Ray Farand's Photographs From Session #15

Ray Farand's Photographs From Session #15

Ray Farand paid a visit to Fred's this past Saturday.

The Tuesday evening before we were thrilled to honour Ray in a big way.

Ray is the 2026 recipient of OVAR's Herb McEwen Award.

This award is given to a single individual each year who the members of OVAR feel has made numerous and wonderful contributions to this fine hobby of ours - Railroading.

I will share a few images at the end of this blog entry taken from our OVAR meeting.

For now, let's check in on the wonderful photographs Ray snapped this past Saturday during Session #15.

Let's start off with Ray's image of Fred's office in the garage.

The name on the board tells it all!

This railroad has been in existence for decades now!

To enlarge any of Ray's images simply click on them and to return to the default appearance of the blog page simply click outside the picture.

Father Fred loves when visitors descend on the IPP&W Railway.

On the table is a lantern Doug Matheson brought to Fred.

Fred would later install a wick and get the lantern to 'do what it's supposed to do'...light the way!

The crew list and master list of all cars make up the paperwork here.

It is most definitely a 'blue sky' day as crews are found at Bell off to the right.

The umbrellas act as 'shade trees'.

Ray snapped this photograph from the extreme west end of Fred's property looking eastward.

Fred's house is to the left and my dispatch cabin is off in the distance near the center right of the image.

Glen Hammond (in front of the cabin) has cleared of traffic and the lads working Nelson Yard can be seen below the red umbrella and the grey ones.

A lone locomotive works the eastern throat at Nelson Yard.

It's 'time for bed' for this puppy who has served the railway so selflessly throughout the years.

Alas, in two week's time, she will once again be pressed into service during our next 'narrow gauge' session.

We alternate between narrow gauge and standard gauge sessions from week to week.

Indeed, one week you will see steamers hauling older style rolling stock while the next week you will find diesels pulling consists of more modern cars.

The ore train has just come off the Spruce Sub after reaching Nelson Yard.

The crew is spotted running the length of Mercer Siding along the western Bell Sub.

The Nelson Yardmasters lifted the cars for the train from the Fallentree Mine located along the outskirts of the yard.

Ray captured me railfanning Pool Train 33 eastbound out from Glen Hammond.

The train is 'threading the needle' between the iron web which makes up the Fred Mills Trestle.

David & Garry are in command of the train ensuring the lading and paying passengers make it to their respective destinations on time!

Ray caught a glimpse of me 'hard at work' in the dispatch cabin radioing one of the crews out on the line.

The linear schematic covers the footprint of both railways, the Ironwood Peter's Pond & Western as well as the Rat Portage & Mattawa.

Train 33 has completed its work at the house track in Spruce and now hugs the rails around the big curve leading into Ironwood.

Once 33 is cleared out from Ironwood further east to St. Helens, Train 312 will enter Ironwood from Spruce followed by Train 313 swapping places and heading into Spruce.

Pat takes a moment out from his work aboard 313 to grab a drink and hold a brief chat with Father Fred.

At St. Helens, these fellas are waiting to board the stock car.

All that is required is a locomotive shove to get the door to line up with the loading ramp!

This will be done in short order.

Garry's Pacific had drawn the assignment on the Pool Train.

The crew used the wye at Craig Leigh to back their consist into the passenger terminal.

The Pacific locomotive will draw westbound Passenger Train 3 later in the morning hours.

Ray stuck around Craig Leigh long enough to lens Train 3 as it departed this eastern terminal bound for Firgrove with some nine or so stops en-route.

"Yellow is the colour of my true love's hair in the morning, when we rise!"

This great song called 'Colours' by Scottish singer Donovan certainly is evident in this wonderful shot Ray captured at Nelson Yard.

Train 3 rides high over Goodie's Gulch inbound to Glen Hammond.

Construction work is evident at this location.

Ray crossed the Gulch in order to capture First Trick IPP&W Train 303 eastward (geographical west) bound for Spruce out from the Glen.

This overall scenic shot peering east showcases how cleverly the rails take maximum use of Fred's backyard.

Ray was standing to the right of Lily (red dot) and looking to the left for the above panoramic shot.

Steve & Seanna make up the crew of RP&M Train 71/72 the Nelson Yard/Bell Turn.

They have made their way back to the big yard and will soon turn their locomotive on the 'Armstrong' before heading for Anderson and Rat Portage.

Off in the distance to the left along the fence line I am spotted railfaning Train 311 currently working at Bell.

Third trick Train 322 polishes the rails at Watkins Siding bound for Wellington Lake.

Ray captured this magnificent shot of RP&M Train 74 arriving the depot at Rat Portage.

The crew had traversed the landscape in Fred's front yard for a brief few moments.

Looking across an empty yard at Peter's Pond we must be nearing the end of the session as some crews now relax in the lounge upon completing their three runs of the day.

A handful of operators remain out on the line.

We always say that it is never a competition to finish your three tricks first as, at times, some crews have far more work to complete than others.

Ray offers this aerial view looking down into the Craig Leigh enginehouse.

Four locomotives are stabled here between sessions where, in turn, their batteries are re-charged.

And...here I am doing just that!

While I am the dispatcher on this day...I was called away from my cabin a couple of times to assist with the pulling out of other locomotives when a crew required different power.

This is when I rushed back to the cabin to check on some congestion at Glen Hammond.

The pedestrian crossing adjacent to the dispatch hut... was clear at the moment I looked...but just as soon as I made my way through the crossing a 'stealth' train exited Clarke Canyon from behind the canyon walls.

Now...that was a service interruption of a magnitude 7!  👀

Now you know "The Rest of the Story" with regard to the sightings of "Big Foot"!  😎💥😎

Yup...them there are 'big feet'!

Bill & I rectify the situation!

No damage done...just to my ego!  😄😆😄

These past two pics were sent my way by Big Al...who truly has 'big feet'.

Now...back to Ray's final image.

With the locomotive back in its home at Craig Leigh we wish to thank Ray for visiting and sharing these gorgeous images with us from the operating session!

At our recent OVAR meeting, we find Carl offering this year's McEwen Award Car to Ray.

Ray listens in as Carl says a few words about how special it is to present such an award Ray's way.

(Grainy photos - my bad!)

Ray then delivered a most heartfelt speech of appreciation to the members of OVAR.

Ray then placed his new car on the tail end of the passenger train he brought out for the display.

Indeed, the McEwen car is very special...

...just as Ray is so very special to us!

Ray has authored some incredible books...

...such as Volume 1 of his Steel Passageways 'Up the Valley'...

...as well as Volume 2.

He has also authored a number of magazine articles as well.

Articles such as 'The Mattawa Route' which appeared Railroad Explorer Magazine...

...among other magazine contributions.

His photographs have appeared in countless other publications with some appearing as 'cover shots'.

Ray told me that when my band played "What a Wonderful World" that he had a tear of joy in his eyes.

And...I told Ray that it is one of my favourite songs to play to close out most of our performances.

Both my drummer, Mark, and singer, Corinne, share verses on our version of the song...of which you see a video segment here.

To engage the video simply click on the white arrow in the middle slowly two times.

Thanks to Dilip for taking this video of the band!  😀😁😀

And Ray, you make our world a more wonderful place to be!

As does our ever-gracious host, Father Fred!

Once again...thanks to Ray for sending these wonderful images our way.

You are welcome to pop in any time at all, Ray...to run a train or snap more pics to your heart's content!

We are the OVGRS of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada