Big CEMR Train

I saw the twice-weekly CEMR train rolling across the prairie yesterday just after lunch. They pulled up to a crossing just north of the Perimeter Highway to wait for the conductor to show up. Their normal practice is for the conductor to stay at Carman Junction to reline the switch for the mainline, then get a taxi to the head end.

I talked with the friendly engineer for a few minutes. They had 107 cars and 6400 feet, and were to do a bit of switching at Oak Bluff before taking a block of 100 grain cars farther down the line. The engineer used to work on the now-defunct Southern Manitoba Railway.

Here's a quick video I took of the train pulling up to the crossing. Those GP9 engines make a distinctive noise.