Session #4 July 2nd

Session #4 July 2nd

We had a full contingent on this day for train running.

There was a lengthy delay in setting out cars and we only got the session underway around 10:30 AM.

Most were able to finish their three runs close to 12:30 though some third tricks were annulled.

Marcel's rail diesel car tells us it is standard gauge operations today as it prepares for the run of Passenger 32 out from the western end of the line at Firgrove.

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In the east at Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh, Paul's CP diesel unit 8202 is already busy making up trains!

The ore cars are MT's for Bob and they line up beautifully at the Northland Ore Dock.

Hamer Manufacturing has a nice CP Rail 40 footer off loading and shipping goods and supplies to the fine folks down in Rat Portage.

Bernie's TH&B unit is prepped and ready to run as soon as the session gets underway with all the necessary tools of the trade in evidence.  This locomotive will lead Train 302 out from Firgrove long hood forward.

George's switch engine will handle the chores beautifully in Ralph Yard and in Firgrove.

Paul's CN unit headpins a loaded bulkhead flat in Glen Hammond with their eastward journey about to get underway in mere moments aboard 304.

Newcomers Mark and Ralph set out cars as Pat offers some sage advice.

Railfan Ralph manages to grab some great looking images from the session.

Bernie and Mark will crew 302 out from Firgrove.  While they appear red, we are red with envy as they will be enjoying themselves immensely throughout the morning.  (We will too!)

Dilip will assist George in Firgrove on this fine morning.  Along with Mark and Ralph, we welcome Dilip to the railroad!

Jean is all smiles as sidekick Sid and Ralph smile for the camera!

Thanks, Bernie, for helping with the tremendous setout on this morning.  Virtually every car had to be verified as to its setout destination.  No complaints though as we are all gathered among friends and "what odds" if once in a blue moon we are late in getting the session underway!

Lawrence, Pat and Paul assist Fred with the checklist.  Looks like lots of yummy treats for the group!

Skipper Bob has arrived the property.  It looks like he is off to war with all those cases with "who knows what" in them!  Yikes!

Dilip enjoys the shade Craig Leigh offers.

Steve gets his bell rung...errr...I meant to say...Steve rings the bell as Seanna looks on.

With the pre-ops briefing now underway, the lads come to attention.

We all enjoy a short rest following the lengthy setout period...it felt like triple overtime in the Stanley Cup playoffs!  Big grin!

Safety is discussed and then we get to run the trains.

Two trains will depart Glen Hammond in opposing directions early in the session.

Train 303 makes Peter's Pond without delay.

301 finds the shade in St. Helens quite appealing!

302 also encounters shade on Track 4 in Bell.  They will swap cars on the interchange track.

Paul leads Train 304 out from Glenn Hammond while the Nelson Yard crew continue to assemble trains.

The tail end clears the Glen and is on its way to Blockhouse and Spruce.

With 304 arriving Spruce all four IPP&W trains are now underway.

The RP&M crew gets into the act as well with Train 61 arriving Rat Portage.

Ralph is enjoying himself as Pat checks his orders and Sid handles the throttle.

Hot on the heels of Trains 32 and 302, we find the ore train having cleared Bell in an eastbound direction.  Railfans from far and near flock trackside to get a load of who is pulling the train on this day!

No...it can't be!

Yes it is!!!  Railfans go ecstatic at the sight of Big Boy in their territory and in their lenses!

Earlier, a videographer captured the ore train just out from Firgrove.

The Big Boy is able to handle the downward push of the ore cars on the grade with ease.

Bob showcases his new Santa Fe ore cars.  They look smart Bob!  (Yes Fred...the couplers do require changing out!  Hehehe!)

Rounding the bend into Bell.

Big Boy impresses on video!

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In this snippit from video we notice Passenger 32 making headways into Bell.

The crew takes the station track.

Let's follow the video progress of the crew as the train approaches the station in Bell.

Passenger 32 enjoys a short stop in Ironwood.

This never-before seen caboose has found its way on the tail end of the other RP&M train, Rat 62.

With Rat 62 on the roll out from Glen Hammond, all six mainline trains along with the passenger and ore trains are on the board...eight in total.

A large aspect of railroading is having to wait for clearance into a town where another crew, or perhaps two as is the case here, is working.

Malcolm and Robin have 303 awaiting clearance into Bell which is already full with IPP&W 302 and RP&M 61.  Malcolm wisely chooses to use the runaround tracks at Watkins siding to arrange his setouts for Bell.  He even manages to drop or lift a car or two from the eastern fringe of Bell!  Clever that!

Speaking of having to wait for trains to clear, here is an interesting scenario.

Steve and Seanna have just completed their work in St. Helens and have been given authority to move to Ironwood.

Their train arrives Ironwood while off in the distance the ore train takes to "The Corners".

Once 301 clears the eastern turnout, Passenger 32 is able to depart.

Here is where the waiting issue begins.  While Steve and Seanna have just arrived Ironwood, Pat and Paul had just completed their work at Spruce aboard opposing Train 304 and they had also radioed for clearance into Ironwood as well...mere seconds after 301!  With 301's crew about to start a lengthy series of switching maneuvers in Ironwood as dictated by their train orders, the crew of 304 have to wait the entirety of the time it takes for 301 to work Ironwood.  Yes, I could clear them past Ironwood to St. Helens...but the real railroad would not do so as the distances between the real towns are in the tens of miles.  To compound things, a passenger train plies the eastern sector at some point as does the ore train.  To further aggravate the situation, the crew of 301, Steve and Seanna, are asked to lift the ore cars from Ironwood Brick for the ore train which they must wait for.  All of this puts the crew of 304 waiting at Spruce further behind in their work...not their fault at all...just the situation as it exists.  Of course we could pull a non-prototypical move and "helicopter" 304 over to St. Helens...but if the real railroad wouldn't do it...then why should we!  That's the dispatcher's two cents and he's sticking to it!  

(In the end, under the excellent guidance of the crew of Pat and Paul, 304 did eventually reach Craig Leigh and while aboard their second trick of the morning, Train 313, they were able to make up some of the lost ground.  Kudos to such a great crew!)  

Also, due to such a late start this morning some crews annulled their third trick while others worked to 12:30 as the BBQ was firing up!

The RP&M crew who assist the Nelson Yardmaster take their train out from the yard to head over to Glen Hammond.

A matching locomotive and caboose make for one special looking train!

Bill shows off a bit of "leg" in this "Triple X" rated video!

At Douglas Yard, Paul is completing the make-up of Train 313.

Once the crew aboard Train 304 arrives, they will be taking 313 out in a westerly direction.

Video action in Douglas Yard.

302's power at the eastern edge of Bell.

Malcolm and Robin conducting work at Wellington.

"I didn't do it!" Bill pleads.

Wow, the area off in the distance around Bell sure looks busy!

Train 61 tucks in on the siding in Rat Portage.

The crew assesses their next move.

304 continues to hold in Spruce awaiting clearance into Ironwood.

Andrew and Moe work the siding near Bellamy aboard RP&M 62.

303 departs Bell with Firgrove as a target.

Bob navigates the great curve leading into Spruce from the west (geographical east).

He runs around 304 which has protected itself.

Love those ore cars Bob!

Marcel has arrived the station in Glenn Hammond and switches out the industry behind the depot aboard Pool Train 33.

RP&M 72 is on its return journey back to Nelson Yard.

Rat 62 has just returned to the Glen where it meets Train 33.

Love that SOO Line locomotive, Andrew!

With the tail end clearing the turnout, Pool Train 33 can now depart for Bellamy.

With our SOO Line diesel back in Glen Hammond facing the opposite way this only means that Rat 62 has completed its run.

CN 5576 hauls the Pool Train out from Glen Hammond bound for Bellamy, Peter's Pond and points west.

We catch up with 302 departing Bell.

A meet is held with 303 at Watkins Siding.

Let's check that out on video!

Big diesel meets big steamer as the ore train "threads the needle" in Ironwood.

Thankfully we have that other siding in place to hold these three way meets!

Video footage from Ironwood.

Steve assists the ore train with its lifts.

Some more video tape of the ore train.

301 approaches the Fred Mills Trestle near the end of its run.

The crew takes the turnout that will feed the train into the big yard.

Let's check out the video of their train!

Passenger 35 is about to depart the eastern end of the line.

The CN engine doesn't feel a thing pulling this long consist.

Here's some video of the action in Craig Leigh.

Mark handles the moves for 312 as Bernie relaxes "in the cab".

Getting the turnout.

Malcolm and Robin are found at the end of the Cedar Rock Branch aboard 314.

Due to the late start and some engine developments with some crews, we had a couple of crews wanting into Peters Pond at the same time both with work up in Cedar Rock.

  Once again, the waiting game continued for some crews...but alas...such is the case with the real railroads as well.  

If you really want to see what waiting is all about...just try to catch a flight at your local airport these days!  Yikes!

Jean is a happy camper who doesn't mind waiting at all when she knows Sid is having a ball running trains!

That's it for now.  We'll send along another blog entry if there's time later in the week.

As always, we thank Father Fred for hosting us each Saturday morning!

We spot Father Fred in the wee hours of the morning handling the paper work for each car location before the ops can begin.

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