Session #16 Our Final One of the Year 2024
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Indeed, we have so much to be thankful for as we live in peace here in our homes in Canada's National Capital region.
Let's take this time to appreciate our families, our friends and our freedom...when so many around the world are losing their families, friends and their freedoms.
We truly appreciate the fact that we are able to gather in Fred's backyard to pursue our wonderful passion of railroading.
For our last session of this operating season we enjoyed one of our largest crowds of the year!
We were blessed to host a few distinguished guests.
We welcomed Doug Hayes and his son, Derek.
Corinne, my singer friend made an appearance and loved running the trains!
Jim Robert made it out for the first time in many years.
We were delighted to have Pete Conroy from Wolfville, Nova Scotia with us one more time before he heads back home. We will miss his company and his incredible saxophone playing!
I will start things off with images sent my way by Dilip.
As always, Bell is a rather busy location with three trains witnessed in this photo...303, 302 and Passenger 1.
In this next shot we see Train 303 heading this way up the western IPP&W Bell ladder while a 40' boxcar resides momentarily on the RP&M Stuart ladder.
The hats and gloves worn by our operators indicate just how cold it was in the early morning hours of the session.
Steve works the Ellens siding at Lilly as crewmate Seanna drives the locomotive from a distance.
A 'blue sky' morning it was...although biting cold!
Dilip's locomotive derailed coming out from the curve...but we believe that some debris was on the track or his locomotive's wheels are slightly out of gauge as all other trains handled the curve perfectly, including both lengthy passenger runs.
Thanks for these wonderful images Dilip!
Peering through my misty dispatch window I look west to see the lads setting out the cars before the session begins.
That's Bell to the left, Glen Hammond straight ahead and Nelson Yard to the right.
Peter lends a hand as car numbers are reviewed against the 'set-out' list.
Pat & Dilip brave the cold!
Bill & Pat will handle the big yard with ease.
Grant & Malcolm set out equipment in Glen Hammond.
Their two trains will depart to the west and to the east respectively and they have been advised to work their trains in the Glen before the bell rings to get as much of their work done here early to free up the yard for the passenger meet that occurs near the beginning of the session.
Malcolm's Conrail unit will carry lading aboard Train 304 with a final destination of Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh to the east.
The cars on the second track over from the right will be forwarded westbound aboard Train 303.
Pete cradles a CNR 40' boxcar delivering the baby to Fred at the head table where Fred will verify the location of this wayward individual - not Pete...the car! 😎😁😎
Fred tells Pete the town location, the industry and/or siding where the car is to be placed.
Plenty of colourful car samples dot the layout and Cedar Rock is no exception.
Photographer/dispatcher Mike is pleased to see his Boston & Maine boxcar adorn the far siding in St. Helens.
Ore loads await pickup from the eastbound ore train with a final destination of the Northland Ore Dock in Craig Leigh.
Why - hello...Mellow Yellow!
A lovely reefer with the PacMan logo.
A beer anyone?
This PFE reefer is far from home, for sure!
We begin with this image snipped from the upcoming video which offers up a bit of humour!
Note the chair in a 'tipped over' format in the upper left of the picture. Yes, it is lying directly in the way of the train atop the railroad tracks! Yikes. When the conductor calls to the engineer to "stop"...he does...immediately!
Check the antics out on video!
Three trains are underway in this upcoming video effort.
IPP&W Train 304 is in the foreground while its counterpart, 303, is in the middle with Passenger 2 descending the grade in the distance between Firgrove & Bell.
The errant chair acts as a tunnel now! Too funny! 💪😆💪
More humorous video efforts.
That's some gorgeous power on Passenger 2. Garry is a proud puppy for sure!
Video of eastbound #2.
Passenger 2...
...meet Passenger 1!
But...they are literally a hundred miles apart!
The video showcases just how clever the railroad uses up Fred's backyard.
Again, the passenger trains will meet...this time for real...in the Glen in short order.
Both runs are spotted on the move once again in this video with Train 2 arriving Glen Hammond and Train 1 arriving Bellamy in the distance.
I act as videographer, dispatcher - and - conductor in this shaky video coming up!
Meet video in a 'near empty' Glen.
Three trains arrive Bell after Passenger 2 departed.
We see the ore train about to roll on out of town. Train 40, the short hop down from Bell trails the ore train's caboose. Over on Track 4 Train 302 works the western end of the yard.
Busy Bell video.
Rat 61 finds a clear alley and the almost empty trackage in the Glen.
RP&M in the Glen on video.
Two freights work in the distance as Passenger 2 awaits clearance westward out from Bell.
The voices in this video are still marveling at how clear the Glen was in the early going seeing as 303 and 304 were allowed to work Glen Hammond before the Bell!
Train 1 'threads the needle' on departure out from Bell.
Onward to Firgrove!
Triple train video.
The father, the son and the holy ghost!
Oops, wrong hobby...although Marcel certainly has a halo of sorts as Garry & Pete smile along with him!
Jim shares a smile with us as well.
Welcome back, Jim!
Now...here we really have a father and son...Doug & Derek!
So great seeing you both out running the trains lads!
Malcolm, Jim & Pat are aboard 304 working the sidings at Spruce.
CN engine 4578 waits patiently on the ready track beside the engine house in Craig Leigh.
This lovely B&O RS3 works Cedar Rock on its westbound 'first trick' journey between Glen Hammond & Firgrove.
Later, the crew takes the crossovers at Watkins Siding as they head into Bell.
This is a most unusual move. The traffic must be heavy at Bell seeing as the wayfreight is aiming for the station track.
At the Craig Leigh passenger terminal we find the cars for Passenger 3 readied on the near track as Pool Train 33 departs the yard.
Doug Culham, the Craig Leigh yardmaster works the Scobie industry.
Ore empties populate the Northland Ore Dock.
They will be on the move back to the mines once the loaded ore train arrives.
CN meets CP in Craig Leigh!
Pool Train 33 gets underway in this video - or does it!
The Craig Leigh yardmaster 'beats them to the punch'!
More Craig Leigh video antics! Big smile!
33 rolls on out past cars in Douglas Yard.
Exit video of Train 33.
The steam power has morphed into the future to run the ore train on this day!
Steamy video footage! 😎😋😎
Ore loads roll out of Nelson Yard.
The headend tiptoes onto the Fred Mills Trestle.
311 pulls through Watkins Siding heading for a rendezvous with crews at Bell.
311 as seen on video.
The narrow gauge version of the Heinz car received a multitude of accolades at our recent OVAR meeting here in the nation's capital.
311 reaches Bell on Track 4 as witnessed in this video tape.
302 reaches Nelson Yard.
302 on video.
302 'finally' reaches Nelson Yard seeing as the yardmaster hadn't lined the crew in yet and they had to hold at the yard throat.
302's arrival into the yard as caught on video.
312 holds at Nelson Yard awaiting clearance onto the lengthy block of trackage to Spruce which is occupied by the advancing ore train.
Bernie is all smiles as he waits!
Waiting video!
The red & white of the SOO LINE covered gondola breaks the shadows and bright morning rays in Douglas Yard.
A cousin sits on the interchange track.
Yet another gon is spotted at the far end of the Northland track.
A distant cousin is found in the distant location of Bell.
Jim, Pat & Mal work St. Helens aboard 313.
They hurry their next move in advance of the approach of the ore train.
George knows where to warm up!
As does Billy Boy!
Robin & Pete no doubt are 'talking train talk'!
The lads seen earlier are now aboard their third trick, Train 323 handling the chores up in Cedar Rock.
Empty ore cars move into the Glen as 312 has continued to await an opening to Spruce. They'll be ready to roll once the tail end of the ore train clears the turnout leading into and out from the yard.
Video of ore's arrival into the Glen.
Finally...312 can get on the move out of Nelson Yard! 👍👍
312 as seen on video.
312 meets 313 at Spruce.
In the video I say, "Here we have 3-1-12 arriving Spruce when in reality it is 3-1-2. Silly me!
With 312 safely tucked in on the siding, 313 can get underway.
I then clear a through train from Ironwood to follow 313 before 312 can commence with its work here at Spruce.
Action at Spruce as shown on video.
The singer in my band, Corinne, arrives for a visit and Seanna offers her the throttle.
Moments earlier Moe must have told her a funny story.
With throttle in hand, she's raring to go!
A video interview with Corinne!
Pat's New York Central switcher takes over for the crew of 323 now having reached Bell where they are drilling the interchange track.
Such a lovely paint scheme.
Such a lovely smile! Heh heh! 😄
Another of Bill's passions is building model aircraft and he is a true pro in this regard.
You'd think we were in Ontario, wouldn't ya! (We are!) 😉
Time for some grub...errrrr...fine cuisine. And it is always fine dining when Marcel or Moe are the head chefs of the day!
Our lovely trio of Seanna, Jean & Corinne!
The lads are such a lucky bunch to have these fine ladies in their midst!
As for my workbench, here is a recent project completed - a Linn Half Truck in O-scale.
Mr. Linn ran a 'dog & pony' show in the State of Maine in the early 1900's and to overcome the terrible conditions of the rural dirt roads when it rained, he came up with the idea of using the tracks off a Lombard Steam Log Hauler for traction in back.
Over 2 500 of these half-trucks were produced between 1916 and 1952.
Mike built the model for Doug from a Sierra West Scale Models kit. The truck will play a small part in a larger sawmill diorama Mike will be building for Doug.
Hey, thanks for checking in on our Thanksgiving blog entry!
No, Mike is not a little drummer boy at all - he only pretends to be one!
Thomas the Tank Engine offers up these great words of advice that we should all take into consideration every day of our lives!
And...we are so thankful to have Father Fred as a dear friend.
On behalf of the group, Fred...a heartfelt "Thank You" for bringing joy into our lives!
We can think of no other place we'd rather be on a Saturday morning than in your backyard running trains along the route of "our" railway!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
