Welcome to day two! Today will feature two narrow gauge operations on Fred Mill’s Ironwood, Peter’s Pond and Western Railway, home of the Ottawa Valley GRS.
It is appropriate that we start with a picture of Ken Brunt of Pennsylvania. He is the man that started it all with his visit to Ottawa in ’98. The day begins with Ken pulling a passenger train out of Craig Leigh, the eastern terminal of the IPP&W.
Bruce Chandler showing the interior of his custom built car, inspired by the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad’s parlor car #10 “Azalea”.
He scratch built the interior, painted the passengers, and lettered the car for his Jackson & Burke Railroad. Many admirers added with delight how many of the passengers looked like well known dignitaries.
The smile on Bruce’s face says it all. This finely crafted model is one that anyone would have been proud to build.
Craig Leigh Yardmaster Doug Matheson is kept busy assembling westbound trains so the anxious crews can get running.
Engineer Jean Chandler at the throttle of a freight train leaving the Craig Leigh Freight Yard.
Not far behind is Lawrence Watkins bringing out his locomotive to pick up his train.
Bud Nelson and Colin Churcher are also assembling trains in the shade of Nelson Yard. Situated in the center of the IPP&W Railway, this yard is operated by a branch line partner, The Rat Portage & Mattawa Railway.
Firgrove Yardmaster Ralph Dipple is assembling the eastbound trains. He appears to be looking for the crew and operating power for the milk train.
Here they are. I guess Roger went to fetch the necessary equipment for his live steamer.
With the first train gone, Ralph has a freight train ready to roll.
By now things are well underway. Bruce Chandler and Gaetan Charette are backing their locomotive into Nelson yard to pick up an eastbound wayfreight.
This morning’s Dispatcher Brad Larabie is already busy on the radio. All train crews on the railway must obtain clearance from the Dispatcher before moving their train to the next location. It is the dispatcher’s responsibility to keep the railway running smoothly while avoiding cornfield meets.
Jim Henrichs and Paul Norton switching cars into Mackenzie Lumber at Bell.
Ken Brunt’s passenger train is making good time as it pulls into Peter’s Pond.
You can tell by the smile on his face that he enjoys his annual trip north.
Shortly after the passenger train departed, Jim is in Peter’s Pond with the eastbound freight train.
Paul carefully backs the locomotive down the siding.
William Seabrooke pausing as a train passes the level crossing near the Dispatcher’s shed.
Flower Power! Lawrence Watkin’s Algonquin & Central Railway locomotive rolling by Spruce on the mainline. The gray stone passenger station in the background is one of many fine buildings on the railway constructed by Lawrence.
Yardmaster Doug Matheson relaxes between trains at Craig Leigh.
Roger Caiazza’s live steam locomotive hauling the milk train into Mount Saint Helens.
His nicely weathered milk cars are tucked in the shade of the Post Office Building until the yard crew has a chance to switch them into Scobie’s fine foods.
Like many other buildings on the railway, the Passenger Station and Post Office are built with anchor cement cast in JigStones latex molds. The molds are used to make jigsaw like sections which are glued together, grouted and painted to form very realistic looking walls and buildings.
In the yard it appears that the tourist train is ready to depart.
Jan Golding’s Kaskaskia Valley Mogal backed into the Craig Leigh Passenger Station.
Her passenger car has nice details that make it look just right.
The remaining two days of the 2010 American Invasion of Ottawa are described in the following two pages which are filled with lots and lots of pictures. To view the pictures, click on one of the following links.