Of Planes, Train & Sawmills

Of Planes, Trains & Sawmills

This will be a rather diverse blog entry.

It will showcase a few happenings this past week dealing with a multitude of activities in and around our great hobby.

Indeed, transportation and history will be the theme.

You will see images from our WDWD crew; photographs from John Soehner taken at our recent OVAR dinner; pictures of a special 'visitor' our way in the skies over Ottawa; shots of the near finished sawmill diorama and photos of our OVGRS member, Doug Matheson delivering a speech on the history of lumbering and forestry in Eastern Ontario...and, finally...some new pics and videos from our most recent session including a video sent to me by John Fedak!

We start off Wednesday morning when only two members of the WDWD crew were able to make it out to Fred's place.

Chris joined Fred & me as the work crew.

Fortunately the wasps nest at the far end of Mercer Siding seems to have been subdued with our earlier efforts from the week before.

The lawn looks in great shape for this coming Saturday's session as well!

Fred had repaired the couplers on all these freight cars.

We feel the issue with broken couplers comes down to the fact that operators are using the flathead screwdrivers and when they go to insert the head of the screwdriver in the coupler openings they inadvertently push down on the coupler and it breaks away.

Fred tells me that at one point in time he grinded a number of screwdrivers to ensure an angled and narrower end...but we're not sure if many of those types are still around.

It's something to check into for sure!

The remainder of the railroad appears in good order...although in recent operations I have noticed more and more a severe 'cant' in the angle of the trackage that runs along the plateau in front of the Ironwood Brick building.

You can notice how the locomotive and first car in this westbound train are leaning into the curve.

Now, super-elevation is what we like to see in railroading, but this lean is becoming a little too awkward.

It has been increasing as this operation season has progressed.

This concern will be written up in the "work order" book in the crew lounge on Saturday!

This past week here in Ottawa there was quite the buzz around the plane-spotter forum groups.

Yes, a US Air Force AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) airplane arrived Ottawa near dinner time the other day!

My research tells me that the aircraft is a Boeing E-3 Sentry modified Boeing 707.

The Canadian pilot flying the aircraft grew up on the street over from me in Alta Vista and he was my daughter's kindergarten boyfriend when they were much younger.

He was also a Snowbird pilot for a few seasons.

The crew were on a training mission from a base just south of the Canadian/American border.

Seeing as his parents still live in our neighbourhood, the aircraft flew low over our houses around the dinner hour.

The pilot has told Lisa & me that he is "on loan" to the US Air Force.

I say that is one cool job to have!

Here is my table at the recent OVAR meeting with David Moat, Ray Farand, our very own George Wellington and Bill Williams along with John & me - out of the camera range.

There am I chatting Bill Scobie up who is seated beside Tommy Hood.

Tom Grumley is hanging out with three of our OVGRS folks, Bill, Felicity & Al.

Pat is all smiles as John handles some paper work at the entrance table while our "Chairman" Gerry visits to determine if either of the two lads would like to share the podium for any announcements they may have.

OVAR dinners are fantastic:  Great folks, fine food, wonderful examples of railroad related models on display and always interesting presentations!

Thanks to John Soehner for sharing these pics with us!

We have added some finishing touches to the sawmill project.

Details such as the ladder, the paraphernalia in and around the log ramp and the low growing weeds and grasses add to the scene.

Note the size of these timbers...they're big compared to the gentleman hosing them down...yet everything is scaled to size!

I had to harness up the horses to the farmer's wagon and create a few more piles of freshly sawn lumber with 'stickers' placed between each level to ensure air flow through the stacks.

With over 1000 hours into the project, Doug, Rob & I can see the finish line in a couple of weeks!

This shot I snapped on my front doorstep...offering an overall view of this immense construction build.

How about a 'drone' shot!

Time to pack the entire scene into the back of Rob's SUV and head down to Doug's place.

Doug is awaiting our arrival with Lexi tucked in close by him.

What's this we see?

Yes, indeed!  It is a millstone!

Now...being a hockey fan and a former hockey player (not NHL) this bench on the front doorstep caught my attention!

We toured Doug's HO scale passenger oriented railway.

Chris Lyon painted the backdrops and Chris, Doug & I made the trees along with some purchased from Gaston up the Ottawa valley.

We completed all of the scenery you see in a single day as the backdrop was already painted, the trees were made the day before and planted in styrofoam to dry and the bridges were already in place.

I built two of these towers for Doug along with a kitbashed station.

Here is the second.

I was thrilled to once again visit the machine shop I scratchbuilt for Doug!

It shares a four-module diorama with a depot, a general store and a coal/wainwright dealership.

I will never forget the joy (and challenge) this project brought our way!

I have always admired this bridge scene on Doug's layout.

Love the steamship, Doug!

Doug built this beautiful FSM coaling tower many years ago.

Outstanding modelling, Doug!

A family member painted this wonderful picture of a Canadian Pacific train in the Rockies!

The same family member completed this amazing sketch as well.

Doug owns quite the collection of locomotives and passenger equipment including these lovely engines belonging to the Canadian Pacific Railway!

They are beauties, Doug!

Love the poster on the door located at the entrance to the layout room!

Thanks for the tour, Doug!

Then it was time to photograph the diorama outdoors in the shade.

These shots are with my little "point and shoot" camera...

...but Rob used Doug's professional camera to snap 'publishing quality' photographs.

Doug & Lexi look on.

Indeed, we enjoyed a fun afternoon in the shade of the many trees on Doug's property!

One of Doug's regular visitors!

I called him "Archie" after Archie Bunker!

We even had an hour and a half to spare before heading to dinner so we sat "riverside".

Video of our riverside view.

In this video we see a host of vessels plying the waters in front of Doug's property.

Doug tells us that on weekends it is a veritable parade of marine vessels of all types and sizes.

Then it was on to dinner at the Marlborough pub in North Gower before heading to the church in Kars where Doug's presentation would take place.

Rob and Doug are all smiles as I tease Doug that we will be bringing a basket of tomatoes to his presentation and Rob & I will be seated in the far distant back row!!!   😎😈👿😎

Then it was time for Doug to deliver his presentation.

We see some of the audience of around 35 folks.

The lads and lasses admire the sawmill diorama.

There were lots of interesting questions around how the sawmill was built and how a sawmill works.

Doug has completed his presentation and visits with the locals including Bruce Humphries (on the right in the blue checkered shirt).  

Bruce has attended a number of our OVGRS sessions and has been a regular operator on Tommy Hood's layout over the years.

Lots of interest was paid to the model, for sure.

Doug visits with his daughter-in-law.

It was nice of Natalie and her husband, Doug's son, to come and listen to the presentation.

Our good friend and fellow OVGRS member, Doug Culham, is the head of the historical society.

He asked Doug Matheson to deliver the presentation, Doug's second speech to the group in recent times.

We were asked by the society to pose for a picture...so here I am herding Doug & Rob!

Definitely not the Holy Trinity!

And, once again we visit the poster to indicate exactly what Doug was delivering his talk about.

We now head over to Fred's backyard to check in for a second time on our train operations which took place this past Saturday.

Doug takes a breather from setting out cars seeing as he was one of the first to arrive the property last Saturday morning.

Here in Nelson Yard the two Bills are filling the yard tracks with rolling stock.

John's "one of a kind" livery on his CN locomotive awaits clearance to be the first train out from Firgrove on the morning.

Yardmaster George sets out traffic near the depot at Firgrove.

Yet another railroad T-shirt!

Hello there Bill!

It's a veritable 'bee hive' of activity in Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard early on in the session.

From my perch in the dispatch hut I catch the "father & son" Ellens team drilling the interchange tracks on the eastern front of the yard while Phil ensures the van is placed directly atop the rails on his westbound run.

Much later in the morning, the same engine is now on Pool Train 33 between Ironwood and Spruce after terminating Passenger #2 in Craig Leigh.

The crew aboard 302 have reached Peter's Pond and are running along the Cedar Rock Branch.

Train 33 nears the depot area in Spruce.

The crew will have work to conduct at the house track.

John has uncoupled his locomotive from the remainder of his train as he heads in on the siding to lift the car residing there.

Meanwhile, across the valley we follow the progress of Train 302.

Crew member, Seanna, has the herald of her locomotive on her shirt...the "Barry's Bay, Embrun & Eastern Railroad."

And...we see the same name on the angled biscuit logo on the locomotive.

Back across the gap, over in Spruce, we find John tugging on the car to lift it from the house track.

Ore passes the Watkins Co-operative in Wellington Lake.

Four ore cars trail their power through Wellington Lake as the train lowers down into 'The Corners'.

In the video, the train heads off to the left while the crew will have to back off to the right in order to meet their charge down in Peter's Pond.

The train enters the curve at ground level aboard newly laid road bed completed last year.

The rich colour scheme of the locomotive stands out amongst the foliage and local ground area.

Making for Peter's Pond, the ore train stars on video in "The Corners".

In this 'over and under' shot, the crew exits the northern bore of the St. Helens tunnel while the crew aboard 301 works the town above.

Art and I both notice that the leading pilot truck is 'on the ground' as the train takes to the curve into Peter's Pond.

As we watch this video we realize that the engine will have to hit the shops upon its return to Craig Leigh as the tracks beneath St. Helens were investigated and it was determined that there was no debris on the tracks that would hamper the progress of their train.

With the pilot truck re-railed, the crew brings the train into Peter's Pond on a slow order.

Art & Ralph chase after their train on the outskirts of 'The Pond'.

Ore train continued video work.

RP&M Train 71 nears the end of its run on its ascent into Bell and Stuart.

Engine #4 holds the honours on this day.

"Walking on Sunshine" should be playing over a loud speaker as most of these freight cars have a rather sunny disposition!

Video of Claire doing some housekeeping aboard RP&M Train 71.

I take a moment out from dispatching to interview Stu Moxley, one of our earliest members who is most certainly a pioneer when it comes to remote radio control of large scale locomotives.

The town of Stuart near Bell is named in his honour!

Video interview with Stuart Moxley.

With White Pass heritage, RP&M Train Rat 61 retraces its steps with a heading for Nelson Yard.

Its' power takes on the junction track after passing the station at Belson.

Video efforts along the right of way of the RP&M.

Borrowed from the Northland Railroad, this locomotive toils for the Rat Portage & Mattawa Railway at this time of the year.

Video fun down in Rat Portage.

Engine #4 continues to put on a show for this photographer.

Love the workings of this little powerful puppy!

With its train now on the main, the crew will run back to the siding to continue with their efforts at the other end of town.

More Rat Portage video with the crew of Train 72.

Pool Train 33 peeks around the rockery at the bend in the tracks at Lilly.

In novel CN colours, the engine races to Glen Hammond.

There is a slow order through the big trestle as the crew slows to a stop.

Nice video at Lilly.

Much later in the AM hours, John will pilot Passenger #1 at the same location.

Heavyweights are hauled by the Mike!

Thanks to John for sharing this great looking video with us!

Rat 61 arrives back in Nelson Yard and is instructed by the yardmaster in a foreign language!

The RP&M crew is captured in this video footage at the western throat of Nelson Yard.

Pool Train 33 draws into 'The Glen' where the crew will have some work to conduct on the house track in behind the depot.

Continued Pool Train video work.

Over on the Spruce Sub we catch up with first trick Train 301 departing Ironwood as second trick Train 313 arrives on the scene.

We see Neil, Chris, Jonah & Jeff all gathered at the same locale.

Spruce Sub video.

Thanks to Doug & Rob for being part of the sawmill build team!

It has been a wonderful experience over the past year!

Well, this has been a fun blog entry showcasing diverse themes and this image of my band, 'The Mystics' adds to the flavour.

From left to right:  Me with my favourite Fender Stratocaster; Gerry with his Gibson Les Paul; bass player Alec in back with the hat; our drummer Mark in the sunglasses; our very own OVGRS member Pete Conroy on Sax and our lead singer, Corinne in front.

Our band recently headlined the Orleans Music Fest and we are playing for the Dementia Society of Ottawa/Renfrew this Sunday morning for their annual walkathon fundraiser.

It's great to give back to the community!

Thanks to Father Fred, now holding his copy of OVAR's Interchange which I brought for him when he had to miss the most recent dinner meeting.

We look forward to our next session tomorrow morning as the forecast has a 0% chance of rain!  Yeah!

Blogging about our OVGRS activities is as much fun as actually running the trains!

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada