A Tight Fit (part 1)

As mentioned before, NB Southern plans to move some large dimensional loads (tanks) from Saint John to Harvey for shipment to the Nackawic pulp mill. As it turns out, today was a test move with two tanks to see if they fit through rock cuts and under the Grand Bay overpass. I understand the full move of 7 tanks will occur in a week or two. The tanks came by ship and were stored at the Port of Saint John.

Bob Boudreau called me at 10:50 to tell me he saw a train with two tanks moving behind Moosehead Breweries. I loaded the kids in the van and headed south. I called Bob as we entered Welsford and he hadn't seen them on the road yet. I took the Westfield Beach exit from the highway and proceeded through Grand Bay, then down the South Bay road toward Saint John. Bob called me again at 12:11 to say they had just left the yard and were proceeding quite slowly.

I found Bob and Dave Dineen waiting for the train near the yard. I parked and set up the tripod for my video camera. There were a few NBSR employees around as well.

At 12:24 I saw NBSR 2319 with two MM&A bulkhead flatcars come around the bend.

To say they weren't breaking any speed records would be an understatement. I'm quite sure I could have railfanned this train with a bicycle!

This was my first look at 2319 in her new paint.


Here's a closeup of one of the loads, on MM&A 25042.


I shot them again a short distance farther down the line, at 12:28:


Part 2 to follow shortly...