Session #4 Standard Gauge June 16

Today is Saturday, June 16th, 2018.

We are running standard gauge operations on the layout.

To view in larger format, click on the picture.

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Diesels are on the menu.

Our good buddy, Malcolm, managed to snag some great video from the session.

Check it out by copying and pasting the address below into your computer's address bar.

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AO7W23tzNteRzsM&cid=4275D0234272929B&id=4275D0234272929B%2126728&parId=4275D0234272929B%2126718&o=OneUp

Some diesels were newly weathered ones!

Some A-B units.

Here's that nicely weathered sampling.

And...a clean one for comparison.

Conrail blue.

New York Central grey.

My nicely weathered CN RS3.

Plenty of rolling stock.

Colourful billboards.

From the northeastern United States.

Relative local flavour with the Ontario Northland.

Adorning spurs.

And small yards.

In Halloween colours.

On the interchange track.

Canadian roads.

Hoppers.

From the west coast.

Another from the "left" coast.

Fred checks the master list for siding destinations pre-ops.

Thanks to Bill for bringing out the doughnuts!

Moe takes a car for placement.

Lawrence in Firgrove.

Bill in Nelson Yard.

Garry setting out cars on the outskirts of Nelson.

Pre-ops gathering.

The Holy Trinity.

One Lord!

Doughnuts and coffee...the best combination!

Getting ready for the pre-ops pre-amble.

The lads are ready.

Bill and Don are attentive.

Henk offers up a story.

Doug offers some final advice as to the operations from the dispatcher's point of view.

Checking in on Craig Leigh we find Bernie, the yardmaster, making up the first outgoing train of the morning, 301.

His black "diesel" sure looks good working the tracks in Douglas Yard.

Love the coffee mug!

At least, Bernie is in the shade.

Some colourful pieces of rolling stock.

Looking eastward (in reference to the railroad) down the Douglas Yard tracks.

Looking west.

The Northland Ore Dock.

Apparently the railroad museum on the outskirts of Craig Leigh recently received this new steam locomotive and the volunteers at the museum were eager to see it work the yard.

The yardmaster agreed to this arrangement for the morning and throngs of museum workers lined up outside the fence for a peek at the yard...although it is said that the female volunteers were gushing over that handsome yard master!

Over in Firgrove at the western end of the line George is keeping his yard very clean.

Nelson Yard takes on its familiar appearance as a hive of activity.

Bill (Mexican hat) has everything under control with the helpful hands of Garry,

Seanna listens to a humorous tale from skipper Bill while her husband, Steve, looks northward.

Garry has lined up the tracks for my crew mate, Don, who is bringing 301 into the yard.

In Peter's Pond we railfan 327 with its AB combination of CP locomotives.

Paul's first order of business is to work the team track down in "The Pond."

Much later we find the same crew aboard Train 304.  They have completed their run of 327 and are now travelling eastward at Bell.  Dispatch has brought them in on Track 4.

They are out of Bell and have taken the main at Watkins Siding to the left.  We spot 312 in Ironwood with their CN diesel.

304 under CP flags meets my train, 311 under CN banners.

Earlier in Glen Hammond, 318 is ready for departure.

Malcolm has the throttle in notch 8 as Neil's CP RS3 takes on the grade to the west of Spruce.

It's an uphill battle which the locomotive will win once again.

Neil's recently acquired unit looks handsome in the morning light.

Malcolm is happy to have tackled the hill once more and can work the sidings in Spruce in a relaxed fashion.

Neil dictates the moves on this train.

The siding has been cleared and the turnout set for the crew of 318.

They will have considerable work to be done here on this day.

We spot another Canadian National beauty in the engine area at Firgrove.

Paul and Henk are already through Bell and have tucked in on the siding at Watkins aboard Train 302.  Check out the big machine in the distance!

Henk hustles to ensure his train is protected in the siding.

We find the crew later working the industries at the end of the Cedar Rock branch.

302 meets its westbound counterpart 311 at Watkins Siding.

Once 311 is safely tucked into the siding Paul throws the turnout in order for his train to gain access through the junction and into Nelson Yard.

Let's backtrack a tad and visit my train, 301 which originates in Craig Leigh.

Don is my capable engineer on the first leg of our journey.

With clearance appropriated, we find ourselves gliding downgrade into Mount St. Helens.

We must run around our train in order to complete our facing moves here.

We are then cleared to Ironwood.

We first take the main to work the trailing track at Ironwood Brick.

With all of our moves complete in Ironwood, we back up off the siding out of courtesy to the arriving crew aboard 318 and we take the main to bypass them with clearance to Spruce.

This railfan enjoys capturing meets with his camera.

318 is safely in the siding and has properly put the turnout back to the main for us.

We hit the throttle and run over to Spruce...but, alas, a malfunctioning switch caused our train to derail out of Ironwood.  Closer observation determined an errant wire...an easy fix.  A slight "service interruption", that's all.  (Big smile.)

Up in Glen Hammond, we spot the ore train ready for departure.

Pat railfans his own train!

The ore train at Lilly.

With Pat's CP diesel.

Looks like a minor bottleneck our of Glen Hammond later in the day.

The ore train arrives Peter's Pond.

While my train, 328, holds the main.

Love the look of the unit train.

Steve and Seanna have RP&M Train 65-66 underway.

Their train is the turn up to Bell.

They work the tracks in Stuart Yard.

A meet of the RP&M train with my IPP&W train, 311.

A handsome diesel!

RP&M train 66 returns to it's home trackage.

Pat conducts RP&M Rat 70.

With his crew mate, Moe.

Wow!  A four-way meet!  Now that truly is a "meeting of the minds!"

The junction at Bellamy is hopping today!

Finally, RP&M 66 is cleared into the big yard at Nelson.

Let's take a gander at some of the folks running and watching the trains.

Bill on the right observes Don as he brings 301 into Ironwood.

Bernie snaps a picture of this person snapping a picture of him!

Malcolm enjoys one of the doughnuts Bill has brought over for the session.

Then he railfans his own train, 303, as it pierces the trestle on the outskirts of Nelson Yard.

Dan waves "hello!"

As does my crew mate, Don.

Bill ran my engine light from Ironwood all the way up to the engine house in Craig Leigh.

Little ole me in Cedar Rock.

A butterfly friend.

Bernie relaxes in the shade of the big trees in Craig Leigh post-ops.

As does Pat.

Two air force veterans.

Share a tale or two and a laugh or three!

Time for lunch.

Around the table.

All the fixins' are ready.

Table chatter.

Doug, our trusty dispatcher, is to the immediate left with Paul beside him.

Enjoying the shade of the canopied shelter.

Go forth, Doug!

And...he does!

Bernie too!

Thanks for cooking, Moe!

My chauffer has arrived!

My lovely wife, Lisa, enjoys a chat with Neil.

Love that T-shirt, Neil.

As always...a great big note of "Thanks" to our great buddy, Fred, for all he does for us!

I took a ton more pics from the session, but will save for a rainy day!

Bernie...if you have any, send 'em my way and I'll add them here.

All the best!  Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada