Session #15 Second Section - Bottlenecked Bell

We continue with our "second section" of train ops from this past Saturday.

The operations were of the narrow gauge theme.

Engineer Pete glides downgrade with Train 328 out from Firgrove.

Robyn and Lawrence work RP&M 67/68.

Skipper Pat conducts the moves of 304 at Bell.

To view Malcolm's video work from this session, copy the link below into your browser.
You will see a few occasions where the coupler on my tender caused my crew grief!

https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApuSckIj0HVCgusQQ3S52jactdhzIA

His crew mate, Pat, runs their locomotive.

In behind them we see Steve and Seanna aboard their RP&M train 65/66 a late train due to mechanical malfunctions as a result of the incident with the obstacle beneath Firgrove.

Pete and I hold our train to the west of Bell to offer these two crews the runaround capabilities of the main line and Track 4.  Indeed Bell is a meeting point along the railroad as it is the interchange area for both railroads.  The crew in the foreground is an IPP&W crew and the one off in the distance is an RP&M crew.

Steve and Seanna work Henk's Siding located at the far east of Bell.

Pete and I continue to hold IPP&W iron to the west of Bell.  This is due to the fact that earlier in the session there were seven trains either holding outside Bell or working the tracks there simultaneously.  We chose to wait rather than foul up another track here for the crews who are  still working.

Let's recall that earlier event.  My westbound train, 311, was granted clearance into Bell.  Upon arriving Track 3 we noted an RP&M train working the interchange area (65/66) ahead of us.  We saw the short hop down from Firgrove (Train 20/21) working the house tracks while Train 15 (The Pool Train) was squeezing in on the station track.  The Pool Train in essence was trapped at the station as a second RP&M train had arrived the interchange area and was holding RP&M iron outside of Bell, the same tracks the Pool Train required to head down to Rat Portage.  To crown everything, two other IPP&W trains were holding outside of Bell, eastbound 304 at the big curve to the west beyond the Brunt's Brewery siding and westbound 313 at Watkins Siding.  Everyone had to be patient as each train crew had to take their turn and wait out the work of others.  (A few crews got creative and assisted each other with facing moves and the crew of 304 decided to work their facing siding at Brunt's outside the maelstrom!)

Doug is oblivious to all that action in Bell while Garry relaxes following a busy morning at Nelson Yard.

Henk and Moe in Ironwood with eastbound 312.

Paul and Brian in Cedar Rock with westbound 313.

Skipper Fred and cheerful Mark.

Nice to see you out again, Tom!

Malcolm conducts the moves of Pool Train 15 as it requires wyeing to be backed into the terminal at Craig Leigh.  The train backs down the north (railroad east) leg of the wye to facilitate the turn.

The tail end of the train is beside the engine house just out of sight.

Malcolm directs Train 15 along the south (railroad west) leg of the wye.

Once he clears the turnout behind the tree, the train will be able to back through Craig Leigh to the terminal.

We are told we can enter Bell along Track 3.

The RP&M crew continue their work along Track 4.

We enter on a slow order.

We note the Firgrove hop back in Bell.

We work the eastern sector along with George and Manny.

A second RP&M train arrives the junction and begins its moves at the interchange.

With a good looking locomotive.

Our caboose remains on the layover track while the first RP&M crew works the far end of the yard.  Pete and I stay out of the mix for a while as we must wait for our time to tackle the interchange tracks.

This gives me the chance to railfan lots of crews.

Love the tender on Lawrence's locomotive.

They continue with their work.

Passenger 1 arrives Bell and is granted the station track.

313 comes in on Track 3.

We hold Track 4 for our turn into the interchange area.
If you are a reader of Trains magazine over the years, you will no doubt read stories of areas in the United States where a number of railroads bottleneck...Chicago, heading into LA, running trains along the Northeast Corridor.  Our railroad is no different...it emulates the prototype!

With our work complete, we gain clearance to Peter's Pond.

We cross over to the main at Watkins.

Moe chugs into Ironwood aboard 319.

328 approaches Peter's Pond.

Mount St. Helens in the shade.

Our crew arranges its set-outs for Cedar Rock before climbing the grade up the branch.

We have deliveries to the crusher and the aggregates siding.

We shove in.

Past Chandler's Sludge.

Cars for the crusher.

This one for the aggregates.

Love the track arrangement up in Cedar Rock.

We've coupled on to our lifts.

Back down the branch we head.

Some nice billboard reefers.

Pete's lovely wife, Audrey.

She follows Pete's train.

We gather speed through Mercer.

Our tender's coupler is holding up to the task after some fault issues along the route while switching in some of the towns.

Malcolm and Pete.

We enter the junction.

Our train terminates in Glenn Hammond.

We decide to run light with the caboose and the president's car all the way back to Craig Leigh.

We marvel at the scenery in and around Lilly.

Henk follows suit and runs light behind us.

The session is complete and the cars are packed away.

Henk gets "held up" at the bend.

It seems a natural obstruction got in his way.

Wow!  That's one big boulder for the locomotive to tackle.  The big hook arrived and the engine was rerailed in short order.

Train Extra 27 enters Spruce.

Spruce's depot is a marvel of engineering.

Through Spruce.

We catch up with 314 in Ironwood.

Henk's light engine battles the hill.

314 continues with its work outside of Ironwood.

The ore dock in Northland.

A cool looking "TankTrain" car inside Fred's house.

Sebastien enjoyed a great run with granddad!

Jim and John enjoyed a great day watching the action.

Garry, Bill and Doug await their lunch.

It's a hungry crew!

Brian and Paul.

Tom and Brian.

That trio...again!



Robyn and Fred together in the crew lounge earlier in the session.
Thanks, as ever, to Uncle Fred, who allows us into his life each Saturday morning for such a joyful round of train operations!

Indeed, steam ops sessions are just as colourful as diesel ones...just in other ways!

Have a great week everyone and we'll see you this coming Saturday armed with your diesel locomotives!  Another shout out to my sister's good friends, Jeannie and Syd.

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