Here’s my collection from the Friday afternoon session.
I was busy during Saturday’s session so did not get any photos.
Gary, some great shots… 
Tks for posting the photo’s. Looks like a great time there. Wonder if ours would fit on the tracks?? but then we have loop and hitch couplers on this train. darn…Tk’s again for the photos…
Thanks Gary. Looks like I missed a good time.
Jon Radder said:Jon, you really did.... Am sorry, but we all had a great weekend.... you all were missed...
Thanks Gary. Looks like I missed a good time.
Yes, Jon, you sure did, but you were missed. And thanks to all our Canadian hosts for putting up with us.
The battery on my camera died and I didn’t get any pix, but it doesn’t look like there’s any lack of pix, so I don’t feel so bad.
I only have a few pictures from Friday’s session. It was a “standard gauge” session, so I used my RS-3. As always, we start out with a crew briefing. Left to right standing: Connor, Doug, then seated: Brendan, Jim Hendricks, , Ric Golding, Martha and Jean. Might be Jane facing away. Standing L-R: Roger, Gord, and Fred.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/2012/IMG_0752.JPG)
We started in Ralph Yard as train 306.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/2012/IMG_0753.JPG)
Jean was my engineer, as usual. Here we are switching Bell, our first stop out of Ralph. Glen Hammond is to the right.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/2012/IMG_0756.JPG)
Watkin’s siding is new this year and it is where we met Bob’s train, just after leaving Bell. We were a bit long and had to do a saw-by.
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Events/AmericanInvasion/2012/IMG_0757.JPG)
Another nice set of pics to be admired. Thank you.
Thanks for all the photos. Us “wanna be’s” sure do appreciate it 
Looks like you had some great weather
Ralph
Thanks Gary for all the great shots and to you too Bruce for more shots. The different perspectives from different photographers of the same scenes really clarifies the track layout.
Here is the updated track plan for the IPP&W and RP&M Railways.
http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/TrackPlan/planaug12.bmp
The IPP&W Railway trains run between Craig Leigh, Douglas Yard, Mount St. Helens, Ironwood, Spruce, Blockhouse, Lily, (in or out of Nelson Yard for some trains), Glen Hammond, Bellamy, Mercer, Peter’s Pond, under the bench work at Mount St. Helens to Watkins Siding, Bell, and Ralph.
RP&M trains run between Nelson Yard, Bellamy, Rat Portage, under the bench work at Ralph between Ferndale and Pratt’s Bottom, and Bell.
We alternate our railway operations between Narrow Gauge trains one Saturday morning and Standard Gauge trains the next. During “The Invasion” they are alternated on consecutive days.
The signs for groups of points on the railways are colour coded as shown on the map. At the end of an operating session, the cars are gathered in matching colour coded trays and returned to the appropriate storage shed.
At the beginning of the next operating session, the cars are set out from the colour coded trays to the matching colour coded points on the railway. Computer generated cars lists indication the exact point, track or industry at which the cars are to be placed.
The program prints the car lists for the yard masters for each train.
It also prints switch lists for the train crews showing the points along the railways at which specific cars are to be dropped or picked up.
That database includes a list of each car and the club member that owns it.
Look at all that wasted space over by Craig Leigh and Douglas…
Bob McCown said:It's not wasted. That's the Yardmaster and his assistant's lounge.........;)
Look at all that wasted space over by Craig Leigh and Douglas....
Ken told me he like working the yard at Craig Leigh, my former home for the Invasions, since 2004. I was promoted to Nelson Yard and double ended sidings sure are nice.
Ralph, I guess the weather was “perfect”. The Canadians were complaining it was too hot and Andy said he was cold. So, just right.
I signed up as Ric’s assistant in Craig Leigh for the session so I could learn the ins and outs , then Ric was hijacked to do Nelson Yard and I was like OK, this will be interesting. Fortunately Doug was on hand to help out and Gary was a great help. It all turned out okay. Looks like we both found new homes…
Ken Brunt said:You can use the Crew Lounge like everyone else :) Just move the sheds in away from the fence and there is room for another town or industry with lots if sidings :)Bob McCown said:It's not wasted. That's the Yardmaster and his assistant's lounge.........;)
Look at all that wasted space over by Craig Leigh and Douglas....
Sure is easy making work for other people isn’t it 
There is a steep grade behind the storage sheds. Any cars on a siding there would end up in Mount St. Helens. When the railway President is not around, I use that grade as hump yard lead to switch Mount St. Helens. But don’t tell Fred.
We had the same problem with a siding on the grade behind Spruce. The siding was lifted when the tunnels in front of the Dispatcher’s tower were removed.
The space in front of the storage sheds is used to park Fred’s lawn tractor and a large work cart when we need to access the car trays. The space in Craig Leigh below Douglas Yard holds Fred’s trailer which he uses to fetch building supplies from Home Depot down the road. It was stored at the next door neighbour’s during “The Invasion”.
There was talk about extending Rat Portage Yard around the back of the house. But Mercer Siding would make it hard to access.
Unless we start a third tier, I don’t think the railway can grow any larger. Those that ran the way freights between Craig Leigh and Ralph are probably glad the railway isn’t any larger. Switching Ironwood and Spruce in the hot afternoon sun can be taxing.
I was hopin someone would come to my rescue…Thanx Paul!!..
Thank you Paul for the trackplan and operating info.
Paul Norton said:
Here is the updated track plan for the IPP&W and RP&M Railways.http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/TrackPlan/IPP&WR.bmp
The IPP&W Railway trains run between Craig Leigh, Douglas Yard, Mount St. Helens, Ironwood, Spruce, Blockhouse, Lily, (in or out of Nelson Yard for some trains), Glen Hammond, Bellamy, Mercer, Peter’s Pond, under the bench work at Mount St. Helens to Watkins Siding, Bell, and Ralph.
RP&M trains run between Nelson Yard, Bellamy, Rat Portage, under the bench work at Ralph between Ferndale and Pratt’s Bottom, and Bell.
We alternate our railway operations between Narrow Gauge trains one Saturday morning and Standard Gauge trains the next. During “The Invasion” they are alternated on consecutive days.
The signs for groups of points on the railways are colour coded as shown on the map. At the end of an operating session, the cars are gathered in matching colour coded trays and returned to the appropriate storage shed.
At the beginning of the next operating session, the cars are set out from the colour coded trays to the matching colour coded points on the railway. Computer generated cars lists indication the exact point, track or industry at which the cars are to be placed.
The program prints the car lists for the yard masters for each train.
It also prints switch lists for the train crews showing the points along the railways at which specific cars are to be dropped or picked up.
That database includes a list of each car and the club member that owns it.
Jon Radder said:Ken Brunt said:You can use the Crew Lounge like everyone else :) Just move the sheds in away from the fence and there is room for another town or industry with lots if sidings :)Bob McCown said:It's not wasted. That's the Yardmaster and his assistant's lounge.........;)
Look at all that wasted space over by Craig Leigh and Douglas....Sure is easy making work for other people isn’t it
Doug and I have a running joke about “the Canadian Way” of putting out cars, which is the bread trays and “sky cranes”, vs. “the American Way” of putting out cars, at least on the KVRwy, which is running pre ops trains to get teh cars to locations. This can add 2 or 3 hours of fun.
Seems to me that a wye could be built out from the main line between the engine yard at Craig Leigh and St. Helen’s. The wye could go to a Fiddle Yard where cars could be loaded on the tracks. Doug was getting after AndyC and me, because we were assembling trains out of the bread trays instead of throwing them on any track and creating more work for ourselves as we put Nelson together. When in Canada, do like the Candians do.
Anyway, a Fiddle yard would fit nice between those sheds and it would be level.