Garden Railroading: Year In Review Session #7 Part Two

Year In Review Session #7

Part Two

Welcome spring! As I post this blog entry, spring will finally reach the capital region of Canada at 5:58 PM in the late afternoon on this day! We begin with a couple of "project" pics sent in from our good friend, Chris.

Thanks, Chris, for sending in a peaceful image...and a not so peaceful looking one! Big grin!

Indeed, the bird feeder offers us a lovely image of the compassion Chris shows for nature.

A pair of baseball players find solace at the feeder on Chris's property. Chris tells us that this is his winter project. "Although not exactly railroad-related, after I put it together with some scraps I had laying around, it struck me that the same materials and techniques could be used to start assembling structures for my yet-to-be-built garden layout. Hmmm...."

Chris goes on to say, "And...I've also been trying to debug adding sound to my NW2." Looks like neurosurgery to me, Chris! Thanks for sending along these two images!

Barry has sent in these three images of a snowy white playground. He tells us, "What a difference a day makes! On March 11th, I was actually out in the back yard working on the tracks over by the entrance gate. There were only a few patches of snow in the backyard, and even less in front of the house."

"The first pic is looking over the back yard to the west. The pieces of the shed are basically where it landed after the big windstorm last fall. I had several buildings in it, and am almost finished the restoration of the three worst hit."

You can enlarge most images by clicking on them.

Shrink them by clicking outside them. Some images may appear smaller depending if they were resized beforehand.

Same picture from above repeated with a comparison shot below...

... in a more favourable season!

We wouldn't want to be running our trains in temperatures below zero...or even slightly above!

Barry continues..."The picture above was taken from just outside the door to the upper deck, looking towards the northeast. Before the snowfall, it was bone dry!"

Again...same picture as above with a comparison shot below.

Now...wouldn't Paul, Bernie and Fred look nice in their shorts in the snow!

Hey...there's a wave from the Bernie man!

Looking nice, Barry!

Barry again, "The last picture was taken from the deck overlooking Trista Centre over to Hayes Fuels, where I am reconfiguring some trackage. That's where I was working before the snow came."

Again, the same picture as above this time with three comparison shots below.

Mike's Annie...

...and...Bernie's Geep!

We catch Johnny and Pat down below in the same neighbourhood.

Thanks so much for these cool looking images, Barry!

From a distance, even though the flag of Ukraine may appear smaller than the surrounding structures and scenery it remains large in our hearts and minds, as it stands out proudly as a symbol of courage and strength and the battle for freedom and sovereignty. We continue to keep the people of Ukraine first and foremost in our hearts and minds.

In western Ukraine there is a fabulous section of railroad.

It is known as Ukraine's "Tunnel of Love".

It has become a tourist attraction that has brought many folk around the world to this region.

Many relationships deepen here as this magical place is a hotspot for marriage proposals.

While we normally do not condone walking along train tracks, it is encouraged in the famous "Tunnel of Love".

This pup must be looking for a mate to match up with!

Lovely. Thankfully there are royalty-free photos on-line that are free-share which I have used.

Yes, a tourist train plies the rails but at a slow speed so as to ensure the safety of tourists aboard the train as well as tourists trackside.

To learn more about this fabulous section of railroad track copy and paste the two addresses below into your computer's browser.

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-tunnel-of-love-cold-war-history/27700972.html

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/here-s-why-the-tunnel-of-love-in-the-ukraine-is-a-must-vist.html

On my computer screen is the home page for Garden Railroading News, the wonderful on-line free magazine "for garden railroaders by garden railroaders".

I would like to take this time to once again thank the folks at this magazine, in particular Carla Brand Breitner and Bill Derville for the hard work they put in to have this magazine reach garden railroaders around the globe, including us! Their time spent is volunteer in nature...a true passion on their part. Thanks, once again, Carla and Bill!

Before I share with you more images from Session #7, Iet's view three more images of the fallen tree from years back on Fred's property.

It managed to slide off the edge of Fred's house and land atop his shed.

A view from the eastern throat of Nelson Yard looking west.

Now...back to the railroad where we find a busy network of activity in and around Nelson Yard.

Ditto for the Northland Ore Dock as witnessed in this image shared in our earlier posting a couple of weeks ago!

Malcolm has steered 304 into Nelson Yard and will depart as 314.

Neil is all smiles as Moe checks his orders. Once again, we thank Neil for all his hard work in organizing our OVGRS golf shirt initiative!

The Yellowstone has made the big curve in the Glen successfully along its eastbound journey.

The Nelson Yard crew has brought the loads into the yard in Glen Hammond from the Fallentree Mine. Indeed, it would have been something else watching this behemoth navigate the wooden trestle at Brennan Gap!

Glen Hammond video arrival.

Remember to click on the white arrow once, then again to engage the video.

Train 311 reaches Peter's Pond successfully.

We note the Cedar Rock Branch rising in the distance behind the locomotive.

Moe managed to procure this little CP switcher from Chris and Lela when they moved to Nova Scotia!

Hi Chris! Hi Lela!

318 comes to a stop in Mount St. Helens as the crew prepares to handle the trailing industries.

After doing a little "jig" Marcel gets back into the cab aboard Pool Train 15.

RP&M 65 has just arrived from home rails as 304 prepares to depart. Good timing, that!

Steve and Seanna make up the husband & wife team on the RP&M train. There will be lots of traffic to be exchanged between the two railroads!

Bell interchange video footage.

Train 15 makes its way into Spruce.

We love that depot!

Back in Nelson we follow the exchange of consists with 304/314.

It's a steam trifecta!

Indeed, the action in Nelson Yard eclipses all others.

We find ourselves up in Cedar Rock.

302 drills the Watson Electric Industry.

Let's catch up with that on video.

314 gets underway out from the big yard bound for the eastern end of the line at Craig Leigh.

Bill, Steve and Bernie gather their thoughts.

Bernie's sermon is heard around the big yard.

Paul looks on from his front row seat.

With two locomotives facing east, the yard is ever-changing.

Locomotive 1791 leans into the curve out from Glen Hammond.

The Nelson Yard crew had earlier brought the loaded ore cars from the Fallentree Mine over to Glen Hammond for ease of pickup by the ore train.

The ore train's departure on video.

The large engine steams off the Fred Mills Trestle facing geographical west but heading "railroad" east.

The tail end.

Still more video of the train.

314 is sandwiched between rail cars as the crew conducts its maneuvers in Spruce.

With the passenger train tucked in on the station track, Train 311 is now able to head up the Cedar Rock Branch with two setouts on the head end along with the tail car.

Station stop!

Another view of 314 at Spruce.

The tanker track up in Cedar Rock.

The crew of 318 assists the ore train with its lifts at Ironwood Brick while 304 switches out Wellington Lake in behind along the fence line.

Yet another image of the Ironwood Brick "assist".

Video capture of the work conducted in Ironwood.

Taking the cars out on the main to be backed up onto the passing siding.

We thank our helpful crew here!

More video.

RP&M 67 descends the ladder in Bell with a clear alley to track 4.

Doug's #7 is a lovely steam specimen.

Seanna and Steve assist the yard master in Nelson Yard before heading over to Rat Portage & Mattawa iron.

They confer with the yard crew as assistants.

301 holds the siding for a meet with Passenger 2.

Neil and Moe are able to depart for Nelson Yard after the passenger train has cleared the way. That's Marcel in the distance checking his train orders.

Action in Spruce on video.

Doug has reached Bell as the lone crewmate on Train 67.

Bernie shuffles about awaiting the next explosion of activity while my dispatch booth sits empty.

Fred entertains a visitor.

Pretty much each weekend we have folks coming out to visit the railroad and see it "in action".

Skipper Marcel keeps the lads well entertained.

The pool train has reached "The Corners" in a westbound direction.

Pat and Pete are found in the dappled shade of Mount St. Helens located on the upper level of track here.

Some Mount St. Helens video tape.

A couple of lounge lizards relax in the shade of the cedars.

A trio of smiling faces appreciates this fine August morning!

314 reaches Spruce eastbound.

The lads continue to work the sidings in the Mount, although on a new train facing west, Train 303 out from Craig Leigh.

The sidings are now of the facing nature for this crew so they must run around their train to attack their work.

Looking good, lads!

RP&M 67 is found on the interchange track in Bell.

A colourful image with the towering Brunt's Brewery offering up a "sky blue" backdrop.

Some RP&M video action...with a minor service interruption at the end!

A peek at the Northland Ore Dock.

What have we here?

A Boston & Maine rail diesel car!

Bob has brought it out for Marcel! Too cool!

This little puppy works the back tracks at Lilly as part of the Nelson Yard crew.

Posing on the Lawrence Watkins Trestle, she's a beauty to behold.

Lovely video.

What have we here? An interloper in the dispatch hut! That's okay...it's our good friend Neil!

Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh.

A colourful collection of rolling stock.

Paul acts as the Craig Leigh yardmaster while Bernie was called to work Nelson Yard for a couple of sessions.

Doug continues with his efforts in Bell as Moe has approached from the east.

We find ourselves near the signal controlling movements from St. Helens up to Craig Leigh.

A content looking tandem.

Let's catch that on video.

Glen Hammond is worked by the RP&M crew. Steve and Seanna take Rat 70 over to Rat Portage in due course.

Are they studying for their exams?

Through the "looking glass"...a perspective from the inside of the dispatch booth.

Our passenger run arrives Bell from Firgrove with Marcel at the helm.

Typically this train is here earlier in the session, but we are running the passenger trains in a different order on this day.

Arriving Spruce for a meet with 312.

A colourful scene.

Let's watch the video of the meet.

Glen Hammond continues to see action with this RP&M crew.

A lovely car for the passenger train.

A handsome duo!

Seanna and Steve continue with their efforts in the Glen.

Malcolm works Ironwood aboard 314.

He holds the siding as the passenger crew runs past.

Station stop in Ironwood.

Ironwood video.

Neil appears to be communicating with a crew...but, alas, he is on the telephone...perhaps seeking companies that make golf shirts! Big smile! Moe enjoys the view the green chair offers.