WDWD Plus More Pics and Vids From Session #7
With the terrible air quality alert from last evening when you could actually feel the smoke particulates in your mouth after being outside for all of 15 seconds, we advised folks to skip our 'Workday Wednesday" session this week.
However, with the thunderstorms that hit our region overnight, the smog cleared out and we were able to gather after all!
We were also blessed by fine weather this past Saturday...so I will share some more pics with you from that session toward the end of this blog entry.
We also were blessed with a number of wonderful visitors to the railway last Saturday...Brian, Ted & Barry.
Indeed, each weekend session at Fred's is unique from any other even though there are many similarities!
Many of these images were taken by our good friends Pat & Bernie - and their images are the clearer ones!
The others come from me! Heh heh! 😖😕😗
When Bill heard that our WDWD session was potentially 'up in the air' he then went straight into his bathroom to replace an old toilet that "gave up the flush"!
But...alas, he is such a competent plumber that he was able to make it out to the work session after all.
When Mark heard that the WDWD session may very well be on hold he decided to fulfill his 'honey do' list by doing the groceries for his lovely wife.
Alas, he is pictured above running the errand like a marathon runner...and...wouldn't you know it...he managed to please his lovely wife and then hop in the car to get out to Fred's - pronto!
With his jean jacket on, Bill was a bit overdressed as the heat did build up somewhat throughout the morning...although we did enjoy a cool breeze under the canopy in the crew lounge.
Strangely enough...this was the only image I have from today with Mr. Scobie in it!
And...even more strangely...I never even got a shot of Mark working hard on the Wednesday morning...so I'll include this photo of Mark from our most recent operating session!
Henk kept himself occupied cutting the grass.
Bernie had the weed-wacker out.
Chris helped out with the overgrowth of foliage infiltrating the right of way.
Looking good there Chris!
Dara brought along his British locomotive to test run.
She's a mallet.
She's a real 'looker' to boot!
Fred had been busy indoors working on couplers for George's latest purchases.
Here is a clearer view of the boxcar...in need of a grab iron to the lower left.
Hmmm...I wonder where 'The Crooked Mountain Lines' are located?
Looks like the ladder is needed as well!
My research tells me that the railroad was a famous fictional model railroad built by Bob Hegge from Hazelwood, Missouri.
Yet another car Fred has worked on for George.
My studies tell me that the Peabody Short Line Railroad was located in southwestern Illinois, just east of St. Louis, Missouri.
It was a coal hauler line of some 15 or so miles in length bringing coal from the mines down to the barges on the Mississippi River.
We were all concerned about the slant that had developed in this recently new-laid area leading over to Goodie's Gulch.
Mr. Bill Scobie, Mr. Mark Christopher, Mr. Mike Hamer and the rest of the gang all came to an agreement.
"Seeing as it is relatively cool outside this morning, let's lift the trackage and the roadbed and deal with this 'angle' issue right away!
Bernie noticed that the problem occurred where the lengthy siding leaves the main line that runs into Nelson Yard...seen to the right.
Bernie lifted the two spur tracks that were attached to the segment leading toward the trestle and this height brought the line level.
Of course this wouldn't do!
I zoomed in on the level.
Yes...the level is level...but the trackage is not!
Obviously something needed to be done...but we couldn't have the mine tracks elevated on an angle as the ore cars would simply run away as soon as you placed them down.
Dara noticed that all we would need to do is remove the two spur tracks leading into the mine, then lift the long piece of track leading to the trestle (out of the image to the right) and add gravel beneath the far side of the board.
Bill apologized to Dara & me who both had a devil of a time removing the screws from the boards.
"I screwed those suckers down until you couldn't see them!" Bill called out.
Indeed this process of removing the screws took the two of us quite a while, but we managed to get them all out.
Bernie captured me working my tail off to locate the hidden screw heads.
Chris & Dara listen to Bill with grins on their faces.
Once I managed to locate the head of each screw by hand and bring it up slightly, then I was able to use the battery operated drill to finish the job!
The work continues in our efforts to fix the angled 'cant' in the board leading over to the trestle.
Since it became onerous to remove the bracing and since the bracing itself has helped to keep the main board in place...we went with the "monster tool"!
I can't remember ever using a Sawzall...but there's always a first time for everything.
"Watch those guitar fingers, Mike!" Mark was heard to say.
After I got halfway through the first board I let Chris take over as my arm was starting to bother me.
Here is video of Chris hard at work.
The blade wasn't sharp at all and certainly wasn't appropriate for wood!
Continued sawing video work.
One board down...one to go!
"Hens & Chickens" anyone!
Mark suggested to Henk & Chris that they replant them elsewhere on the railroad rather than waste such good plants...and the two lads did just that!
Jeff made it over and assisted with the bag of stones.
He's all smiles as he begins to lift the heavy weight!
Pat enjoys holding onto his bag as his big smile attests.
No, Mike...this is not an X-rated blog! Tsk tsk!
Bernie also snagged this image of Pat!
Video of Pat and some of the gang.
We temporarily set aside the conjoined spur tracks.
We now replace the spurs and check the level in all directions.
Once we know all is level I adhere the spur tracks to their main with two screws in each board.
Pat & Henk look on as the situation gradually improves.
We lay the tracks briefly atop the boards and check their levels.
The cars do not roll! Yabba dabba doo!
Mike places the second car on the nearer spur...and it remains still as well! 👍👍
Looking good folks!
Chris pours out the gravel for us to fill up the channels.
Layin' em in and tyin' em down...or something like Gordon Lightfoot wrote!
A view down the line from the head of the peninsula.
Mike tests out the curvature leading into the spurs as Jeff looks on.Of course the curves will then straighten out to head down each spur.
Thanks to Bernie for many of these very clear images1
This next batch of pics come from Pat.Thanks for sending these along as well, Pat!
Jeff is one of our more recent members to the group and he certainly enjoys pitching in on the Wednesdays.
Much appreciated Jeff!
An interesting view of the spurs hanging out as we determine our next moves.
Yet another 'level' check.
Henk, Mark & Bill monitor our progress although Mark & Bill are seated on the bench near Fred's foundation and are out of the image.
The final result will look most appealing!
Pat catches Bernie catching Jeff & me while Chris looks on.
Bernie has gone to grab some rolling stock to test out the trackwork.
I roll both cars in both directions gently on the two mine spurs and they immediately come to stop...perfectly level I say!
Video of a test of the level in the spur tracks from Bernie's camera.
Video of a test run through the main over to Lilly...also vrom the Bernie Man!
Yet another 'test run' video, this time from Pat's phone.Again...thanks to Bernie & Pat for many pics and videos!
A trio of hard-working lads.
Another view of Dara's locomotive down in Peter's Pond.
Here is another of Dara's interesting looking power.
One final look at our progress for the morning.
Bernie & Dara chat in the crew lounge.
Jeff takes a breather after all of this hard work.
Bill, Mark & Henk have already departed for home.
Pat & Fred have headed into a Zoom meeting with the History Circle.
Bernie captured Chris & Dara discussing 3D printing.
Before the Zoom meeting, Fred checked over all of the battery chargers in the lounge.
The two lads are totally focused on their meeting on-line.
They certainly have lots of munchies to keep their tummies occupied during the meeting! 👀👄👀
Yes...just the right nutrition for a hard-working crew! Not!!! 😎😍😎
All the while the Hostas are growing like crazy in the rust garden.
The light remains on and the flag is flying in the breeze so somebody is home! 👍👍
Pat has some history to share with the group on his Zoom call.
It's a black & white image of the Great Northern Bridge at Hawkesbury, Ontario about an hour to the east of Ottawa.
The station at Hawkesbury.
Another view of the depot there.
One final photo of the wayback years from Pat.
I would like to thank our dedicated WDWD crew from today...Fred, Henk, Bill, Mark, Bernie, Chris, Jeff & Mike.
We worked as a team and the railroad is better off for it!
Now for a few more pics and videos from our previous session last Saturday.
We ran our narrow gauge equipment for our most recent session.We spot Train 304 working Ironwood at the moment.
Train 301 has also made its entry into town and will be drilling the Ironwood Brick siding in short order.
Grant's locomotive fills the image as the crew reviews their switching orders for the town.
These duel meets are quite common seeing as trains are constantly running in both directions on the two subdivisions of the railway.
Here at Ironwood we are on the Spruce Sub named for the town of Spruce in the eastern sector of the railway.
Off in the distance, the trackage by the fence line at Watkins Siding is located along the Bell Sub named for the town of Bell in the western end of the line.
Video footage shot at Ironwood.
Four trains were in view mere moments before.
Train 303 is meeting 302 at Watkins Siding along the Bell Sub by the fenceline to the left while 301 enters town and greets 304 at Ironwood along the Spruce Sub.
Video of these pair of meets.
Passenger 1 exits the tunnel beneath St. Helens bound for Wellington Lake.
Backwoods video of Train 1.
We glance out over the eastern sector of the railway to find Felicity & Grant in Ironwood.
At the same time Barry & Bob have hauled the ore train into Spruce where they have two lifts from the ore track.
Eastern sector video finds.
The crew aboard Rat 61 have reached Rat Portage...
...while yardmaster George irons things out in Ralph Yard.
Video from the western end of the line.
George hauls a string of cars out from Ralph Yard in order to classify his next outgoing train from Firgrove.
Indeed, some of these cars will make up the consist of second trick Train 314.
The little engine can handle the chores magnificently!
And...at the end of the video just ahead you will see this turnout be thrown via the cable connection to the distant yardmaster.
Said video of the turnout throw up in Firgrove.
George hauls the consist over to the departure track in Firgrove.It appears that he made up 314'ds consist fully back in Ralph Yard.
Video efforts up in Firgrove.In the video you can hear me communicating with the crew aboard the ore train.
While I have cleared them right to the end of the line at the ore dock in Craig Leigh, they will have some lifts to consider in Ironwood first.
The crew aboard RP&M Train 61 must turn their locomotive to return back to Nelson Yard.
Jeff operates the manual turntable.In the next video you will see this in action.
The locomotive derailed while backing up off the turntable even though Jeff lined the rails up.
We will have to examine the issue at our next WDWD session.
Turntable video effort at the south end of Rat Portage.
While Chris backs up his locomotive back to the yard in Rat Portage, he explains that the issue with the turntable may very well have been caused by a low coupler on the tender of his locomotive.
The crew is now aboard their train and has been granted clearance to Anderson.
Continued Rat Portage video work.
Things begin to heat up in Firgrove with the arrival of Passenger 1 and 303 with the consist of 314 awaiting departure on the near track and Passenger 2's consist awaiting clearance out on the station track four tracks over.
Off in the distance Steve and Seanna turn their power on the turntable in Firgrove.They have just arrived with 303 and will depart shortly aboard 314, seen to the right.
George backs the consist of the recently arrived train down the mainline in order to spot it in the big yard at Ralph.
He has already exchanged cabooses so this one will stay up in Firgrove on the van track.
We watch the continued video work up in Firgrove.
As always, it is with pure joy that a gang of us congregate in Fred's backyard...on Saturdays and on Wednesdays.
Be it running trains or simply maintaining the railway, camaraderie abounds.
Let's hope the weather gods agree and allow us to meet up once again this coming weekend!
We are the WDWD crew of the OVGRS in Ottawa
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