Garden Railroading: Bernie's Session #18 Pics and Stories

Pics and Stories From Bernie - Session #18

We finalized our season this past Saturday with our 18th session this year.

I would like to thank Bernie for this batch of images and captions he sent my way from the session. It is always nice to get another point of view of how the operations were experienced.

Thanks to all the others who have sent in images and captions throughout the season and to all those who signed up to participate!

Peters Pond early Saturday morning, saturated with needles. Mount St Helens was even worse.

Firgrove at the other end of the layout is covered in leaves. The leaves are much easier to clear off than the needles at the east side.

The bell has been rung and we are waiting for father Fred to commence his sermon.

Mike, George, Pat, Seanna and Ralph are all huddled against the cold. What's "else" does Mike have in that cup of coffee, we wonder!

There’s the man!

Nelson Yard, Glen Hammond and Bell are ready to go.

Bernie is the conductor with Ralph on the throttle as 61 enters Rat Portage.

Seanna has the throttle of 302 at Bell as she and Steve work the Interchange.

Seanna looks on as Steve couples up a car. Ralph is waiting outside of Bell with RPM train 61.

A fine looking TH&B GP-9.

While everyone else is bundled up Gerry attends to Nelson Yard in short sleeves.

Here is checking switches as he takes the yard switcher out of the yard.

Back at Bell, Steve and Seanna are still switching out the Interchange. Ralph is still holding short.

Lawrence makes his way past the Bell crew as he follows his camera train.

RPM 61 was finally cleared into Bell and pulls up beside Steve and Seanna’s TH&B 401. Some may question why #73 is running short hood forward while 401 is long hood forward. This is prototypically correct and is a peculiarity on the TH&B. The GP-7s (73) ran short hood forward and the later GP-9s (401), ran long hood forward. They never standardized the running direction of the Geeps. Only the GP-9s had the torpedoes.

Ralph switches the Bell Interchange as Pat and Moe run interference.

The camera train trundles through Rat Portage.

Garry brings the Pool Train through Rat Portage.

Train 81 is ready to depart Rat Portage as Steve brings in the other RP&M local.

Garry brings the Pool Train through Ralph as Chris sets the switches and waits with the Ore train. Pat and Moe are at Bell while Doug helps Seanna and Steve in Nelson Yard.

The Pool Train is leaving Mercer as Lawrence looks on. Grant is looking for his conductor!

Another view of the action at Anderson.

Steve has train orders in hand as his train has just departed Nelson Yard and is on its way to eastern fronts. It will soon round Lilly to the left and head in the direction against the rising sun.

Chris helps re-rail the coach on the Pool Train as Garry looks on. Doug looks like he is putting a caboose on the tracks at Nelson. Mike’s roving camera has missed the action behind him.

Grant and Doug appear to be having problems at Nelson as Mike in his familiar pose takes photos of Seanna and Steve’s train as it comes around the Lilly Loop.