Thanksgiving Year in Review

Thanksgiving Year in Review

With our weather forecast precluding us from running trains for our final session of the season we will use this blog entry to showcase a handful of 'not before seen' pics and videos from the first three sessions of this wonderful operating season.

Indeed, it is always an uphill battle in determining whether or not to run a session based on radar and weather reports that do not always transpire in reality on our Saturday mornings.

Oh well...with this weekend when we offer thanks for all that we have, we cannot complain too heartily as our weather issue with regard to operations is very much a "first world" problem.

On this weekend, it is the turkeys who rule the roost!

Moe sends along this lovely Thanksgiving note.

Thanks Moe & Joyce!

On June 7th, we were finally able to get our first session of the year in, as rains earlier in late May delayed our start to the season.

Interesting to note that the start to the year and the end of the year's operations had to be cancelled.

Doug is pulling into Ironwood aboard Passenger #4 (engine is spotted in the lower right corner).

 Passenger #3 makes its way into Wellington Lake off in the distance along the fence line.

Train 313 is working the far siding in Ironwood running westbound while 312 is drilling the spur tracks to the left with the diesel switcher.

The yardmaster duties in Craig Leigh were shared by our very capable Doug Matheson and skipper Bernie on this day.

Doug is seated in front of Douglas Yard so named in his honour where we see Train 321 prepped and ready to run as soon as the crew aboard 312 arrive the yard.

This will be their next train out from this eastern end of the line.

Yes, the umbrellas had been brought out of storage from inside the dispatch hut.

Their purpose is not to protect operators from the rain...rather, from the sun!

Steve is working the RP&M Turn 71-72 as we spot the ore train in the yard.

Henk's lovely center cab toils away on this day.

Doug is all smiles having delivered the paying patrons aboard Passenger #3 safely into Craig Leigh.

He will run the train all the way into the passenger terminal to have the passengers disembark.

Following that he will return to the wye in order to turn his train so that it can be backed into the terminal area ready for the next day's run.

Doug is seen backing up along the north leg of the wye.

Like an insect caught in a web, John's "one of a kind" livery for his CN steam locomotive plans its escape route quickly from the iron clutches of the Fred Mills Trestle.

While atop the Lawrence Watkins Trestle we find Gerry & Steve working RP&M Train 63 currently handling the sidings at Lilly.

Web of trains video fun!

John pulls a string of cars off the Cedar Rock Spur siding in this facing move photo.

The resort town of Wellington Lake is off in the distance across the valley from Ironwood.

His efforts are captured on video.

Seanna & Steve always wear interesting railroad related shirts.

Here's Seanna now!

Not to be outdone, Bill varies his outer wear between railroad themes and aircraft ones!

Here's the man of the hour now!

We are thrilled to have Dilip in the group as he, along with Steve, is one of our Train Masters who puts the sessions together through the RailOps program.

Thanks for all your hard work, Dilip & Steve!

Of course, it's always great to see Ralph out at our sessions as he has to make the long drive up from Cornwall to run trains here!  

Much appreciated Ralph!

Yup...they'll make a safe crossing...just ahead of the train!

Painting by:  Dan Christ

On June 14th we ran our second session of the season with standard gauge equipment, some of which you see amassed in the bread trays atop the Northland Ore Dock.

They are destined for the various locations in and around Craig Leigh and Douglas Yard.

 This Champ Oils car was found over in the town of Stuart.

The Cedar Rock Supply siding was graced by two boxcars from two separate railroads.

CN endcab #1372 held down RP&M duties on this fine spring day.

She a real 'looker' Marcel!

Ellens Elevators and Mackenzie Lumber hold some traffic in advance of the session.

The B&O boxcar is a recent addition to the IPP&W roster.

From my perch in the dispatch building I spot various crews working Glen Hammond, Bellamy and Nelson Yard.

Doug is on Train 303 about to head west out from 'The Glen' while Malcolm works the RP&M run up to Bell beginning in the big yard at Nelson off to the right.

From left to right, Paul, Claire, Seanna, Steve & Pat hang out in the crew lounge area.

We now know why!  👍👌👍

There's Billy Boy!

Pat has drawn into Bell with Passenger #2 as Steve, Seanna & Claire have already arrived Track 3 with eastbound Train 302.

Train #2 leaves Bell behind bound for a short stop at Wellington Lake.

Locomotive #168 on loan from the Algoma Central can now begin to conduct its switching chores here at Bell.

Train #2 has already reached Glen Hammond and is now underway bound for Spruce along one of the longest lengths of unbroken trackage with regard to turnouts for towns and yards.

Train 302 follows suit keeping the requisite distance safely behind the passenger train.

Two train parade video!

RP&M Train 61 known as Rat 61 requires an assist at the grade leading up into Rat Portage.

Andry is aboard the crew with Marcel.

They will have to deal with some traffic at the south end of town.

Rat Portage assist video!

We spot a TH&B Geep sneaking out from behind the Ironwood Brick buildings.

We follow the train's 'flow' westward into Wellington Lake where the crew will conduct a station stop.

Robin is in command of the train as he faces the uphill climb into Bell momentarily.

His train is underway...and so is he!

Video work along the Bell Subdivision.

Passenger #2 has arrived the station at Bell.

We spot RP&M 71 on Track 4 drilling the spurs at Stuart.

Did you get enough turkey from the Turkey Train?

On the 21st day of June we gathered to once again run steam trains.

Claire & Dilip hang out in the crew lounge as Malcolm & Gerry run about the railroad seeing to last minute items before the session gets underway.

Bill seems to have his hands full at the moment!

As always, at the top of the session these yards are loaded with activity!

The yard in Spruce holds a smaller share of the rolling stock, but it will change appearances throughout the session gaining and losing cars along the way.

Grant & Felicity have found Peter's Pond.

They will soon head on up the Cedar Rock Branch which you see tailing off to the upper portion of the image.

St. Helens 'holds its own' when it comes down to competition for numbers of industries with four located here.

Pat & Evan have just brought Train 301 down from Craig Leigh.

Train 301 is protected in the siding as a video gondola is spotted being pushed by the power of Train #1 westbound with Steve & Diane in command.

Seanna & Claire make up the crew for the counterpart train, Passenger #2 out from Firgrove.

Colin & Gregg have arrived and are cloaked in shadow under the large canopy.

We also have Lukacz with a few young friends dropping in to see the trains!

Train 304 makes an 'all out' effort running beneath the throat of Nelson Yard.

Off in the distance Gerry & Moe work the sidings across Goodie's Gulch.

The ore train has reached Bell and so has the crew aboard 302.

Train 304 storms through the pedestrian crossing in this video.

RP&M 61 holds at the eastern end of the trestle as the crew determines their next moves.

Video taken around Goodie's Gulch.

The ore train has been offered its green signal to enter the junction trackage.

Malcolm has now cleared the junction thus allowing Train 303 through.

Junction video.

Getting underway, we spot 303 rolling through the junction iron.

The crew turns eastward on their mainly westward journey.

They reach Mercer Siding.

303's junction crossing as witnessed on video.

Pat drives Train 304 out from Spruce.

He and Garry bring their train past the depot on the curve at Ironwood.

The cars they are hauling are of many varieties.

304's progress eastward is captured in this video.

Train 303 reaches Track 3 at Bell and meets RP&M Train 71 spotted off in the distance.

The main line will act as their runaround track with both Tracks, 3&4, occupied.

Bell arrival on video.

Trains #1 & #2 meet in Glen Hammond.

Video check in the Glen.

Yardmaster Paul has set the route and Claire takes the south leg of the wye in Craig Leigh in order for her train to be backed into the passenger terminal area.

Seanna overseas the moves.

Wye video.

The backup move is about to begin.

The train takes the north leg on its trip to the end of the line.

Second video at the wye.

The crew backs their train around Douglas Yard.

A 'triple play' of steam locomotives!

We're in conversation with Colin in this video while many calls come into dispatch.

The train reaches the passenger terminal area in Craig Leigh.

Final video in Craig Leigh.

They have now coupled onto their consist for the Pool Train, number 33.

The newly planted Hostas I brought from home look great in Spruce.

The Spruce depot certainly thinks so!

It was soon time for lunch!

And what a crowd we had on that day!

Yup...smiles all around!

Well, it's almost time to catch the next train!

Before I leave you, my band played last night at an amazing soiree with the Haitian community.

While the image is fuzzy, it shows the fun we had.

And...when you're on stage, you can barely see the audience as the lights are so bright shining your way.

This amazing Haitian band hosted us as they had asked us to be their opening act.

They also invited a female singer up for a few songs who appeared on the Quebec version of the TV show "The Voice".

And they were real pros!

They were great musicians and I bet they'd be fabulous train operators as well!

In total there are 13 members in the band up on the stage all at the same time!

Yup...as I create this blog entry I am listening to the pre-game pundits talk about the Blue Jay/Mariners American League Championship Series about to get underway.

So, enjoy the remainder of our Thanksgiving weekend.

Indeed, we have so much to be thankful for!

And...a great big "Thank You" to Father Fred for continuing to host us.

Yes, it is a great challenge at times determining if we should run a session based on the information coming in from radar, from the three main websites and from what we hear on the radio, but rest assured, we try our best to get each session in while protecting all of our specialized railway equipment from the weather conditions.

Happy Thanksgiving to all in our greater OVGRS family from far and wide.

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada