Ottawa
Valley Associated Railroaders
Celebrating
50 years of railroading!
|
|
The IPP&W is a "G Scale" garden railroad modeled after a fictitious "Colorado style" narrow-gauge line that we pretend served Eastern Canada and the North Eastern United States. The IPP&W never actually existed, but it should have – we needed the IRONWOOD ROAD. The present day IPP&W is modeled in 1:22.5 scale simulating a 3 foot narrow-gauge railway on 45 mm, #1 gauge track. There is approximately 700 feet of rail as shown on the layout map. Fred Mills, current owner of the IPP&W, has made his layout available on Saturday mornings to be the playground of the Ottawa Valley Garden Railroad Society. Everyone is welcome! Feel free to contact Fred at (613) 723-1911 or send email to millsf@achilles.net
VIRTUAL HISTORY
The IPP&W used a "modern" three-foot gauge track. This was perfect for the terrain found in the Laurentian and Adirondack Mountains and was less expensive to build and operate than standard gauge. It was also compatible with other North American narrow gauge railroads including the equally factitious Lake George and Boulder Railroad (LG&B) which stretched all the way from Lake George New York to Boulder Colorado near Denver. By 1922, the IPP&W had been extended to join the LG&B where it became an integral part of an extensive, but factitious, North American narrow-gauge rail and sea network. Hence, interchange with famous roads such as the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) and the Rio Grande Southern became a regular occurrence. Interchange with the White Pass and Yukon (WP&Y) was also achieved using coastal ferries that carried narrow-gauge rolling stock. Business flourished on the IPP&W until the depression took its toll in the 1930s. Financial difficulties and competitive pressure from standard gauge roads nearly forced the IPP&W into bankruptcy. Service was interrupted briefly in 1937 and had World War II not broken out in 1939, it would probably have ceased operation altogether. A fate many other contemporary narrow-gauge railroads did not avoid. However the war quickly reversed the fortunes of the IPP&W. Its rails had been laid in particularly strategic locations for the movement of lend-lease goods from the United States to the British Commonwealth. In fact, during this era it grew at a rate unequaled by any other railroad except perhaps the WP&Y, which was also involved in a similar wartime panic -- building the Alaska Highway. In order to meet the operational demand, some new locomotives and rolling stock were built. However, raw material was in short supply. Most often the IPP&W had to refurbish obsolete equipment from other narrow-gauge railroads, many of which were now defunct. In some cases, this equipment was pressed into service without even renumbering, so it was common to see consists with road names and livery of every kind and color running on IPP&W track. It is also why in modern times, the IPP&W has a most rare and diverse collection of railroad equipment. Stable growth continued through the late 1940s and 1950s. Diesels started to displace the trustworthy steam locomotives of earlier eras and the IPP&W started to switch to the same Alco/MLW DL560 engines as the WP&Y. It also replaced its wooden rolling stock with solid steel equipment. Slowly the majestic Baldwin steam locomotives, with their familiar green wooden passenger coaches so often pictured rounding majestic mountain curves and crossing winding wooden trestles, were taken out of service or relegated to freight duty. By 1960, there was only one steam engine left in regular service, a 4-6-6-4 mallet used rarely for public relations purposes. Still, IPP&W management showed great insight. They were very diligent in preserving retired equipment and most of it survives to this day in good operating condition. By the 1980s though, use of the IPP&W declined dramatically because of competitive pressure from the airlines and incompatibility with standard gauge railroads. Re-gauging was attempted but proved to be impractical. Regular operations ceased in 1988. In 1996 though, the IPP&W reopened as a scenic tourist line, railroad museum, and common freight carrier. Seasonal passenger excursions operate on the original three-foot tracks, from Glen Hammond to Fir Grove via Ironwood Junction and Peter’s Pond. This route offers beautiful scenery, unique plants, rare foliage, spectacular wooden trestles, two functioning switchyards, and a chance to experience first hand, the railroads of yesteryear. There is also a branch line from Ironwood Junction to Craig Leigh where museum-quality rolling stock and locomotives are on display and in operation. The future looks bright for the IPP&W... OPERATING HINTS ERA, SCALE & TRACK - The IPP&W is a 1937 era a 3 foot narrow-gauge railway simulated in 1:22.5 scale on 45 mm, #1 gauge track. Some 1:24 structures and equipment are utilized where visually approprate. With 4 foot minimum radius curves, the layout is suitable for all other G scale equipment including live steam. However... NO TRACK POWER - The IPP&W track is "all natural". It is not electrified so battery power must be utilized. This is more realistic and frustration-free than track based power. Most club members use Aristocraft Train Engineer remote command control systems (RCC) to operate their locomotives. RCC provides a convenient, walk around capability that makes operation very enjoyable. GOING REMOTE - Going remote is fun and can be done quickly and simply so don't be concerned if your equipment is track powered. Most club members are happy to provide assistance with RCC installation and will usually have an already configured battery car that you can just plug into your engines. COUPLERS AND SWITCHING - All club rolling stock and locomotives have been modified to connect with Kadee #1 gauge knuckle couplers. This is the most prototypical size for the scale. These can be realistically close-coupled since the IPP&W has only wide-radius curves (minimum LGB 1600 4 ft radius). Yard and mainline magnets facilitate automated remote switching. In addition, the special "Ed Device" can be used for manual uncoupling. All turnouts are manually switched. PICTURE GALLERY For more photos, see Bud Nelson's page
|
