The History of Barry and Bonnie's Railroad in Belleville

Barry and Bonnie's Railroad

A Historical Perspective

Barry recently delivered an on-line clinic to the railroad group in Kingston, Ontario.

His presentation showcased the development of his wonderful garden railroad from its earliest beginnings.

We thank Barry for sending this our way.

Barry kicked off his talk with this image of his backyard as it appeared when he and Bonnie moved in.

Introduction - The Idea

Like many men, I grew up with a love for trains, somewhat motivate by the TH&B railway serving several heavy industries in Brantford, like Massey Ferguson (Originally Massey Harris), Koering Watrous, and others.  There was always a model train layout in my parents' basement, beginning a little Marx set, then Lionel, and finally, American Flyer.

I can still remember the time, when I was very young, probably 6 or 7 years old, that Ontario switched from 25 cycle to 60 cycle electricity.  Out of that, I got a brand new 60Hz. transformer for my trains.

From the time we got engaged to be married, Bonnie and I began to collect a few pieces of HO gauge trains, which continued through our time in Kitimat, BC, until we moved to Calgary.  Then, I bought enough trains to build a model railway in our newly-finished basement.

Fast forward to 2003, and I had built a very large layout in our basement in Orleans.  Most of the 400+ cars, 70 locomotives, track and accessories were acquired via EBay.  The "J" shaped, 2 level layout was over 41 ft. length.

Then, sometime in 2003, right out of nowhere, it seems, Bonnie suggested, "Why not have a garden railway?"

I can always remind her that what happened after that is all her responsibility!

Where did that idea come from?

When we lived in Scarborough, from 1977 to 1985, we always visited Cullen Farms in Whitby for our gardening needs, and they had a really nice miniature village, and a "garden scale" railway winding through part of the property.  Because she loves miniatures, the idea came to her that we should have one of our own.

Of course, I was very receptive to the idea.  My response was simple:  "Okay!"

The rest is history, right up to this day.

 Describe Orleans Railway

  What happened after a friend of a friend suggested I visit the Ottawa Valley Garden Railway in Nepean?

The insignia for the Ottawa Valley Garden Railway Society

Operations on the OVGRS.

Creative use of the landscape in Ottawa.

Battery powered operations.

My little folded dog bone couldn't cut it any more.  I needed to make it into an operating railroad.  So I extended it and added some sidings and stations, all with trailing point sidings, and three times around with stops at approx. 1/3rd of the stations constituted a full run.  It started out as totally track-powered, but after being at OVGRS I realized that battery power was the way to go.

  I learned the hard way that combining the two can be quite dangerous...  Have you heard of "white smoke?"

 We had a flooded basement in April, 2020, right after the pandemic got going, and I am still looking for some things like photos, etc. that were hustled into moving boxes and stored in a huge container in our driveway, but here as some that I scanned from a scrap book that Bonnie put together in the first three or so years after moving here.

Because when we arrived from Orleans on Sept 28th, 2012 we had no commitments other than church, I worked full time, rain or shine as soon as possible, with a vision, supported by a huge drawing that had to get that vision on paper before the first piece of track was laid.  This is what the back yard looked like a couple of weeks after we arrived, and in early November when the landscaping was started.  The 3' deep ditch had to be filled in, with a draining pipe underneath, and the stage was set for the retaining wall that would come in the spring.

The mess was created by having the 65 cu yards of gravel and screenings brought from the street by a "bobcat."  It rained so much that November that we sometimes had to dig the machine out of deep mud up to its axles.

Boards used as walkways for the wheelbarrow.

Squares of sods.  Looks like an ancient archeological dig!

The above photo was taken on April 15th, 2013 when I had been directing the snow and frost melt towards the back.  I had lifted the squares of sod in the November  before and had them stacked against the house until the ground was dry enough to move them.  In the meantime, those boards provided pathways for me to move dirt, stones and gravel without stepping into 4" deep muck.

Ottawa yard was built after digging down about 13" and transporting the soil to the opposite end of the yard.  The squares of sod are now the grass on that side of the yard.  Literally tons of earth, sod and rocks were transported in my trusty wheelbarrow, which was already 35 years old.

The tractor and driver were rented for 1 day, and smoothed out the grounds ready for the new topsoil garden and grass.

I made a new friend while working.

Progress is being made!

Work progressed on the "Ottawa District" including Orleans and Cumberland stations, and the "Belleville District" during the summer of 2014.

Here's Barry "Working On the Railroad!"

Here I am "driving the last spike" connecting the two.  The interchange track is solely for the purpose of using the turning "Y" at Cora's corners to send locomotives to Belleville to begin an operation, as well as turn them for return trips from both Ottawa and Belleville.

On April 15th, I set a goal of having my first train running by June 30th.  TrainMasters TV was here on June 27th, and we ran the first train from Trista Centre around the swimming pool and back.

The ribbon was cut on August 25th, 2014 at my grand opening.  The man in the red shirt on the deck is Barry Silvertorne of TrainmastersTV.

Barry continues...

This photo was taken from the "Ottawa Invasion" of 2016

On Sunday, August 3rd, 2014, we had our first "Ottawa Invasion" which also had people from the US as well running trains.  That event was recorded by the OVGRS folks from Nepean after their big "American Invasion of Friends" in Nepean.

You may have to copy and paste the address below into your computer's browser.

https://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2014/08/invasion-of-friends-at-barrys-layout-in.html

Another of Mike's blog entries, this time from the Invasion of Friends of 2017.

https://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2017/08/barry-and-bonnie-birketts-belleville.html

Still more entries.

https://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2021/07/barrys-inaugural-session-of-season-in.html

http://gardenrailroadottawa.blogspot.com/2017/08/barry-and-bonnie-birketts-belleville_27.html

A family of robins is being started in the middle of this tree.

Tom Legel, from Pennsylvania built this awesome "Hayes Fuels" terminal last year.

This so far un-named siding was constructed a week ago.  The newer brass track is not as visible, but does continue past the temporary building.  Ideas anyone?

This brand new siding is the home of the soon-to-be-built Vollader Cheese Factory, which will be a "flat" against the back fence.  Hopefully some day another new industry/building will grace the triangular space on the left.  The siding is just east of Belleville, and will be served from Belleville Station.

This is an extension of Cumberland station.  "Eric's Recycling" is at the far end of the front siding, and the inner siding is the site of the future "Legel's Storage" building.

Thanks for sending this story our way Barry.

You and Bonnie have a wonderful railroad in your backyard garden.

It is a joy to visit and operate!

All the best, Mike and the entire OVGRS crew

Ottawa & Belleville, Ontario, Canada