Thanksgiving Monday's Fall Rhapsody of Colours

Thanksgiving "Fall Rhapsody of Colours"

Thanksgiving Monday...Definitely Not a "Stormy Monday"

Mark headed over to Fred's place last Monday, (Thanksgiving Monday), to spend some time with Fred where he ran his C19 with a yellow consist of passenger cars.  

 Mark asked me to call this posting the “Thanksgiving Fall Rhapsody of Colours” because the yellow matches the changing leaves on the trees and the ground.  Mark goes on to say, "The word “rhapsody” is also very musical, so I thought you would appreciate that too, Mike!" 

The remainder of this posting is from Mark's words.  "Black beauty is waiting to pick up her passengers in Mt. St. Helen’s. Notice the errant leaf on the tracks just ahead… the C19’s cowcatcher will make short work of that obstacle!"

"Here we are starting our journey, the Thanksgiving Fall Rhapsody of Colours.  The yellow passenger cars stand out brightly against the mine in the background."

"Rounding the bend at Lilly before tackling the Fred Mills Trestle."

"We made it up to Nelson Yard, where our only neighbours are mostly a collection of leaves and needles from the trees.  Once again, notice how the passenger cars match the yellow of the fallen foliage."

"Even more so in this picture - it’s almost like camouflage!"

"We passed Peter’s Pond and are starting the last leg of the journey, emerging out of the newly built tunnel laid this year beside the Narrow Gauge shed. Gosh, it doesn’t take much imagination to see the “real steam” she must be putting out as she winds her way elegantly uphill."

"The IPP&W is in rough shape for that last leg to Fir Grove (unsurprisingly, there are a LOT of fir needles on the tracks this time of year) so we decide to terminate our run at Bell.  Here black beauty is about to be spun around on the turntable...just as the seasons spin round and round."

"And there she is starting the return trip out of Bell.  It’s a leisurely day so we have not bothered to switch the order of the cars - you’ll notice that the baggage car and combine are now at the back of the train."

"Beautiful picture of the Rhapsody of Colours crossing the trestle."

"We can see all that nicely laid new roadbed and track at Ironwood."

"And here we are resting after our out-and-back passenger express run on the IPP&W on a beautiful Thanksgiving day."

"We check out our neighbour inside the loco shed, and it’s none other than the IPP&W’s own RS3, all charged and ready for some late-Fall action!"

Before we leave you, Mark has shared this spectacular video footage with us of his train traversing the Fred Mills Trestle en route to Nelson Yard and points west.  Indeed, Mark, your images and stories convey beautifully this wonderful "Fall Rhapsody of Colours!"

I managed to find this nice image of Mark & Olie listening in on an explanation Father Fred is offering up on the day.

We thank Mark for these wonderful images, video footage and stories.  All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada