Large Scale Central

American Invasion 2009 Pix

Conventions, Shows, Clubs and Get-Togethers
#1

The gentlemen up north requested that I post some images of the carnage resulting from the BIG invasion this last weekend. I’ll leave descriptions to Fr. Fred for later.

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Looks like a stellar operation all the way. The IPP&W is one of the few 1st class outdoor railroads designed expressly for operations and offers flawless train ops.

ARTICLE: A Master Index for the J&B RR
#2

And more from the Invasion. Arrived home safe and sound about 5:30 EDST. Unloaded the car and the camera.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200903.jpg)

John Spencer and Jon Radder renew acquaintances and get ready for the 1st Ops session.

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Roger Caizza gets his live steam shay fired up in Nelson Yard.

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Nicole, Gaeton and TAC discuss the days events.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200907.jpg)

Ric Golding and Doug Matheson get the first train out of Graig Leigh ready to go.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200908.jpg)

Brunt’s Malting and Milling Co was kept busy providing holy water for the Invasion participants.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200909.jpg)

Meanwhile, over in newly rebuilt FirGrove Yard, Hank and Ralph Dipple get the first train ready to depart FirGrove.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200910.jpg)

? Over in Bell, Paul Norton and Jon Radder ponder some switching moves.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Invasion%202009/freds200912.jpg)

The off duty crews relax under the big tent and quench their thirsts.

#3

What a grand time! We started off Thursday by visiting Doug Matheson’s Northland Railway. He’s got a nice new sign!

I didn’t waste any time and ran my rebuilt ten wheeler around the layout.

The layout continues to evolve; he’s brought in 25 yards of topsoil to build up the garden and it looks very impressive.

It was a time to renew old acquaintances and form new friendships. Here Don Howard, Terry Foley, Gaetan Charette and Fred Mills discuss the latest in operations.

We got to meet Ig as well: Gaetan, Terry, my wife Jean and some wierdo.

Jon Radder got his live steamer running and I contributed a couple of cars for him to haul.

Ig was in big demand for pictures. Here he is with Terry and Nicole just before the big barbecue at Doug’s.

It sure made a great start for a great long weekend.

#4

The OVGRS had scheduled a standard gauge operating session for us on Friday and we arrived early to help set up. There’s a lot of cars to put out, but we still had time to socialize. Stu Moxley, Doug Matheson, and Paul Norton discuss the plans for the day, while Lila (?) and Linda Spencer mull over their plans. :wink:

While Ric wasn’t grilling, he found time to be the Yard Master at Craig Leigh.

Jean was the Engineer and I was the conductor for this train; here we are switching Ironwood Junction with an RS-3.

After a couple of sessions, we had some “free” time on the layout - or run what you brung. Don Howard’s neat Bumble Bee ran into some problems at Spuce and he couldn’t get it going. I brought out my BBT equipped Ten Wheeler and towed it back to Craig Leah. I’m not sure what the equivalent number of cars that would be; Don estimated it weighs about 20 pounds.

Fred was our wonderful host on the IPP&W.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/2009/IMG_6510.JPG)

We partied late into the evening in spite of the rain. Stu, Carl, and Chris take shelter under the awning.

#5

Saturday morning is always a narrow gauge operation for the Invasion. This time, we started out with a group shot of some of the folks that were there by 10. More showed up later. It’s hard to do the names, but I’ll try. Maybe someone can help fill in the ? later. First row, is Bradley, ?, Fred, Don, Ric, Roger, and Nicole. The kneeling guy is some wierdo that snuck in. Now, headed back to the left we have Bud and Ken, Next to him are Colin (?), Gordie, and Gord, with Peter behind Marilyn and Jon. Then it’s Paul, Terry, and Ig. That’s Fred over Monique, and then Matt. Lila, John, Doug, Gaetan, and Lawrence.

We held two operating session that day, each lasting over two hours. Somehow we managed to squeeze in a meal and a few beers in between the sessions. There are lots of trains to choose from. You might choose a through freight that travels from one end of the layout to the other, with very limited switching in between. We ran way freights, as there is a lot more switching on them and I really enjoy doing that. In this shot, our train is running light out of Nelson Yard so we were able to sneak in behind John’s live steam train for a meet at Mercer with Ken and Don’s train.

Back at Craig Leah, the crew has built a locomotive shed. Here, Fred keeps four locomotives and they all have charging stations to keep them ready to run.

We had quite a bit of rain, but were fully successful in getting all the operations and meals in. There’s only so much room under the main tent, so Fred and Gordy had to find room in one of the train storage sheds so they could eat lunch.

Sunday we went over to Bill Scobie’s Sn3 indoor layout and operated for about 4 hours. He has some magnificent scenery, like this view of Ophir.

One of my favorites was this building. The sign reads: You Deserve a Placerville Oak Outhouse “Guaranteed No Splinters”.

It’s quite different from outdoor railroading.

Thanks to ALL that participated and made it a grand weekend.

#6

Finally got my camera dumped. Not many pictures of the layout or the operations - it was too busy, but many shots of good friends. Here are some of the best… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-01-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-01-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Self proclaimed weirdo with Gaetan and Chris in background - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-02-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-02-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Ralph Yard-Mastering at Fir Grove - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-03-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-03-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Long shot of Roger grilling and Colin at far right in Nelson Yard - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-04-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-04-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Terry, Ig & Ken enjoy the Canadian Sunshine - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-05-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-05-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Jan applauds while Rick attempts to catch a break. Ken (hidden) and Bruce look on - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-06-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-06-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Fr. Fred delivers the sermon as Paul, Terry, Bill, Carl and Stu look on - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-07-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-07-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Ric, Terry, and Bruce plan World Peace while Jean listens in - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-08-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-08-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Paul trying to convince Ken of the TE Revolution’s superiority - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-09-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-09-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Don, Ralph, Matthew and Fred relax after a great lunch - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-10-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/AmInv2009-10-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Doug contemplating my screw-ups for his annual MLS post - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

#7

Thanks for the pictures. Great incentive for those of us who were not there.
Ralph

#8

Yes thanks for all the photos , nice to place faces with names .

#9

A few pictures from the perspective of our camera - The big talk of the weekend was the realignment of “Firgrove”

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rgolding/090723%20056.jpg)

My sidekick Tyler for the last 4 years in Craig Leigh. Tyler, has graduated from Assitant Yardmaster to Road Engineer. Here he is with Matt working St. Helen. The generational group at the IPP&WRR is part of what make this place so magic. Tyler is the younger brother of Brad, son of Gordo and grandson of Gordon. All active members of the IPP&WRR. We even had a ceremony of advancement of crew members of the RP&MRR.

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This is the yard at Glen Hammond, where the IPP&WRR has interchange with the RP&MRR.

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Under the big tent we gather for food and conversation.

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Here is Stu on food,

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and Bruce on liquid refreshment.

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#10

A few more pictures. Here is our host, Fred Mills, aka Father Fred, mingling with the guests.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rgolding/090723%20064.jpg)

Always a pleasant host, but he keeps a watchful eye on me. He is just making sure I record everything correctly for his soon to be published book - “The History of the IPP&WRR”.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rgolding/090723%20065.jpg)

Here is Jan, Bruce and Jean “In the hole” awaiting clearance.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rgolding/090723%20066.jpg)

The Dispatcher didn’t know who he was messing with when he delayed Jan’s train. Her she is putting on the water to boil his head for that inconsideration.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rgolding/090723%20047.jpg)

Truely another great weekend and some, including us, think it was the best so far. Can’t wait until next year.

#11

Looks like everyone had a great time. thanks for sharing the pictures and I can add a few more faces to the posts.

#12

Afternoom, All! Finally found a working PC in Brighton [ONT] library. Me and ig want to say what a truly great time we both had - we never met so many people we agreed with before! The trains were great, the company was wondrous and it was worth all the hassle of rowing over from UK just to be there - it got a mite bumpy in the Bay of Fundy, but what the heck, Eric the Red could do it, so Tac the Slightly pinky-brown could do it too, aided by his trusty vulture, ig.

To Fr Fred and all who attended and made the whole thing so very special just by being there, and for all the good memories to savour, my heartfelt thanks to you all.

tac and ig
Proudly members of the OVGRS

#13

TAC,
It was truely an honor to meet you and share a few stories, tails, adventures and view points. I wish we would have had more time. Jan and I were just commenting that it has already been a week since the OPs officially started at Fred’s. I shared that with Ken and he reminded me we only have 358 days until the next scheduled invasion. I better get busy, I have work to do.

Truely fun, I can’t think of a better way of spending a summer vacation or as you guys say “holiday”. You mentioned “Eric the Read”. Do you think I could start going by “Ric the Red” eh “Ric the Red, Now Turning Mostly Grey”? All I’ve ever really got of nicknames was “Chief”, “Admiral” and “Skipper”, but most of the times with “Skipper” they were mistaking me for my son who is “Skipper/Skippy/or Skipp”. NObody has called him “Skippy” in along time and that neck is to big for me to even think about it. :wink: There has also been “Ric with no K”. You never really get the good nicknames until your dead and then almost anything works.

#14
Ric Golding said:
TAC, It was truely an honor to meet you and share a few stories, tails, adventures and view points. I wish we would have had more time. Jan and I were just commenting that it has already been a week since the OPs officially started at Fred's. I shared that with Ken and he reminded me we only have 358 days until the next scheduled invasion. I better get busy, I have work to do.

Truely fun, I can’t think of a better way of spending a summer vacation or as you guys say “holiday”.


My sentiments exactly…couldn’t have said it any better…:wink:

#15

Mr. Ric

hehehe :slight_smile:

#16
Andy Clarke said:
Mr. Ric

hehehe :slight_smile:


Oh yeah, forgot that one. Priceless