Pics From Bernie & Dilip From Session #6

Bernie's & Dilip's Pics From Session #6

Bernie worked the RP&M Railway with Al yesterday which kept the two of them firmly planted on the western front of the property where there is less variety of scenes.

Dilip ran the IPP&W with Doug and was rather busy with operations - thus we have images from him mainly of the setout of equipment before the session got underway.

Nonetheless, these are great pics for our broader audience across the planet to view - and they are greatly appreciated.

We average between 1000 - 1500 blog views daily which offers a glimpse into the popularity of large scale train 'operations'!

While my explanation of locations and trains may be 'old hat' to our regular attendees, they are greatly appreciated by our larger global audience across many countries of the world!

Since our session took place on July 4th, 2026...on behalf of our greater OVGRS family I would like to wish all of our American viewers all the best on this, their country's 250th Birthday!

Here's to 250 more!

We'll begin with Bernie's images.

Nelson Yard finds two RP&M trains awaiting clearance to depart the yard.

The CP locomotive is in care of Train 61 nicknamed 'Rat 61'-  as it will head over to Rat Portage and turn back to the main yard area having conducted work at Anderson en-route both ways.

Their train will back out of Nelson Yard in order to 'forward' itself into Glen Hammond.

The TH&B diesel will run its consist to Rat Portage as Train 71 and then up to Bell/Stuart before returning as RP&M 72.

Henk has the yard organized with his co-partner Bill - so Henk can confidently take a seat and look out over the big yard spread out before him.

And...here is his colleague Bill - ensuring all cars are on their correct trains.

Bernie manages to snag a picture of Pat snagging a picture of the yard happenings!

Pat will run 303 out from Glen Hammond in a westward direction in short order with his crewmate...the other Pat!

Much later in the AM hours, Bernie has found Grant & Malcolm aboard their third trick train; IPP&W Train 322 at Bell.

In the distance we spot RP&M Train 73 working the town of Stuart.

Bernie's final pic is of Pat flipping the burgers!

Thanks for these great photos Bernie!

These next dozen images come from Dilip and are mainly of the 'pre-ops' category as equipment is being set out by the crews.

Bernie & Doug have placed cars in Bell & Glen Hammond to the left of the image while Grant, Al, Malcolm, Bill & Henk deal with the cars in Nelson Yard.

Garry is wearing a sensible hat - if one is to be in the sun for long periods of time.

George is observing Bob as he sets out the ore cars in Ralph Yard.

That's Rat Portage to the right hugging Fred's foundation.

Henk gets his stretching in as he leans down to rail a car at the Lyon Supply spur in Anderson.

More ore cars can be seen across the way residing along the ore spur to the east of Firgrove.

The cars have been set out and its time for the short pre-ops briefing.

We have a decent crowd of some 20+ operators on this day!

The industry in the foreground is the cooperage known as Brewer's Barrels located in the lower Peter's Pond neighbourhood.

The ops have begun and Steve & Seanna have reached the town of Spruce aboard eastbound Train 304.

Malcolm & Grant have made their way into Ironwood aboard westbound Train 301.

Dilip has found me videoing the action around Glen Hammond and Nelson Yard.

That's the dispatcher's cabin in behind which looks directly over the four tracks in the Glen.

Nelson Yard looks pretty clean at the moment as Bill studies his paperwork.

Garry & Chris have arrived Glen Hammond aboard Pool Train 33.

They have some setouts and lifts to conduct on the house track there.

I am busy videoing their efforts while Doug mans the dispatch booth.

Bill has found some shade at Anderson.

The big curve is the loop around Lilly.

Bill is looking out over the long peninsula here thinking about all of the hard work we still have to do during our next Workday Wednesday session in this area of the railroad!

Gerry & Phil are found down in Rat Portage aboard their third trick RP&M Train 74.

 George looks on from his seat at the far end of what appears to be an empty Ralph Yard as we are nearing the end of the session.

They continue with their efforts here.

Paul was seen much earlier setting out traffic up in Craig Leigh.

Thanks Dilip for these great looking images!

I'll add a few pics that I took from the session.

Because I had to leave early I chose to sign up as an 'observer' and take pics and videos for the blog.

Due to the large turnout of operators I always took care to stay out of the way of the operations.

I even encouraged folks to walk in front of my camera as I was filming videos as I didn't want my video work to hold any crew member up in traversing the territory where they were switching.

We spot the crew aboard 302 dealing with Brunt's Brewery at Bell with the industries in the town of Stuart in the foreground.

Doug's OCR unit was a recent purchase from our good friend Steve McKenzie.

Ralph Yard is filled with traffic ready to head east along the IPP&W and west along a different Canadian road.

We have this closer look at the traffic in the big yard at Firgrove.

Once Henk & Bill get the early trains on the roll out from Nelson Yard, there is some respite before the onslaught of Trains 301 and 302 arriving along with the ore train.

Indeed, time to rest for these hard working gentlemen!

The two Doug's and I arrived early enough to get all of the trays of cars over to Nelson Yard for these two handsome lads to spray out across their vast expanse of rail!

Another T-shirt shot means...

...Mr. Scobie is nearby!

And...you've just got to check out his hat.

Yes, Mr. Bill traveled to New Zealand for this air show...and then again a few years later!

Malcolm brought along his Conrail unit which we spot nearby the interchange track for Doug's Northland Railway.

Ore has reached Peter's Pond and has taken to a siding as Bob has had to switch out his power from his CP unit to this lovely CN cab.

Train 303 has arrived Bell.

This is Pat's prized endcab he purchased a year or so ago.

She's a beauty, Pat!

And...Pat's a beauty himself!

So say the ladies!  😎😃😁😄😎

Check out the variety of equipment found in all locations of the railway - this image captured at Bell.

Here is a perfect example of the double ladder which Henk had requested being built a few years back coming in very handy.

The IPP&W crew to the left aboard 303 are riding along the IPP&W ladder while the RP&M crew to the right aboard Train 71 have just arrived the town of Stuart following their work down in Rat Portage - taking to the RP&M ladder.

A more elevated view shows the twin ladders at work...with the train movements causing the slight blur to the image along with my hand movements!  

Yikes!  👀

The ore train arrives Bell from Firgrove as the RP&M crew continues their work at Stuart.

The power from both roads is captured in this overhead image at Bell.

We check out the video at a very "Busy Bell"!

303's crew confers with dispatcher Doug outside his cabin as to the best routing into Bell.

Ore heads east while general manifest comes west.

A low angle view snipped from the next video showcases Pat's locomotive on the move.

We catch the tail end of both trains.

303 has taken Track 3 at Bell while ore glides atop the main line heading down to Watkins Siding.

Entrance and exit video work at the eastern end of Bell.

RP&M conductor/brakeman Al works the town of Stuart with Bernie in the cab...

...while over on IPP&W rails Pat & Pat work the interchange track.

Continued video work at Bell & Stuart.

We continue with our 'watch' over the proceedings at the east end of Bell.

Indeed, there is plenty of action here to keep this railfan busy all morning long!

More colourful cars in the yard.

Did I just mention colour!  👍👍

Final video action at Bell for this blog entry!

Our area just suffered a terrible storm on Canada Day, July 1st.

This tree was just one of many that fell to the ground following either lightning strikes or ferocious winds where the fully leafed tree branches acted as 'sails' to bring the trees down.

This is two streets over from my home in Alta Vista.

Two huge trees went down on this street alone and two more on adjacent streets.

Fortunately there were no injuries or loss of life.

And I didn't mention the terrible flooding of basements to hundreds and hundreds of homes in the west end of the city!

Now we understand why insurance premiums are climbing while trees are falling!

This will be a shorter blog entry for now seeing as I've got to spend time putting together the OVAR Power Point presentation for September when we will be celebrating OVAR's 65th anniversary.

There is quite a lot of research that must go into the evening's presentation.

That's it from me for now.

Lisa & Mike circa 1980.

Thanks to Fred for hosting such a fine Saturday morning's worth of train running!

And...thanks to Bernie & Dilip for sending along their photographic contributions for this entry.

We hope that this coming Saturday's weather offers up an equally nice morning!

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada