Final Session of the Season in Colorado!

Stan, Bill and I were a tad late arriving Bill's place on account of us momentarily stopping at Stanley's place of work. While Stan parked the car and scurried inside, I heard the distinctive sound of a train approaching. I quickly jumped out of the car to capture this shot of the northbound O-Train arriving the University station stop. Moments before, it had crossed the span over the Rideau River.



I knew that the Carleton University station stop was the only location along this north-south corridor where there is a passing siding. As I turned around to see the train pull to a stop, I realized that the southbound had been waiting in the station all this time. It was great getting the chance to capture a "meet" of these two trains!

As soon as Bill began offering up jobs on the railroad, Rob and I jumped at the opportunity to snap up a train. Two other crews were already well underway on the busier trains but that was okay. Kaz and I were assigned train 600/601, the turn from Telluride to Vance Jct. This was only a short hop, so we were afforded the opportunity to do some railfanning along the route! After bringing in some six cars to Vance Jct. our orders show that there is only a single lift on this day. The photo above indicates that we have run around our train and will shortly begin our climb up to Telluride located at 8756 feet above sea level.

We are well on our way out of Vance Jct. climbing the grade past Illium at 8120 feet. An ardent railfan managed to frame this image nicely between the tall timbers. Note too, the timbers on the trestle! Bill Sn3 Scobie's layout is a joy to behold. The track is all handlaid, the scenery is spectacular and now Bill is utilizing a computer software package which generates his work orders for each session saving him countless hours of work in the process! That must be why we always see Bill with a great big smile on his face!

The town of Ridgeway at 7002 feet above sea level is the lowest location Bill models and all other destination distances along the line are defined from this point of origin. With the immense station, water tower and expansive yard off in the distance, this can be a very busy location along the line.

Yes, that's one immense yard at Ridgeway. Bill tells me that there are just over 230 cars on the railroad. I would've imagined that on a layout some 60x25 or so you would think there would be more...but we have to remember that it's the operations that dictate the car numbers.

This wonderful scene is located at the end of the peninsula which houses the huge industry at Vanadium. We are near the location known as Deep Creek at an elevation 7723 feet and some 35 miles out of Ridgeway.





Stan and Bob are manning this train as they pass the station platform at Placerville. Bill's locomotives run like a charm and look magnificent!

This train is hugging the cliffs as it descends downgrade into Ophir. There is a long passing siding before the town and this train quite likely will have some switching to do when it reaches Ophir.

The roundhouse and turntable outside Ridgeway are a-buzz with activity providing railfans with numerous subjects for their shutters. Bill certainly has a wonderful stable of horses on the layout!

Well, one would think that perhaps a sighting of a Yeti or Sasquatch might be in order in the high hills of Colorado...so what might these creatures be, we ask?

Why, no need to worry...just two locals who have escaped incarceration. We are quite confident that the authorities will have them captured by nightfall and they'll once again prove no harm to society! (Happy Birthday Peter!)

You always meet great people at Bill's train sessions and his buddy (Dan or Don) from Rochester, New York is no different...a wonderful fellow. Thanks for sharing your fine stories with the boys of the Friday Night Group!

Here he is...the man of the house! Bill, you're looking great laddie! Thanks so much for sharing your truly remarkable layout with the Friday Nighters. We always look forward to a visit to your Sn3 layout!