Garden Railroading: Happy Thanksgiving - Hopper Traffic in the Fall

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Hopper Traffic Thrives in the Fall

Along with our Fall clean-up

A number of the lads gathered at the railroad today to assist Fred in taking down the canopy and performing a general clean up of the lounge area.

We did manage to get some pretty decent railfanning in following the general "pack-up".

The morning's events begin in Craig Leigh as they so often do.

We will be following Paul's train once again on this day...a hopper drag.

The cars are nestled snug in their bed at the Northland Ore Dock.

That is...until Paul fires up his Canadian Pacific GP30 diesel locomotive...

...and starts shaking them awake from their slumber!

Check out these first two videos below...it seems the hopper cars would rather stay in bed! They did not want to attach themselves to the locomotive!

Video of Attempt Number One.

Attempt Number two footage.

Oh well...

...we'll just have to try a third time!

Here we go!

Filmstrip of third time's a charm!

We had to get those couplers to mate for TV!

She's a loaded Northland Ore Dock, for sure boys and girls!

Love those CP colours.

The drag is hauling out!

Paul the engineman.

Love that sweeping curve leading onto the ore dock.

Low angle view of the hopper traffic.

The train is growing...

...and growing!

Looking good, Paul. Two more cuts of cars to go.

The video above showcases these recent moves at the ore dock.

That's one long string of hoppers!

On their way westward bound.

Filming of the last string and the caboose...

...and heading out from Craig Leigh.

Clearing the ore dock.

Don't worry...you'll return home again, Mr. Caboose.

Note the new locomotive added to our train in Mount St. Helens.

Paul's CP diesel's battery finally ran out after numerous sessions running without a recharge. That's impressive!

Fortunately, the Ironwood Road, or...as Bill likes to reference it as...le rue Ironwood...ou...le rue bois de fer...comes to the rescue!!!

With our new unit on the headend, the hopper traffic continues its westward journey.

The train traverses the span out from St. Helens...

..as we spot our caboose doing what a caboose should be doing...guarding the tail end of the train!

Film evidence of our new diesel on the road to Ironwood!

Upon arrival in Ironwood the crew gets down to business.

Two hopper cars have been set out on the siding beyond the consist of our train.

Our trusty road unit must have had a run-in with a squirrel as the front bars are askew! Yikes.

The diesel powers up...

...and takes the big curve out from Ironwood...

...with an arrival in Spruce in short order.

The conductor in the van reviews his orders for the work ahead. Our next posting will take up from here. For now, let's check in on some of the "closing up" work accomplished on this lovely Saturday morning!

It's truly amazing to see all of the fallen pine needles adorning the railroad and its surrounding aisleways.

Spruce is coated with a cover of pine droppings.

Here's Mr. Pat!

Here's Sir Fred!

Pat and Doug check in on what Fred wants done.

Time to take the canopy down.

This means we must cut the little plastic straps away from the grommets in the canopy. Doug is doing that right now.

Doug offers me his pliers so I can get in on the action as Pat supports my stepladder.

It's fun helping out.

With so many working on the canopy take-down, Bernie gets his blower out to clear the tracks for Eddie Shack!

Very effective!

Paul pulls gently on the canopy...

...as skipper Bill arrives.

Doug, Lawrence and Paul begin folding the canopy in a carefully scripted manner.

Pat is an "ender"! Hey...remember those old school playground songs when you had two "enders" holding onto the handles of the skipping rope while a pretty little girl jumped in!