Thanksgiving Weekend On the IPP&W/RP&M

With today's session rained out, the score is "Railroaders - 20, Storm Gods - 1".

The grey skies did not deter a couple of diehard railroaders, Pat and Bob.

The above photo is a selfie Pat snapped in Craig Leigh.

Bob works the ore dock in the distance with Pat's train in the foreground.

Locomotive and car at Blockhouse.

A grainy shot of Bob trailing the other train.

Pat tiptoes out on the bridge while Bob's ore train strains against the grade.

Pat in Cedar Rock.

Here are a few shots Pat sent my way from last week's session.

The lone loco pre-ops.

The end of the ore dock.

Cars are in place and the session is able to commence.

Brian departs with 301, the first freight out of Craig Leigh.

His green allows him to advance out of yard limits and descend the grade down to Mount St. Helens.

Our good friend, Joel Racine, maps out the diagrams for the new schematic.

Speaking of Joel, I was fortunate to find the time to join in on his inaugural operating session on his newly developed HO scale  railroad that depicts the operations at Ottawa's Walkley Yard.

Here, Joel explains the theory behind his railroad to my good friends, Stan and John.

Walkley Yard is coming to life nicely, Joel!

Back outdoors in Craig Leigh, we spot Train 303 on the roll later in the morning.

The ore train has terminated as Bob packs away the cars.

A passenger consist hangs out next to the locomotive barn.

Here's the man himself, skipper Fred Mills!

Indeed, on this Thanksgiving Weekend we all have so much to be thankful for considering what so many others do not have.   Fred, we are so grateful for the opportunity to visit every Saturday morning to run trains in the great outdoors.  

To celebrate Thanksgiving, let's take a look back on all the twenty sessions along with additional special events. I'll share images of train equipment only so as not to leave any operator out!

F-units from the Northland Ontario anticipate their departure out of Firgrove aboard Passenger 2 on May 20th, 2017.

Train 312 departs Nelson Yard on May 27th.

Cattle await their train ride at the stock pens in Craig Leigh on the first Saturday in June of 2017.

The center cab may be small, but she is a real brute working the tracks at Nelson Yard on the tenth day of June.

June 17's dawn brought grey skies with the threat of rain.  Fortunately the wet stuff did not materialize and trains were railfanned as per usual.

The dappled shade at Mount St. Helens helps camouflage this beautiful locomotive hauling 319 westward in the AM hours of June 24th.

At 10:45 AM on the morning of July 8th the ore train was captured by this ardent railfan in Glenn Hammond.  No railfanning was captured on July 1st, Canada Day.

Still in Glenn Hammond one week later a beautiful American locomotive "invaded" IPP&W/RP&M rails.  Indeed, the invasion was underway!

A small New York Central end cab locomotive switched out Nelson Yard during the time of the invasion of friends.

Several Canadian railfans were spotted trackside in the Finger Lakes region of New York a day later capturing this beautiful Alco.

The following week, this black jacket was found on the station track in Firgrove.

It's midweek in late July as the CN crew depart Rosseau on the Northland Railroad.

The sun is climbing in late July as this dynamic duo passes the station platform at Bellamy after performing duties on the RP&M.  It certainly was a treat for RP&M observers who rarely see F-units hauling freight in their territory.

Railfans must make a great journey to capture this shot of Train 15, the Pool Train rounding a bend heavily deep into Rat Portage and Mattawa territory.  The date is August 5th.

Railfans flocked trackside along the Northland Railroad to capture a Santa Fe unit plying the rails far from home on a Thursday morning in August.

Another foreign road unit is spotted in Firgrove on a hot August morning.  A short shower burst of rain did little to alleviate the high temperatures on the morning of August 12th.

On the same day, railfans noted a new siding in Rat Portage bringing a much needed boost in railroad revenue.  Apparently the industry is named after an ardent railfan and blogger!

A K-27 hauls its consist eastbound into Peter's Pond after tunneling below Mount St. Helens.  In the cab is the chief dispatcher of the railroad investigating a rumour of the "yet to be constructed" trackage at the end of the Cedar Rock branch.

It's August in Belleville Ontario as this TH&B unit hauls its caboose across the bridge near the wye.

Not too far away in Picton, this train is captured tiptoeing across a long trestle.

Mid-August finds Train 327 rounding the bend to the west of Bell.  The crew is beginning the long ascent up to Ralph Yard in Firgrove.

Train 301 is ready to depart Craig Leigh once clearance is provided.

Road crews have worked with great diligence along the Cedar Rock Branch with new trailing sidings installed.

In short order a train is working the newly located industries.  Indeed, this road crew has the reputation of being the best in the land!

An Ontario Northland unit makes a splash along the line on the ninth of September.

Early September found yet further development on the IPP&W as work crews brought a much needed ore dock to life in a single day!

Steam indeed was supreme in mid- September!

On the morning of September 23rd, this Canadian Pacific beauty was spotted in Ralph Yard.

On the final day of September we find this rarely seen locomotive outside the engine house in Craig Leigh.

A group from the National Model Railroad Association were found trackside along the IPP&W with cameras at the ready.  The depot at Spruce was a preferred railfan location for the masses.

A final note.  The rains cleared by Saturday evening and one of my bands played a fund-raiser for cancer research.

Over $2500.00 was raised on the evening.  It is a joy being able to give back to the community!

Thanks, Pat, for the pictures from Saturday and the earlier session.
On behalf of our great friend, Fred, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend.
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada