We Remember Those Who Served

We Remember Those Who Served

With five days to go until Remembrance Day here in Canada, we continue our entries to the blog.

We never forget those who served for our country at unsettled times in history.

My grandfather fought in WWI and my father fought in WWII in the RAF.

I am forever grateful for their efforts and those of all the men and women who sacrificed so much.

Lest we forget.

Their sacrifices allowed us to enjoy the freedoms we experience today.

Our dear friend, Doug Hayes, seen to the right was a pilot...but I am not certain if he flew in the air force.

We are still back in 2014 when a gentleman brought out these two ON specimens in differing paint schemes.

The Ontario Northland Railway line runs a north-south course through our province from North Bay to Moosonee on James Bay.

The Railway offers multiple passenger and freight services including the famed "Polar Bear Express" between Cochrane and Moosonee as well as the upcoming "Northlander" service which will connect Toronto to Timmins with a rail link to Cochrane.

On July 26, 2014, IPP&W Train 313 reaches Spruce at 10:32 AM.

On the 2nd of August at 9:14, IPP&W Train 302 bears down on Bell while an RP&M train works the old interchange track.

Again, with big power entering Spruce from the west, Bob must be back at it again!

In the far off reaches of town you can just make out another crew drilling the sidings located there.

Times have changed.

In Spruce these tracks are no longer in existence, having been replaced by a large yard.

Check out the dragon protecting the town at the end of the two siding spurs!

Small power containing brute strength is always appreciated in our big yard.

Now here is something different!

It would appear to be a logging train of sorts!

Indeed, skipper Bob must be up to his old tricks running this Train Extra east out from St. Helens! 😎

My new locomotive drops downgrade into the far reaches of the Rat Portage & Mattawa Railway bound for the line's namesake town of Rat Portage.

We spot the ON duo running light through the fabric of the Fred Mills Trestle.

We exit the tunnel at Rat...

...and come to a stop in town.

The Hamer Manufacturing Company was not in existence at this time meaning all sidings in Rat Portage faced the same direction - just like the situation in St. Helens.

With the relative ease of switching out Rat Portage, RP&M crews always seemed to finish their morning runs ahead of their IPP&W counterparts.

The scheduling was eventually balanced out when the Hamer industry was erected on a siding spur in Rat Portage which faced in the opposite direction from the remainder of the town's sidings!

In 2025 we see a CP Rail car about to be lifted from the Hamer siding.

No one was 'opposed' to the notion of creating an 'opposing' siding at this location...well...almost no one!

Right Pat of the Brewer clan!  😎😍😎

At Mercer Siding we find Doug in the foreground sandwiched between our both Paul's.

Hey...there's Chris & Lela both of whom I am forever grateful for introducing me to the railroading which comes to life each Saturday morning in Fred's backyard!

They now reside in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia alongside the great Atlantic Ocean.

And...who doesn't like playing with trains!

While in shadow...he's definitely not a shady character...rest assured!

Great shirt Garry!

A westbound IPP&W freight has just arrived Peter's Pond (actually facing geographical east at the moment) while a rather unusual looking arrangement travels down the Cedar Rock siding...a cowl bodied locomotive sandwiched between two vans!

The things a railfan discovers trackside!  👍👍

Hey...that looks like the power we just saw heading up the Cedar Rock branch.

Oh yes...I remember...the ore train used to run up the branch in search of ore cars back in the days!

Lawrence loved his B&O RS3 with accompanying B&O 40-footer boxcar which acted as his power car - an arrangement many followed back in the day.

Now, all of the power 'innards' fit into the shell of the locomotives with some work required.

Video of Train 319 running through Mercer Siding.

Lawrence arrives Peter's Pond in the days when the depot was quite spartan and located on the far side of the tracks.

Video views of Lawrence's progress into 'The Pond'.

Eastbound Train 304 has just departed Ironwood for St. Helens.

This little shorty is big on power!

He is delivering the reefer to the Norton Fishery, a facility located on the actual branch line up to Cedar Rock.

Video through the crossing.

Video up the branch.

Train #1 enters Peter's Pond.

Note the reefer now placed on the main line of the branch at the Norton Fishery...seeing as there never was a siding assigned to the facility.

This proved bothersome as other trains would have to climb the branch and either momentarily remove any car residing at the fishery or take the car up with them to the end of the branch and remember to return it back to the fishery upon the crew's return journey.

If the car was in the middle of being loaded with fish, this proved even more problematic.

Video of Passenger #1's entry into 'The Pond'.

Today, the fishery siding now resides at the western end of town where a clever underground conveyor system (in theory) sends the fish from the building (still standing in its original place) to this siding spur.

While today the ore train simply plies on through Peter's Pond, over ten years ago, the mine up at the end of the Cedar Rock Branch required attention from the ore crew.

Video of the ore train running through the pedestrian crossing.

With its lifts completed here in 'The Pond' Ric will continue his journey on the ore train heading east.

The ore train's exit from 'The Pond' is captured in this video segment.

Much later in the morning, the crew hauling the ore continues to make progress on its easterly journey with its train - some 15 cars strong!

The tail end clears the depot platform.

Ore train video through Spruce.

We spot a modern day CP Rail diesel up in Bell.

While two earlier generation forms of Canadian Pacific diesels work Nelson Yard.

Modern CN power takes to the big curve at Lilly...

...while some older CN power leans into the curve out from Ironwood with the ore train on the roll down beneath.

Fred entertains some of the folks in the crew lounge.

Thank you, Fred, for being such a gracious host to us all.

Of course, you will have noticed that many of the photos in this blog entry showcase locomotives that make a rare appearance on the IPP&W and RP&M lines.

This is because numerous images were taken during our annual "Invasion of Friends"

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

So, as we approach the most important day of the year we remember our fallen and wounded comrades who sacrificed so much or us so that we can enjoy the freedoms our democracy offers us!