Third Viewing From Barry's "Quinte & Eastern Ontario Railway"

Third Appearance of Stories From Barry's "Quinte & Eastern Ontario Railway"

This entry acts as the final instalment of photos, videos and stories from our day spent traveling to Belleville to attend a most unique train operating session now forever known as...now get this...

the Brilliant Backyard Blowout of Bonnie & Barry Birkett (Born in Brantford) on Boyce in Belleville!!!

We must thank Johnny Chuff Chuff and Barry for the added alliterated pieces there.  They deserve a 10/10 for their ten B's

Barry certainly put a great deal of effort into the train lists and the "setting out" of equipment and Bonnie did the same as a wonderful hostess to the group...with both efforts greatly appreciated by all visitors.

Engine number 7316 commits its full attention to its eastbound journey out from Belleville.  The crew aboard Train 46 will reach Ottawa following nine station stops.

Remember, you can enlarge any image by clicking on it.

You can return to the default appearance of the page by clicking outside the enlarged image.

In a scene from Star Wars we spot Luke's father leading things as he likes to do!

In addition to diesels, Barry's railroad caters to steam enthusiasts and this un-named steam locomotive does not disappoint!

I just have to have another gander at this colourful New England based freight car!

Grant and Steve introduce themselves to each other just before the pre-ops briefing.

Multiple decks abound in Barry's and Bonnie's backyard.

Eric has reached the summit at the upper deck where he has gained a great view of the proceedings!

Yes, we have already seen these TH&B lovelies but another glance wouldn't hurt...would it?  😛😍😇

This inviting seating area is located off to the right of the deck work.

Barry and Roger offer up smiles for the camera.

Roger and Pat have Train 64 at Shaanenville as Train 44 holds in back along the main anticipating clearance into town.

A wonderful looking 40-footer gains this railfan's attention.

We always have to have a look at Barry's lovely waterfall.

Barry explained to me that in the earlier days of his railroad he kept encountering difficulties with the pond. 

He received calls in the middle of the night from his next door neighbour telling him that a terrible noise was coming from his backyard.  Yes, it was the pump screaming out to Barry that the water in the basin had emptied.

Guess what solved the problem?  Yes, the apparatus in the back of your toilet bowl where the tank float ball assists in the working of the bowl!  Well, it provided a great assist here as well!  No more middle of the night calls come in now!

In one of our earlier posts we saw these two New Haven cars separately.  Well, here they are working as a team in the yard at Kamaryn City.

Yet another amazing image of Bonnie's lovely flowers in the many garden beds that surround the railroad.

We also took a close-up view of the SOO LINE car in an earlier post.  Now we see the car hanging out with other friends.

We also caught a glimpse of this trio from the opposite direction.  I particularly enjoy the Hershey's Chocolate tank car.

There's the little kitten of the Chesapeake & Ohio system.

Loads of junk are found in the C&S gondola.

We all should learn our ABC's!

This fellow has come from far away.

They call me "Mellow Yellow"...that's right!

Research tells me that the Peabody Short Line received its name in 1958 and ran near East St. Louis.  The line had been in existence before that time and was later bought out by the Illinois Central Railroad.

Of course, we all know about the Napa Valley!

The triple chevrons on this version of the ON logo certainly stand out from a distance.

Shaanenville East is the location where ore cars are spotted which serve the local coal industry.

How about this little gem!

Love that logo!

My research indicates that the West India Fruit & Steamship Company operated a railcar ferry service between the port of Palm Beach, Florida and Havana, Cuba from shortly after WWII until such time as deteriorating relations between the two nations cancelled the service as a result of the US embargo against Cuba.

We spot the cigar band logo on this New York Central covered hopper.

A deeper examination of the logo indicates that it was birthed in 1959 and lasted until the NYC/Pennsylvania Railroad merger which resulted in the Penn Central coming to life in 1968.

 A loaded coal hopper from one of our Canadian lines, the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo grabs my camera's attention.

A trio of cars on a far track.

Canadian Northern number 28 bides its time in the yard at Ottawa.

We're on to a few video snippets before each moving picture.  In this snippet we find Robin up in Trista Centre with Train 48.

He backs his train into the mill siding.

There's the depot.

Video views at Trista Centre.

Remember...to engage the video simply click on the white arrow in the center of the pictures once...then again a second time.

Engine #28 is now aboard its train.

A pair of tank cars make up part of its consist.

Steve's uncoupling skewer is clearly evident in this photo.

There's Pat.

Some video work at Ottawa.

Nestled beneath the brush in Belleville is this gorgeous steamer.

The crew runs along the far track.

They will tuck a couple of ore cars in on the far siding.

Pat and Roger make up the crew.

Good job lads!

Belleville video footage.

Over in Kamaryn City the switching continues for the crew aboard Train 42.

Barry has arrived as conductor.

He instructs engineer Eric on his moves.

Randy jaunts over to say farewell and offer a note of appreciation to Barry.

Randy had to get home to Kingston early this day.

It was a joy for me running with you, Randy!

Kamaryn city video with Barry, Eric and Randy as the actors on the stage!

This next series of snippets covers Train 48's access onto the Sandra Bypass.

Their CP endcab has found the bypass iron as the tail end stretches back along the main.

An aerial view at Juliana Junction where we note the double tracks.

The crew takes to the inner rails.

This drone-like shot showcases how Bonnie has managed to marry her magnificent gardens with hubby Barry's rail scheme.

Bypass video where we capture a "Back to the Future" moment as there seems to be no caboose on the tail of Train 48!  Yikes!!!

The crew aboard Train 46 has arrived Orleans and uncoupled from their train for a runaround move seeing as they must spot two cars from their train to the facing siding where you see the two orange CN hoppers residing.

Their power slowly makes its way to the rear of their train.

Engineer Randy...

...is asked to act as brakeman/conductor as Mike rolls the video.

They couple on to the tail end of their train in readiness to isolate their two desired cars.

Video showcasing the commencement of their moves.

With their two cars spotted in behind the orange covered hoppers, the crew is underway out from Orleans.

Threading the needle at the trestle.

Rounding the curve atop the compound trestle.

Onward to West Ben and finally...Ottawa!

46's exit from Orleans as found in this video taken by Mike.

We make our way into West Ben.

Our tail end has cleared the signal tower.

A very short video clip of our progress through the signal tower.

With Mike's last video being so short...he asks Randy to back up and they conduct a "railfan run-by".

Rounding the bend.

Randy gives the photographer a wave!

Railfan run-by video results of Train 46's passing the railrfan location.

We set out the stock car at the stockyard.  Even with our coupler not being lined up suitably, we decide to proceed with the shove nonetheless.

A view of the trackage we just came from.

Video taken at West Ben.

On approach into the yard at Ottawa.

Slowing to a stop.

It was wonderful running with Randy!

I was thrilled to learn that Randy was a helicopter pilot in the Canadian Air Force.

Copy and paste the link below into your computer's browser to see an interesting photograph showcasing the Griffon helicopters he flew.

https://skiesmag.com/news/rcaf-look-revolutionary-vertical-lift-options-replace-ch-146-griffon/

Video of our entry into the big yard at Ottawa.

Our final job before descending from the locomotive is to place our van on the caboose track.

We're almost done.

Getting there!

Randy and Mike discuss helicopters on this video and Mike is thrilled to learn a few things about these magnificent machines.

We're on the van.

We pass the rest of our train.

We've reached the van track.

Video of our efforts!

Back to some photo stills from the session.

Like our earlier blog entries, we head back to near the beginning of the session where we find some of the lads hanging out in the outdoor lounge listening in on Barry's explanation of things.

Pat, in back, looks forlorn..."I wanna run the trains!" he thinks to himself!  Hehehe!

Barry and Eric in conversation.

Ditto Roger and Fred.

Moe and Grant  are found in Shaanenville early on in the session.

Fred and Roger enjoy each other's stories.

We recall this image of our chauffeur, Pat.  Five of us enjoyed the camaraderie found en-route along the 401 with Pat at the helm!

Robin is found at the junction.

His crewmate, Joe, is there as well.

Moe and Pat enjoy lunch on the ground level patio.

Pat and Grant share a joke or two!

Let's conduct a further rolling stock review.  We spot this "Fab Four" on the siding tracks at Cumberland.

We take a final glance at the hoppers hopping around Shaanenville East.

I just appreciate this scene so much so that I just had to add it once again to the blog from a slightly different angle.

Ottawa is home to many from the session so standing trackside here helped allay any "homesick blues" our Ottawa members may have felt being away from their loved ones.

No problem about home sickness because when you are running trains in a remarkable setting with newfound friends then "all is well" with the world!

At Belleville the crew of Train 46 adds some finishing touches to their switching before grabbing a van and departing east to Ottawa.

It promises to be a busy time ahead for the crew as they will have work to conduct at numerous locations on their eastbound journey.

Meets for 46 with other trains will be established and Barry's operating system will prove its worth in gold for yet another day.

A "mountaintop view" taken at Kamaryn City.

And another "up top" view looking down over that beautiful mill located on a siding at Trista Centre!

46 makes headway into Trista Centre where the crew encounters 62 already working the industries here.  

Note how Train 62 has tucked itself in on the yard track with caboose included to allow the crew aboard 46 to run past their train and pick up the cars 62 set out for them.  Cooperation, collaboration and camaraderie come to the fore once more!

Here is where we encountered Eric with the boxcar on the front pilot of his OC unit.

Our train "paid it forward" for Eric.  This is how we assisted him.   

We took the time to come in and grab the boxcar off his front coupler and reverse into the clear.  This enabled his engine to uncouple from the remainder of the consist and move ahead and tuck into a siding track.  We were now able to deposit the boxcar onto the rest of his train via a coupling with the yellow UP bulkhead flat.  We then moved back out of the way to allow Eric to shuffle back out of the siding track and on to his train with the boxcar where he wanted it!

This one's for you Bernie!

Busy yards offer up busy views indicating the railroad is earning its keep with trains on the move!

Love that little Rio Grande caboose!

The caboose track holds a diverse variety of specimens at this moment!

A glance from a slightly different angle.

This REA car adds a splash of colour to the scene.

We're at Juliana Junction where we locate Train 48.

48 leans into the curve on the inner track of the bypass.

I pull back my camera to grab this slightly panoramic view of the magnificent surroundings.

Here is Barry's newly installed siding adding more interest to the operations.

More colour enlightens an already colourful experience!

Johnny Chuff Chuff's facility looks so cool to this railfan.

42 continues its switching along the route of its run at Shaanenville.

This unit seems to enjoy being the main ingredient in the many sandwich shots I take!

This look at the empty bypass track showcases Barry's creativity when it comes to track planning.  

Sometimes you just have to operate a layout for a number of times to learn where adjustments are required and Barry has done this remarkable well.

Two of Belleville's finest teams of partners.

Love this cab!

During our "pit stop" on the way home along the 401 I found three more similar cabs!

Video of these puppies in motion!

Well...thank you all once more for checking in on my third blog entry covering our magnificent time spent at B&B's in B'ville!

Here I am with my Hamer guitar...which is a joy to play seeing as that is my surname.

And...when I'm not running trains at Barry's I could be indoors in the winter running at one of the many amazing layouts in the Ottawa region...like Tommy Hood's captured above.

And...if I'm not running at other's layouts...I may very well be hosting visitors to my B&M/MEC layout such as the time when Walter Gretzky paid a visit before he passed away.  

Years before I was asked to host his son, Wayne...the famous #99 and Wayne's young children at the time...but...alas...I was out of town when Wayne was visiting in my neighbourhood with his family.  A raincheck is in order!

Finally...when not making music, running trains at other homes or hosting visitors to my layout...here is where you will find me much of the time...at my workbench building craftsman structures and dioramas or simply building structures from scratch.

Enough of your author.  I will share this lovely image of Bonnie one more time to offer up a note of tremendous appreciation for hosting us at her lovely home for the session.

Likewise...kudos to Barry for building a most enjoyable railroad which runs beautifully and offers just the right amount of challenges whether you be a "newby" or a seasoned veteran operator.

We can't wait until the next time, Barry & Bonnie

All the best to everyone...Mike, Barry, Bonnie and all our large scale model railroad friends