Steel and iron work together...
...to make our steam locomotives operate.
For it is narrow gauge operations for our first meeting in August. Here we are pre-ops with our throttles at the ready for a great session. It would appear that those new monsters known as "the diesel locomotive" are trying to make inroads along the IPP&W RR.
Steve is at the car list desk as Maddie and George pay him a visit.
It's car set out time pre-ops.
Lawrence and Bill hold court.
While the crew listens in.
The young lad in the black T-shirt and sunglasses is Andrew's guest, Lukash. He will be crewing with me on the day.
Brian has the most appropriate headgear for these hot summer days.
Bill offers advice to the operators.
We wonder if they will heed these words of wisdom. (big grin)
The church pew in back.
Paul in yellow is our renegade cowboy with his cool looking headgear!
The canopy offers the crew a fair amount of shade.
Steve is first out of the gate with Passenger 2.
We catch him in "The Corners" after station stops at Bell and Wellington Lake from his originating point in Firgrove.
Traveling eastbound, Passenger 2's lead wheels help the consist turn through the curve leading into Peter's Pond.
Steve is all smiles now...
...as he was when he encountered this slight service interruption back at Watkins!
Lukash and Steve pose in the shade.
Passenger 2 makes its station stop in the Pond.
Two of the four IPP&W manifest freights originate at the midpoint of the railroad in Glen Hammond. Moe looks on as Lawrence and Len ready their train, 318 for its eastward journey to Craig Leigh. In behind them is Pat who will crew 327 which heads the other way to Firgrove from this point of origin.
Garry and Andrew assemble trains in Nelson Yard.
Moe sits in the RP&M engineer's seat and follows instructions from the yard master.
Brian and Doug have arrived Track 4 in Bell with Train 302, down from Firgrove.
Their power.
Looking good, lads!
Paul works one of the RP&M locomotives on this day. At present he is assisting the Nelson Yard Master.
318's power continues to work Glen Hammond.
Moe's RP&M power.
Train 2 trundles through Mercer.
George and Manny in Firgrove.
Ralph Yard.
George, the handsome lad.
My crew mate, Lukash.
We are ready to depart Craig Leigh with Train 301.
Passenger 2 successfully navigates the big curve to the west of Spruce.
Brian and Doug are found up the Cedar Rock Branch out of Peter's Pond.
Train 2 meets 318 in Spruce.
Cedar Rock is a woodlawn setting on the railroad.
With our work finished in Mount St. Helens, Lukash and I are cleared into Ironwood.
We are both having a ball running 301.
Our power on the day.
Passenger 2 holds the station track.
301 crawls into Ironwood along the siding track.
We say farewell to Steve as we ready ourselves for our work.
Len and Lawrence switch out the trailing sidings in Spruce.
318's puller.
The crew works magnificently as a team.
Nice looking steamer.
They run around their train.
As do we.
Lukash takes the camera to catch this old man throwing the turnout to the west of Ironwood.
We have completed our moves in Ironwood as has the crew of 318 in Spruce. We take the station track back in Ironwood to offer the crew of 318 the passing siding as they begin their journey our way.
Len, Lawrence and Lukash...the Three L's!!!
Len and Lukash!
318 exits the curve between Spruce and Ironwood.
A moment earlier we had backed our train out of the siding and taken the station track...
...to allow 318 better access to their trailing spurs upon arrival into town.
301 meets 318.
Following our arrival in Spruce, we have a lift at one of the two facing sidings in town.
Doug ensures the turnout is set for the meet between his train, 312, and our train, 301.
We are protected along the main...
...while 312 reaches Spruce.
Every railfan loves lensing a "meet".
Welcome Carmen and Stu!
The sound of wheels on rails are accentuated along these big winding curves as 301 departs Spruce for Nelson Yard.
A lovely couple!
Engineer with train!
301 climbs the hill out of Blockhouse.
Moe works the expansive Golding Grains facility down in Rat Portage aboard Rat 70.
301 at Lilly.
We blow the horn before crossing the big gap.
It's iron through iron!
Garry aligns our route...
...as we take the Nelson Yard approach track.
301 will terminate momentarily on the arrival/departure track in Nelson Yard.
Lukash is all smiles as Andrew focuses on his chores in the big yard.
We continue our westward journey...now aboard Train 311.
Paul is up in Bell with RP&M 65.
He is the engineer aboard this behemoth!
311 scurries through the junction trackage.
We take the right hand track at Mercer where we will hold the siding.
We hold short of Peter's Pond to enable Pat to bring his locomotive and freight car back onto the main and onto his train..
There's a great smile from Stu.
Two more great smiles from Pat and my crew mate!
Carmen and Stu make a station stop at the patio!
Oh no...there I am again!
Yup, I rarely get in any pics as I'm the lad behind the camera!
This shot shows us crawling into Peter's Pond with a "visual" on the tail end of 327.
Mark has arrived and has been introduced to Lukash.
The crew of 318 work the industries in Mount St. Helens.
Two locomotives..two trains!
318...
...in the shade.
We find daylight to the west of the tunnel.
Off we go around the bend into Wellington Lake.
Back in Nelson Yard, Garry and Andrew work as a team to keep the trains a-moving!
Dispatcher Bill in his booth.
311 switches out Wellington Lake.
That was short and sweet!
We take the siding to await Bell to clear up.
Check in later on for the "second section" of events from our first operations in August.
Lukash, it was a real pleasure crewing 301/311/238 with you on this day!
Also, thanks to Fred for hosting! We missed Uncle Fred as he is down at the Finger Lakes Live Steamers facility with Bernie for their special anniversary celebration!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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