Session #1 Narrow Gauge Operations
These images come from snippets from Bob's video which he posted on his Youtube channel.
I'll offer up the link to the video at the end of this entry.
Thanks, Bob, for filming the session in a close-up format.
Bob begins our journey at the eastern end of the line in Craig Leigh at the Northland Ore Dock.
To enlarge the images, click on them. To return to the default look of the page, click outside the image.
His 2-6-6-2 is a real beauty.
The colour of narrow gauge passenger equipment is quite evident in this scene at the passenger terminal in Craig Leigh.
Walking from Craig Leigh Bob approaches Peter's Pond which is actually many miles away on the railroad located on the western end of the line.
We must be well into the session as this is westbound train 311 out from Nelson Yard on its way to Firgrove. The crew are on their second trick of the morning.
Doug's locomotive shines brightly in the May morning sun.
Seeing as dispatch placed them on the "near" siding, they must have work to conduct up the Cedar Rock Branch which you see diverting from Peter's Pond into the upper left area of the image. The train is holding the siding in anticipation of a meet with the passenger train.
The passenger train takes the pedestrian siding to the east (geographical west) of Peter's Pond. This is the Pool Train which will traverse both IPP&W rails and RP&M iron.
We find an eastbound struggling upgrade on Clarke Hill with Spruce in its sights.
The town of Spruce is in the foreground.
Rounding the big curve into Spruce.
Being a "second trick" for this crew means this must be Train 312 out from Nelson Yard bound for Craig Leigh.
With bells whistling the crew drifts by the station in Spruce.
They take the siding in anticipation of work here.
Turning around on his heels, Bob manages to capture some of the action at Mount St. Helens.
Dilip and Neil crew 304 at this location meaning they are nearing the end of their first trick and will be bound for Craig Leigh in no time.
A glance off into the distance (geographical south) we spot the large Ironwood Brick facility.
Larabie Fuels joins the freight shed and team track to make up the industries on the west end of Ironwood. Indeed, they make for a "Westside Story"!
Meanwhile over by the fence a lone locomotive strides by Wellington Lake.
We glance back toward Mount St. Helens where operators appreciate the shade the tall pines offer.
Bob remains standing in the same position as he swirls around to find Cedar Rock which is situated at the end of the branch line which diverts from Peter's Pond.
304's crew gets underway with their set-outs and lifts at Spruce.
Bob turns his video camera over to the massive yard where little ole' me and Billy Boy work as the Nelson Yardmasters.
Yup, Mike celebrated his 65th birthday on this day! Dressed in blue he now tells us that because he is now a newly minted "senior citizen"...if he messes up with the train movements he can simply blame it all on "old age" or on his partner, Bill's old age! Big grin!
The newly refurbished pedestrian crossing was admired by the masses on this day!
If Moe is departing Bell then he is on his final leg of his first trick up to Firgrove. If he is arriving Bell then he is on his second trick of the morning having drifted down the hill from Firgrove. The profile of his first train, westbound 303, indicates he departed Glen Hammond in the wee hours of the day destined for Firgrove. His second train, 314, then stole away from Firgrove bound for Nelson Yard.
Doug is the dispatcher on this day. He shares these duties with Mike and Bill on a three week rotation. Mike and Bill are working Nelson Yard in the absence of our two yardmasters for a few weeks.
Doug offers clearances to trains and then follows their intended progress on the linear schematic which is magnetized for ease of tracking.
From the dispatch booth, this is the vista Doug would see. Bell is to the left. Glen Hammond in the center and the massive Nelson Yard hogs most of the right side of the image.
Mike and Bill have everything under control in Nelson Yard. The yard requires two individuals to successfully classify traffic as the team creates new consists and breaks down those which have recently arrived.
The umbrellas are greatly appreciated as the heat rises with morning sun as it climbs ever so higher in the sky.
Lawrence created this little gem of a facility located in Bell.
The third track over is the newly christened "Interchange" track.
Moe is kept busy seeing as he is both engineer and brakeman/conductor!
Bob pivots to find Brennan Gap with the Lawrence Watkins Trestle nearer to the blockhouse and the Fred Mills Trestle at the outer fringe.
And...not to forget...there is the Pat Brennan Trestle nestled up behind the yardmasters' chairs.
Mike uses the 0-5-0 method of uncoupling. Typically a screwdriver is inserted carefully into the engaged couplers to unleash them from each other.
The dark green weather-beaten engine shed was recently uncovered by Father Fred after years of hibernation and neglect beneath Craig Leigh.
Fred figured that the western end of Nelson Yard would be a location as good as any for the structure.
Bill checks out what film maker Bob has up his sleeve as Mike continues to drill the yard with his steamer lettered in the "Ironwood & New England" theme!
(Mike models the Boston & Maine/Maine Central in HO scale in his home here in Ottawa.)
Steve is on the return with Rat 62. He departed Nelson Yard earlier in the day and headed for Rat Portage along RP&M rails. Being a "turn" he is on his way back "tender first".
Now, if Steve so desired, he could have turned his locomotive on the new turntable in Rat Portage which was installed last summer by Lawrence.
Steve's engine is lettered as the "Pontiac Pacific Junction".
Through the crossing, Steve reaches the station at Bellamy.
If he has any work to conduct at Nelson, he would have split his train across the junction so as not to interfere with the IPP&W main line nor with the yard crew in Nelson.
Looking good there Steve!
On approach to Nelson Yard from the west.
Steve is lined up for track three off the A/D track.
Mike holds his locomotive on the fourth track over as Steve approaches.
Mike signals the "open alley" for the RP&M train.
Confident all is well, Mike retreats to the east end of the yard.
Indeed, all is well on the entire railroad when all is well in Nelson Yard!
Bill routes Steve back onto his next train.
Bob shows the Youtube group how our radio communication works.
Spinning around, Bob shows the crowd just how green the railroad looks at this time of the year.
He zeroes in on Fallentree Mine...
...so aptly named for the "fallen tree" which came crashing down here many years ago.
All Bob needs to do is swivel once more to show the junction area at Anderson named for Paul Anderson, one of our OVGRS members. If you look closely in the foliage you will spot the red aspect on the signal which is controlled by the dispatcher from his hut.
We thank Steve and Seanna for creating the signals for us. Speaking of Steve and Seanna, here they are down in Rat Portage with the Nelson Yard-Bell Turn.
In Firgrove we find George and Len standing between Firgrove proper to the left and Ralph Yard to the right. Ralph Yard is named for the late Ralph Dipple who used to work this area of the railroad.
This diminutive locomotive is up to the task sorting traffic in the west end.
A lovely Heisler works the RP&M train.
Seanna is at the throttle...
...while hubby Steve works the papers.
A lovely close-up of their power.
The depot in Rat Portage guards the tunnel entrance which acts as a portal to another dimension ala Star Trek!
Len reviews his paperwork in Ralph Yard.
While not as busy as Craig Leigh, the lads ensure all lading reaches its destined tracks, trains and industries.
Seanna continues working Rat.
Off in the distance to the right is the area around Nelson Yard.
Aha, we spot Pool Train 33 travelling between Bell and Rat Portage...where the crew will encounter not one, but two RP&M trains in short order. Dispatch has given the three crews the freedom to work things out themselves.
Currently the train is running beneath the benchwork for Firgrove.
Train 33 conducts its station stop in Rat Portage.
The heisler departs ahead of the Pool Train.
Alas, the passenger service is held up as the second RP&M crew arrives.
Steve has his train stop along the passing siding.
The Pool Train must continue to hold as the RP&M train ahead of it has some switching to conduct down at the junction.
Holding still.
Now...an alternative move could allow the Pool Train to bypass both RP&M trains and get on his merry way.
Steve's train could have come into Rat Portage and backed itself up into the team track and other industries with the other RP&M train holding the main.
This would have allowed the Pool Train a quick "getaway" with no delays.
Yes, it's early in the season and perhaps the passengers aboard Pool Train 33 enjoyed the longer stay in cottage country where the true RP&M is modelled after!
A close-up view of the rolling stock in Ralph Yard.
Steve's train is backed up on the team track I mentioned earlier whereby the train could have come into Rat and split itself along the trailing sidings there to allow the passenger train room to bypass the other RP&M train as an easy out. All is well as Steve is handling the chores here with acumen.
The signal in Rat Portage is allowing returning RP&M trains access to the junction area.
The passenger train rounds the big bend at Lilly.
There are a number of peninsulas on the railroad which makes maximum use of the property!
We close with this image of Lilly, Anderson, Bellamy, Nelson Yard, Glen Hammond and Bell.
To view Bob's full-length video on YouTube, copy and paste the following link into your computer's browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk68VfGsfXE
Thanks to Bob for sharing his video from the session on YouTube where I was able to snip all of these pictures!
Also, thanks to the weather Gods for looking after us on this fine Saturday morning!
All the best, Mike, Bob and the entire OVGRS Family
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
No comments:
Post a Comment