Thursday, April 12, 2007

Transfer Freight Day

I had hoped to catch a glimpse of the newly repainted NB Southern 2612 today in Saint John, and in fact that is what I saw - a glimpse.

At about 09:00 NBSR 2612 and 2317 were sitting by the shops in the Dever Road yard. I could see the top of both units from Dever Road but there was no photo opportunity. As I was driving away I heard someone identifying themself as "NB Southern 2612" getting ready to move - alas, I had no time to wait.

As I drove toward the Reversing Falls Bridge I saw NB Southern's two SW1200 units pushing a gondola over the bridge. I had enough time to pull over at the tourist facility and sprint up the hill to take this shot at 09:12.

I assume the gondola came from the Ocean Steel facility just over the bridge.

Satisfied, I got in my car and headed over the bridge and down the hill past Ocean Steel. Suddenly, I heard a blip on the scanner from a nearby EOT device. Looking up the hill, I saw another train headed toward the bridge! After a quick turn in Thorne's parking lot, I was back at the tourist facility to see them cross the bridge at 09:18.

CN 7079 and 7010 were pulling 17 cars to the Dever Roard yard.

After that bit of excitement, there were no more trains crossing the bridge. :) In Island Yard, CN 2640, 2569 and 2679 were sitting by the shops while NBSR 3701 and CN 7000 shunted the yard.

Nearing Courtenay Bay, I saw the Courtenay Bay Potash switcher going to fetch some cars. The light is great in the morning for an across-the-bay shot but the switcher disappeared behind a string of cars before I could get a picture.

Later at noon, someone brought a long string of potash empties from the potash terminals to Island Yard - I didn't see what the power was, but it wasn't the CN 305 power.

At 14:45, NBSR 3701 and CN 7000 were at Irving Paper, CN 7074 and 7010 were shunting Island Yard, and CN 305 was ready to go down by Tim Hortons on Rothesay Avenue with 2679 leading. NBSR 3702 and 3703 were at the east end of Dever Road Yard but NBSR 2612 and 2317 were nowhere in sight.

I heard that the NB Southern eastbound left McAdam at 15:30 with NBSR 9802, 2610 and 2318.

That's it for today! :)

No comments: