Let It Rain
Even though we have been "rained out" for this week's train operating session, there are plenty of pics and vids in the barrel to keep us entertained!
So, sit back and enjoy some images, videos and stories from previous ops sessions!
First, I would like you to enjoy a wonderful "instrumental" selection of music from this great Canadian musician, Bruce Cockburn.
Bruce Cockburn Instrumental Song "Train In the Rain"
Copy and paste the link below into your browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQm9U7IpJ3A
We won't let the rain dampen our spirits and bring darkness to our day! Why...we'll just read a blog posting using "un-used" images from previous sessions.
Note, these are not discards at all...there just wasn't any more time to place them in the weekly blog postings I put out.
We enter Mr. Peabody's Time Machine and head back to the month of June...June 19th to be exact.
This is not a regular Saturday session...as the official sessions were yet to commence, although it is a Saturday morning where a small handful of folks turned out.
Pat is "testing out" the newly laid track on the newly refurbished Lawrence Watkins Trestle.
The train made it safely across the gut, so it must have held up to the weight of the locomotive and cars. (Of course, we had every confidence it would!)
On that same Saturday morning we find Pat's power outside the doors of the engine house.
Sitting alongside is Paul's lovely locomotive.
Pat and Paul...start your engines!
A brief video overview of the power resting at Craig Leigh.
During Session #1 on July 10th, Moe has brought his power down the track and has coupled on to his train, Pool Train 15.
The decision was made to run Train 15 on this morning out from Craig Leigh as the first train of the day. Typically, Moe would be in charge of Passenger #2 out from Firgrove as his first assignment. That's one gorgeous looking locomotive, Moe!
As always, folks arrive an hour before the session to set out cars to their respective industries.
We have spotted two beauties up in Cedar Rock.
Speaking of two beauties...
...Marcel and Henk ham it up for the camera!
Train 15 emerges from the forested area to find daylight to the east of Spruce.
She takes the mainline that will bring her to the station.
Opposing train, Train 318, is protected in the siding.
A touch of sun and shade.
Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair in the morning, when we rise!
A nice video segment of Train 15.
On that same July 10th morning we catch up with Steve and his RP&M train down in Rat Portage.
This train is Rat 70.
Steve has his gorgeous climax out on this morning.
Rat 70 is the turn from Nelson Yard/Glen Hammond to Rat Portage and back.
Some nice video work following Steve's train.
We find 302 journeying back down the branch outside of Cedar Rock.
The crusher is off in the distance.
Back down to Peter's Pond she sails!
Later in the morning, Marcel brings 319 westward to its eventual destination in Glen Hammond. This railfan captured the train on the new siding track in Ironwood but did not manage to get any video footage.
The eastern fringe of Rat Portage.
Train 327 is underway, beginning its journey in Glen Hammond with a few stops en-route before reaching Firgrove.
All is well in the world when Henk appears relaxed!
This eastbound manifest freight also departed Glen Hammond.
Love that end car on the RP&M train.
Video of 318's progress downgrade.
Pool Train 15 arrives Glen Hammond.
Paul brings her to a slow stop.
Looking good, Paul.
Some video views of the passenger train.
It's a "Workday Wednesday" on the 14th of July.
I've brought out my Delaware and Hudson GP38-2 to run across the line.
I've placed the Large Scale Central car directly behind the locomotive. They make great partners!
I'll be running a unit tanker train on this day although it will have a few hopper cars up front.
I've dubbed it "The Oil Can" for good measure! Note the boxcar protecting the crew in the van.
The engine idles patiently while the last of the crew members board on the far side.
Underway.
Taking the west leg of the wye.
About to back onto its train.
Video coverage.
Overcoming inertia once again for yet another day's run.
We wave good-bye.
Love the CNR caboose.
On the roll out from Craig Leigh on video footage.
Back to our second session of the season on July 17th.
We catch the crew aboard 311 running cargo up to Cedar Rock.
That mighty UP locomotive replaced the ailing CN road switcher which "gave up the ghost" a few moments earlier!
Rounding the bend into Cedar Rock.
She's a diesel beauty!
Earlier 301 had arrived Peter's Pond and held the siding to allow the passenger train to reach the station.
Bell, Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard.
302 is nestled nicely on the siding at Watkins awaiting a meet.
Bernie assembles trains in Craig Leigh.
RP&M Train 65 has reached the interchange at Bell. Pat will turn his locomotive before returning to Nelson Yard as Train 66.
Malcolm, Robin and Paul enjoy the action.
Jim and Paul work Ironwood.
Pool Train 15 ascends the grade at Lilly.
Paul's locomotive is a beauty to behold.
George tends house in Firgrove.
Doug is by the house in Rat Portage.
Doug is found the following week aboard Train 301 with Paul Mackenzie offering an assist in Ironwood. The date, July 24th, the session is of the narrow gauge variety.
Paul works out the moves his team will have to undertake to get the job done.
Paul leaves his work and conducts a run-by inspection of the ore train.
It's a meet with 301.
Marcel has a few setouts to drop at Ironwood Brick.
Marcel's borrowed power on this day.
Who does not love the look of a unit train?
Impressive!
Marcel is a happy camper!
This image was shared back in July but I simply had to post it one more time!
My locomotive, #27 of the Ironwood and New England has escaped its carrying case and is being turned at the wye in Craig Leigh.
I numbered her 27 seeing as I was born on the 27th of May.
I've shared this before. The number 27 is a perfect cube "3 cubed" (3x3x3=27) and if you take the digits from "2 to 7" and add them up...you arrive at the the number 27! (2+3+4+5+6+7=27)
Enough numerology now Mike...share the video footage!
We have backed up onto the ladder at Douglas Yard and pass the van track.
Heading over to the Craig Leigh passenger terminal.
For I am loaning my loco out for the morning seeing as I will be dispatching.
She will be in care of the passenger service on the day.
Some more video of the back-up maneuver.
It's a long way...
...over to the passenger terminal...
...but we arrive safely with our back-up move and park on a siding spur awaiting train assignment.
Some more video work in the area.
We catch up with number 27 with some good looking headend traffic behind the locomotive at Peter's Pond.
The headend cars imply to me that this is Pool Train 15 on its eastward journey home to Craig Leigh after already plying RP&M rails. In fact it is Passenger 2 out from Firgrove. I discern this by noting the early morning time the image was shot.
Chris meets the crew aboard Train 327, Robin and Pat.
Video of the their meet in Peter's Pond.
Moe is using the IPP&W rails as a yard lead as he works RP&M 65-66 up in Bell.
In this previously viewed image from July 24th, we spot Moe off in the distance with his Rat Portage and Mattawa train while Pat and Robin have just brought 327 into Bell.
In a rare early image of Bernie outside of his role as Craig Leigh Yardmaster we find him working Cedar Rock during our third session of the season with Pat aboard 302. Bernie thanks Paul Anderson for taking over the reigns in Craig Leigh for the greater part of the sessions this season.
These two very different forms of cabeese allow us to bid farewell on this rainy Saturday!
While we didn't get to run trains on this day, I hope you enjoyed this blog entry as some form of substitute.
Hopefully next week the weather will cooperate for us!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
EGAZOOKS, Mike...
ReplyDeleteHow do you do it....!!! How do you find so much enthusiasm, almost every day of your life....and spread it so wonderfully well amongst so many people....Simply amazing.....and appreciated...
I now have some NEW, and SPECTACULAR LARGE, OVGRS Logo Labels, sent to us by Terry Foley, in England... You might enjoy one or two for a special place in/on some of your equipment...or even on an instrument....egads, did I suggest that....!!!
I was going to show them on Saturday, but due to the rain.....
Fred
Hi Fred, Thanks for you wonderful and appreciative words. I just thought the lads and lasses might suffer from a bit of "train withdrawal" thus the posting! Big grin! Yup, a couple of large logo labels would be perfect, one for each of my two carrying cases! Thanks, Mike.
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