Paying Tribute to Glen Hammond

Paying Tribute to Glen Hammond 

In a recent e-mail Fred wrote the following with regard to the construction of the new depot to be located in Glen Hammond. 

"It is nice to see so many great people, all contributing to the total success of the GLEN HAMMOND station project.  Thank you all, for putting up with my desire to “light the station” and make it a great night feature, along with a day time model of a wonderful station, honouring my old friend and neighbour “Charlie Hammond” who was Bob Craig’s Uncle."

Fred continues, "Bob Craig, C.R.Craig was a founding member of the Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders, a wonderful friend of so many, and a true promoter of FRIENDSHIP and Model Railroading…along with OPERATIONS." 

"The CR Craig Memorial Library is named to honour him, and his dedication to sharing and caring….total friendship, and a hobby that brings us all together."

We bid farewell with a tear in our eye to our wonderful Glen Hammond Station which has stood us in great stead for many a decade!

She witnessed many a meet of freight trains from both roads.

And...passenger trains with local freights.

She helped organize meets of two passenger runs as well!

Friends from near and far were able to enjoy the stone depot just as we were every Saturday.

Indeed, she will be missed greatly!

This blog entry honours the life of our beloved Glen Hammond Depot and we examine the history of the name of the location which has seen two spellings over the years.

From an operations perspective, Glen Hammond is the departure point of our two centrally located trains (trains 303 and 304) which are staged here before the session.

The crews for these runs may have work to conduct in the Glen before heading out on their respective journeys.

Two staging tracks combine with two interchange tracks here.

The power for the far train will haul its consist eastward to Craig Leigh while the caboose on the next track will trail its train westward to Firgrove.

RP&M crews work the small yard in Glen Hammond while some IPP&W wayfreights simply depart the yard (after possibly working the interchange tracks) at the beginning of the session and some terminate here at the end of the session.

The yard at Glen Hammond sits adjacent to its bigger brother, Nelson Yard.  Chris in the distance was instrumental in creating the windows and doors for the new depot which will replace our venerated stone structure.

This scene is from the perspective of the dispatcher who resides (sometimes) in the dispatch booth which towers over the depot location.

Check the proximity of the depot to the dispatcher's hut.

Skipper Bernie takes a break from operations to watch the action.  Bernie was one of the dedicated team members helping out and photographing the work accomplished on the Wednesdays as the new station materialized.

H-e-r-e-'s Bill!  Bill was an instrumental fabricator of the new station as well!  Some of the work sessions tool place at his home.

In the distance we see Steve & Seanna approaching the depot with their westbound passenger run.  Steve & Seanna will play a hand in the lighting of the station.

With the ore train departing the Glen, this must mean that Bob is "in the house".

Bob will play a role in ensuring an electrical source can be connected between the dispatch booth and the new depot.

George was helpful in creating the roof for the new structure.

Here's Doug.  He played a key role in the building of the new depot in working with the crew and documenting the many stages involved.  We catch him working the house track with some headend equipment being moved about on the Pool Train.

The house track runs in behind the station in the Glen.

Meanwhile, our other Doug painstakingly cut all the batten boards for the new station!

As Father Fred stated earlier, Glen Hammond is named for his backyard neighbour, Charlie Hammond.

The station always enjoyed our "Invasion Weekends" where it got to meet new faces!

Fred tells us...

"My backyard neighbour, Charlie, was like a "second father" to me."

The western approach to the Glen sees trains taking the big curve which runs from the north to an easterly tack into the yard.

As we spot a meet between two passenger trains, Fred continues his story...

"When Charlie Hammond passed away Fred tells us that he inherited Charlie's Buick Le Sabre."

 While we now know how much Charlie meant to Fred, the feelings were obviously reciprocal.

Being an eastbound with no headend equipment, this must be Passenger 2.

We spot a meet in front of the depot.

Fred continues with his story...

"One day Bob Craig came over to the house to check out the trains."

"Charlie Hammond popped in to visit from his yard which shared the low chain link fence with mine."

A different day with a different train.  Fred goes on...

"Bob and Charlie got to talking as if they have known each other for years!"

The above image shows Johnny Chuff Chuff "passing through" with an RP&M wayfreight.

Fred continues...

"I asked Charlie and Bob what it is that they have in common seeing as they seem to be conversing on a wavelength which tells me that they have known each other for years."

Bob Craig responds to Fred's question, 

"Charlie Hammond is my uncle!"  

Fred can't believe the chances of Charlie Hammond (his backyard neighbour) being the uncle to Bob Craig!

This past season we have been deliberately running Passenger 2 and Passenger 1 simultaneously.

The station at Glen Hammond has been listed as the designated "meet location"

It has amazed us at how close in time the two crews arrive - literally within mere moments of each other.

With the meet "met" the two crews will be on their merry way!

The third passenger run, the Pool Train, spends a longer time in the Glen as it conducts its work at the team track in behind the station as we saw earlier.

In this image from a few years ago, we see a "caboose hop" passing by as the Pool Train gets down to work.

An RP&M locomotive runs past on the far station track as a number of cars reside in behind the station.

One of the headend cars on the house track.

Bruce arrives Glen Hammond during an "Invasion Weekend" session.

The view from my dispatch hut moments before sees the passenger train running around an RP&M wayfreight with eyes on the station.

Another approach from the west.

Pat brings the train into the station as RP&M crews keep busy in the yard in the Glen.

An RP&M freight bypasses Nelson Yard due to congestion in the big yard, preferring to take a wider berth along Glen Hammond trackage.

The freight stays "out of the way" on the far track from the yard leads.

Another early morning shot with different power.

Each week is unique from the previous one as we alternate between steam and diesel/narrow gauge and standard gauge sessions.

On another day the house track sees action once again.

Two cars are spotted there.

Some will be exchanged.

Another meet carefully choreographed this past season.

Both trains arrived within a minute or two of each other once as is the goal.

Dispatching the operations is a ton of fun for Doug, Bill and me!

On a day many years ago before the wooden fence was installed between Fred's and Charlie's older property, Doug has arrived the Glen with Pool Train 33.

He uncouples his headend equipment from his train.

He deposits two cars in on the house track.

Pulling ahead.

In short order Doug will be back on his train and heading further west where he will divert from the IPP&W at Bell and head onto RP&M iron bound for Rat Portage before returning to home rails.

Let's take one last look at another scheduled meet in front of our dear depot.

Vintage equipment make for a colourful scene.

Garry and Robin will enjoy the camaraderie of running the Pool Train together later on, but first they must separate as a crew in order to run Passenger 1 and 2 independently where they will meet in the Glen.

We spot Nelson Yard rather empty to the right.  Passenger 2 faces us while Passenger 1 is the "going away" train.

Garry's power on Passenger 2.

Here are the two handsome lads.

Mark runs Marcel's Rail Diesel car into the Glen.

Looking good there Mark...

...and Marcel too.

As mentioned many times...different days showcase different diesels...and steamers too!

Here I am working the yard in the Glen with the larger Nelson Yard off to the left on a day a don't take on the role of dispatcher.

And...that's Bell off to the right.

Now, we will switch to a few video segments.

In the following video we will witness the departure of  eastbound Train 304 as westbound 303 continues its work in Glen Hammond before departing.

Video of 303's departure out from the Glen.

Pool Train 33 makes an appearance outside Nelson Yard.

Train 33 arrives the Glen from the east as seen in this video effort.

Train 304 continues with its switching work in Glen Hammond.

Action at the western throat of Nelson Yard captured on video as 304 works the Glen.

As dispatcher I am holding Pool Train 33 at the station momentarily as the Nelson Yard crew clear the western throat of the yard to allow a westbound IPP&W train to enter the yard.

Listen in on my holding directive caught on audio in this video.

IPP&W westbound 301 is now cleared to enter the yard.

301 is found on video as it enters Nelson Yard and clears the turnout for the Pool Train wanting out of Glen Hammond.

301's entrance as followed by Mike's video camera.

Pool Train 33 rolls on out!

Train 33's "escape" is captured on "police" video!  

Pardon the singing here!  The lads were saying that it can be a heartache waiting for entrance into Nelson Yard - thus the attempt at singing the Bonnie Tyler song! 

The view from my perch inside the dispatch centre through the dirty windows.

Video action in Glen Hammond and at Bell as captured from my perch inside the dispatch control area.

On a different day we find one of the staged Glen Hammond trains gone while the other finishes up its work as an RP&M train enters the fray in the Glen.

RP&M and IPP&W crews meet in this video taken in the Glen.

The western sector of the railroad known as the Bell Sub is a busy place at the moment.

The crew aboard 304 seek clearance from dispatch in this video where two other crews also contact dispatch in order to gain permission to move along the line.

Moe follows his train, Passenger 2, around the big curve on entry to Glen Hammond where he will meet his counterpart train.

The meet of our two passenger trains is brought to you in this video.

Gerry handles the opposing passenger run, Number 1.

Continued video of the meet.

Number 2 departs town.

Departure of Train Number 2 on video.

Much later in the session the two lads join together as a team to run the Pool Train, number 33.

The later occurring Pool Train video.

Chris crews for the RP&M this day and he terminates his train here in the Glen.

Glen Hammond RP&M video reels along with a glance over to Bell along the IPP&W.

It's been fun for me in creating this tribute to Glen Hammond on our IPP&W/RP&M Rwy.

Fred looks on as the Glen looks vacant at the moment during a session many seasons ago.

We thank Fred for being so inviting and welcoming!

I have many more images and videos taken in and around Glen Hammond which I will be able to share with you during future blog entries.

All the best, Fred & the members of the OVGRS

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada