Four Days in April, Part 4

Meet me at Lorette

In a span of about a week in April, I made a point of getting out and photographing trains. I ended up shooting trains on April 14, 16, 17, 18 and 19, and I am going to share each outing in a separate post.

Wednesday, April 18th

GTW 5943

I ducked out briefly on April 18 to photograph trains over by Symington Yard. There wasn't a lot going on beyond the regular hump yard activity. An SD40-2 rich set of power was on one pullback track, with CN 6015, GTW 5943, CN 6005 and slug CN 217 hard at work.

CN 6015 and 6016

On the other track, CN 6016 emerged from behind CN 6015 as they pulled a long string of cars back from the yard. This set was 6016-6010-GTW 5948-255. I like the grey GTW units better than the black-red-white units.

GTW 5948 in Winnipeg

The freight cars were pretty unremarkable, except for this pinkish three bay hopper car - reporting mark CC. I noted one end was painted white, so maybe it is equipped with a rotary coupler for dumping?

A carbon copy / CC?

A train was getting ready to depart the yard, but I didn't have time to stick around to chase it. Sisters CN 8903 and 8960 were on the head end.

CN 8903 and 8960 in Winnipeg, Manitoba

So that was April 18.

Thursday, April 19th

I went out along the CN Sprague subdivision on the evening of the 19th to see what I could see. As I approached Symington Yard, I saw an eastbound freight was getting ready to leave, so I headed east along the Trans-Canada Highway and set up on the "sun" side to capture the train. I decided to shoot a "going away" photo to take full advantage of the sun behind me.

CN 2323 approaching the approach signal

I believe this is the approach signal for the Lorette siding. It was showing yellow over yellow, and CN 2323 would end up taking the siding, as you will see.

There was a DPU locomotive, CN 8878, about 2/3 of the way back in the train. CN has been running a lot of trains in this "1+1" configuration, one locomotive on the head end and one in the middle of the train.

CN 8878 and my shadow

Notice my shadow and my old Canon T1i on the tripod, taking video.


I liked this Saskatchewan car - now lettered for MGLX - Mobil Grain. 663 hopper cars were purchased by Big Sky Rail, at a price of about $10K / car. The Saskatchewan Grain Car Corporation sold off its fleet last summer. The Great Western Railway bought 150 and the Great Sandhills Railway bought 85.

MGLX 625444 outside Winnipeg

CN 2323 East trundled into the siding at Lorette, meeting the waiting autorack train led by CN 2818.

Meet at Lorette

CN 2818 West had four locomotives, including a lease unit.

Meeting adjourned

I repositioned to the sun side of the train to record the train leaving. I didn't have a lot of time and I wish I had 30 more seconds to set up for the video. Oh well!

The train had CN 2818 / CN 3019 / CN 5621 / GECX 7383 for power. Here's a view of GECX 7383.

GECX 7383 leaving Lorette siding

Aaaand here's the video.

I decided to let them go without a chase, so I went up to the CN Redditt subdivision. I went to the first crossing east of the highway and saw the tail end of a train heading east. Time to chase!

It turned out to be a long chase. I had to drive through Dugald and beyond before I caught up to the tail end. I continued on through Anola before I saw the head end of the train. After another few kilometres, I figured I was far enough ahead to cut right into a side road to get to a crossing to nab the head end.

As it was, I barely had time to put the car in park and jump out to get the shot of CN 8007 East.

Over the hood shot

BCOL 4615 was second in line, with CN 2009 third.

BCOL 4615 at a rural crossing

I took a few shots of the train with the setting sun glinting off the side. I liked this one the best.

Autoracks at sunset

That was nice.

I headed back toward Winnipeg. As I passed through Dugald, I noted a white bus with a red "CP" on the side. The bus had a set of "hi-rail" steel wheels on the front end and it had a lot of people in it. When I first saw it, it was coming down route 206 in company with a couple of conventional hi-rail pickup trucks. Maybe they were coming off the CP

A CP rail bus!

I continued into Winnipeg, making my way down Plessis Road past Symington Yard. I noted that CN 2818 West was stopped just short of the Fermor Avenue overpass.

GECX 7383 and company, waiting

That was the end of the railfan day for me, and this marks the end of this series. Thanks for reading these "four" days in April, which ended up being five. Call it a bonus day! :)

Further Reading

• Back to part 1
• Not Just Waffles and Chocolate - Trains in Belgium
• Passing a Half Century
• Southwest Grain Elevator Tour