Confessions of a Train Geek

Thanks for the reply, Steve! Would be interested t...

2012-02-09T15:22:44.741-06:00

Thanks for the reply, Steve! Would be interested to know if there is a "L" plate there next time you're up there!

Hi Tim, sorry I didn't respond earlier. You ar...

2012-02-09T10:50:12.760-06:00

Hi Tim, sorry I didn't respond earlier. You are right, if there is no "L" plate on the signal it is rule 422, "Medium to Clear". I honestly don't know if there is an "L" on the signal or not. I'll have to look at it the next time I'm up there.

Hi Steve, Was hoping you'd comment back re: m...

2012-02-08T17:06:18.738-06:00

Hi Steve,

Was hoping you'd comment back re: my comments and I'd be reassured my understanding of CROR signal rules are correct as you see them in practice and I do not (except in MS Train Simulator which is not always perfect, but as regards high-end freeware and payware Canadian route products is very, very good).

Tim

You're right, Allen... here's North Dakota's, for example.

FYI, quite a few states DOTs put out railroad maps...

2012-02-05T12:28:23.032-06:00

FYI, quite a few states DOTs put out railroad maps like Minnesotas.

Hi Brian, I guess the Ocean and the Chaleur are st...

2012-02-04T16:36:46.098-06:00

Hi Brian, I guess the Ocean and the Chaleur are still running as "J" trains with the whole Chaleur behind the Ocean. They used to have the two Ocean engines on the head end followed by the entire Chaleur, then the Ocean train. That required more switching at Matapedia. Now they can just cut the Chaleur off the end and the Ocean can continue on.

I'm glad you liked the Renaissance cars. People seem to love them or hate them.

Thanks Brian for commenting. I'm glad you had ...

2012-02-04T16:11:33.676-06:00

Thanks Brian for commenting. I'm glad you had the flexibility to rebook. One of these days I am going to have to ride the Canadian.

I rarely catch VIA 2 since it arrives at night in Winnipeg, but I have seen some RMR cars on VIA 1 going back home. Were the Rocky Mountaineer cars in their new paint or were they perhaps going east for repainting?

Steve, I was to depart on VIA # 2, from Edmonton ...

2012-02-04T16:07:23.940-06:00

Steve,

I was to depart on VIA # 2, from Edmonton January 25th. I received an e-mail from VIA on the 24th indicating the disruption to service, between Edmonton and Winnipeg.

VIA offered passengers to stay on board the train in Edmonton the evening of the 25th and be flown the next morning to Winnipeg, to continue the train journey east.

Since I was visiting family and had flexibility with time, I rebooked to leave Edmonton on January 30th, at 2345 hrs. # 2 was late into Edmonton, thus the train departed 0120 hrs January 31st.

I was awake prior to the train crossing the Fabyan bridge......actually the train waited for a length of time west of the bridge before moving east. I thought I could discern a covered hopper in the valley below the bridge......the night light was quite clear.

As to compare with the Salmon River N.B. trestle, the Fabyan is about 200 feet high which matches Salmon River, but in length, with the Salmon River's approixmate 4800feet, is shorter.

I should also mention, on the headend of VIA # 2 which I travelled, there were two bi-level domes from the Rocky Moutaineer......located between the Units in the train consist. I understand there were heading east to Montreal for maintenence purposes. I took several pictures of the cars during the trip and will download soon.

Oops....I meant to say I was on last night's F...

2012-02-04T15:09:12.986-06:00

Oops....I meant to say I was on last night's Feb. 3rd train.........

Hi Steve, I was on last night's ( Feb.02nd ) ...

2012-02-04T15:04:11.251-06:00

Hi Steve,

I was on last night's ( Feb.02nd ) train from Montreal to Riviere-du-Loup.....ticketed for Train # 16. This was my first ride in the Comfort class Renaissance equipment and I like the interior and ride quality.

The train had an F-40 with stainless cars, including dome car, positioned behind the Ren cars. Departure from Montreal was about 1/2 hour late, due I surmise to a late arriving train from Ottawa, which may have occupied boarding track space at Central Station, for Trains 14 / 16.

There were two meets with CN freights whereby VIA was in the hole....east of Drummondville with a Stack train and between Charny and Montmagny, a meet with a manifest.

I also did notice a Realty company sale sign on the Riviere-du-loup station.

I agree but in all cases they are dying because th...

2012-02-03T23:22:13.744-06:00

I agree but in all cases they are dying because the track infrastructure is decaying. On Vancouver Island, in northern Manitoba, and in the Gaspe, all of these routes are owned by shortlines with shallow pockets. They inherited marginal lines from CN or CP and are not able to make huge capital upgrades to bring the lines up to snuff. The Vancouver Island route is done, the Churchill run is threatened due to the abolishment of the CWB, and the Chaleur is in peril. It's very worrying.

It appears that VIA's regional services are dy...

2012-02-03T10:40:30.890-06:00

It appears that VIA's regional services are dying the death of a thousand cuts. You can see it everywhere - Vancouver Island, Northern Manitoba, Quebec. Reduced schedules and services have become the norm.

By the way, forgot to mention, very nice shot! -T...

2012-01-31T05:00:50.334-06:00

By the way, forgot to mention, very nice shot!

-Tim

According to the CROR, red over green over red is ...

2012-01-31T04:26:01.358-06:00

According to the CROR, red over green over red is MEDIUM TO CLEAR (CROR rule 422) unless there is a "L" triangle plaque on the signal mast under the heads. Limited speed is 45 mph and medium speed is 30 mph. So my question would be, does the Makwa signal have the "L" plaque (in which case you are totally correct) or doesn't it (in which case I am correct)? Just a minor detail and not that I'm questioning you really, but red-green-red by itself is MEDIUM TO CLEAR vs. LIMITED TO CLEAR. Only with the "L" plaque does it mean LIMITED CLEAR. My understanding is that MEDIUM TO CLEAR is often used when going from one track to another. BTW, love the town name, Makwa, which is Cree and Anishinaabe for "bear" :)

-Tim

Steve............ I read that article from the lin...

2012-01-26T17:18:24.740-06:00

Steve............ I read that article from the link.
Yes..a lot of sound reasoning for post processing..and I agree 100% with 95% of what he says......looks like a good blog he has.
in the end, it's all on what you see and what you you think you want us to "see"..
But , ...it all comes down to this in my books.....

"a mediocore image is better than no image at all.........".

Cheers,
Glen
Sanford, Manitoba

Oh, here's a good article I found today on just the thing I was talking about.

Sleight of hand? Deception? Artistic license?

Thanks for your well-thought-out comment, Glen. I ...

2012-01-25T21:35:38.108-06:00

Thanks for your well-thought-out comment, Glen. I find as I take more photos that I am willing to spend more time and effort in post processing. I used to accept whatever came out of the camera pretty much "as is", but I've come to realize that one can take a mediocre photo and turn it into a good one with a little processing.

I do aim to shoot a good photo "in the camera". Post processing takes time and there is no substitute for doing everything right when you click the shutter release. That's why I use circular polarizers and I intend to use other filters, to do it "in camera". But sometimes you can do more with processing.

I have a few personal rules with post processing. I can take out minor objects like a pole or a sign that's in the way, but I won't add something that wasn't there. No rainbows or unicorns or FP9s get added. I won't move stuff around. Everything that is in the photo you see was in the same relative position.

I agree with you, the second photo is a bit oversaturated. I do like the "pop" of the green but it is too much.

Hi Steve, Very good point you bring up in regard t...

2012-01-25T06:58:17.899-06:00

Hi Steve,
Very good point you bring up in regard to the post processing of digital images. Just when does a photograph cease to be a photograph and become a digital reconstruct ? I've wrestled with that same issue for awhile now, since I started taking pictures with digital cameras. Don't get me wrong I love my Nikon D7000 very much. It's one heck of a camera, no regrets.
When one chooses to "alter" an image in the post processing mode, doesn't that effectively make it another photo or image ? It's certainly not the one you took at the time.
What then...does that say about one's initial photo taking abilities ?
I liken that concept to, say, writing a test with your knowledge at the time, and then after the test is corrected, having the ability to re correct wrong answers ! What does that say about one's on board ability to take excellent photos at the time, given what ever one has for a camera.
To me ...that is the ultimate test and the "showing off" , if you like, of ones ability to be a photographer. No ??
Anyone can take a so-so image and re process the hell out of it, to make it something, that...in my opinion should have been done in the first instance.
All your doing there is showing your astuteness at working a computer program, not working a camera.

As far as your train bridge photos go..... they are all good images, but personally I would say you over saturated the second one...the forest or trees look too green , and in doing so..it appears that some detail is lost when I study the trees from both photos.
I like the first one best.

The ultimate test is to be able to produce a photo with your camera that comes as close as to what your eyes see at the time the photo was taken. No post processing.
I'll step off my soap box now. Sermons over.

But as always Steve...keep the camera clicking, and the post processing down to a minimum.
Cheers,
Glen

That is a sharp looking 40-2!

2012-01-22T11:48:15.326-06:00

That is a sharp looking 40-2!

Very little. There are few customers between Winni...

2012-01-15T21:30:47.273-06:00

Very little. There are few customers between Winnipeg and Emerson on either the CN Letellier or CP Emerson subdivisions. For both, there are a couple of grain elevators and CN serves a canola plant in St. Agathe.

(of the latter, that is)

2012-01-15T16:15:03.069-06:00

(of the latter, that is)

One thing that I've wondered about the Letelli...

2012-01-15T16:14:33.645-06:00

One thing that I've wondered about the Letellier and Emerson subs is how much of the traffic is domestic as opposed to US-bound on BNSF trains. Judging by the small yards in Emerson and Noyes, I'm guessing that it isn't much?

Hi Steve, Nice shots; I like seeing the IC units i...

2012-01-13T21:08:54.180-06:00

Hi Steve,
Nice shots; I like seeing the IC units in their black paint, number stuck on the side. The painted on number boards on 5535 and 5545 are interesting notes as well.

Best,
Adam
http://walkerweb.ca

Thanks Adam!

2012-01-11T21:32:54.359-06:00

Thanks Adam!

It did indeed head to Saint John on 406 today.

2012-01-11T20:03:03.391-06:00

It did indeed head to Saint John on 406 today.

Confessions of a Train Geek

Thanks for the reply, Steve! Would be interested t...

Hi Tim, sorry I didn't respond earlier. You ar...

Hi Steve, Was hoping you'd comment back re: m...

You're right, Allen... here's North Dakota's, for example.

FYI, quite a few states DOTs put out railroad maps...

Hi Brian, I guess the Ocean and the Chaleur are st...

Thanks Brian for commenting. I'm glad you had ...

Steve, I was to depart on VIA # 2, from Edmonton ...

Oops....I meant to say I was on last night's F...

Hi Steve, I was on last night's ( Feb.02nd ) ...

I agree but in all cases they are dying because th...

It appears that VIA's regional services are dy...

By the way, forgot to mention, very nice shot! -T...

According to the CROR, red over green over red is ...

Steve............ I read that article from the lin...

Oh, here's a good article I found today on just the thing I was talking about.Sleight of hand? Deception? Artistic license?

Thanks for your well-thought-out comment, Glen. I ...

Hi Steve, Very good point you bring up in regard t...

That is a sharp looking 40-2!

Very little. There are few customers between Winni...

(of the latter, that is)

One thing that I've wondered about the Letelli...

Hi Steve, Nice shots; I like seeing the IC units i...

Thanks Adam!

It did indeed head to Saint John on 406 today.

Oh, here's a good article I found today on just the thing I was talking about.

Sleight of hand? Deception? Artistic license?