Session #4 Part Two
Our OVGRS brothers and sisters arrived Fred's property bright and early for the setout.
With "all hands on deck" we managed to begin operations a tad later than the norm, but amazingly we completed the session almost on time as most others.
This is testament to the acumen of crews, yard masters...and hopefully, the dispatcher as well. (Big grin!)
This Canadian Pacific diesel idles away on the departure track in Craig Leigh. In short order, engineer Paul will be in the cab and many a train will be made up and broken down throughout the morning hours.
Remember, you can enlarge the images by clicking on them and return to the default look by clicking outside them.
Andrew offers a lending hand to Bill with cars delivered to Nelson Yard.
The ore dock is full of MT's which will ply the line behind a guest visitor (read - locomotive!) on a museum run on this day.
Carrying cases in all varieties abound in Craig Leigh.
The caboose track finds these fraternal twins hanging out on a splendid July morning.
Fallentree Mine on the outskirts of Nelson Yard has plenty of loads ready for the ore train to lift. The Nelson Yard crew will do the heavy lifting as a Big Boy would never be allowed atop the Lawrence Watkins Trestle which acts as a lead into the mine.
With paperwork still out and about...the setup is well underway.
This Canadian National rail diesel car will hold the honours on Passenger 32 out from Firgrove in the early morning hours.
CN #8146 holds down Ralph Yard on this day. Love the maple leaf logo within the circle on the end cab wall.
Sid rails his diesel. Alas it wasn't run due to couple height issues. Sid, you should get Uncle Fred to look at the couplers for you.
The third track from the aisleway is known as Stuart Yard named after Stuart Moxley. Stuart actually telephoned Fred from his home in Baltimore, Maryland while we were setting out equipment.
With lawn chairs and umbrellas set out, Nelson Yard takes on the appearance of a beach party!
(Thanks for this photo, Bernie!)
Hey, it's rare that I get into a picture seeing as I am the one usually behind the lens!
(Thanks for this shot as well, Bernie!)
It's the "penalty box" where these three amigos all have major penalties for looking so dashing!
Golding Grains down in Rat Portage has a multitude of traffic beneath it's awning and out front on the team track.
Here she comes!
Yes, here she comes...a true beauty for sure!
She's so big, I cannot get her within the frame...thus the study of the tender!
Wakey, wakey...little one. Time to get out of bed and get to work!
Moe and Andrew begin their day working the NY-GH Transfer job where they will take cars from Nelson Yard to the adjacent yard in Glen Hammond. Then they will board Rat 62, the turn up to Rat Portage.
The lads enjoy a laugh pre-ops.
Mark Christopher introduces himself. Welcome aboard, Mark!
Sid's friend, Ralph, does the same!
Ralph explains how he got into the hobby of trains!
Dilip also introduced himself. In this picture also shared in my previous entry, we see Dilip in Craig Leigh. Dilip is amazing...he assisted with the Capital Rgion Model Railroad Tour and put together the captioning for the videos we all got to enjoy! Thanks for all your hard work in this volunteer endeavour, Dilip!
Then, it's "off to the races"! Malcolm and Robin are aboard 303 out from Glen Hammond.
Their train orders proved interesting here...they only had a single move and it was trailing on the team track in the foreground.
This meant that they would be on their way very quickly up to Wellington Lake, Watkins Siding and Bell.
With 302 having just arrived Bell along with passenger trains, ore trains and the RP&M trains, this meant that their wait at Watkins Siding was going to be a long one. This "hold" would be the result of train orders and no fault of dispatch nor crews...just simply..."railroading".
303 is protected for the meet with 32 in Peter's Pond, so at least the passenger train will be out of their way up in Bell. There would be however the short hop of Train 40 down from Firgrove to contend with. (Everyone should dispatch at least once to help gain an "overall overview" of the operations!)
Some video footage of 303 down in Peter's Pond.
Here's 302 having just arrived Bell on Track 4.
The western sidings in Ironwood.
Peering through my dispatch window I follow the passenger train's progress into Glen Hammond.
Facilities here include the station with its spur track that is switched out by the later Pool Train.
32 arrives the depot.
Who said railroading is not relaxing!
Let's check out the video activities around the dispatch hut!
Here's the ore train having made Bell.
Unit trains are things of beauty and the ore train does not disappoint.
Hey Big Boy, show us your stuff!!!
Bob's new Santa Fe ore cars.
Ore train video footage snaking through Bell.
Now...back to Malcolm and Robin aboard 303. With so little work at the Pond they arrived the eastern fringe of Bell in record time. But with a convoy of trains wishing to make it through they were ordered to hold at Watkins Siding.
They requested permission to use the Watkins runaround in order to switch the eastern spur at Bell and to reassemble their train with cars destined for Bell all grouped together. Permission was granted.
Some video from their efforts.
Ironwood resembles those big league baseball parks where the infield diamond is half in shade and half in sun...a real nuisance for the batters...but Train 32 holds its own here!
The crew of 304 works the industries at Spruce while off in the distance, the crew of 301 deals with the facing sidings at Mount St. Helens. Both will "want into" Ironwood around the same time. The question will be...who gets their first! (Again, no fault on the crew that gets their later as they may very well have been given much more to do at the location where they are standing at the moment...while the other crew may have far fewer moves as dictated by the train orders.)
Train 40 hauls a milk car over to the crossing track just to the east of Bell.
303 is tucked in to the eastern spur.
The ore train has priority and passes 303's consist being held at Watkins.
Looking good there Bob!
The railroad seems to come up with some pretty creative braking systems for their trains as evidenced by the caboose above.
Video of the ore train heading east.
Okay...looks like 301 made Ironwood ahead of its opposing counterpart.
The crew has quite a bit of moves here on this day including lifting the ore cars and protecting for the passenger trains.
It would appear they have a lift at the refinery.
Love that Algoma Central diesel livery!
Paul continues with his efforts in Douglas Yard.
The cars have been pulled for the ore train and they are already on the locomotive's tender.
With authority to move east, the ore train eases out from Nelson Yard.
We have four trains either in Bell or wanting into Bell.
That's Train 40 on the station track, Train 303 on Track 3 and 302 on Track 4 with Train 61 holding on RP&M rails awaiting the congestion to clear.
Rat 62 is seen in Glenn Hammond.
The power for 302 is this TH&B beauty!
It's a waiting game until 40 makes its way back up to Firgrove.
Bell congestion on video for July 2nd.
Train 62 reaches Bellamy.
Train 303 pushes through Bell...
...and takes to the track rising on a gradient...
...up to Firgrove. With 303's departure, 61 is able to crawl into Bell on Track 4 with interchange traffic on the crew's mind.
Shade and sun...make for fun!
The Ironwood Road unit arrives the western throat at Bell.
Continued video at Bell.
304 holds Spruce for a meet with the ore train which passes on the inside track.
Everyone is smiles because we are "Playing Trains"!!!
We catch up with Train 72, the return of 61 from Bell to Nelson Yard down in Rat Portage.
George and Lawrence are in deep conversation.
72 takes to the siding to allow the Pool Train through Rat.
72's power.
Pool Train 33 finds daylight on approach to Pratt's Bottom.
Lawrence and Bill care for the garden known as Nelson Yard.
A view of busy Bell. The Pool Train has arrived and has some switching to conduct here.
The power for the Pool Train reaches the far end of Bell to work the eastern spur tracks.
304 has finally been cleared into Ironwood after the lengthiest of delays...all a result of scheduling differences that could happen any week.
Looks like Pat and Paul will have a few visitors.
The couple in the back are brother and sister while the young lady up front is their friend. The gentleman resides in Cleveland, Ohio and has a strong interest in trains.
304 has one car designated already with the red chit.
Pat says, "Finally!!!" Indeed, it was a long delay...there was nothing dispatch could do except go against the norm and helicopter the crew to a farther town and then have them backtrack.
In the end, they were able to catch up with the other crews toward the end of their second trick of the morning.
314 has tucked in onto the station track to allow passage of the ore train down in Peter's Pond.
That's one long drag, Bob!
Jean relaxes in the shade while one of the Easter Island residents caught a plane up to Ottawa and has found a happy residence among the ferns at Peter' Pond.
More video reviews from the morning.
Peering down the property line we spot Bernie and Mark off in the distance.
They are found at the eastern end of Ironwood with Train 312.
Looking the other way we find Bell busy once more with traffic including RP&M 71, IPP&W 311 and the ore train to boot!
Our Rat Portage and Mattawa train.
Lots of brightly adorned cars seek refuge in Glen Hammond.
Donald peers over the railing to see who is holding him up. He's okay as his engineman throttles through the western ladder.
Lots of fun.
The view from my perch in the hut where I spend most of my time...big grin!
Glen Hammond welcomes skipper Bob and the ore train.
Earlier 312 took to the curve out from Spruce...
...and tunneled through the foliage on into Ironwood.
The railroad morphs and changes its appearance like a chameleon throughout the session.
Lawrence enjoys a wee break while Pat and Sid attend to the sidings at Lilly.
RP&M 71 rattles along Track 4 in Bell.
Pat takes a breather in the shade as he awaits the passage of Train 35 out from St. Helens.
35 is the third passenger run of the morning.
Love that silver and maroon class!
Made in the shade video footage.
With Passenger 35 off in the distance, 313 makes Ironwood in record time...
...while 35 reaches Spruce on approach to the depot.
This snippit from a video shows that the crew of 313 has caught up to other crews seeing as both of these trains are on their second trick of the morning. That's 312 in the upper left quadrant of the image.
As captured on video once again.
Earlier, 312 had some work to complete in Ironwood.
With the arrival of 313, 312 will depart for St. Helens.
A nice low angle view of the caboose trailing up the tail of 313.
312 revs up...
...as it departs the environs around Ironwood.
Still more video from the neighbourhood.
The gradient drops Train 35 in elevation out from Spruce.
A mere moment earlier the headend was spotted exiting the curve at the summit of the grade.
Let's check out the video of the last passenger run of the day.
312's crew is happy to achieve some shade in the Mount.
All the sidings will be trailing for them at Mount St. Helens.
An artsy aerial view of Bernie's locomotive.
Train 82 the RP&M Nelson Yard - Bell turns drops downgrade heading for Rat Portage.
Some interesting green amendments to the cars are witnessed. Railfans try to determine just how they got there.
Their tail end indicates that we are reaching the end of this posting!
As Fred says..."Har-Har...Maties"
We enjoyed a rather frenetic session this Saturday...but when you are running trains...all is well.
Thanks for checking in on the blog everyone!
All the best, Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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