Session #11 August 27th

 Session #11 August 27th

Our eleventh train operations held on the 27th day of August saw narrow gauge equipment being run,

The crew entertained a couple of visitors to the railroad and all trains were run.

Whenever we encounter a small problem in the operations we see as it an opportunity for solutions.

I must thank Andrew for this photograph.

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It was Andrew's idea to set up this trio of steamers for a great portrait shot.

Pat's steamer leads the group.

Grant's locomotive is the meat in the sandwich.

My 2-6-0 flanks Grant's engine.

An earlier shot of Grant's steam locomotive following its release from the carrying case.

Henk salutes you all!

Pat is all smiles as he is about to run trains with the group!

Paul continues to hold down Craig Leigh in the east.

Paul is classifying trains early on and this white reefer is being lifted to a train.

We catch my train, 302, departing Nelson Yard once the session commences.

This event is an anomoly...

...for 302 typically begins its day in Firgrove and not Nelson Yard.  We terminated in Firgrove instead.

Let's catch up on the video.  

We had to run light back to Nelson Yard to continue our run as 312.  The "left" I am referencing is in reference to the turnout we will take upon our arrival into Peter's Pond.  We will be "right" hand running through Mercer Siding first.

Grant begins the day drilling the tracks at Lilly before heading out with Rat 62 to Rat Portage.

He crosses the Lawrence Watkins trestle.

Check out Grant's waycar!

His headend power gets underway in a positive fashion.

We review the video of Grant's train.

The locomotive you are hearing belongs to Train 302 not seen in the video.

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Bill and I target Peter's Pond...

...where we come in on the nearest siding.  This is the track that crews use if they are to switch out the Cedar Rock Branch.

We investigate the video footage.

We witness the "left" turn our locomotive takes to get on the appropriate siding.

I have asked the crew aboard 303 to help me out with a special lesson.  They will switch out the team track, fishery and possibly the stone works and cooperage in Peter's Pond proper.  Trains that switch out the lower Peter's Pond area are asked to take the far siding leaving the main line open for the passenger run in order to have passengers detrain in front of the relocated station seen to the left.

I asked them to come in on the main in Peter's Pond and leave their consist there as they switch out the team track.

In this image, you see my train, 302, on the lower track and the other freight train's consist on the main...effectively negating the passenger train from coming in on the proper track - the main.  Yes, this would be a "no no"...because...

...the passengers cannot detrain safely.  I wish to thank the crew aboard 303 for their assistance in pulling a "no no" (on purpose) and I would like to thank Malcolm for his patience aboard the passenger train.  (Yes, trains coming in on the further siding in Peter's Pond can still switch out the various industries in town such as the team track work you see in the image above.)

Some video tape of the scene down in Peter's Pond.

Pre-ops, Len and George are entertained by Dispatcher Doug.

Lawrence and Henk study the train orders on the morning as a few little gremlins crept into the files.  Garry takes a gander over to Bell.

Aha, a special visitor!  David Steer arrives the property and enters a conversation with Bill and Doug.

Neil enjoys a "cuppa" pre-ops.

Seanna is all smiles in the crew lounge.  It's great to have both Seanna and Steve back in town!

I sneak a shot of the newly converted area between Spruce and Ironwood.

An early image of 302 proceeding through Anderson.

Craig Leigh plays host to all passenger trains.

Once the passenger run is through Peter's Pond and the other freight crew has departed, we get on with our work.

The gondola will be switched out up in Cedar Rock on a trailing siding so our car must be coupled on to our tender.

We Cedar Rock and "The Pond" now in our rearview mirror...

...we make our way out from "The Corners"...

...and bypass Wellington Lake.

302 "in reverse" on video...running in a totally new direction thanks to a few gremlins in the file for this session.

Bob looks back at his train, the ore drag as it approaches the junction while an RP&M train climbs the grade out from Pratt's Bottom way off in the distance.

That's RP&M 61 with Pat in control.

Views of two railroads on video tape.

The audio stating, "We're gone, we're outta here!" is in reference to Moe asking me how much our work will delay him as his train is on approach to Bell.  We won't delay him at all as we are in the process of departing for Firgrove...but the opposing RP&M train that has been awaiting clearance into the yard at the other end of town my hold him up!  Big grin!

Pat holds the junction as my train departs for Firgrove.

Two trains from two railroads.

My engineer has the throttle opened up for the ascent of the grade.

A nice "going away" clip of the action.

Let's follow the trains on video.

We catch up with some still photos of that meet back in Peters Pond.

Note how the passenger train has to take the far track as the earlier freight was instructed to arrive the main for the "lesson" on Peter's Pond.

Of course, we want all of our wayfreights to head onto the two passing sidings and leave the main open for the passenger train to allow their passengers to detrain in safety.  Again, we thank our crews for hosting this "lesson" in what not to do!

Garry and Mark haul 301 into Ironwood.

While off in the distance 304 climbs the grade up to Spruce.

We catch the ore train aiming for Peter's Pond.

Steve and Seanna arrive Spruce with its many trailing sidings and a single facing spur.

Neil assists Grant aboard Rat 62.

They have work to conduct at Bellamy.

Henk takes a breather in Nelson Yard.

Later in the session Passenger 35 meets 321 at Spruce.

There will be a station stop here.

Let's follow the train on video

One thing we have to remember to mention at the pre-ops meet is that whoever runs the passenger service should put out the station at Spruce.  We haven't been speaking about this of late, so it really isn't anybody's fault if the depot comes out a tad late...as it has done a number of times this season!  Big grin!

The ore train makes Ironwood traveling westerly.

A cool misty snippet from the video.

Passing our train.

Locomotives big and small!

Let's watch that video shall we.

A stealth locomotive finds its way downgrade at "The Ledges".

Rounding the bend into Bell.

Still more video to watch.

Malcolm hauls into Glen Hammond.

Arriving the station track.

Nearing the depot.

Some passenger video work.

303 reaches Bell and finds Track 3.

302 follows 303 and aims for Firgrove in its novel westbound trajectory.  302 will most likely never be seen flowing this way again.

Pat awaits our departure before heading into Bell.

George and Len work Ralph Yard in Firgrove.

Rat 62 has turned its locomotive and is ready to return to the big yard.

Grant's Waycar is a show-stopper for sure!

Love it Grant!

It was a thrill for me to team up with my fellow dispatcher, Bill, found taking a rest as we await further clearances.

313 has reached Mount St. Helens where the crew switches out the facing sidings on their second trick of the morning.

Malcolm and David are enjoying their run aboard the passenger trains.  Because they seem to be scrutinizing their orders closely this tells me they must be running their second train of the morning, the Pool Train.

We sure had a lot of fun running trains on this day...and it's all thanks to our good friend, Friar Fred!

Thanks once again, Fred, for hosting a great bunch of folks each Saturday morning for train ops.

Look forward to the "second section" from this session later in the week.

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