Session #1 "Second Section"

Session #1 Second Section

Hi folks!  Here is "Part Two" of images and videos from our first session of the season.

As you recall, Mother Nature chose to 'play on our team' this time around on that wonderful Saturday morning.

I think she appreciated us as she tells me that this coming Saturday will dawn sunny and warm as well!

This beast of an engine required no additional assistance to haul passengers across the Ontario landscape on this fine morning!

Our beloved "Rust Garden" doesn't look too 'rusty' at the moment!

Fred tells us that at the beginning of the session there were some 25 Siberian Iris in bloom and by the end of the morning there were over 50 purple heads brightening up the Rust Garden!

You'll recall in our first post for this session John 'breaking in' his newly painted "one of a kind" CN steamer!

She plied the rails of the IPP&W beautifully on this day!

You'll also recall us pulling out all the umbrellas from the dispatch hut.

For you garden railroaders out there...here is a typical example of good old Canadian winter 'frost action' occurring over the winter hiatus.  

Yup...the bracket and the supporting pole 'did' in fact line up last season!

So, for today, I simply removed the bracket and swung it over the other way and inserted the umbrella pole in the bottom supporting pole.

On WDWD we'll deal with replacing the bracket.

You will also recall Steve & Seanna delivering the newly refurbished Watson Electric facility to its rightful place at the end of the Cedar Rock Branch.

Great winter work Steve & Seanna!

Folks arrive early to assist Father Fred in the distribution of the freight cars to their respective locations on the railroad.

The bread trays certainly come in handy storing the cars in their sheds on the property.

In this pre-ops picture we see the lads checking their sheets to determine exactly where each car is to be placed on the railroad.

This view from my perch inside the dispatch booth offers up a broad glimpse of Bell, Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard.

Without the umbrellas the lads and lasses would roast as the morning sun transits the southern skies.

Our new 10'x10' pop-up canopy works wonders for the crew.

It holds quite the crowd of operators!

Moe hangs out near the chiminea.

You'll have to check out his amazing videos from Italy!

The pre-ops meeting is just about to get underway as all operators assemble near the crew lounge.

In the meeting we have guests introduce themselves and we review the safety protocol and cover any other pertinent issues regarding the running of the railroad.

In the previous session we witnessed the passage of the passenger train in the foreground with the other passenger train running along the lower tracks in back.

Hot on the heels of that other train was this freight, Train 303.

Video shots from "The Corners" and "The Plateau".

Steam meets diesel at Mercer Siding!

Steam/Diesel video effort.

The pool train has achieved RP&M trackage as it begins its journey along the secondary line just to the west of Bell Junction and the town of Stuart.

Video of the Pool Train's shuffle over to RP&M rails.

Pool Train 33 exits the tunnel at Rat Portage.

Video of the triple meet of the Pool Train with the two RP&M crews in Rat Portage.

"We Three Kings of Railroading Are!"

Are what?  

Are marveling at the passage of the ore train of MT's with a second locomotive following up the rear at a safe distance!

St. Helens video fun!

Check out the bottom left corner of this image.

Bob is trailing the ore train with his British locomotive!

The video is "short but sweet!"

It's a rare meet of trains 313 and 301 both traveling west in Ironwood.

In the video I am explaining to the ladies about all of us "grey haired" retirees now supply teaching in the school system because there are very far fewer people going into the teaching profession any more.

Train 312 exits Spruce and enters Ironwood traveling in an easterly direction.

Video of Train 312's progress eastbound.

Another glance at that lovely depot at Spruce.

The bend at Lilly hosts a bevy of trains traveling in both directions.

The Rio Grande locomotive guides its train into Bell just outside the town of Stuart.

Passengers detrain momentarily at Bellamy to take in the glory of the surrounding landscape.

With the passenger train now having departed Bellamy, this wayfreight makes inroads there.

This flat car is a "rock star".

Actually, the rock acted as a weight, Gerry tells me.

Doug takes a seat alongside the dispatch booth for a solitary moment of respite.

It would appear Pat is doing the same thing off in the distance!

So he is!

This train is either departing Nelson Yard or perhaps backing onto its van in the yard.

The beautiful Bellamy Depot is clearly evident in this scene.

Rat Portage on the secondary line, the RP&M can be a busy locale as well.

Steve & Gerry occupy themselves with their switching at this location.

This little puppy is a regular brute of an engine and can handle any chore the RP&M Railway throws its way!

Bob has deposited the empties back at the mine site as he follows his train around Spruce (out of the picture).

The action at Cedar Rock can get quite intensive seeing as the crew has to pre-plan their moves back down in Peter's Pond where the Cedar Rock Line branches off the IPP&W main.

The reasoning for the pre-planning of the movements is due to the fact there is no run-around track up in Cedar Rock.

John & Dilip handle the assignment with clarity and perfection.

Here the lads are enjoying this shady area of the property!

Dilip verifies all of his moves before heading back down to 'The Pond'.

One of this railfan's favourite photo perch is at the end of the peninsula to the west (geographical east) of Spruce.

This photograph looks the other way.

Moments earlier 301 departed Ironwood leaving the entire town trackage to the crew of 313.

301's departure from Ironwood as seen on video.

We have drone footage of the passenger train leaving Spruce behind and targeting Ironwood.

Aerial video footage of the scene at Spruce.

Doug has arrived Craig Leigh where he must wye his train in order to back the consist into the passenger terminal.

Our yardmaster, also Doug, orchestrates the move.

Another option would have the passenger train arrive Craig Leigh on the far end of the wye 'engine first' over by where Bernie is standing -  with one of the two yardmasters, either Doug or Bernie, using their locomotive to push the consist into the terminal area.

Craig Leigh wye video work.

Doug & Bernie look on as the train reverses through the Northland Interchange area of Craig Leigh.

Reverse move video tales!

Ore moves across the system as the crew is about to enter Clarke Canyon in advance of the grade at Clarke Hill.

Pedestrian crossing video of the ore movements.

Empty ore cars head east - against their typical direction.

This is because Neil & Bob want to run the cars back to Craig Leigh where their storage boxes are located.  

Creative that!

They are through Ironwood as 313 protects itself in the far siding.

The ore train's continued progress as shown in this video.

Once the ore train was through Spruce, Train 301 was able to depart that location for Nelson Yard.

301's climb at 'The Rockery' as captured on video tape.

Third trick Train 324 makes inroads at the pedestrian crossing before ascending up to Spruce.

Third trick video magic!

Here are few more shots from our OVAR meeting this past Tuesday night.

These pics are from the Dirty 30 modules.

There's Bruce Leckie, our guest speaker.

These two modules with staging on each end are spectacular.

Lovely!

Vic Dohar spins the staging track around.

Some of Vic's outstanding models he brought out for display.

In this video, check out the staging which acts as an 'armstrong' turntable similar to the ones we have on the OVGRS!

Video from the layout showcasing such great looking modeling.

I love how the sound is synced with the piston movement as witnessed and heard in this video footage!

You'll notice a light green car identical to the one we run at Fred's but for its size in this video!

A Canadian Moment

We head out west to Vancouver where we find this lengthy passenger train leaning into a curve in July of 1938.

Engine #2514 holds the honours on this day.

Photo courtesy of the Bud Laws Collection

Here I am in Hall's Harbour, Nova Scotia.

My wife, Lisa, flew to Nova Scotia this afternoon to attend the 'Celebration of Life' for our brother-in-law, Doctor Dick Denton of Wolfville who passed away two weeks ago.

Dick was an avid model railroader whose dream it was to build a layout depicting the early 1900's.

And...here is Father Fred at OVAR Tuesday evening where he is a member of the executive as the dinner chair.

We look forward to visiting Fred's tomorrow morning for our second session of the season.

We will be running our diesel locomotives during our standard gauge operations.

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada