October 2007

I don’t get away much these days . It’s autumn again and grain movements are at their peak. But that doesn’t stop the ‘routine’ stuff. Engine and track maintenance are a part of it but so is the big Smokey River project and planning for a resurgence in passenger traffic.

Never the less, an opportunity to witness, first hand, an old and famous eastern short line in Ottawa was to darn good to pass up - or even put off for another time. The IPP&W (and the RP&M branch line) were opening their operation to visitors so Westjet flew us out of here on a Wednesday. Following tours of Parliament Hill, The Rideau Canal, the war manorial (and that great candy shop in the Byward Market) we arrived at their HQ around 0900 on Saturday.

Firgrove yard is the End of Track on the Western end of the IPP&W. Brad is working the fiddle yard on the Rat Portage & Mattawa RR branch line, in the background. The great three-way turnout in the center of the photo is custom made for the location. Neat signs tell visitors where they are and radios hang nearby to keep us in contact with the dispatcher.

By the time I got to Bellamy things were going smoother than expected. We were on time and waiting for word to head out on the main. It gave me a chance to look around the place. The first thing I noticed was the excellent condition for the right-of-way and the trackside structures. It must take a massive effort on every ones part just to keep things in tip-top shape. Way to go guys!

At Bellamy Station, on the Ironwood, Peter’s Pond and Western, an unlettered IPP&W 2-8-0 is working an empty ore train Eastbound. What constitutes ‘scenery’ is minimized while operation is maximized. A plan that contributes to the lasting enjoyment of everyone involved . My experience has been with ‘running trains through the scenery’ but an organized operating group is never boring.

In Ironwood, my conductor Paul Norton spent some time on the radio with the dispatcher. We had to pick up ore cars that were buried in a line up and we had some supplies to set out at the mine. The only easy way was to leave our caboose out on the main line and pick it up when we were finished. Nothing is easy. A passenger train was coming through in the opposite direction and he had priority.

Paul Norton is working over at Ironwood, on the IPP&W. The community of Spruce is in the foreground. While just about all of the layout is above ‘the snow line’ much of it is supported with a foundation of cut stone that is beautifully set in to show off the best features of the railroad. I wonder who cuts the grass?

There was already a backlog at Peters Pond before we arrived. An ore train was taking up all the room in a long siding and a passenger train was stopped on the main line. There would be no switching done until those coaches were on their way so we figured on relaxing down by the water. Some time was spent on the fine art of selecting just the right fly for just the right fish. A call of an angry dispatcher could be heard from high on the embankment.

We catch Doug listening on the radio for orders at Peter’s Pond. Although that particular Saturday was an ‘all steam day’ there are plenty of modern, standard gauge things to see in the nearby shop. Some embarrassment resulted when my crew got waylaid at this ground level yard while we discussed the merits of kit bashing of a USA Trains caboose.

Thankfully,Paul knew his way around the Craigleigh facility and so we got in and out with little difficulty. Being on a first name basis with other conductors and engineers is also a big help. Something you can count on when you work on a short line railway. On this Saturday morning Berry stayed and worked the switches at the yard limits and Fred was too happy to keep out of the way as we raced to keep to the schedule.

Paul Norton at the left, Barry in the center, and Fr.Fred, on the right negotiate the Craigleigh engine facilities. The waste high sections of the layout make it easy on us old timers and the reliable AristoCraft battery - radio control system makes it a joy for everyone. Waybills are computer generated based on earlier operations. The cars in every yard and siding are recorded and movement of all trains, while challenging, is completely programmed.

The RP&M is a branch line off a short line and today it offered our crew an interesting challenge. How to keep to our schedule while sitting idol in the cab watching some one else move interchange cars on and off the IPP&W main. The world seemed to turn very slowly, as it always does for me in these circumstances, but I was assured this was quite normal and soon we were on our way. Country railroading at it’s best.

Richard Mercer is watching Bud Nelson switch a train at Nelson Yard on the RP&M branch line. There’s plenty of opportunity for realistic operational problems all over the railway and this is one of them. I used my time to admire all the realistic structures the group had built. The selected buildings give the whole seen a realistic appearance without going so far as to burden members with maintaining small, weather sensitive details. Just the right mix to make a visitor go “Wow”.

But this was my jumping off point. The regular crew would go on about their business for the rest of a long day. I’d meet the car here and be picked up by the family. The short stop offered me time to say “Thanks for the ride” and pick some very knowledgeable brains regarding how to maintain a railroad of this size in a changing world. How to portion out jobs. How to raise money. How to maintain and expand interest in railroads and railroading. These guys have been at it for over two decades so they must be doing something right.

This is a shot of Ralph Dipple in the shade with a train at Peter’s Pond on the IPP&W. And you better believe it gets pretty darn warm up here in The Great White North. With temperatures in the high 30’s and humidity nearing 100% those giant trees, an easy chair, and a cold one go together just fine. A nice shelter protects them from the rain should it ever drive them away from track side and, for the most part, the track is located high above the snow drifts. So it seems the fun never stops.

Home again and back at work. My ‘in’ basket is properly empty (Every good captain has a great number 1) and the phone is ringing in new business. I’ll recall my brief stay with the IPP&W folks and thank them pretty much every day for the knowledge gained and the fun shared. Perhaps with a little work we could run the WVRR on schedule rather than on demand. It’s the latest thing I understand.

This view encompasses about one quarter of the layout. In the distance we can see the town of Bell on the IPP&W; Nelson Yard on the RP&M is in the center and, back again on the IPP&R, the two bridges at Lilly. That through truss bridge in the foreground is made of steal and will hold up a couple of members so it will surely hold up in any weather the Ottawa region can through at it.