Session #12 Standard Gauge Under Sunny Skies

Session #12 Standard Gauge in Solar Terms

Indeed, Mother Nature finally co-operated on a Saturday morning!

Fred & the crew wondered about this lengthy set of "Saturday Vacations" she had been on of recent.

We'd better offer up a greater variety of food items on the BBQ to entice her back!

Aha!  Twins!  Fraternal or Identical?

For first time visitors to the blog you can enlarge the images by clicking on them.

You can return to the default setting of the page by clicking outside them.

Fraternal or Identical?  A quick study will reveal the answer.

They are fraternal.  Engine 401 with the torpedo tanks up top is a GP-9, constructed to operate 'long hood forward'.  Engine #73 is a GP-7 and typically runs short hood forward.

Seanna grabs a photo of the two geeps...

...while I intend to grab the pair up and place them in my Christmas stocking in December...after all...I am a fraternal twin as well!

Here I am on my wedding day in my white tuxedo back on August 16th, 1980, Lisa's birthday with my twin brother, Jim.  Funnily enough, on his wedding day a couple of years earlier...he was the clean shaved one and I was the lad with the beard.  Go figure!

Also...I'm no dummy...getting married on my wife's birthday means I only have to remember one date!  😎😘😁

Seanna sent along these next four images.  We see Bernie setting out traffic to the Northland Interchange track.

Seanna snapped this image of me pulling the locomotive back 'a touch' to set up for an image.

I'm having too much fun!

There we go...lights lit on both units!

Thanks Seanna for the four fun pictures!

Indeed, loads of freight cars require placement in and around Craig Leigh before the operations can commence!

Garry begins assembling Pool Train 33.

His lovely CN locomotive in the olive green and 'gold leaf' livery holds the honours on this special train on this day.

The Pool Train is now staged and ready to run later in the session on the second passenger trick of the morning.

A view from the rear as Train 33 sidles up beside the engine house in eager anticipation of its later run.

Aha, here is Passenger #1, also staged and ready to ride the rails.

You may be wondering why Sid & Garry have staged the two westbound passenger runs on the engine house peninsula and not at the passenger terminal.  

Well...as Bernie stated in the pre-ops pre-amble...

"This is a test run to see how things will work while the entire passenger terminal area is dismantled to replace all of the rotten planking.  This will be a week's worth of work at least with helpers assisting not only on the Workday Wednesday, but other times in the week."

Sid's power for Passenger #1.

Looks like Train 301 has an assistant on board!

301 is staged and determined to enjoy a 'loverly' run this morning with Steve & Seanna as crew!

As for all of those cars that were set out earlier in the trays...they have now found a home in Douglas Yard...seeing as many would have been set out at the various industries nearby the passenger terminal, the area which will be closed to undergo a 'facelift'!

Craig Leigh is certainly alive with traffic on this morning as the ore empties are staged and ready to rumble.

Meanwhile, off to the west in Firgrove. Passenger #2 is staged in the reverse direction.

This is Garry's new train purchase.  

Alas the trucks on the passenger cars are finding it difficult to navigate the curve under St. Helens, so we are routing Passenger #2 along a creative path to reach Craig Leigh in the east.  

In order to bypass the route beneath St. Helens, the train will back down to Bell on a unique reverse move and then proceed along RP&M rails via Rat Portage to reach Glen Hammond and further points east until ending its run in Craig Leigh.  

The Workday Wednesday crew will have to examine what exactly is causing the issues under St. Helens with some trains and locomotives - but not all. 

Speaking of passenger runs, here is Train 40 anticipating its run down to Bell with the combine and a milk car destined for the Pool Train eventually.

She'll be underway following the parade of Passenger #2, the ore train and eastbound 302.

Marcel's lovely endcab switcher is a true beauty!

Wow!  The umbrellas are up in "Mary Poppinsville" as Bill Scobie likes to call the neighbourhood in the vicinity of Nelson Yard...only when we open are shade tree offerings!

And, check this out!  These cars are staged as well!

The bell has been rung and the pre-ops meeting gets underway.

The lads listen in on what Father Fred...errrrrrr...I mean...

...what skipper Bernie has to say!  Indeed, Bernie fills everyone in on the huge refurbishment project that is soon to get underway at Craig Leigh.

Aha!  It's great to see Peter Phelps come out!  Peter...welcome aboard.  

Peter will start the morning off working with yardmaster Bernie in Craig Leigh.  He will later run the second trick train with Chris, Train 314 between Firgrove and Nelson Yard and, later, Train 324 from Nelson Yard to Craig Leigh.

Along with Peter, we welcome the wonderful Barry Innes.  

I have had the great honour and pleasure of sharing tables with Barry at a number of train shows and conventions over the years where we would be sitting side by side with Bill Crago working away on our various modeling projects.  

The general public could stop by and ask us all kinds of questions about model building.

I would tell the public that it wasn't any challenge at all in creating Cheryl Tiegs or Jerry Hall but that darned scratch built steamer sure was a tough one.  

Some models just come together so beautifully!  Heh heh!  😄👀😎

Here is a 'snippet' picture from a video I took of Passenger #2 having backed down into Bell from Firgrove.

For first time visitors to the blog, I often show a picture or two I have snipped from a video before showing you the video just to 'set it up' so to speak.  The snippets are a tad grainier than ordinary images.

Video footage of Passenger #2's reverse entry into Bell.

To engage the video, simply click on the white arrow in the center once...and then once more.

To engage the video, click on the white arrow in the centre once and then a second time.

Train #2 has designs on RP&M rails as the crew gets underway out from Bell following its station stop.  

Passengers from the bypassed Wellington Lake district were bussed up to Bell to climb aboard their train.  

Passengers from the area around Peter's Pond were bussed to Bellamy where they were able to climb aboard.

CN locomotive #6767 represents the IPP&W in proud fashion on this day as this video so attests.

Indeed, the parade is now underway as 302 follows in hot pursuit of Train #2.

The reverse move was orchestrated beautifully as 302 is now able to enter Bell and proceed in on Track 3.

It's a vertical meet video!

Gerry is aboard RP&M Train Rat 61 working the industries at Lilly beyond 'Goodies Gulch' named in honour of Bernie 'Goodie' Goodman!

In the foreground is Nelson Yard.  Chris is switching out Glen Hammond aboard Train 303 in the center of the picture and Dilip is working 302 at Bell in the distance.  Marcel is bringing IPP&W Train 40 down from Firgrove.  

We celebrate Marcel for coming out to run trains even though he has his 'wounded wing' in a sling at the moment.

Video clips from around the center of Fred's property.

Passenger #1 reaches St. Helens with 301 protected along the siding and the yard.

301's entry into St. Helens as found on video.

We are at the western throat of Nelson Yard where we spot Moe switching the Glen to the left.

Moe's power on this day aboard 304 is this CN beauty 'sans stanchions'.

Glen Hammond video efforts.

The ore train flirts with 302 as it sashays past on Track 4 at Bell.

Bob's beautiful Sante Fe diesel delights us in that everlasting Warbonnet scheme.

A busy Bell on video tape!

Train 40's return call is Train 41.  Marcel rumbles back to Firgrove having deposited the milk car at the Bernicky siding down in Bell.

Video taken at 'The Ledges'.

The ore train is on the Bell Sub...

...while Passenger #1 is on the Spruce Sub.

I incorrectly identify this train as Passenger #2 in the following video!  Yikes!

Video from a single standpoint but showcasing both subdivisions of the railroad.

Ore arrives Peter's Pond.

The engine nears Brewer's Barrels.

A little wiggle on one car is noticeable in the video.

The ore cars you brought along to Fred's today are real beauties, Bob!

Maestro Marcel!

Not at the moment though as he couldn't even hold a maestro's baton in his right hand!  

Tendon & ligament issues have sidelined Marcel at the moment but we hear that the sling may be removed shortly.  We are thinking of you Marcel!

Master Moe must've thought today was October 31st!

Just teasin' ya Moe!

Garry is explaining to Sid how wonderfully the passenger train cars 'track' under St. Helens! 😎

We appreciate Pat & Dilip for coming out to our operating session in the morning as they could have gone out to HOTRAK instead.  Following lunch they will head over to the HOTRAK setup.

Nelson Yard pre-ops!

Fred's new S2 switcher in B&O colours.  

It will be named the "Lawrence Watkins" in honour of our beloved friend who passed away earlier this season.  

At the moment we are not certain as to what colour it will become - will it remain in B&O blue or will it get the Ironwood Road black dip treatment?...to be determined.

No, this is not the Pool Train although it is running on both railroads!  Passenger #2 breezes through Rat Portage on a warm September morning.

Trains congregate in Glen Hammond; the designated meeting point for Passenger #1 and #2.

Glen Hammond activities as captured in video.

Train 303 has finished its work in Peter's Pond and has been cleared up to Wellington Lake.

Peter's Pond video views.

The RP&M has leased this New York Central switcher seen on approach to the junction with the IPP&W at Stuart.

While small in nature, she is big in power!

RP&M Train 71 reaches the environs of Bell/Stuart in this video scene.

Sid is about to radio dispatch (me) for clearance out from Glen Hammond to Bellamy.

Pat has arrived Track 4 with RP&M Train 71 while Chris arrives the main with IPP&W Train 303.

Note the milk car to the right in the image.  This was the traffic Marcel had brought down from Firgrove earlier in the morning.  It will eventually be lifted by the Pool Train.  

We also have IPP&W Train 203 finishing up its work here at Bell...a rather busy location at the moment!  😀😃😄

Chris rolls on by the depot.

We take a glance the other way to find two cabeese...the blue B&O has brought up the rear of 302 and the red RP&M transfer van arrived town with Train 71.

Action video work around the Glen and Bell.

Passenger #1 bids farewell to the Glen and will introduce itself to Bellamy in short order.

Rolling video of Passenger #1.

Trains are on the move everywhere as we spot 303 ascending the grade into Firgrove along the fence line as ore crosses the junction at Anderson to the right.

We have a meet with the ore train and Passenger #1.

Nelson Yard is ready for 'incoming'!

All sorts of trains are found on this video reel.

303 snakes onto its terminating track in Firgrove after which the locomotive will be turned on the turntable.  Yardmaster George has lined up the route for Chris's entry.

A handsome brotherhood of CN switchers.

Across the valley from Firgrove is Rat Portage where Gerry has arrived with RP&M Train Rat 61.

Video efforts at Firgrove and Rat Portage.

Passenger Two hauls into Ironwood as the crew of 301 handle their work on the spur sidings.

Video from the area.

Train Number Two sprints on by the Ironwood Brick facilities on a heading for St. Helens.

The crew encounters Lawrence's cabin...still under construction.

Video along the plateau between Ironwood and St. Helens.

Chris is now on his second trick of the morning.

His train, 314, makes its appearance known at Bell.

It's just shortly after this point that Peter joins him as a crewmate after working Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh with Bernie to start off the morning.

314 meets 71 at Bell/Stuart in this video work.

Fred & Barry enjoy some great conversation and camaraderie in the crew lounge.

By all appearances, this certainly is a busy railroad although Doug & Andrew have things 'well in hand' in Nelson Yard while Gerry works the Glen behind Doug.

This is the view from inside my dispatch booth.  Note the reflection of my red shirt which I purchased many years ago to support the local streetcar restoration project.

At the present time the project 696 is on hold which is most unfortunate.

Andrew continues with his efforts in Nelson Yard as Bernie explains the layout of the land to Peter before Peter joins Chris aboard 314.

Sid arrives Wellington Lake where we find two trains 'haunting' him on the sidings at Watkins.

We attempt to thread the needle...but alas, the room remaining would not allow!

It was worth a video effort anyway!

Dilip carries 302 through 'The Corners' after passing Ironwood Brick.

We'll have to cut back those vines on Wednesday!

They've been rubbing atop every train that has passed by...their way of say "hello"!

Video of 302 in the distance.

In a repeat showing, Train 314 now passes in behind the Ironwood Brick neighbourhood as 'Ore train Bob' deals with the ore cars.

Chris & Peter are now crewing together.

They come to a 'full stop' at Brennan Pass seeing as there is a "service interruption" beneath St. Helens at the moment.

314's progress is witnessed in this video.

Here is our latest addition to the railroad from Lawrence's collection, this lovely Erie 40-footer!

Whoa!  Nelson Yard has just taken on a look similar to the Ottawa Ex!  Activity abounds in every nook and cranny of the yard!

I brought out these four plates for Father Fred which I picked up on the 'Free' table at OVAR on Tuesday night.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog entry, a gentleman offered them to me, but I told him that I was a Boston & Maine modeler so I didn't take them.  I'd rather see them go to a CN or CP modeler seeing as steam engines from both those roads were painted on them.

As it turned out, they were still on the 'Free' table when it was time for me to go home so I brought them home with me to bring out to Fred's for his enjoyment and for the enjoyment of the OVGRS clan.  

It is our plan to hang them inside Fred's humble abode where we all can see them!  Oh yes...by the way...the plate on the left is a painting - not of a CN or CP steam locomotive - rather a Baltimore & Ohio steamer hammering the double diamonds at dusk!

Barry, it was a real treat seeing you out.  Please do not hesitate to join us any Saturday morning!

Likewise to you, Peter!  Your presence brought a great big smile of delight to Bernie's face!

As for me, I enjoyed playing with my band all afternoon and into the evening at a block party in the Glebe following out train operating session.

On behalf of Fred, thank you all for making the effort to make it out to our train ops session and/or for viewing the fun we enjoyed by reading this blog entry!

Hey, the weather forecast is perfect all week and the long range forecast tells us at the moment that next Saturday will dawn sunny and dry!

This means that we will catch up with you next week when we once again gather to run trains along the routes of the IPP&W and the RP&M!

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada