A Second Glance at Session #18
Pics From Seanna, Steve & Dilip
The cooler breezes of fall are in the air.
Operators see the mist rising from their breath as they chat up each other.
What better time is there to warm up chasing your train around Fred's property.
And...train chasing we did!
Here we see two crews in Glen Hammond, both having work to conduct before departing in opposite directions.
The thing is, the Glen is the designated meeting place for Passenger Trains 1 & 2...so I have instructed the faster moving passenger crews to have their station stops in each town along the route last at least three actual minutes.
In the past, the passenger crews would arrive Glen Hammond so early that there would be no tracks available for them to reach the station.
The station 'hold' of three minutes has successfully cleared up the situation...for as we know in the model train world - yard switching takes much more time than running between towns.
With Glen Hammond now clear of freight trains, the passenger meet can be successfully completed.
And...as the trains draw nearer to each other, the varnish being pulled by steam is westbound Passenger 1 and the train pulled by the diesel F-unit tandem is eastbound Passenger 2.
John is in command of Train 1 while Bill handles Train 2.
Passenger meet video in Glen Hammond.
Train 2 pierces the FM Trestle on its way to Spruce...
...while Train 1 meets ore at Mercer.
Passenger Train video moments on the two separate subdivisions.
You may recall last week - I sent this image of the ore train taking on the grade up into Spruce...
...and hugging the curve leading into town.
Well, last week I forgot to include the accompanying video so here it is.
The long lost video of "Ore Train Bob" entering Spruce the week before.
Yes that earlier week was a narrow gauge session, but you may recall that we are running trains during the transition era...so both steam and diesel work hand in hand!
We have an "over and under" shot here!
Train 2 reaches Clarke Canyon below as 304 enters Ironwood above.
304 meets 301 at Ironwood.
Once the meet is 'met' 301 will run west to Spruce.
"Over and Under" video fun!
Dilip sent these next three shots from the crew lounge pre-ops.
Malcolm basks in his chair to trap as many rays of the sun to warm him up as others keep their hands in their pockets.
Mike delivers a message of safety and then he calls out, "Let's Run Trains!!!" 😎😘😎
Thanks for the three images Dilip!
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These next few images come from Seanna's view on things.
We start with IPP&W Train 303 holding the siding at Watkins awaiting a meet with 302.
While holding her train at Watkins Siding Seanna conducted some great railfanning.
Here she found the power aboard 304 departing Spruce....Garry's CNR Pacific #5606...a true beauty!
We're in Ironwood as 301 pulls into town.
The town switcher is seen in the upper left continuing with its work along the sidings.
RP&M 71 drills the interchange track at Bell.
They will turn their locomotive for the trip back to Nelson Yard as this locomotive runs long hood forward.
302 has entered the yard along Track 3.
Track 4 is reserved for RP&M trains working the town of Stuart off in the distance.
At Watkins Siding 303 has been patient as the crew greets 302 before finding its way into Bell from the east.
Seanna & Steve's third trick Train 324 guides itself through the girders of the Fred Mills Trestle bound for an eventual arrival in Craig Leigh with stops in three locations en route.
Thanks for these great images Seanna!
We'll check out some pics Steve sent our way later on in this entry.
The CP road switcher is in charge of 301 as the crew now rides the rails over to Spruce.
The team track and house track at Ironwood are full of cars at the moment.
It seems another will be added to the team track before some lifts will be made by the Ironwood crew.
While across the valley at Watkins we once again visit the meet between the old and the new.
And...as Steve will attest in the upcoming video...the Ontario Northland meets the Ontario Northland with both characters dressed in the blue & yellow of the line!
And...both trains are hauling those CP refrigerated cars.
Video panorama around Ironwood and Watkins Siding.
With the mainline clear between Spruce & Ironwood, Train 2 heads into town!
While...hundreds of miles away off to the west, Train 1 arrives Wellington Lake.
Continued video panoramas between Ironwood and the distant Wellington Lake!
Bernie's TH&B GP7 diesel locomotive acts as the "Ironwood Switcher" on this day.
It was originally built in October 1950 as part of the #71-#77 GP7 group for the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo.
In 1988 it was rebuilt and renumbered to CP 1683 by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
The good old '0-5-0' method of uncoupling is just as effective as making use of a screwdriver...and possibly safer on the couplers!
The crew is depositing the D&H boxcar at the Windmill Siding...one of three setouts from Train 301.
The other two setouts off 301 will be made to the facing sidings for the Team Track and the Freight House.
Moe's hand in the blue jacket to the right of the image is holding his caboose as there is a slight grade in the tracks here and "she will roll" otherwise!
In total five gentlemen hang out in the vicinity.
From left to right: Bernie, John, Moe, Garry and Doug in the foreground examining his switch list for Ironwood.
I display this image once again of Passenger 1 at Wellington Lake.
John who you saw in the previous image is in control of the train, but with the number of bodies in the narrow aisleway he has chosen to remain 'distant' from his train.
As dispatcher/photographer I will guide his movements ahead.
I have set the turnout for him to bypass Train 302 holding at Watkins Siding on the main.
302 had previously taken the main due to the fact it had met Train 303 already on the passing siding here.
Here we spot 302 holding the main at Watkins Siding in anticipation of Wellington Lake clearing so they can continue on their easterly tack through "The Lake" and off to the distant Peter's Pond.
Pat, Craig & Joanne make up the crew aboard 302 on this morning.
They have been most patient holding in the siding.
Such is the true case of railroading!
Video of many folks!
As anticipated, the ore train finally arrives Ironwood.
The 'IS' crew has brought them in on the secondary main.
Off in the distance Train 304 heads east to St. Helens.
Over to the left Mark works the sidings at Spruce aboard 301.
More video files from the town of Ironwood.
Ore loads exit Ironwood with the Northland Ore Docks as the crew's destination.
Video at 'The Plateau'.
Hey...how about we check in on the images Steve sent our way!
This is Steve & Seanna's first trick Train 303 entering the righthand track at Mercer Siding.
This is a westbound train currently heading geographical east before changing its direction bound for Firgrove.
Seanna's shadow can be seen - indicating the sun is to the south...as we are currently facing north.
Just as Seanna had done, Steve railfanned Train 304 out from Spruce.
The power aboard 302 has uncoupled from its train and will run around to the rear of the consist along Track 4.
Mr. Scobie certainly is a galloping goose in that lovely T-shirt he is wearing!
We spot a train off in the distance!
Rounding the bend!
It's getting closer!
Here it is!
Why...it's Train 324...Steve & Seanna's third trick run!
Thanks to Steve for sending these images along!
Here is a 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive...wow!
Let's enter Mr. Peabody's "Wayback Machine" and head back a few years ago to check out how things were in Freddie's backyard!
At Firgrove, the crew had built an ore loader facility.
The lads made use of vermiculate as the 'ore' Fred tells me.
Pretty creative I say!
We take a final look at a westbound train at ground level at the location of current day Watkins Siding.
The train is heading for Bell and is just outside the present day dispatch cabin.
The late Ray Irving is dispatching on this day.
In yet other news, here is the model of the grain elevator I built for my OVGRS friend, Mark Christopher.
The black hose hangs down from just below the midpoint on the "prairie skyscraper".
A look from the back side of the structure.
And...from the other angle.
Finally...with a car stationed on the siding.
I don't own a grain car...so this New York Central subsidiary line car will suffice for the image.
OVGRS Nelson Yardmaster Bill Scobie did the decal work for me!
Great job Bill!
Here it is displayed at our OVAR meeting last night.
It was lovely sharing a table with our guest presenter, renowned rail photographer and rail author Bill Linley and his lovely wife Marilyn.
This is one of the books I own authored by Bill.
Bill told us that the image in the upper righthand corner of the cover you see here is the "quintessential" image which he loves from the island.
Bill says that it showcases the 'true nature' of railroading on PEI with the "Anne of Green Gables" style homestead in back and the short train passing through the "red coloured" sandstone road.
The caption from page 123 of the book describes the image as this:
Just west of Trackadie, Mileage 11.6 Extra 41 East continues east past the 'Power' family farm in a scene reminiscent of Lucy Maud Montgomery's famouse island story Anne of Green Gables. The red earth, green trees and white painted homes are typical of the enduring Island way of life.
Well it's been a blast for me putting this blog entry together for your enjoyment.
I have a number of images and videos left over from this season's sessions which I will use in blog postings throughout the off-season.
This will help us to keep the large scale blood a-flowing once the snows of winter pile up atop the rails of the IPP&W and the RP&M railway lines!
And for Freddie, along with all of us, it will be another time for hibernation while we await the warm rays of the springtime sun to melt that snow away - when we will once again be able to run trains with all of our OVGRS friends.
For many of us there are other rail related activities that will allow us to 'meet up' to enjoy each other's company throughout the coming months.
So, have a great off-season everyone and we'll see you back next year!
We are the strong and hardy members of the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who take on winter as if it's a summer's day!
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