Here we have...
...Helen in Mount St. Helens...
...at the throttle of that lovely TH&B Geep!
Yes, as the freight cars in the trays and spread out along the tracks indicate...
...we are running standard gauge on the 7th of September...
...for our 16th operating session of the season.
It appears pretty damp out.
Copy and paste the link below into your computer's browser to view Malcolm's great video footage from the session.
https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApuSckIj0HVCgu9yeeDL3vTxaOJDDw
Well, the rains appeared pre-ops...
...but the weather forecast gave us an opening...
...so we decided to gather anyways...
...and hope for the best as Moe suggests!
"Would the rains be held off?" Malcolm thinks to himself.
"Doubtful!" skipper Henk's face indicates.
So...we gather around the table in the outdoor crew lounge.
We hold many a discussion.
Many a tall tale.
Groups huddle together.
Waiting.
The coffee and tea are on!
"Garcon!" this lumberjack shouts.
"Another coffee, please!"
Will the Redblacks win their game this afternoon? (Wishful thinking!)
Will Doug get in the dispatch booth?
Paul is doubtful...until...we spot a ray of sunlight from up above.
Out we charge!
We gather the cars and set them out at their pre-ordained location.
Henk instructs Pete where to place the boxcar.
Once all of the cars are set out...
...we gather once again briefly for the information meeting.
Laughter abounds. (Thanks, Malcolm for these next two images.)
Pete and I are excited as we will be crewing our train in short order.
Two CN family members head up the two RP&M trains.
Dispatch clears us through the junction. We are RP&M 65.
Followed shortly by IPP&W 327 out from Glen Hammond crewed by Malcolm and Lawrence.
318 gets a quick start out of Glen Hammond going the other way.
Crews zigzag between other crews as more trains get off to a frantic start.
That's 302 out from Firgrove.
Yes, due to the weather delays and potential for more rain later in the morning all trains were made up by hand rather than by locomotive...thus the quick start out of the gate for all.
327 runs the junction.
George, the Firgrove yardmaster, is all smiles as his first train out has departed early!
Uh, uh!
Another train appears in front of the Firgrove depot.
Why, it's the ore train.
George's switcher does not need to be pressed into duty as yet.
Pete and I have arrived Rat Portage and we handle our trailing work first.
We will exchange cars at the Comber Chair Co.
Lifting one.
Then setting out the other.
Our power on the day is my CN RS3.
Pete and I drill the team track...
...and Golding Grains.
Five of the six cars we find here are on our switching orders so we haul the "whole shebang" out and later reset the bulkhead flat that is not required.
We are running along "The Rat" as Mark so aptly calls the line.
We've pierced the tunnel...
...and we find ourselves...
...in the deep nether lands of the RP&M line.
The views are scenic over here!
Our other RP&M crew hauls Rat 70 through the junction. This train originated in Nelson Yard. Earlier, Len backed up the train and headed into Glen Hammond where he found some work. He is now on his way toward Rat Portage.
The two RP&M crews wave to each other from their respective cabs.
We are on a slow order into Bell.
Train 65 arrives the yard limits near the interchange tracks.
In the near distance we spot an IPP&W crew working off Track 3 at Bell.
No worries for Pete.
He and I guide our train down onto Track 4 using a recently installed turnout that has made dual operations in this area a real treat for the train crews.
Train 65 passes Train 302 with both trains on the move simultaneously.
We spot their caboose as we take Track 4.
Seanna and Steve follow the progress of their locomotive over at the interchange area as we crawl to a stop.
In the meantime, Train 327 has arrived Bell and works the eastern end of the yard.
Yup...that's three trains working Bell with no congestion at all!
With Chris's suggestion of a lengthy yard lead to the east of Bell, two crews can work here simultaneously with ease.
Operations are a joy!
We have completed our moves so we place our RP&M caboose on the other end of the train for the return trip back along home iron.
We haul our train down the western ladder of the two parallel lines.
This allows us to run around our train.
We are now ready to depart short hood forward back to Rat Portage and Nelson Yard.
We could have turned the locomotive on the turntable at Bell but opted not to on this day due to the impending weather issues. Short hood forward will be safe for this crew who rarely meets other trains in their neck of the woods.
Henk enjoys the activity as Moe introduces the ore train to the Nelson Yardmaster.
The ore train comes to a stop along the arrival/departure track in the yard.
We are now aboard RP&M Train 66 on our return journey out from Bell.
We marvel at the difference in scenery in this region of the railroad.
The big curve allows the crew to sight down the consist of their train.
All seems to be well with the train today!
Finding daylight in Rat Portage.
The conductor steps down from the caboose and heads into the depot to see what orders are in store for the crew.
Just a trailing move at Hamer Manufactoring and a facing move in the yard and we are underway.
We repeat our meet of the two RP&M crews, this time in the same vicinity.
Len works the sidings at Anderson...
...while we encounter a "service interruption" just past the signal aspect for Rat Portage.
(The Wednesday maintenance crew will have to do a little work here this week!)
We are cleared through Anderson...
...and arrive Nelson Yard.
Thank you, Len, for offering our crew "first dibs" back into the yard!
Henk appears puzzled.
Which gives Len a chuckle!
Train 66 slows to a stop...
...along one of the free tracks in the yard.
Train 70 arrives moments later.
Takes the ladder...
...and crawls into bed next to us.
It's a clear alley for 70.
The crew slows...
...to a stop beside our power. Looks great, boys!
This Consolidated Rail unit runs 327 this day.
The crew completed their work to the east of Bell and now works the western environs.
Lawrence and Malcolm have everything under control.
Blue on blue!
Love the contrast in colours on this damp morning.
Garry is aboard Train 303, his second run of the morning.
He and Paul have found the station track in Ironwood.
Brian and Neil run 301 at Spruce.
Then out from Spruce.
They wave goodbye as they are cleared into Nelson Yard.
Mount St. Helens looks as beautiful as ever...even on a grey day!.
303 follows in behind 301 and takes the siding at Spruce.
Cars found...
...in Cedar Rock. 302 is working here currently.
Meanwhile, back at the oasis...
...Bernie offers Moe an assist...
...with his ore cars.
Moe will be taking the "mt's" out for a ride shortly.
His power...
...the Canadian Pacific switcher he purchased from Chris and Lela.
Bernie is all a-grin.
Love the cap, Bernie.
Douglas Yard is colourful on this overcast day.
Bernie's locomotive...
...hangs out around the yard and its environs.
"Smile for the camera, lads!" I call out.
Moe is on the roll...
...as they ore train steers itself through the turnouts...
...as he departs...
...this oasis of an area along the railroad.
Down in Peter's Pond 302 finishes up its assignment.
Fred, Helen and Pete enjoy some friendship and stories.
Garry reviews the order for 303 for Spruce.
While Paul runs the throttle.
We're going to take a short commercial break as Joel Racine hosted an HO scale operations at his home in St. Albert, 45 minutes to the east of Ottawa. The train ops doubled as a "Farewell Party" for Chris and Lela. This is why I had to leave Fred's in a hurry. You will recognize Chris in the checkered shirt talking with Michel Boucher while Bill Meek and Ron Newby look on.
Here's Lela.
Jim McSherry and Chris Savage. Chris is a wicked guitarist who performs in concert with me on occasion.
Joel models the Ottawa Central in and around Walkley Yard.
I love his power.
Joel is replicating to scale the exact structures found in and around the yard at Walkley.
You should recognize many of them.
His layout is in its infancy, but it sure operates like a Swiss watch.
Michel and Chris discuss strategy while Lela chats it up with other members of the crew at the table in back.
Here's Joel! Many of you may not know it, but it is Joel who created that lovely schematic of Fred's layout that appears on the back of our clipboards for the IPP&W/RP&M lines! He even takes his time to come back to Fred's to update any track changes that have been made to the layout for us. Thanks, Joel!
The big facility in the yard.
The beginning of Baker Met.
The lads peruse the layout.
Joel puts us in a "time and place" so we better understand the car and train movements.
Jim, Bill and Chris.
Lela.
The Conroy Rd. crossing.
Work is being done.
The industries are thriving.
Nice details.
Another train on the move.
John Mitchell has arrived...
...and he is assigned a train with Jim. (Bill and I were a crew.)
Bill and I bring our train over to Baker Met.
Chris, Joel and Chris!
Joel's wife, Parise, is a lovely and gracious host.
The spread...
...which makes...
our tummies spread! Hehehe
So with sadness...
...and melancholy...
...we say farewell to our great ambassador to the hobby, Chris...
...and his lovely wife, Lela!
We know you will enjoy your time in Nova Scotia and it is our sincere hope that Hurricane Dorian is one of those "once in a lifetime" events to hit the "merry times"!
Check in for Part Two from this week's train ops later in the week!
Thanks, as always, to skipper Fred for hosting this fun bunch of folks each week!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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