Session #10 A First Look
While we were uncertain if we would get this session in due to precarious weather forecasts, the weather gods smiled down upon us.
Another full contingent of operators arrived Fred's property for our Standard Gauge session.
This will be the first of many shorter blog entries this week.
It's been a long wait for this railfan to see this gorgeous Ontario Northland diesel working for the IPP&W once again.
This must mean that Steve is in the house!
301's power backs onto its train in readiness to run west.
One of our Firgrove engines on this day is this lovely Great Northern specimen.
Meanwhile, the RP&M has taken loan of this TH&B Geep.
Marcel wanted to surprise me with his B&M Highliner, but alas, it was in the shop. So...this CN Dayliner acted as a nice substitute for this railfan to enjoy!
John's CP Rail diesel is new to the railroad thanks to the efforts John put into it to get it running!
We begin our "rolling stock review" with this trio at Lilly.
How about a town full of freight cars? Indeed, Stuart doesn't let us down!
Some colourful cars co-exist in Bell.
Love this IPP&W purchased and re-lettered transfer van from the Union Pacific.
And...of course...I love this little beauty!
Thanks Paul!!!
Yet another New England line!
We thank Doug C. for these wonderful car railers.
Having a number of them around the railroad sure makes for a quicker set-out time pre-ops!
There's Doug at work now!
The blueprint for any successful session is having yard masters and dispatchers who are "on top of their game" and Bill is such a yard man!
Thanks for putting up with me while I was out railfanning and you were manning the yard alone, Bill!!!
And...here we have our top notch dispatcher...Doug M.
The yard is full and well organized before the trains begin moving.
Hanging around the lounge before the session begins (and after the car setting out time) we find Grant and Doug hamming it up!
Mark and Pat as well!
Great looking smile Sid!
Ditto for Seanna who is wearing that Chessie cat shirt!
More great looking smiles from Marcel and John.
The gang assembles around the crew lounge for a brief meeting as we want the session to get underway before any of the predicted rains arrive!
The paperwork is in evidence.
Another of our fine yard masters is Paul A. in Craig Leigh.
Len handles the yardmaster chores to the west in Firgrove with skipper George.
Fred organizes the paperwork as the meeting gets underway.
Bill showcases how the car-railer works!
"Simple as ABC!" says Bill.
Note the cars still in trays. This means that our yard masters still have a lot of work to do to prepare for the movement of trains!
Video effort of Bill's "effort"!
Train 71leaves Nelson Yard behind as the crew begins their early morning run.
The green chips are still on the cars...
...so this railfan will remove them in short order.
71's departure is captured on video.
304 speeds by in behind the Nelson Yardmasters.
Highballing it past "The Rockery".
"Too loud!" Bill is heard to mutter. Hehehe!
304's "passing through" as captured quickly on video!
Our CN Dayliner has picked up passengers at Bellamy and is underway to Glen Hammond.
She's a good looker, Marcel!
Off in the distance, the ore train reaches the outskirts of Bell.
These two trains are captured on video.
A busy yard along with a train passing by along the main make for a nice photograph.
Two westbounds meet to the east of Bell.
The markers pull up the rear.
302's consist resides on Track 4 with the Interchange Yard looking pretty full!
The ore train's pass of 302 as witnessed on video.
Train 40-41 makes its weekly excursion down to Bell and back up to Firgrove.
RP&M Train 71 crosses the junction tracks to the right at Anderson.
Off in the distance to the left we spot our other RP&M train, number 61 crossing the Lawrence Watkins Trestle.
A glance back shows an efficiently run Nelson Yard, an empty Glen Hammond and the crew of 302 departing Bell.
Video shots of these varied views.
The lightning stripe scheme as applied to the Delaware & Hudson diesels in the blue, yellow and grey paint palette is a favourite among many northeastern railfans.
Unit 7316 toils in the big yard on this day.
Yard video.
Our CP unit slices through the trestle at Brennan Gap.
Ore is on the move east (geo west).
The crew rounds the big curve at Lilly.
Lilly promises to be verdant once again next spring.
The ore train's egress from Nelson Yard is caught on video near Lilly.
303 comes our way after taking the crossovers.
The crew is lined up for Track 3 at Bell.
This is undoubtedly one of the classiest of paint schemes in dieseldom!
The crew slows to a stop just past the depot mark.
303's video approach at Bell.
Leading the ore train, John's CP diesel takes the newest siding at Ironwood.
The ore train meets 304 working the Larabie siding.
Three trains are spotted in the image; two at Ironwood and one over in Spruce.
Ironwood action as viewed on video.
Cooperation and collaboration win the day here.
Two, two, two diesels in one shot!
Lovely job on the painting and decaling of your diesel, Steve!
Bernie and Chris take part in a new Olympic sport - "Synchronized Switching"!!!
Teamwork as captured on video!
Indeed, collegiality abounds...
...as 303's crew assists the ore train...
...while the ore train aids 303!
Continued video efforts at Ironwood.
Early CP livery meets later CP livery!
Like" two ships passing..."
The ore train is awaiting clearance out - upon the arrival of Pool Train 33.
As 33 clears the east switch, the ore train will be able to head to St. Helens.
Still more video efforts in Ironwood East.
The ore train makes preparations to depart.
This video shows the Pool Train arriving the depot in the distance.
The ore train dances out of the yard.
Like a slithery snake, the process is slow and deliberate.
The tail end clears the siding.
Underway video.
A "going away" shot.
The crew climbs the grade into St. Helens.
The entire length of the consist is (nearly) trapped in this image!
With this video we close out the moving pictures until our next entry!
It was great seeing Mark pay us a visit along with four of his seven children!
Seventh Heaven I think that's called! 😀😃😄
Doug is "at home" in his dispatch booth.
The yard at Spruce is worked by the crew of 301.
Cedar Rock is relatively quiet at the moment.
Moe arrived midway through the session and joined the "railfan brigade" along with me!
I always love the shirts our dispatcher and yardmaster, Bill wears each week.
Here's the man himself! My partner on the day in Nelson Yard. Thanks Bill for "putting up" with all my running around the railroad to capture the many activities you have just seen in this blog entry.
As promised, we'll be sure to have you work with a different yardmaster whose feet remain planted squarely on the ground around Nelson Yard! You're the best, Bill!
Hey...for anyone checking in from "out of town" the National Capital Commission here in Ottawa (NCC) has refurbished the old boat house and they now call it the River House. This is located on the Ottawa River near Rockcliffe Park.
The public can swim for free at the enclosed water area.
Yes, you are swimming in the Ottawa River but the employees track the water quality frequently.
An old black and white image of the old boat house now restored into a swimming hole, cafe and event place.
I'm standing "pool side" to snap this image of a couple of sailboats.
Some locals may say this is a frivolous way to spend taxpayer's money...but I've always thought that we should be doing more for the public along the riverside seeing it is right in our own backyard!
A couple of islands in the center of the pool offer places to jump in the water. Yes, lifeguards are on duty at all times.
The lower deck dining area.
The upper "outside" dining area.
A vessel plies the waters of the Ottawa River near sundown.
She's a beautiful building...
...which is begging to be modelled, Mike!
Seating on shore.
Modes of transportation of all kinds tend to interest we train buffs.
I spotted this magnificent specimen in my neighbour's driveway while returning home from Fred's early this afternoon!
She's so cool!!!
Back in Fred's backyard, here I am with Doug...two thirds of our dispatcher fleet!
Paul and Fred enjoy each other's company at the midpoint of the session.
Thanks for checking in on this first of many entries from this week.
Have a great week everyone...the entire OVGRS clan
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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