Garden Railroading: Merry Christmas Blog Entry

Merry Christmas Blog Entry

Well, it's been a while since we hosted our final large scale operating session of the season.

That was two and a half months ago on October 12th!

Fred tells me he is itching for another 'blog entry' to keep the large scale fever going and what better time to do so than during the

Christmas Season!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

So, I start off with this greeting card above as the Maine Central's 'oil can' rumbles across Boundary Road in North Dover, New Hampshire having been granted permission to travel atop Boston & Maine rails on my HO scale model railroad.

Wouldn't you know it...just as I was writing the card on this third day of winter in 2024, the snowflakes started falling from the heavens. Off in the distance, the blue skies will turn white as the storm front travels that way!

If you wish to share Christmas wishes or season's greetings with the OVGRs group, by all means e-mail your photo or even simply a greeting via text in an e-mail my way and I will add it to the top of this blog.

Moe has sent along this lovely Christmas greeting our way!

Marcel sends along his Christmas Greetings to the entire crew from his winter home in Arizona.

John sends his holiday message our way via this very traditional and much loved method...the circle of track beneath the Christmas tree!

Here is John's message.

Sending Holiday Cheers to everyone!

My Christmas Train for 2024 circles the tree.

This was formally Henk's train!

Christmas Tree train video from John!

Thanks for sending this our way, John.

Here's John switching out the Cedar Rock Branch back in May!

Pat, pictured above sends along this Christmas Greeting.

What a spectacular blog story with many appearances by the man himself, Santa!!

Thanks Mike, this is a great collection of pictures and videos of 2024 action.

To all of our OVGRS family & friends, have a Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays to those who don't celebrate Christmas. Have a Happy New Year to all!

Dilip sends this message our way.

Hi Mike, Thank you for this amazing blog! I’ve really enjoyed reading your stories and memories.

And to our greater OVGRS family...

I am wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with good health, lots of joy, and everything you’re hoping for.

Chris sent this image along with his Christmas message to the group.

Merry Christmas everybody --

and if Santa brings you a lump of coal, hopefully it's because there's a live steamer to go with it!

Chris and his lovely daughter make an excellent crew when Olivia can make it out.

On June 15th they ran Train 303 out from Glen Hammond bound for Firgrove.

Here's a message from Pat Brewer:

Fellow OVGRS members, our railroad is asleep at the moment under a blanket of snow, but in a few months the snow will be gone and the ground will dry up enough to walk on it.
Soon after we will once again hear the sounds of steam engines and diesels on the IPP&W signaling the start of another season of fun and friendship.
In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!
Pat Brewer

Robin sent this reply to Pat's message above with wishes to us all.

On July 20th, he ran Passenger #1 out from Craig Leigh!

Below is Robin's message.

"Pat, all the best to you and yours and to all the gang at the IPP&W. May this season bring you all much joy and peace."

Robin

Malcolm sends along his message our way!

Thanks Mike for the fun and interesting blog post and all that you do during the year to record our antics.

Merry Christmas and the best of the season to all the friends in the group. Let's hope next year is another great one.

Here is one side of the Christmas card we prepared this year. It looks like it will be a Happy Mid-January card now. It is of a frequent visitor to the feeder outside our dining window. The squirrels look longingly up at it, but haven't been able to master getting into it - yet.

Happy Holidays,

Malcolm

Here's Malcolm on the left chatting with Steve after turning his gorgeous Conrail unit on the turntable up in Firgrove.

Father Fred sends along these fun words!

Deck us all with

Boston Charlie,

Walla Walla, Wash,, and

Kalamazoo !

Nora' freezin' on the Trolley,

Swaller dollar Cauliflower

Alleygaroo !

Don't we know archaic barrel,

Lullaby Lilla Boy,

Louisville Lou

Trolley Molly don't love

Harold,

Boola Boola Pensacoola

hullabaloo !

Having fun yet ??

Fred

Father Fred goes on to say:

Mike the previous bunch of words posted, was compliments of "Pogo", in case you were wondering !!!

Fred

Diane & Ed, our dear friends from sought of the border send us this Christmas Greeting via Jacquie Lawson.

Here is their message our way!

From Diane & Ed continue with their message saying:

...and a present of sorts -- this wonderful video of the Absolutely Incredible John Desantis Standard Gauge Train Collection!!!

The Most Extensive standard gauge collection IN THE WORLD, ONE OF EVERY TRAIN AND EVERY VARIATION from the 3 major standard gauge tin plate manufacturers, LIONEL IVES & AMERICAN FLYER.

It's brand new out today and absolutely amazing! (Unfortunately not G scale, but we all do other stuff too, right?)

Thanks Diane & Ed for your lovely note.

To see the YouTube video sent our way, copy and paste the link below into your computer's browser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBpuRBcutlA&t=1397s

Felicity wrote: Thanks Mike, what a wonderful blog. 😀

I wish you a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you again in the new Year, Cheers, Felicity

That's not one of the "Jingle Bells" Felicity is holding onto in the middle of the image...it's a true locomotive bell!

From left to right; Olivia, Felicity & Seanna

Garry wrote to us saying:

We had part of the family over for a morning visit and presents on Christmas Eve Day as they traveled on Christmas Day itself. My son's family joined us for lunch that day so we could all be together for a few hours.

Then, our son's family came back on Christmas Day for the rest of the present opening and turkey dinner.

I had set up our Christmas train as usual and it was well used both days for snacks and delivering presents by our 8 year old grand-daughter (as engineer) one day and our 9 year old grandson the next day.

The big difference this year was having Lawrence's Christmas car at the front of the train with its twinkling Christmas lights on the 2 circuit board Christmas trees which you can see clearly in the first image.

What a creative guy Lawrence was.

Best Wishes to all for a successful 2025.

Garry

As a Christmas present for my Gipsy Moth airplane, I got a new propeller manufactured in England.

It was installed in December and I went to see it just before Christmas.

It's a beauty.

Thanks Garry for these wonderful images!

Neil says, "Thanks Santa...Love it!!!"

Here's Neil now in one of the many V-necked shirts he ordered for the group!

Hey, check out this wonderful "Advent Calendar" locomotive Neil Lowes gifted to Fred!

I snapped this photograph back on December 10th seeing as ten of the drawers have been opened to reveal their hidden prize - an ornament to hang on the knob of the drawer.

Lovely!

You Better Watch Out

You Better Not Cry

You Better Not Pout

I'm Telling You Why...

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

At our recent OVAR meeting where Fred & many of the OVGRS gang congregate, I received my early Christmas present...these four coasters of streetcar paintings done by Tom Grumley's wife.

Tom's wife, Phuong, created the original acrylic paintings that are much larger of course to hang on the walls...some 20" x 24" with others of varying dimensions near to that measurement.

Tom tells us the name Phuong means "Flamboyant Flower" which blooms from the Flame tree from May to August in Vietnam. She was born in May.

Phuong has created 10 streetcar paintings and one CN rail painting. Here we see Streetcar #853 crossing the Bell Street Bridge.

Streetcar #900 passes in front of the Cenotaph here in Ottawa.

I have ridden the streetcar that makes its rounds along the perimeter of the grounds at ExpoRail while on an NMRA SLD excursion to this fine museum in Delson.

I rode the CN line from Deux Montagnes into Montreal every morning when I attended McGill University.

I boarded the train in Roxboro in the wee hours of the morning with my father and his carpool group of men and traveled into town through the tunnel under Mount Royal each day and made the return trip home each evening.

You can purchase the coasters from Tom (Four coasters for $20.00 - $5.00 each)...or at Larkspur Line in Merrickville for the same price.

This tote bag showcases the Ottawa painting nicely as well.

Tom sent me this image of all eleven paintings which appear on the coasters.

You may notice some streetcars from Toronto and from Montreal as well in the images.

I would like to thank Felicity for showing me the four she purchased while at our recent SLD meeting. That is how I learned of them!

Then one foggy Christmas Eve

Santa Came to Say...

Hey, let's check out some unseen photos from this past season why don't we!

Here we see the newly laid trackage at Ironwood Brick with the refurbished rail line running in behind at the western entrance to "The Corners".

Grant's steamer tells me that Session #1 held on May 25th was of the narrow gauge variety.

We spot the rebuilt Glen Hammond station in the shadow of the dispatch hut.

Thanks to Bill, Doug M., Doug C and Chris for their efforts here.

We spot two more handsome steam locomotives idling away as they await their imminent journeys eastward out from Firgrove.

Chris has done a masterful job of re-lettering his steamer!

It's always great having guests come out to run the trains as Graham (who worked for the railroads as an engineer) certainly knows what he is doing as he directs the departure of 301 out from Craig Leigh.

It's the early morning hours of May 25th and Passenger 1 is steaming toward a meet with Passenger 2 at Glen Hammond. We find the train slowing to a stop in Ironwood.

Much later Passenger 2 makes headway into Ironwood having met number one in the Glen.

A closer view of out IPP&W narrow gauge passenger equipment.

The "Fred J. Mills"!

Being later in the session this must be our RP&M crew arriving on Track 4 meeting 314 holding on Track 3.

Train 312 under the direction of Chris and son, Jonah, work the sidings at Ironwood as John & Andrew bring 313 into the far siding where they will work Ironwood Brick for the time being.

A closer examination of their work.

We have learned that there are actually far more that 57 varieties of Heinz products but we also know that putting a number on an item boosts advertising!

Train 311 stealthily enters the yard at Firgrove!

Garry takes a wee break with Fred before climbing aboard the Pool Train with Steve & Seanna.

The lads are grinning so it must be one heckuva great conversation going on! 😎

Dashing through the snow

In a one horse locomo!

Dilip is manning the ore train on this day as he departs Ironwood.

Indeed, ore is on the move in this video effort at Ironwood.

Say, that CP caboose on the tail end of the ore train is up for sale for $30.00 to anyone who wants it. Fred has unloaded five cabeese this past week and this one is the sixth 'extra' in the fleet. Contact Fred if you are interested in purchasing it!

Train 311 ascends the grade at 'The Ledges' inbound to Firgrove.

Video of 311's approach to Firgrove.

Doug & Bill are the Nelson Yardmasters on this day as they work the western throat of the yard.

Video views at Nelson and a vertical meet of the IPP&W and the Pool Train.

An earlier shot of Passenger 1 having departed Spruce.

Passenger video outside of Spruce.

Colourful times to the west of Bell!

Bell is pretty busy in this video.

Train 322 finds Track 4 to its liking as an RP&M train holds on Track 3.

Father and son crew mates on this run were both train drivers with Graham being retired from CN and with his son now working for CP as we learn in this video footage at Bell.

The RP&M crew are now underway back to Rat Portage and Nelson Yard.

Video of their departure out from Bell.

Here Comes Santa Claus!

Here Comes Santa Claus!

On his Santa Claus Train!

It's the first day of June 2024 and we are running our diesels during our first standard gauge session of the season.

Fred is occupied in the crew lounge as Steve & Seanna hang out nearby.

It was great to have Joan come on out and join us for a little while.

As you know, she lost her dear husband and our dear friend, Lawrence, who passed away on the first day of May. He is deeply missed by us all!

Dilip is all smiles as Bill Williams makes an appearance in the crew lounge.

The crew at Nelson are ready and raring to go!

Dilip checks in to see if his RP&M train is ready to head out of the big yard.

Seanna assists Bruce Humphries with the details of his journey about to get underway.

Garry has once again asked to be assigned to passenger service to allow him to run his beautiful pairing of CN units eastward aboard Train #2.

Big power is found on the RP&M this day. No doubt this will draw railfans to Rat Portage like a magnet!

Ore heads east through the pedestrian crossing.

The power aboard 301 basks in the morning's sunlight as this "very red" image catches this railfan's attention!

The ore train has been given an assist by the IPP&W crew in Ironwood and they place the four lifts aboard their train in readiness for departure to the Northland ore dock in Craig Leigh.

301 continues westward out from Ironwood.

John hauls his train into the siding at Spruce.

Fred explains how much he enjoys observing the proceedings each Saturday morning when we gather in his backyard to run our railroad!

Santa Driving His Version of a 'Big Boy'!

Train 302 arrives Peter's Pond while 303 holds on the far siding.

Train 302 encountered a minor derailment as the train exited the cut at 'Hayes Falls' as seen on this shortened video.

With the car re-railed, the train continued in on the near siding on the video.

This incident was one of many at this location which spurred the Workday Wednesday crew to lift the entire roadbed along the length of the curve and replace it in order to ameliorate the situation. (That sure is a big word from this retired teacher!) 😎😘😎

Here we see Pat hard at work with Bernie, Fred & Mike assisting (out of the picture).

Workday Wednesday video evidence of the work completed!

We seem to have an interloper on this diesel day riding the rails in care of Pool Train 33!

Indeed, in this previously seen video we find Garry handling the Pool Train with his steam locomotive as the train passes through the newly refurbished trackwork area Bernie & Mike spent an entire two full days working on! We thank Marcel for his assistance in the effort as well.

Check out the little 'bug' Mike spotted in the rust garden!

The Rust Garden comes alive in this video scene!

TH&B power holds the honour on this RP&M train seen departing Nelson Yard for Rat Portage.

RP&M video work.

We witness one of many 'triple meets' as choreographed by dispatch on this well-oiled railway!

Ore 'threads the needle' in 'The Pond'.

Triple meet video evidence.

The Pool Train arrives home in Craig Leigh as 313 holds on the departure track before proceeding down to St. Helens.

Craig Leigh video efforts.

Robin departs with Train 313.

He tells us he did some work on the locomotive. Thanks Robin!

Video of Robin arriving St. Helens.

Mike spots his favourite car on the railroad!

Video of 313's arrival into Mount St. Helens.

Santa must be driving this train - it's so bright red! Perhaps Rudolph is his crew mate!

Train 311 is captured on video tape switching out Wellington Lake.

With no work to conduct at Bell, the crew is cleared along the main all the way to Firgrove in the west.

Video of their departure out from Wellington Lake.

The crew glides through Bell unimpeded!

Bell video.

The CP Behemoth finds no problems encountering the foliage!

Foliated video fun!

Arrival at the western terminus of Firgrove.

Video of Mark & John's entrance into Firgrove.

What a bright time

It's the right time

To run trains all night and day!

With the session complete, it's 'chow time'!

Bruce & Bernie enjoy the shade.

Bernie has donned his 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Air Force cap for the day.

Clear the track for Eddie Shack!

Clear the track for Santa and his 'Pack'!

As for me, I've been collaborating with Doug on a huge sawmill build in O-scale. This is the log carriage I completed recently at my workbench.

This is one of the many, many schematic drawings for various parts of the machinery for the sawmill.

This particular diagram showcases the base for the double blade husk which houses the main sawblades.

The numbering and lettering were referenced on lists on another page in the instruction manual so for clarity I penciled in the names of the various parts.

I highlight the parts in yellow after I have successfully attached them to the model.

There are well over sixty pieces and castings which go into the make-up of the husk which holds the main saw blades for the mill.

I have placed the apparatus atop some thick wooden dowels so as not to damage some of the details as part of the assembly will be situated below floor level in the saw mill.

The upper level of the double blade husk is almost complete.

My next step will be to complete all of the intricate 'belting' that is wound throughout the husk.

Doug & I await the arrival by mail of the two large saw blades which did not show up in the kit contents.

Note the belting in the interior of the husk! Yikes!

A quick view of how things are beginning to appear.

The floor joists currently rest atop the beams.

The entire subfloor assembly will be elevated atop piers of varying heights to take into consideration the topography of the land as the sawmill will eventually reside on a diorama.

Of course, the main husk will be removed from those temporary wooden dowels.

The carriage rides atop the rails as the log moves through the upper and lower saw blades.

The cut wood then travels onto the 'live rolls' seen to the right of the image.

Then there are other forms of machinery still to be built such as the dead rolls, the 'cut off' saw and the edger not to mention the sawdust blower and the main boiler that powers the mill.

This side-on view showcases the log carriage to the right, the double blade husk in the middle (which will be lowered eventually) and the live rolls on the left.