Three Views, One Train

CN 3021 passing Union Station in Winnipeg

I was down at the Forks in downtown Winnipeg on Saturday with my family. We were playing a little Pokémon Go and trying out the Pancake House restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, we decided to walk along the Assiniboine River around to the actual fork where it meets the Red River and then loop around to our parking spot.

Location 1 - the Forks Market Tower

I wanted to try shooting a train from the tower at the Forks so I let them start their route while I raced up the stairs to the top of the tower.

I was hoping that VIA 1 was still at the station but they had left more or less on time. However, CN was very kind and sent a container train along right on time. I scooted past a group of tourists and started shooting as the train passed Union Station and the maintenance crew on the north track.

The tower is good for getting a view of the downtown but the large roof area in the foreground is a bit distracting.

The "going away" photo was into the sun, so some significant image editing was required to get a passable photo.

A morning shot of an eastbound train would be nice from the tower.

CN 3021 crossing the Assiniboine River

Location 2 - Assiniboine River level

After the head end passed by, I trotted down the stairs and out to the Assiniboine River to get the DPU unit(s). How did I know there was a DPU? Well... one locomotive normally isn't enough to pull an entire container train by itself.

I waited at river level until I heard the roaring DPU locomotive, which turned out to be CN 2928.

DPU locomotive CN 2928 crossing the Assiniboine River

There are lots of tour boats around, and the river has been low enough for the docks to be in place. At times this area is flooded and the river walk is submerged.

I wasn't sure if there was going to be another unit on the rear, but I decided to change positions and find out.

Location 3 - Low Line Bridge

I went up on the Low Line bascule bridge that used to go to CN's East Yard, which is now the Forks tourist area. Incidentally, there is a detailed document on this bridge (PDF), built in 1914 for the Canadian Northern Railway.

The sun came out to play and lit up the buildings near the Fort Garry hotel nicely, as tail unit CN 2907 rolled over the river.

CN 2907 in Winnipeg over the Assiniboine River

That was the end of the train and the end of my train watching for the day.

See Also!

• CN 2583 crossing the Assiniboine in winter
• Number One With a Bullet - the Coors Light train downtown
• Baseball and Trains - CN on the High Line and the other bascule bridge