Monday, September 5, 2016

First September Session (Part Two)

 
We catch up with Part Two of our first September session in 2016.  All listen in attentively as Colin (in the light orange shirt) offers up our safety lesson pre-ops.
 
 
Let's catch up with 301.  The train is in Ironwood on the station track as the crew of 318 works the east end of the yard.
 
 
301 rounds the bend at Lilly.
 
 
Moments later they arrive in Nelson Yard where they swap out their consist and become 311.
 
 
Brian works the sidings in Cedar Rock.
 
 
311 is nearing its finish at Firgrove as it rounds the bend out of Bell.
 
 
302 is found below Mount St. Helens.
 
 
Seanna finds daylight as she brings 302 into Peter's Pond.
 
 
The crew of 311 has graciously moved their train to the station track to accommodate 302's arrival at Peter's Pond.
 
 
302 in Peter's Pond.
 
 
Paul and Chris have reached Craig Leigh where they turned their locomotive and are now westbound as Train 319.
 
 
They bring 319 into Ironwood.  Love the motorcycle shirt, Paul.
 
 
Chris gazes at this railfan as Paul works the train.
 
 
Let's have a gander at the two lads with their shared running of 327
 
 
Steve monitors the train's movement as he and Garry climb the grade up into Firgrove.
 
 
They are n their return run back to Glen Hammond, now as Train 328.
 
 
They've arrived Bell.
 
 
Where they will meet our train, 311.
 
 
We bring 311 into the yard on Track 4.  All those Canadian National units in one place look pretty cool in my books!  I think Garry and Steve have to dirty their units a little bit, don't ya think!  Hehehe!
 
 
 An aerial shot of their train near Peter's Pond.
 
 
Pat has Passenger #2 on its way out of Glen Hammond.
 
 
Through the trestle and around the bend.
 
 
Upgrade to Spruce.
 
 
Exiting the shade for some sunlight.
 
 
Another gander at Malcolm's unit in Craig Leigh.

 
And...another glance at the many activities in and around Nelson Yard.
Gord looks on as John is about to throw a turnout for him.  They are currently working the eastern end of the yard.
 
 
In behind Ed, we see two passenger trains in Glen Hammond and a number of crews working Bell in the distance.
 
 
Gord's hand signals keep the action flowing in Nelson Yard.  Looks like he and Colin have all trains readied to go out on schedule as they always do.
 
 
Ed and Colin are the shady lads in this image with Gord being the sunny character.
Indeed, shooting images with my little point and shoot camera in these harsh lighting conditions can be challenging at the best of times.
 
 
Paul has found his way down to Mount St. Helens.  This can only mean that he and Neil are doing their stockcar run down from Craig Leigh.
 
 
Indeed, it is Neil working the spurs at Mount St. Helens.
 
 
Aha!  Another character is spotted at this location.  It's none other than Mr. Moe.
 
 
Looks like Moe has completed all his tasks at Firgrove.
 
 
He's a smart lad...seeking the shade of Mount St. Helens for some respite from all of the action.
 
 
Mount St. Helens is quiet before the session begins.
 
 
Bob is centrally lit with the rest of the layout in the shade.
 

Here's an overall look at the big yards from the perspective of the yard master in Firgrove.
 
 
Bob checks out Brian's locomotives over in Craig Leigh after the session has ended.
 
 
Let's catch up with Brian again as he runs his AB pairing of CP units.  Here he is at Mercer.
 
 
In Peter's Pond.
 
 
Below Mount St. Helens.
 
 
Into Bell. 
 
 
Brian has reached the western terminus at Firgrove where he is turning his locomotive for the return run back to Craig Leigh.  A single run from one end of the layout to the other takes about six and half minutes with a thirteen minute round trip being the norm when there is no other traffic on the railroad.  During a future posting, I'll share more pics from Brian's inaugural run around the IPP&W.
 
 
Some more rolling stock shots.  This New York Central hopper is a clean little puppy.
 
 
While this D.L.& W. car is fully loaded and ready to go.
 
 
I've always enjoyed flat cars with loads.
 
 
A few more post-ops pics.  From left to right we see Diane, Garry, Malcolm and Steve.
 
 
Steve enjoys his brew while Neil and Paul listen in on the conversation around the table.
 
 
The RP&M crew enjoy post ops relaxation.  We see Colin, John and Paul.
 
 
Tom has popped by for a quick visit while Brian uses his red cap to shelter himself from the sun.
Seanna in the foreground also protects her head on this sunny morning.
 
 
A look at lunch!
 
 
And a quick gander at the cook!  Moe, you make good sausages!
 
 
The two ladies at the session, Diane and Seanna.
 
 
Ed and Chuck.  Chuck, it was great seeing you out for a visit!
 
 
For fun, I take liberty to share a few more shots my daughters took for me from their White Pass & Yukon trip a couple of weeks earlier.
 
 
Those green and yellow units sure do look handsome.
 
 
And, you can't beat the scenery as well.
 
 
Here are a few more pics Malcolm sent my way.  He has the Pool Train in Bell where he switches out Brunt's Brewery.
 
 
Only one of the paired units is used to switch the industries up in Cedar Rock.  Cedar Rock is located at the end of the branchline out of Peter's Pond.
 
 
The two units spotted in Bell on Track 3. That's the Pool Train on the station track.
 
 
Paul's CP road switcher rounds the bend out of Nelson Yard destined for RP&M rails.
 
 
Train 15, the Pool Train awaits clearance to cross the diamond.  He is residing on RP&M tracks just out of Rat Portage.
 
 
Fred is teaching a new style of hand dancing to the crowd.
 
 
Garry is the first brave soul to showcase his newly learned hand movements.  You're getting there Garry!
  
 
Speaking of Garry, ya gotta love that smile of his...but I'm paying more attention to his shirt.  I love the music of Fred Eaglesmith and Chris and I perform his song entitled, "I Like Trains" which you see on Garry's shirt.
 
 
 
Ed and Chuck enjoy the table talk following the session.
 
 
Peter's Pond is the place to be on such a beautiful day.
 
 
Seeing our RP&M drover caboose sitting on the tracks near the interchange yard at Bell, it's time to say good-bye for now.  School starts up tomorrow so this author will be quite busy with another year of teaching...but, rest assured, there's no school Saturday mornings...so check in next week when our operations will be of the narrow gauge variety.
 
All the best,
Mike Hamer, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

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