tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post5288576320871439993..comments2023-07-02T09:22:57.566-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Train Geek: RDCs in TownCanadian Train Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-58348675554367086832011-11-24T17:00:17.579-06:002011-11-24T17:00:17.579-06:00The E&N is not dead yet! There is still minim...The E&N is not dead yet! There is still minimal freight service. The line is in terrible shape though.pjcrozier-smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17469237620921636975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-9732117914624527782011-11-24T02:45:34.443-06:002011-11-24T02:45:34.443-06:00How sad to see the famous Esquimalt and Nanaimo Ra...How sad to see the famous Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railroad bite the dust.<br /><br />My late wife and I rode the Budd cars from Victoria to end of passenger service at Courtenay several times. <br /><br />Our last trip was in August 1988. Southbound at Shawnigan Lake, the Conductor asked me if I'd like to shoot some video from the cab.<br /><br />In my eagerness to get situated in the cab, sitting in the conductors jump seat, I thudded my very expensive Hi-8 camera on the door jamb, killing the auto white balance circuit! (A Budd car cab is about this deep! Overweight engineers must have suffered!)<br /><br />I began shooting when we departed Shawnigan Lake. And <b>never</b> took my finger off the trigger. <br /><br />My wife shot stills and I shot video all the way to Victoria Station. As we disembarked, and were shooting the 6140 from the front, the battery finally died.<br /><br />On several occasions, I was aware of the Conductor staring at me. But I kept on shooting and never responded to his eye contact! You never ever ask McDonald into the cab, unless you want to lose you seat! <br /><br />The line interchanged with Canadian Collieries Limited (Steven Dunsmuir's coal mines,) at Union Bay. I have written several blog articles about that connection. (Namesake of "Dunsmuir, California.")<br /><br />Several years later, I watched a news story about a little girl who was bringing railroad spikes to her room. Her mom inquired as to where she was getting them. The little girl took her to the E&N station near The Gorge, and showed how she simply pulled them out of the ties with her tiny six year old fingers!<br /><br />There were operator changes but no one had the money required to bring the tracks up to code.<br /><br />So, it is indeed sad, yet not unexpected, to see the end of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railroad. A road with a very rich and colorful history...Robert in Port Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13807813545873570119noreply@blogger.com