November Remembrances
As everyone is aware of...we are now in our off-season from railroading.
Indeed, Fred's backyard will soon be covered with a white blanket of snow.
This allows us to reflect on times past.
On July 17th, 2015, steam locomotives from the Rio Grande Southern have made their appearances known in the town of Craig Leigh, Ontario.
Indeed, they are far away from home on their tour of the three nations that make up North America!
This aerial shot of the town of Spruce taken in the summer of 2014 showcases a much different looking appearance.
The yard had expanded around the year 2024 or so, making this scene almost non-recognizable!
Barry & Grant hold court at St. Helens during one of our "Invasion of Friends" days in 2014.
Train Extra 421 switches out the trailing sidings located at St. Helens on the 18th of July, 2014.
We find ourselves in Belleville, Ontario at Barry's place where we railfan a Canadian Pacific train having departed Ottawa Yard about to round the curve into the town of Orleans.
A Canadian National freight pierces the ironwork on Doug Matheson's Northland Railroad, June 30th, 2015.
On May 25th, 2024 we find IPP&W Train 302 conducting its work at Bell.
In this never before published video we find Marcel and a guest working Bell with 302.
It's September, 2016 when we find Lawrence and Pat working St. Helens on a cool Ottawa morning.
We miss you Lawrence!
It's the 18th of June, 2016 and spring will turn to summer in three short day's time.
Opposing IPP&W runs meet at Ironwood as passengers meet freight.
The windmill siding is occupied with empty hoppers at the moment.
We spot IPP&W Train 311 successfully summiting the grade into Firgrove on the 9th day of the 9th month, 2017.
Steve's paint and decal job on his Ontario Northland locomotive certainly caught the eye of many a railfan!
On the last day of June, 2018 Bernie runs Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh.
He has prepared Brian's train for him as Brian is about to back onto the near caboose in the foreground on the caboose track.
Malcolm managed to capture more folks than rolling stock in this image taken during our invasion weekend of 2016!
Note the earlier track arrangement through the junction.
We're back in 2024 and Marcel has kindly loaned Bernie the use of his CN endcab.
Check out those awesome spark arrestors!
Video of Bernie with Marcel's switcher at Douglas Yard in Craig Leigh.
Bernie's steam locomotive had given up the ghost before the session even began!
Twin steam generator cars reside on a ready track nearby the Passenger Terminal in Craig Leigh in the autumn of 2025.
We're well into September in 2016 when we ask the question, "Wye?"
"Wye not!" is our heralded response!
This lad certainly is a long way from home in the early days of the pandemic.
It's the 22nd of August, 2020 as the White Pass locomotive is in charge of this westbound travelling past the yard at Spruce.
Locomotives vie for space while dealing with the heavy traffic at the Northland Ore Dock on August 16th, 2017.
(Mrs. Hamer's birthday!)
Speaking of the Northland Ore Dock...Craig Leigh is the location of the Northland interchange track where traffic from our railroad in Fred's backyard is interchanged with traffic from Doug Matheson's Northland Railroad located south of the city of Ottawa.
In the above photograph, Doug looks on as Pete Conroy "drives his train around the bend"...hmmm...I think those words are also an expression!
In the year 2018 we visited Barry & Bonnie in Belleville where the lads who own these two pair of feet were caught drilling the Hayes' Fuels facility named after Doug Hayes.
The year earlier, in 2017, we paid a visit to David's amazing garden railroad near Picton, Ontario.
Yet another of David's amazing bridges on his line!
And...one more to boot!
The colour of railroading is visually evident in this scene at the town of Stuart.
Train 303 makes headway out from Bell on video as it brushes the foliage at the base of the climb up to Firgrove.
Two steamers in identical dress have found their way into Bell back in the spring of 2024.
Earlier that same day, one of the locomotives from the previous image was in command of Passenger 2 out from Firgrove.
Video of Passenger 2's progress eastbound near the beginning of the crew's run.
On the second to last day in August, 2019 we spot Engine #14 having arrived the depot at Bellamy.
The crew will cross the junction bound for Peter's Pond in short order while an RP&M train drills the sidings at Anderson to the left.
Some nine days earlier in August of 2019 we find Doug & Bernie working the yard at Orleans on Barry's wonderful layout in Belleville.
One month earlier in 2019, the OVGRS hosted our annual "Invasion of Friends" where this "one of a kind" Western Maryland BL2 made an appearance outside its stable in Craig Leigh.
Pat & Moe have brought along their diesel switchers to Barry's and Bonnie's back in 2023.
Video from their visit in Belleville.
Malcolm's lovely diesel locomotive in Conrail attire hauls its RP&M train into the vast Nelson Yard from the west.
In the 1960's, with safety in mind, Canadian National adopted this high visibility paint scheme with the bright red-orange cab and the stripes down the flanks of the locomotive.
The initial striped paint scheme was first introduced on CN's F-units with 30 degree striping.
A later change saw 45 degrees don the flanks of later generation diesel locomotives.
We spot this gorgeous Canadian Pacific steam locomotive in charge of the pool train departing the terminal area in Craig Leigh.
Malcolm & I are running Train 303 out from Glen Hammond as we spearhead through the station area at Bellamy.
The train to the left has just departed Nelson yard and will most likely take to RP&M rails following our crossing of the diamond.
We take to the diamond on our westerly run that will eventually find us up in Firgrove, the western end of the line.
At Firgrove, the Lake Nipissing interchange tracks will allow our lading to continue west on into Manitoba.
Indeed...all forms of power can be viewed trackside and this little puppy does not disappoint local railfans!
We held our own version of this "Promontory Moment" over a decade ago on the IPP&W.
The location of our "face to face" moment was to the west of Peter's Pond where an eastbound train managed to kiss this westbound locomotive which was in the process of switching out the Pond area!
This low angle shot showcases three rather important yards.
In the foreground we have Nelson Yard followed by the one in Glen Hammond and finally the lengthy yard at Bell.
Late in the 2015 season, Pat brought out his Canadian Pacific steam locomotive.
He was able to purchase the heavyweights from the estate of the late Mike Iveson.
Passenger 2 enters Bell along the main.
The train stretches out behind the power all the way to the interchange area with the RP&M.
Train 2 meets Pool Train 15 in Glen Hammond.
Train 15 would have just worked the house track in behind the station off in the distance.
Bob Meldrum is all smiles.
I believe Bob brought the heavyweight cars over to Fred's place to deliver them to Pat.
Bob squats to film the train rounding the big bend at Spruce.
The depot today resides on this curve having moved from its previous location two-thirds of the way down the straight section of the mainline.
Hey, my band "The Mystiks" with Corinne as the lead singer is playing at Fred's City View Community Association Dinner a week from Saturday evening.
Yes, we sometimes spell the word 'Mystics' differently just for fun!
If you happen to live in Fred's 'City View' neighbourhood you are most welcome to attend...just ask Fred about the particulars as he volunteers with the association.
The dinner will be held Saturday evening, November 29th starting at 5:30 PM in the Julian of Norwich Church hall nearby Fred's place at 7 Rossland Avenue.
We've always enjoyed playing for Fred's community association's spaghetti dinner.
Here's an action shot from an outdoor fundraising event we played for the Dementia Society.
And...here's a grainy 'action shot' from a Haitian dinner fundraiser event we played recently.
Well...the railroad is starting to look more like this...
...than this!
So...with December fast approaching, we continue to relish those warm days of summer when visitors from near and far make it out to check in on our operating sessions.
Father Fred is always the most affable of hosts when it comes to welcoming friends and strangers.
He is the heart and soul of our OVGRS existence!
He and we are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
