINE road switcher reflects the sunlight beautifully even though it is in the shade.

George's CN endcab holds down Ralph Yard.

Malcolm's Conrail blue beauty starts the morning aboard Rat 70.

Mark's CN switcher has arrived Bell aboard RP&M 65.

This CP GP30 holds down the honours in Nelson Yard.

Henk's New York Central is found on the RIP track...almost!

Paul makes use of our Ironwood 103 RS3 in Douglas Yard.

Pat's steam locomotive comes to the rescue after the power for their train required replacement.

Following that lovely photo gallery of locomotives, let's check in on the pre-ops setup. Bernie arrived super early to bring out most of the trays before any of the lads had even arrived. Thanks so much for these kind efforts, Bern!

My dispatch board is empty of trains at the moment...what a pleasant experience for this dispatcher!

Malcolm and Grant ham it up in the early morning hours.

Bernie is all smiles!

The crew at Nelson is all business it would appear.

Marcel has brought along that lovely CN E-unit for passenger service on this day.

Lawrence reviews some possible name changes in Ralph Yard with the Firgrove crew.

Len and George focus intently on his words and ideas.

Passenger 2 gleams in the morning's rays.

I just had to afford a second glance at this Canadian Pacific red-haired beauty.

There's our "eager beaver" on the side of the loco!

Speaking of "eager beavers," Paul is ready to go...

...as Sid has one more tray to set out. Thanks for the hard work there Sid. (Paul had already set out a bunch of cars as well...thanks, Paul!)

We have a happy visitor...Barry from Belleville.

Indeed, Mark, there is no such thing as too many trains!

Paul gets out the Titebond to re-adhere a load of lumber to a flat car.

This is a good outdoor adhesive.

Coming along there Paul.

Here is the mystery car that read "yellow" on the set-out sheets. The WP 40 footer is one gorgeous looking boxcar.

A little chipmunk around Bell got into the paints...

...and, along with a few friends...

...has managed to tag this Southern car! Yikes!

Where's the constable when you need him?

I'm getting my board set up for the operations. All three tricks are found on the schematic pre-ops that deal with Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard, the two main central locations on the two railroads.

Grant and Mark will be crewing Rat Portage & Mattawa trains today so they assist the Nelson Yard crew before heading out aboard RP&M 65-66, the "Nelson Yard - Bell Turn".

Malcolm will crew the other RP&M train with Moe (not in the picture) and they will head over to Rat Portage aboard Rat 70 after assisting in the yard as well.

We see three yards in this image...Nelson Yard in the foreground, Glen Hammond next and Stuart Yard in Bell over by the fence.

Indeed, many a freight car will earn its keep on the two railroads today!

Two locos...

...facing westbound...

...with their tail ends at the far eastern end of the yard.

Folks begin to assemble in and around the lounge area...

...some in seats...

...some at the table...

...still more standing. I counted 23 operators for the session.

Here's another newby to the railroad...an Illinois Central centerbeam car. She's a real beauty!

Aha...found this beauty once again on the Bellamy spur.

Yet another fine yard on the railroad, Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh.

Some head-end equipment spotted in the lee of the Craig Leigh terminal.

Let's get to the session, shall we.

The TH&B GP7 tells me that Bernie is in town.

He and crewmate Pat have arrived Track 4 at Bell offering them complete license to the interchange area aboard Train 302.

Let's watch 302 arrive in this newest video.

Following close behind 302 is Passenger 2 slowing for its station stop in Bell.

The E-unit's nose is captured beautifully...a sight that delights railfans of all ages.

The dome car is tucked in ahead of the tail car.

A video look at Passenger 2's arrival.

The parade into Bell from the west continues with the arrival of Train 20.

This is the short hop down from Firgrove.

The crew will work in close communication with the crew of 302 should any runaround moves be required.

Love the steam generator car placed in ahead of the passenger car in this mixed train.

Let's view the video action here.

Over in Glen Hammond, 327 is underway bound for a first stop in Peter's Pond.

Chris and Pete crew the train on this day.

They've been given their green...

...and off they go through the junction!

We sneak a peek at the video footage of their train.

Arrival in "The Pond".

The crew protects itself on the mainline for a meet with...

...Passenger 2!

Passenger 2 has made its way down from Wellington Lake.

The trains look beautiful on video, Chris, Pete and Marcel!

Here is our other departure out from Glen Hammond in the early hours of the day.

Train 318 is eastbound toward Blockhouse and Spruce.

She's through the trestle.

A lovely low-angle shot of Paul's locomotive.

That centerbeam car brightens the mood!

Paul's crewmate, Pat, must be in the van at the rear of the train...

...for all we find is skipper Paul!

318's journey as captured on video camera.

Nothing says white and red any better than this SOO LINE road switcher.

We thank Andrew for bringing her out once again!

He and Barry work the facing tracks in Mount St. Helens aboard westbound drag, 301.

Love that triple turnout!

Backing in.

301's work is capture on video for us all to see!

RP&M Train 65 arrives the outskirts of Bell on RP&M rails.

The crew has already made Rat Portage and aims for the interchange at Bell.

With another crew off in the distance at the far end of the yard, the west end is all theirs.

The crew advances onto the main yard ladder.

Train 65 climbs the grade our from Pratt's Bottom with Bell in mind in this video footage.

"Where'd that chipmunk go?"

"He must be over here somewhere!"

"No, it's not a chipmunk at all...why it's a TH&B locomotive in very similar colours!"

Basking in the sunlight.

Video of Bill setting the turnouts for Bernie's train, 312, in Nelson Yard.

These next series of images and videos document a cool triple meet with three rather lengthy trains down in Rat Portage.

Pool Train 15 has arrived for a station stop in Rat.

Rat 70 backs into the Comber and Golding Grains sidings...

...with some of its consist residing on the team track off in the sunny distance.

Let's check out these moves on video.

Meanwhile, RP&M Train 66 is awaiting Rat 70's completion of its work in Rat Portage along the RP&M mainline...

...so...this train must also "find a hole" to park itself...

...and...the passing siding will do just nicely!

They are reversing slowly as they are in yard limits.

The Drover's Caboose keeps an eye on the backward momentum of the train.

Indeed, Rat Portage can sit quiet for hours on end in this remote area of Ontario, then suddenly...!!!

Still more video of the moves.

With Rat 70 in the clear...

...RP&M 66 can finish tucking itself into the siding tracks.

We catch them in front of the Comber Chair Company.

Rat 70's power remains quiet.

The mainline is beginning to open up.

Let's check out the video footage here.

With the mainline now clear, Train 15 is able to depart Rat Portage, gain clearance to the junction and arrive in Glen Hammond in short order.

We follow that beautiful E...

...as she passes a friendly Conrail unit.

She takes the curve out of town...

...and...with her tail end in the clear, the two RP&M crews can battle it out for ownership of the sidings once again!

Mark has enjoyed every moment of this incredible piece of railroading maneuvers choreographed by dispatch in concert with the three crews.

Final video of this fun meet!

Here's Bill again...all smiles.

And why shouldn't he be...for he is working alongside one of the best in the business...

...Sir Henk!

They are drilling the far tracks in Nelson Yard...

...as they continue to break down and make up trains throughout the morning hours.

Video reels of their movements. You've gotta listen to Bill's response to my statement. Too funny! (The buzz saw you hear in the background is arriving our ears from the work being done across the street from Fred's home out front!)

In these next series of stills, we look in on the various crews. In Ironwood we have caught up with Andrew and Barry aboard 301 early on in the session.

At Bell, Chris and Pete's IPP&W train meets up with Grant and Mark's RP&M manifest. The crews arrange to assist each other with their facing moves. That's what railroading is all about, teamwork and camaraderie!

Pat has arrived Nelson Yard with Train 302 and will have to await clearance from dispatch to continue his journey eastward aboard 312. His crewmate, Bernie, is out of the picture.

Sid takes a seat beneath the dispatcher's window to follow the heavy activities taking place in and around Nelson Yard.

We find Train 311 at the end of the Cedar Rock Branch.

This is a rather unique image of three SOO LINE employees glued together!

The shade offers cool comfort for the crews up here!

Paul takes advantage of the cooler air in and around Cedar Rock and Mount St. Helens!

It would appear that it is time to pack things up following the end of the session.

Douglas Yard is named after one of our dispatchers, Doug Matheson.

A glance across from Peter's Pond to Cedar Rock and Spruce.

Sid observes Pat's moves.

As has happened previously this summer, an "old-timer" has come to the rescue of some of the latest of diesel locomotives!

The cattle are content in St. Helens.

Yet another crew has arrived to begin work here.

Chris and Pete are on their final leg of the day aboard eastbound 314.

Here's Jean!

And...here's Sid.

The soft pines in and around Mount St. Helens offer us shelter and shade on these sunny days of September.

My drummer, Mark Peters, sent me this cool picture of Pete Conroy playing the saxophone in the moonlight.

Pete is pictured with his crew mate Moe from a previous session. It was great having him in attendance for four of our sessions this season. Have a safe drive back to Nova Scotia, Pete!