Session #18 Continued
We carry on with more pictures and stories from our final session of the season.
Session #18 saw standard gauge equipment ply the rails behind some hefty looking diesels.
I hope you will enjoy this next compilation of stories from the session!
It's the "D&H" Reborn on the IPP&W!
Or...how about the rebirth of the New York Central in Canada!
Outside the engine house in Craig Leigh is a "train watcher's paradise" as diesels in all liveries abound in abundance. (Is that a redundant expression?)
Who cares...we just love the look of those diesel locomotives!
Garry offers a personal testimonial for one of his favourite liveries in railroading; that beautiful green and gold of the Canadian National.
Doug would argue that the Maroon and Grey of the Canadian Pacific is the livery of choice in the early generation mix of things!
Research tells us that the Northland Ore Dock sees mainly cars of the open hopper variety.
Central dome tank cars reside at Northland Oil.
The 8520 is the yard diesel of choice when Doug takes on yardmaster duties.
The ore train attracts our attention climbing upgrade into Spruce with power being provided by the Canadian National in yet another paint scheme...the wet noodle!
The video is short seeing as I had to get a turnout for my own crew just after I rolled the camera!
We are delighted to find a meet between an eastbound wayfreight and a westbound passenger train.
Indeed, wayfreight 304 holds the siding as Pool Train 33 passes by on the station track.
The meet as captured on video.
Off in the distance, 302 glides through the heavily forested area as it exits the district known to locals as "The Corners".
Mike aligns the triple turnout leading into Mount St. Helens.
Grant handles the role of engineer as cars are exchanged here.
The tandem form a formidable duo!
Their switching is captured on video.
On cue, the ore train makes its second appearance in St. Helens.
It's long hood forward for this Canadian National Geep!
Train 304 holds the siding as the ore consist rolls on by.
Ore train video footage.
304 has been cleared into Craig Leigh and the crew enters the yard on a slow order.
Passing by Douglas Yard.
Here's Doug himself!
Video of 304's transit of the yard.
In the meantime, we find this CN unit working Nelson Yard before heading out with RP&M Train Rat 62.
Much later, D&H GP38-2 #7316 reaches Nelson Yard aboard 313 and will depart with a new consist, Train 323.
Bernie assists the yardmaster before heading up to Bell with RP&M Train 61.
Ralph, in the foreground, runs the ore train with Chris as Gerry, the Nelson Yardmaster's assistant controls train movements in the center of the yard.
At a later time in the morning, Train 322 is found at Watkins Siding heading east.
This beautiful TH&B diesel belongs to husband and wife team, Steve and Seanna.
They are working spruce at the moment and have slipped around the curve to the east.
304 has terminated in Craig Leigh. The crew begins to wye their locomotive.
They must turn their engine before backing on to their next train assignment.
Once the turn is complete, they will be heading out from Craig Leigh as Train 313.
The wye moves as seen on video.
We continue with the maneuvers.
We exit the wye.
We are now backed onto our next train.
Doug has readied our caboose and we shove further back to grab it!
Grant has a deft hand on the controller.
Let's catch up with that on video!
As we depart Douglas Yard, the yardmaster assists with one more lift.
It's a tank car from the Northland Siding.
Doug shuffles the car over to the main where we are residing.
On the pin!
Doug backs out the locomotive to allow us to join the two segments of our train together.
We are ready to go!
Let's follow that on video, shall we!
We are ready to depart in a westerly direction.
Through the wye leg once more.
Past the smokestack standing sentinel in the middle of the wye.
We have been granted verbal clearance even though the signal remains red.
Video proof or our departure!
The Ironwood Brick siding plays host to a variety of traffic concerns.
This includes ore cars.
Our handsome yardmaster in Craig Leigh!
Doug's power in the yard.
A number of trains must be made up and broken down at this location.
The labelling of locations is creatively handled along the fascia boards.
The CP diesel is up to any task thrown its way.
This SP car sure is a long way from home!
The spur siding at Northland.
More views from Douglas Yard.
A full "head on" view!
She's a beauty, Doug!
Can't get enough of this locomotive!
In Cedar Rock we find a crew aboard that gorgeous Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo locomotive.
Steve and Seanna appear to have all things under control.
The sidings for the Cedar Rock crusher and aggregates.
Off in the distance, Pat and Dilip work Train 311 down in Peter's Pond.
Our train, 313 reaches St. Helens.
We are carrying a Rat Portage & Mattawa transfer caboose on our tail end.
Video views of our progress.
We are out from St. Helens.
This locomotive has been designated the "Ralph Dipple" in honour of the late Firgrove Yard Master.
Leaving St. Helens behind in the rearview mirror, we now have our sights on Ironwood.
Hey...check out Mike's remote uncoupling video magic!
Off in the distance, Train 311 climbs the grade at Watkins Siding.
Short but sweet video!
Garry marches beside his consist, the now eastbound Pool Train.
Descending the siding tracks, he has Wellington Lake on the horizon.
Yet another short and sweet video!
Grant controls 313's progress over Brennan Gap bound for Nelson Yard.
Into the shadows behind Fallentree Mine.
We reach the ever-busy yard along the arrival/departure track.
Video tape of our entry into the big yard.
Bernie works Lilly as his diesel passes Blockhouse.
Comber Chairs in Rat Portage is switched out a number of times during a session.
The "two track" yard in Rat Portage can house over a dozen cars.
The sun manages to blanche this lovely image of Bell which sees the arrival of the Bell Turn, RP&M 71-82.
A sunny shot of the tracks in the big yard. The railroad is running smoothly as we spot no congestion here.
Did I say "congestion"? I believe I did! Being an interchange area, Bell hosts a number of multiple train meets throughout a session.
A rather fancy metal carrying case is found atop Ralph Yard in Firgrove.
In my next installment, we will continue with a "third section" from Session #18.
But for now, I will take you to my workbench once again to showcase my latest model build in HO scale. This is the Boston and Maine train station found in Brookfield, Massachusetts. Of particular interest to me is the "eyebrow" window arrangement and the curved roof.
The station is of cut stone construction and is distinguished by its rounded end on the east elevation.
The build is really an exercise in cleaning and painting the rather large urethane wall sections.
The curved end sees the windows being added from the interior side of the wall.
Following a wash in liquid detergent I painted the walls a light grey colour and gave a wash of black to "pop" the details.
The "tongue in groove" area to the right of the righthand door will be covered up with piping to obscure the obvious joint.
The kit came with a plain styrene base. I scribed in the sidewalk grooves and cracks. Seeing as this structure will go on David Garner's layout trackside...I will most likely remove the base and create a wooden platform that will extend up the tracks a ways.
My trusty weights hold things in place as the glue settles.
The finished depot.
The roof was one single urethane casting with only the chimney having to be added. The casting certainly is hefty!
To create the illusion of the upper windows in the "eyebrow" area, I simply painted the urethane a black colour and then brushed on some gloss medium.
Looking good!
I painted the roof black and then applied some weathering powders in grey.
A look from the other end.
A lower angle view.
I then brought the structure over to David Gardner's home layout which I am working on with Carl Lindon. Carl built the viaduct from scratch using a basic kit and multiplying it many, many times!
The depot will fit nicely beneath the viaduct.
In the distance is a cardboard kit for an engine house David had built.
I pull back a bit to showcase the train at the depot in this little harbour town.
David has a huge mountain rising above the town "a la" John Allen.
David is all smiles as Carl and I assist him with the layout. Carl has done all of the trackwork and built many of the large urban structures. I have managed to complete eight craftsman kits so far for David.
Here's Carl Lindon...track layer and electronics guru!
David is spotted in front of his turntable with many of his British locomotives.
Carl offers up a smile for the camera.
We are testing out a possible location for a house track for the depot as we shuffle things back and forth along the main line in the harbour town.
An outdoor view of some of the structures I have made for David.
He asked me to repair the cardboard structure he had made as some of the sections had curled up.
No problem!
The hole in the cardboard roof will house the chimney.
In it goes!
These cardboard structures are very impressive looking!
I've ameliorated the "unglued" areas.
Nice!
A reefer drag rides atop the viaduct on David Gardner's developing layout.
Video of CP train riding the viaduct.
The tail end of the reefer train exists the upper tunnel.
Continued video of the train's commencement.
A view of the skeletal structure of the engine house on David's layout.
Video review of the engine area.
The harbour local finds daylight down by the seaside.
Harbour area video footage.
The tail end passes by the depot as we spot the cardboard engine house in the distance before repairs are made to the glue joints.
Video passages.
Today we spent the entire afternoon from 1:00 - 4:30 at Fred's making some fine sounding music with our good train buddy, Pete, on saxophone...
...and my dear friend, Adrienne, on vocals! The family that backs on to Fred's property were dancing to the music at their back window...mother, daughter...and grandmother!
As always, we thank our grand master, Uncle Fred!
Thanks for checking in on another segment from Session #18.
I still have many pics and videos remaining which I will share with you sometime soon!
All the best, Mike and music of the OVGRS!
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
