Garden Railroading: Session #14 Standard Gauge August 24 From the Railfan Perspective of Others

Thanks to many of our group members who snapped photos from this week's session to go along with the many I took. We are checking in on our 14th session of the 2019 season. Steve and Seanna sent me these first two images of the meet of two Ontario based railroad companies at the location known as Mount St. Helens.

We have an Ontario Northland manifest freight in the hole awaiting the arrival of the Algoma Central train. Indeed, Ontario meets Ontario in this instance!

Bill Sn3 Scobie sent along the next few images he took in and around his dispatcher's office. In this shot taken outside his window he can almost whisper to the Nelson Yardmaster, Mr. Henk.

Stepping outside the booth, Bill captures the crew aboard 302 shortly after its arrival in Bell.

Bill instructed the crew to come in on Track 4.

Here's the crew.

Why...it's Doug and me...the other two dispatchers in the group. With Bill in the booth, we get to crew together this week. (Hmmm...Doug...we can offer up a bunch of trouble for our third member of the dispatch trio.) Big grin!

Henk sends a number of visual signs to the dispatcher.

"What's that, Henk. We can't hear you. You speak in such a soft voice!" Bill the dispatcher calls out.

Of course, we all know that such is not the case!

Bill managed to catch our married couple, Seanna and Steve, working the freight house track in Ironwood.

Bill captured us a little while later in the morning, this time aboard Train 312. Doug and I discuss our moves at the trailing sidings in town.

We seque over to Malcolm's photo contributions. He has captured Paul listening in on Fred as our skipper delivers the morning message.

Malcolm has captured little old me.

And Bill, in his latest "Hat of the Week." This weekend was the date of the Annual Capital Pride Parade. Good on ya, Bill, for your fun support. (On a side note...I am so proud of my nephew who is a gay stage and screen actor in the big U.S. of A.)

Pat, who carpools with Bill referenced the situation with his car mate this week as "Driving Ms. Daisy!" Good one, Pat!

Malcolm, our videographer, takes great stills when we aren't even watching.

He's captured me attempting to capture a train.

Too much fun!

Our dispatcherette on the day!

Malcolm's grandchildren paid a visit from their home in Seattle. This little one was celebrating her second birthday. What a B-Day treat it must have been for her to watch all this train action!

Her big sister enjoyed the morning as well!

Henk lines up the turnouts along the lower ladder at the west end of Nelson Yard. Behind him is Moe who will captain three RP&M trains later today.

Thanks to Malcolm for this lot of images. Now we are on to my photos from the morning.

Passenger 2 basks in the morning glory.

The cupola on Fred's main shed.

George, Moe and Len relax before the real fun begins.

As does Doug, Pat, Lawrence and Steve.

Steve, Malcolm and Bill.

Paul and Fred trading secrets about the size of something...we won't go there!

We find Steve and Seanna...

...and their power for this diesel day!

Paul's locomotive awaits its assignment for the Rat Portage and Mattawa.

A lovely looking van, Paul.

The sun remains low in the sky casting long shadows over Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard.

While Henk casts a glance at the photographer.

Moe's RP&M power for the session.

Some black-eyed Susans make a diminutive appearance among the ubiquitous Lily of the Valley.

Fallentree Mine on the outskirts of Nelson Yard.

The power for 301 sits outside the engine house in Craig Leigh.

Love the milk car...

...and...the reefers.

They await some ice.

Well, it may not be the "Kingston Trio" but they sure do look nice!

The shadows are low in Douglas Yard as well.

Blue predominates here at the moment.

Yellow Bird...Way Up in Banana Tree!

We love ya, Bill.

And...we love the hat too!

The line-up for jury selection.

The usual safety discussion which is most important and is taken seriously.

We hang around the table.

And listen eagerly.

A sign Chris and Lela donated to the railroad.

I believe Chris brought it home after one of his tours of duty in Bosnia warning of the landmines in the fields.

Seanna's great T-shirt.

Mr. Bill. Our fine dispatcher on the day!

Speaking of dispatchers..."That's a dispatcher over there...
They do precision guess work that is usually based on unreliable info supplied third hand by those of questionable intelligence with no knowledge of the current situation."
(Thanks to Bill for this photograph.)

"You may know where you are and what you are doing.

God may know where you are and what you are doing.

But if your dispatcher doesn't know where you are and what you are doing then I hope you and God are on very good terms!"

Hahaha! (So true!)
(Thanks to Bill for this clear image as well.)

Almost quarter to ten in the morning and we've wrapped up the pre-ops rendezvous. Let's get running the trains, shall we!

Both trains are ready to roll east out of Firgrove.

Passenger 2 has the honours.

Len navigates his train along the steep embankment known as "The Ledges."

Doug smiles to his crewmate as we have 302 second out of the queue from Firgrove.

We hug the rails as we descend the grade into Bell.

Ahead of us, Train 2 arrives Bell.

Its lovely dome car pulls up the rear.

We are hot on its tail while keeping a safe distance.

Train 2 is at the station in the distance as we guide 302 down the western ladder at Stuart Yard with an eye to Track 4.

It would appear 327 is departing Glen Hammond.

With his train paused at Bellamy, Malcolm sets the turnouts through the junction. His cab mate on the day is Pat.

Passenger 2 nudges through the gateway to Glen Hammond.

Train 2 is at the station while Henk works the eastern portion of Nelson Yard.

It's a busy yard...but someone has to manage the movements here. Henk and Garry do a great job as they alternate their service there.

We have left our train on a couple of momentary overflow tracks.

We run along the main at Bell to continue our work.

It seems Moe has finished assisting the Nelson Yard master as he takes RP&M Train 65 out of the yard. The green chips will be removed from the freight cars before he leaves.

With 65 gone, Paul continues to assist Henk with car placement in the yard.

Doug and I have completed 302's moves in Bell.

We have been cleared as far as Watkins Siding as another crew will be making their way westbound out of Peter's Pond to meet us.

318's tandem has protected itself in the siding at Ironwood.

Their power.

Passenger 2 swings around the bend.

The train enters Ironwood.

Len slows for a station stop.

A lovely meet...or a pass, if you will.

Love those three dome tankcars!

We catch up with 327 in Cedar Rock. The crew has left the rest of the train back in Peter's Pond and have only brought up the necessary cars to the end of the branch.

Yup...railroading is often a waiting game! Steve and Lawrence are holding their train in Mount St. Helens awaiting Ironwood to clear.

Their train, 301.

301 meets and greets 2.

Indeed, yet another great railfan location.

Passenger 2 slows down.

Station stop.

301 is not yet cleared even though they have the turnout readied.

(Go back up to the top of the posting to find out why.)

327 follows the rails from Peter's Pond up to Wellington Lake.

They must first enter the subterranean world beneath Mount St. Helens.

The crew leaves the darkness and arrives Wellington Lake where they have some work to conduct.

Malcolm videos the meeting of out train, 302 with their train 327.

Even though 327 has work to do at Wellington Lake, the crew must travel slightly farther west of the Lake to allow our train access to the main.

Pat keeps the drivers moving...

...as Malcolm keeps the video running.

With the tail end of 327 clear of the turnout, 302 is able to depart Watkins Siding.

Great video footage, Malcolm.

To view the video of this meet (along with many others from the day) simply copy the video link below into your browser. You will hear the growl of our Canadian National RS2 as it waits patiently in the siding for 327 to arrive.

https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApuSckIj0HVCgudK0V2rg6SIb2--kQ

We continue along on our journey in an eastward cant.

Through "The Corners."

We spot above us train 301 still holding that siding in Mount St. Helens.

We have successfully navigated the tunnel below the mount.

That was the least of our challenges, however. Squirrels high up in the pines were sending bombs down onto our train!

I think I mentioned how railroading demands great patience!

Doug and I find our way up to Cedar Rock.

Yeah!

We spot the ore train!

That must mean that Bob has made his way out to the session!

And...he's brought along his beautiful Mallet.

Great having you back, Bob.

We come across RP&M 70 departing Glen Hammond.

Paul is at the controls.

His train had backed out of Nelson Yard before entering Glen Hammond.

Looks like the RP&M trains may just meet each other in Rat Portage.

Moe holds the main.

With his work finished, he will depart soon allowing Paul total control of the yard and its environs...alas...no meet here!

Len has wyed and backed Passenger 2 into the terminal at Craig Leigh.

He radios dispatch to indicate that Train 2 is "put to bed."

He then gains clearance for Pool Train 15 to depart Craig Leigh.

Doug and I have free run through Mercer Siding with 302.

Our green target tells us we can proceed through the junction.

Doug has aligned the turnouts for us.

I ease her past the station at Bellamy...

...and approach the big yard via the arrival/departure track.

Henk has our next train readied, Train 312.

He snags the caboose from 302...

...and ties it onto 312 for us.

You will have to check in later...

...to follow 312's journey.

I had to leave my crewmate, Doug, early from the train operating session as I was performing at a large HorsePaloosa that afternoon.

(Time for a commercial break from the trains for a moment.)

The picture above shows me with my Hamer guitar...yes, Hamer guitar. They are made in Chicago and they are highly prized specimens!

Four bands had to set up and perform and I was in the first three. These are two of the three drummers who played with us, Dean and Mark. Dean is a model to all who face adversity. A couple of years ago he went on a fishing trip with his buddies where they were flown into a lake and left for ten days...no contact with the outside world. During the trip he developed a life threatening virus or infection...a form of flesh-eating...a condition he barely survived. By the time he reached medical assistance, both legs and an arm had to be amputated. The music community rallied and funds were raised to allow Dean to continue drumming...a tremendous passion of his. It was a real treat making music with him. He explained to me that the legs he uses to drum are different from the legs he uses to walk with and ditto for his left hand. If you saw him in long pants and a long sleeved shirt, you would never know that this happened to him. He is a true survivor and a testament to the power of the human spirit!