Session #10 Standard Gauge July 27

We finish off the month of July with our 10th session of the season.  This includes the two train operations we held last weekend as part of our annual "Invasion of Friends" event.  The image above showcases Stu's rail diesel car in New Haven livery.

Andrew brought out his newest acquisition in a fabulous paint scheme unique to our railroad.  As Andrew says, "It fits in perfectly as Soo Line is now part of the CP family."

Steve has his CN North America diesel out for the day.

Paul has his GP30.

Moe chose to run his latest acquisition, this lovely CP switcher he bought from Chris and Lela.

I can't recall who owns this gorgeous beast, but I'm sure glad they brought it along for the day.

Garry's CN geep.

Steve and Seanna's Algoma Central unit.

Chris's newly painted CN switcher.

Lawrence's B&O beauty.

Brian's leased HATX unit.

George's CN switcher.

My "rarely seen" D&H GP38.

If I've missed anyone's locomotive, my apologies.  My camera battery ran out before I could snag a shot of Pat's New York Central switch engine.  (Will get it in a shot next standard gauge operations, Pat!)  In the image above, Steve and Paul share some fun words with each other before the trains ops begins.

To view Malcolm's video from today's train ops, copy and paste the link below into your computer's browser.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApuSckIj0HVCgto5eFnjVIzk2VlfJw

A typical pre-ops "setting out of the equipment" shot.

Love the black and white hoppers at the Northland Ore Dock.

It would appear we have a "train" on the go already in the dispatch booth!  Doug figures that someone's playing games with him!  Big grin from you know who!

Ah...that's the Doug we all know!  (photo courtesy of Malcolm)

Paul demonstrates your typical "drive your locomotive out of the box" event.

She's a looker, Paul!

Front end.

Rear end.

Outside the engine house in Craig Leigh.

Paul will be the Craig Leigh yard master on the day with his assistant, Pat.

Here's Pat now!

The sign says it all.

A dock full of hoppers!

The caboose track in Douglas Yard.

Paul and Moe exchange jokes while the other Paul works the yard in back.

Two handsome lads, Malcolm and Doug.  (They are taken, ladies!)

Another handsome lad, Andrew...with his new little joy!

She's a beauty, Andrew!

A look inside.

Malcolm, Doug, Steve and the other Doug in the penalty box.

Skipper Pat.

Mannie, off in the distance with Chris, Seanna, Paul, Moe and the other Pat.

A second penalty box.

Steve holds the honours this day.

Doug, Garry and Lawrence listen in on the pre-ops preamble.

Fred, our MC, tells it all.

Doug conducts a radio check with the crews.

Wow, Doug...what a line-up of trains you have set up for today's ops!

Len grabs an uncoupling tool.

Paul's first task of the day in Craig Leigh is to make up our train, 301.

My crew mate, Moe!

Equipment for the later pool train.

Bill surveys his car list in Nelson Yard.

Looks like everything's under control.

A big yard.

318 is underway out of Glen Hammond.

Seanna and Steve will crew RP&M trains today.

Passenger 2 is our first train out of Firgrove...

...with 302 following on its heels.

Chris oversees the action at the west end of the railroad before crewing the ore train.

Manny helps her dad in Firgrove.

With Manny's help, George will encounter no problems on his shift today.

Paul and Steve verify that all their cars are aboard 302 before departure.

Ralph Yard in Firgrove.

We catch the tail end of Passenger 2...

...as it rounds the bend into Bell with Len at the throttle.

In short order, 302 is cleared out of Firgrove.

Bill lines up the route for Seanna as Steve refuels his engine.

Passenger 2 is cleared to Wellington Lake...

...so Len notches her up and departs Bell.

Hey Joel, it's so great seeing you!  Joel is a longtime friend of mine from our Friday Night Group train operations.  He has come to take note of any new changes on the railroad in order to update the schematic we all carry on the back of our clipboards.  Thanks so much for doing this for us, Joel!

Pat and Paul continue to make up Train 301.

Paul's GP30 handles the chores magnificently.

Joel and me!

The siding at Northland.

A cool looking tankcar.

I'm with Moe conferring on our first order of business once we reach our first town en route.

We can't wait to get underway!
(previous two pictures courtesy of Malcolm)

301 is made up and dispatch has cleared us down to Mount St. Helens.

We head out of the yard past the Northland siding and will be hitting IPP&W high iron in mere minutes.

We arrive Mount St. Helens.

Our tail end...a colourful lad.

Mr. Lee.

327 runs below Passenger 2 in the dappled shade.

301 meets Passenger 2.

Len will seek clearance up to Craig Leigh and he'll be given his green signal to proceed in due course.

318 heads out of Ironwood...

...and trails Passenger 2 eastbound.

Lee and Doug.

318 trundles upgrade.

Doug, Pat and Lee.

Moe takes a breather.

318 awaits a clear track into Mount St. Helens.

Passenger 2 is finally granted its green signal and 318 follows in on the station track.

301 is finished its work and will depart the Mount to offer 318 the siding track.

Mark and his lovely son.

Moe hauls 318 into Ironwood.

We take the station track on purpose in order to assist the ore train with its lifts at Ironwood Brick.

The ore train arrives Ironwood from the west as Malcolm videos the procedure.
We have picked up the ore cars and headed over to the passing siding.

Moe and I have placed the lifts for the ore train directly behind our caboose.

Chris runs his consist down to the eastern end of the yard.

He breaks off his tail end and pushes back onto our train.

He's made the grab.

And off he goes.

Moe and I spot a car at Ironwood Brick.

The ore train is instructed by dispatch to back up on the main in Ironwood as Mount St. Helens is not ready for him yet.

We complete our moves in Ironwood and run through Spruce with no work orders for this location.

The ore train finally makes Mount St. Helens where it meets Train 15, the Pool Train.

We're downgrade out of Spruce with 301.

Paul arrives in Peter's Pond...

...with his crew mate, Steve, as Neil looks on.

Their locomotive and their van.

They work the team track here.

Stu and Carmen check out their diesel locomotive at the passenger facility in Craig Leigh.

301 exits the big bridge outside of Nelson Yard.

On approach...

...and arrival where the train terminates.

Because we had many operators sign up to run trains on this day, the four IPP&W main line trains were crewed by three individuals.  Each member of the crew ran two legs of the journey and sat off one.  I ran 301 with Moe from Craig Leigh to Nelson Yard.  Malcolm will take my place for the continuation of this train which will be numbered 311.  He will crew with Moe and I will get a break.  I will rejoin the crew at Firgrove when 311 terminates and Malcolm (who sat off the first leg) will crew 328 with me.

RP&M Train 65 works the interchange yard at Bell.  They will return as Train 66.

327 is also in Bell.

Train 65 on Track 4.

A lovely livery, I say!

George, Mark and the young crowd up in Firgrove.

George will be the first to say that railroad running keeps us all young at heart!

His locomotive readying itself for the hop down to Bell.

Ralph Yard in Firgrove.

Train 20 works its way down to Bell.

George and Lee.

Manny too!

Lawrence works Rat 70 down in Rat Portage.

Brian's engine.

Rat 70 works the industries in Rat Portage by the yard.

Mark's youngster loves the trains.

He is performing a much appreciated service.

He is checking the boxcars to confirm the lading is correct.

Great job!

Len has Train 15 in Glen Hammond.

327 at Bell.

Dispatcher Doug.

Chris aligns the route for the ore train while Carmen and Stu work Stu's rail diesel car.

After conferring with the dispatcher, I offer them the opportunity to take the car across the railroad as Passenger Extra 45, the number on the side of their car.

They are thrilled (as am I) and in no time at all, Passenger Extra 45 is cleared out of Craig Leigh bound for Mount St. Helens and further points to the west.

Check in over the next couple of days to follow this train across the IPP&W and RP&M rails where lots of meets with other trains will occur.

In my next instalment, you will also be privy to a rather large meet of various trains at Bell.  Finally, you'll see a rare locomotive ply the rails aboard Train 328.

Thanks, Fred, as always...and thanks to the many folks who work hard behind the scenes to ensure the railroad is ready for such great train running opportunities!

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