Session 20 - Steam Closes Out September

September closed out with a great steam session on the IPP&W.

With some great looking varieties of steamers in attendance.

With variety in tonal colours.

Yard workers.

Mainline haulers.

Some narrow gauge gems.

At the ready all the time!

Bill sure has fun coming out.

Pat filled in admirably in Douglas Yard at Craig Leigh.

Doug and Steve enjoy a thoughtful discussion.

In the background the father/son team of Paul and Colin Churcher enjoy family time together running the railroad.

Steve looks over my shoulder as Henk and Moe sort things out pre-ops.

Lela and Lawrence.

Paul, Colin, Garry, Fred and Henk.

Moe, Bill and Lawrence.

Fred offers some kind words of advice and thanks for another wonderful sunny Ottawa morning.

Lee comes by to pay a visit.

We begin with a look in on Moe with Passenger 2 underway beneath Mount St. Helens on its approach eastbound into Peter's Pond.

With a diesel locomotive pulling the reins.

Moe has sashayed over to Glenn Hammond.

Where he awaits the arrival of his team following a station stop at Bellamy.

Later, Moe is in the opposing direction in Mount St. Helens on board Train 15, the Pool Train.

Train 15 arrives Peter's Pond where the crew meets Train 304.

Station stop at Bell.

Then, Moe follows over to RP&M rails.

In the meantime over in Spruce we spot Brian.

With crewmate Bill.

Lee looks on as my crewmate, Garry continues to work Peter's Pond while Bill is on approach.

With Brian aboard 311.

Our trains meet at Mercer.  311 meets 304.

Another train is spotted at Watkins.

Lela and Paul work the interchange area aboard 302.

A great looking locomotive!

They will be underway to the east in short order.

Crossing the diamond at Bellamy.

Paul takes a wee breather.

Later, he and Lela are spotted at Spruce with Train 312.

And...much later with Train 313 at Mount St. Helens.

Lela does a "Happy Dance!"

They round the big curve out of Ironwood.

Meets are always fun to railfan.

Paul and Neil share a chat.

Father and son, Colin and Paul work Ironwood.

With a Canadian Pacific diesel, they make the grade with ease up around Lilly aboard 303.

Entering Nelson Yard.

Paul follows his train as Henk surveys the landscape.

Colin, Steve, Henk and Paul flank the yard.

No reach is too long for Colin!

Now aboard 313, Colin checks his switchlist in Cedar Rock.

Earlier they had arrived Peter's Pond where they had to determine the placement of the cars in relation to their locomotive before proceeding up the branch.

"Yes, I'll pick up some milk on the way home!" Moe tells his lovely wife as Colin and Paul continue with their work.

The new track alignment in Cedar Rock presents some great challenges.

No problem for Colin as he's done this for a living for so long!

You can see the newer sidings to the right.

Colin has just returned from yet another amazing overseas trip.

Great to see both Colin and Paul out for the ops session!

Henk checks out with the dynamic duo are up to.

313 climbs the hill at Watkins.

Then into Bell.  They will terminate shortly in Firgrove.

Speaking of Firgrove, Bob has the ore train underway.

Entering Bell.

With a big blue backdrop.

Later at Belson.

Much later rounding the bend at Lilly.

Then into Glenn Hammond.

She's a lovely train, Bob!

Into the pond.

With a great looking string of hoppers.

Passing 314 in Spruce.

Then my crew aboard 314 assists the ore train with his lifts at Ironwood Brick.

Bob appreciates Garry's and my assistance.

Then it's off to the eastern end of the line!

Steve's little Climax is a powerful locomotive.

He and Lawrence work RP&M 65-66, the turn up to Bell.

Steve in Rat Portage.

With crewmate Lawrence.

Switching out the yard at Rat.

Arriving the interchange at Bell.

First move...station stop at Bell.

She's a beautiful locomotive, Steve!

The Drover caboose at the depot.

Then the caboose is spotted at the east house track to allow the crew to conduct its work.

Steve and Lawrence also ran RP&M train Rat 71, the short turn to Rat Portage and back.

In front of the Hamer Mfg spur.

Tender first at Belson.

Coming into Nelson.

Seanna and Steve ran the other RP&M runs.

Here we find them in Glenn Hammond.

Rounding the bend out of the Glenn.

They may have to work the team track.

Garry and I crewed 327 out of Glenn Hammond early in the morning.

We gained clearance straight through to Peter's Pond with a run through at Mercer.

Arriving the pond with no work up in Cedar Rock.

Clear sailing at Watkins.

We meet 302 in Bell and slow to a stop on Track 3.

We run around our train to handle interchange traffic.

Lots of tankers on the move.

Then it's the long uphill battle at "The Ledges".

We arrive Firgrove, turn our locomotive and back onto our train in Ralph Yard.  We depart Firgrove as Train 304.

304 meets the RP&M crew in Bell.

Our train works the yard while the RP&M Drover caboose continues to reside on the east house track.

304 rumbles easily through Watknis Siding.

While we had no work in Cedar Rock on our first pass through the pond, we more than make up for it in the opposing direction.  Joel is in the background taking track notes for the new schematic.

We love the new challenges up in Cedar Rock.

We've protected ourselves as Moe passes on the station track.

304 arrives Nelson Yard.

Two new visitors to the railroad.  Welcome neighbour Ben and friend!

Our train now departs Nelson Yard with a new number.

We are now 314 on our final leg of the morning.

Battling the grade up to Spruce.

With the ore train in close pursuit.

Another view of our assist for Bob.

Between Ironwood and Mount St. Helens.

Working the trailing tracks.

Then into Northland.

Then Douglas Yard.

Parking the engine in Craig Leigh.

Over in Firgrove, George busily makes up the morning eastbound trains.

He keeps Ralph Yard a-hopping.

Much later in the AM, he has our train readied for its return run.

George makes the time for the short run down to Bell.

One car in tow on this day.

Ralph Yard.

Three trains in a single picture!

Pat sneaks into view with his short hop from Craig Leigh down to the Mount.

A look at his work.

Pat's locomotive for Douglas Yard on the morning.

Pat in his empire.  Bernie will be proud of ya, Pat!

Garry and I arrive.

Two great looking beauties.

Not Garry and me, it's the engines that are the beauties.

Pat assists us.

Then finishes up some of his work.

The new ore dock.

The wye can be a hive of activity.

Henk keeps a watchful eye on Nelson Yard.

With his very reliable RP&M crews.

A look down the yard from the west.

With trains arriving and departing constantly.

Lots of operators in one view.

The latest piece of rolling stock.

She's a beauty.

The passenger terminal in Craig Leigh.

Some nice tankers.

A few views of the folks.

Skipper Fred and Henk.

Fred and Henk.

Fun stories.

Our trusty dispatcher.

Doug keeps things cool all morning.

Camaraderie between the guys...

...and the guys and the gals!

Packing up after another great session.

Running back to the carrying case!

Once again, a great session on the IPP&W/RP&M railroads!
Thanks, Fred, as always!
Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada