Workday Wednesday Fun June 26th
The WDWD crew gathered once again this week to conduct maintenance and a variety of other interesting tasks.
Chris surprised Fred and the entire work crew with the two grain elevators Lawrence had started and Chris completed.
Steve & Seanna went to town installing the pedestrian crossing signals in the crew lounge.
The rest of the gang, Bernie, Pat, Pat, Fred and Mike worked on yard duty (not Nelson Yard; nor Douglas yard; nor Ralph Yard) but just good clean Back Yard work!
Wow! Chris, you've done a magnificent job on the two structures named for our dear friend, Lawrence Watkins.
As Chris mentioned to me, "Watkins almost sounds like Wheat Kings" and these structures were definitely Kings of the Prairies...and they fit so beautifully in our territory as well!
As you can see, one elevator will find a home at Bell Junction and the other will be located at Wellington Lake.
Thanks Chris for sending along these two first photos!
Father Fred is our king and he thinks these two structures are "A-OK"!
This is how far Lawrence had got along before his health prevented him from completing the work.
We had placed the two buildings at various locations along the line on a previous Wednesday.
Here is Chris with the two structures in the crew lounge.
They look fabulous!
Chris created depth to Lawrence's build and he also created a base which would allow us to screw the structures down in place.
Here we are testing the clearances with a couple of 40' boxcars at Wellington Lake.
The bonus situation means that we now have two "car spots" at Wellington Lake rather than the single spot. Some traffic may be designated for spotting or lifting from the Watkins Co-Operative while other cars may be spotted at the Wellington Team Track beyond the grain elevator on the same spur...creating greater switching challenges at this former "easy" location! Of course the lads in RailOps will have to generate those moves.
Fred looks on as Chris and I continue with our work here.
Fred likes what he sees!
Chris got out the trusty C-clamps out from our tool inventory.
This allowed Chris & me to create an improved "lip" for the grain elevator to be placed upon.
Since I lost a kneecap as a result of a hockey injury back in my early twenties I always use protection on the knee joint when kneeling down to work...or to pray for good weather on the Saturdays! 😎
In the video we see Chris hard at work on the placement of the elevator; this one at the Bell location.
Here's little old me resting atop the benchwork at Bell Junction with the rays of the sun providing sufficient lighting to get the structure aligned properly and screwed down in place. I handled the left side and Chris put the screws in on the right.
She looks great placed there Chris!
Here's the man himself!
Just as we determined at Wellington Lake, the inclusion of the grain elevator alongside Brunt's Brewery (cousins - grain and brewed products) means that we now have two distinct "spot" locations for freight traffic where the operators may have to remove temporarily a boxcar spotted at the Watkins Co-Operative in order to handle their spots and lifts at the Brunt's Brewery facility.
We've just added to the challenge of railroading but we have also added to the fun!
Outstanding effort Chris!
Over at the pedestrian crossing Steve & Seanna have gotten down to work installing the crossing signals.
They have planted the support post in the southeast corner of our beloved Rust Garden.
Just as Chris has done with the grain elevators, Steve & Seanna have put much time and effort into the project at home alone, not to mention the time involved here on the property...and their combined effort is greatly appreciated by the group.
All wiring will run beneath the walking path at the crossing and will be tucked in by the right of way for safety.
This video showcases blinking signals.
"The little shack by the track!"
Hey...that could be a title for a train song!
Pat, by the shack by the track! Hop on Pop!
Bernie is all smiles in Craig Leigh.
Without the work folks like Bernie and the others in the WDWD crew do, we wouldn't be able to run the trains on the Saturdays as we would be spending all of out time removing natural vegetation trackside!
It's amazing how quickly the greenery grows each week...especially with all the rains we've been having!
Chris gets down and dirty over at the peninsula by Lilly.
Much more garden waste is created.
Check out how much the Hosta at Spruce has spread its wings!
Indeed, she's a real beauty!
Much more foliage that had encroached the right of way was removed in this area.
A verdant looking Spruce!
Pat arrived to drive Fred to the History Circle luncheon.
But...before he left, he also got down and dirty with the weeding as Bernie looks on with a big grin!
Now...them there are lengthy vines!
Lengthy vines and big smiles...sounds like a country song!
Pat digs in deeper with the weeding!
While our other Pat finds lots to occupy his morning as well.
Yet another bucket of garden waste.
Even "The Corners" gets infiltrated with foliage growth.
The greenery at Peter's Pond certainly requires weekly trimming.
Father Fred is not one to sit around all morning...he always finds projects to work on as the lads and lasses move all about him! Today, it's the windmill which needs attention.
Some video reels interviewing Father Fred.
In a future blog entry I will showcase the happenings at our recent "Moroccan Bazaar" as Bernie dubbed our last Saturday morning's events in the boardroom! 😃
These are the three new additions to our standard gauge fleet. Once Steve gets them listed into RailOps and Fred checks their road worthiness, we should see them plying the rails in short order!
On our drive home from Fred's, Bernie and I got quite the surprise driving along Baseline Road...bus number 6101.
We drove side by side her all the way to Alta Vista!
Bill will remember this puppy!
I bet Bill; you drove this fella!
Love the mint condition this specimen is in!
My research tells me it was received by the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission in 1961...thus the 61 numbering.
Car driver meet bus driver!
Steve McKenzie sent along this lovely image of OVGRS member Garry's airplane. Here is Steve's description:
Hi
Mike, attached is this photo of Garry's 1928 Gypsy Moth at the rehearsal for the Canada Day RCAF
100 flypast . It is the oldest former RCAF aircraft still flying. As a result it
has the honour of being the lead flight. There will be 50 aircraft including
the Gypsy moth, Harvard, Cornell, Spitfire, Hurricane, Mustang, Lancaster, B25
as well as examples of all current aircraft in the inventory, including examples of future aircraft on order, the snowbirds and the Hornet demo.
Nice
to see an OVGRS connection to this event thanks to Garry!
Steve
Thanks for sharing the image and the information on Garry's plane, Steve!
Congrats to you, Garry, on having your aircraft lead our Canada Day Flypast! Such an honour!
Finally, thanks to Father Fred as always for hosting the crew on Saturdays and Wednesdays and...really all other days of the week as Fred always welcomes visitors!
We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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