David Pinkerton's Large Scale Layout in Picton

David Pinkerton's Large Scale Layout in Picton

David is a friend of Barry's who has one fine looking large scale railroad on the go on his property in Picton.

We thank David for allowing us to share these wonderful pics with you! 

While David's railroad is more of a display layout, he is using battery powered remote control just as we do. 

A lovely CN Geep is on the point of this wayfreight with a large body of water noticeable off in the distance.

Remember, you can enlarge the images by clicking on them and return to the default look of the page by clicking outside them.

The railroad is presented in a lovely manner with beautiful vistas in abundance.

We find a pond and one gorgeous looking trestle!

This artistic shot has us staring down the tracks to a lovely bridge.

Another view of the trestle basking in the sunlight.

Storage tracks contain a wonderful collection of rolling stock; both modern and vintage.

One last look before we leave.  

Once again, thank you to David for sharing these with us!  We would absolutely love to see more images at a later date!

All the best, Mike Hamer and the OVGRS gang!

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Pat Is Keeping Busy Over the Off Season

Pat's Activities in the Off Season

Hi Mike, I thought I would share some of my recent activities with you.  If you want to blog it, then feel free but there is no pressure to do so.  

My recent activities other than doing my research/planning of my Garden Railway at the November 8th OVAR meeting, is included in this and two other emails.

First is the operating session at Bill's Rio Grande Southern on October 23rd.

Of course, Pat...I would love to create a blog of your activities!

The first pic shows Bill and Phil overlooking the station stop at Ophir station. 

Next is a shot of Fred working Ridgeway. 

Then we see Peter moving up in the world, Phil in front of Trout Lake and Fred still hard at work.

A couple of pictures showing some beautiful buildings on the layout including Swail's Dairy

A couple of pictures showing some beautiful buildings on the layout including Swail's Dairy

The last few pics show the long string of ore, coal, box cars, etc. at Ridgeway yard.

That's one cool looking drag!

Gorgeous scenery.

Next is the operating session at Bill's on November 6^th  

First pic shows the passenger train leaving Trout lake after taking on water

Here is a smiley Jacques with Ridgeway yard at his back

How many people can you fit in Bill's basement. This shows most of the crew and Phil is thumbs up!

Same scenario from a different angle shows Fred, Phil, Peter, Grant, Tom, Dilip, Bill in the white shirt beside Dilip, and Bruce walking away. In the previous picture you could also see Bernie in the distance.

Phil leaning back for fear that I will zoom in!

He's had enough as he turns his back to the camera. 🙂

Cheers!  Pat.

Hi Mike ... here's part two of three.

Next up is operating at George's on November 13th:  Len has left the cars on the mainline so I can retrieve them on the nose of my Annie in order to place them at industries on the track to the right.

These tracks include Dominion Coal, ABL Salvage and Central Canada Cement. 

A side view of my Annie and Len's RS3 with Caboose on his nose.

The freight shunting stops as we must clear the main...the passenger train is scheduled to run at 3 p.m. sharp!  Note that George has started operating in the afternoons.  

Passenger train passing Almonte yard.

Passenger train approaching Balderson Cheese. 

George's beautiful locomotive number 45 speeding past Land O lakes car at Balderson Cheese.

Passenger train approaching Carleton Place station. 

Passenger train passing industries at Almonte yard. Note cars in background are on two tracks at Bennett's Meats.

From the locomotive's perspective perhaps.

Another shot of #45 this time passing through the streets of Carleton Place. Note Len's locomotive tucked out of the way on the westward track. 

On the same day, while dropping Fred off after the drive back from George's, I took some shots of the trees over Mt. St-Helen's at Fred's. 

He recently had some trimming done to alleviate branches falling down on the layout.

A look skyward.

Next up is operating at Operating at Michel's on November 15th :

Bill is happy to be operating at Michel's. Tom in the background coming into North Creek after I left with my train, seen on the left, part way into the tunnel.

Bill is figuring out what to do as he was mostly dispatching in the operation days before the pandemic started. My train has risen out of the tunnel and is proceeding to another tunnel which will lead into the next room. 

After switching out the empties I am now returning loaded cars to North Creek with a final destination of Saratoga.

The loads are not all filled to the top. 

The end of the train with two covered hoppers and a Gondola. 

Coming out of the 'under the stairs' tunnel. 

Things are a bit jammed up heading out of North Creek. We see Stan, Norm and the right arm of Michel in this pic.

When picking Fred up to attend the Ottawa Railway History Circle  lunch on November 16th, I took a couple of pictures of Craig Leigh under snow for the first time this fall.

Below is the link to the ORHC. 

(https://churcher.crcml.org/circle/ottawahist.html)

Douglas Yard covered in the "white stuff".

My final picture is of the nearly completed house across the street from Fred's.  That's it!  Cheers!  Pat

Thanks so much for sending along all of these great images and captions of your railroad activities in the "off season" Pat!

All the best, Mike and the gang at the OVGRS

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

November 11th is the most special day on our calendar as we devote our minds and hearts to those who fought for peace and freedom. 

We think of those today who continue to do so in risking their lives for a better world including Joseph Hildebrand, a Canadian farmer who served two tours in Afghanistan and who volunteered to fight for Ukraine.  Joseph was killed recently dying doing what he wanted to do - helping our Ukrainian friends find peace in their country. 

We are truly thankful for all who served. 

While we exit this Week of Remembrance we honour and appreciate the sacrifices of so many in the battle for peace, freedom and liberty.

Our hearts continue to go out to our Ukrainian friends at this time.

I have found a few images from the Library of Congress which are "free share" and can be posted to our blog.  In the photograph above, we see servicemen waving from the open windows of a troop train departing a US military camp circa 1941-45 bound for the European shores during World War II.

Here we see French soldiers leaving a troupe train at the beginning of WWI circa 1914-15.

We find British soldiers on a train in France during WWI circa 1914-15.

American Soldiers board a train to go to war games during WWI circa 1910-15.

When I was teaching I hung this lovely banner in my classroom throughout early November.

I read many stories of Remembrance to my young students.

We catch a couple of young lads painting poppies as an art assignment.

The finished work.

Each pupil was proud of their creation.

A couple of the young girls carrying our "class poppy" to our Remembrance Day ceremony.

Other class wreathes are laid in honour of our fallen men and women.

My colleague, Christianne with her husband and one of her students at the ceremony.

Around the school, classes painted poppies in Remembrance.

Some examples of poppy art from the junior wing of the school.

Teacher`s shared "age appropriate" Remembrance stories all throughout the school.

Our front lobby is a solemn area during the Week of Remembrance.

More poppy art.

Our class wreath adorns the hallway with some of the artwork.

Indeed, we shall never forget the sacrifices of the men and women during the war effort.  Thank you for taking the time to examine these images reflecting the solemn nature of this past week.

As always, we thank Father Fred for hosting us each week to run trains and enjoy all that the sessions bring us!

May we never forget the sacrifices of so many.

Thank you for checking in!

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