Pat's Pictures From Barry's Session in Belleville

Pat's Pics from Barry's & Bonnie's in Belleville

Pat kindly sent along images he snapped from the trip up to Belleville this past Friday.

Barry hosted the Ottawa group along with others for the session.

As always the railroad and its surrounding gardens look fantastic.

Thanks to Barry for assisting with the captioning of the images.

   This is the crew sign-in for Part One trains. 

The following words are Barry's.

They are outbound trains from Belleville (3 trains), Belleville (3 trains), and Trista Centre (2 trains) for a 10-train operation.

Barry sets up the crew list in advance just as we do up here in Ottawa.

 There were people from Alberta (Grant Smith), Pennsylvania (Tom Legel), New York (Eric and Diane Belusar), and of course, Belleville, Brighton, Trenton, Kingston and of course, the Ottawa club. 

Noticeably, there were many blank spaces, as I deleted the names as the "sorry, I can't come after all," right up until people were arriving. 

Most had very good reasons, although a couple didn't show up. 

Like you, I had to do some shuffling of the names, and we had a great operating session. 

The rains stayed away until well after everyone left.

Barry is 'all smiles' as he will experience a great session with great model railroad friends!

The blue skies add to the enjoyment for sure!

The warning on Barry's shirt read, "Warning -  the wearer might suddenly break out talking about trains!"

Apparently we have a 'newbie' to running trains captured in this image.

Barry goes on to say:

I believe it is Chris Lyttle, Joe Naismith's brother-in-law, from Syracuse, NY, who had never seen a garden railroad, but helped fill one of the blank spots, and did really well at it. 

The train #801 was switching out cars with Grant Smith at Orleans yard.

It's great to see Grant (from Alberta) make it all the way to Barry's for the session.

We see Eric Belusar off in the background.

Moe Cote is seen with operator Eric Belusar.

Interestingly, their trains are in opposite directions across the "valley".

The umbrellas certainly keep the crew cool.

Jeff is looking off to the east as Pat Brewer & Tom Legel work Cumberland.

Jeff's train must be off in the distance as he continues to follow its flow.

Barry tells us that the two lads off in the background are Ted Darby from Yarker (Kingston Club) and David Smith from Brighton.

Grant has passed by Hayes Fuels and advances to Trista Centre.

This train reaches the bypass track.

With Joe in the background, the train was about to set out a car in along the (Joe) Naismith Logistics siding.

I notice a new walkway here.

 Barry tells us that he had to rebuild the railway along the fence (Belleville Station, etc.) and renew the walkway. 

Note the beautiful black trestle built by Ted Darby for the new passenger train, Bonnie's Passenger Service, which crosses the main line just to the west of the little church. 

If you magnify the picture, you can see the red light on the signal tower that warns outgoing trains from Belleville station to yield to the passenger train as it comes around the curve in front of the tree. 

The light goes out after the passenger train has left. 

Barry mentions that it is his only electrification on the railroad.

This train exits the bypass with its sights on Cumberland.

The train here is headed for Belleville after passing Sandra Bypass, Naismith Logisitics and Wendy Willows Farm. 

Behind, you can see the dedicated passenger line, and further beyond that, the outlet from Belleville Station.

Bonnie's gardens make for a delightful setting as Jeff's wife, Janis, visits the railway.

The wye allows crews to take the closest leg and head toward Ottawa Yard while we see Belleville off in the distance.

Barry goes on to say that the turning wye serves both the Ottawa and Belleville Stations. 

In the corner are the houses which will become the village of Quinte West. 

The QW yard in next, and then Belleville Station which reaches to the "diamond" to the east. 

The turntable at Quinte West was removed, releasing the real estate for the new village.

We are at the old location known as West Ben.

This entire area was totally revised, as all the trackage from West Ben - Cora's Corners (Darby Corners) was totally rebuilt from the ground up after some of the decking's supports failed.

 The near side of wye leads from Ottawa to Orleans, while the far line serves the passenger line on its way to Orleans from Belleville Station. 

So the wye serves as a double interchange as well as turning the locomotives. 

It took some careful design, after several failed iterations.

Grant is in Ottawa Yard have either terminated a train or possibly about to make up one.

Ottawa and Belleville are the two main terminals, just like Firgrove and Craig Leigh are in Ottawa. 

Trista Centre could be similar to Nelson Yard. 

The only interaction with the freight lines are at the "diamond," east of Belleville station. 

Therefore, trains are made up at each of those three locations, and upon arrival at their destination, leave there cars for the yardmasters, if there are any, just like in Ottawa OVGRS.

Ottawa Yard with a train ready to depart.

Barry goes on to say:

 Judging by the cars, this would be a return train, being made up for the trip to Belleville from Ottawa. 

On second thought, I believe they were ready to be returned to the staging yard. 

Our friends from Ottawa were beginning the returning of cars to the staging yard under the deck.

I am very thankful for the help returning the cars, as I don't normally have anyone helping that process, which by myself, can take an hour or more.

More views of Ottawa Yard.

The lads are in the process of returning all of the cars to staging underneath Barry's deck.

Pat managed to snap this image of a military aircraft circling Belleville as we are close by the air base at Trenton, Ontario.

Thanks Pat for the pics and thanks Barry for hosting the group.

And, on behalf of Barry - a great big note of thanks for those who took the time to make it up to Belleville to partake in this wonderful operating session in such an oasis of a back yard!

All the best, Mike