Recent Freights

Look, two Illinois Central engines! You have to look closely at the lead engine to see the little "IC" below the engine number, but it's there. The trailing engine is obviously an IC engine, 1028. This general freight was heading west on Tuesday here in Winnipeg.

I keep hoping to see an Illinois Central engine decorated for Operation Lifesaver. I was wondering if any of them still exist... and 30 seconds of Googling found this list of all-time Operation Lifesaver locomotives. I see they don't have CFQC 3000 on there so I will email them. I didn't find a list of remaining OL locomotives yet.

On Wednesday afternoon I caught CN 106 heading past mile 11 on the CN Rivers subdivision. Here they are splitting the signals right at the mileboard.


Here's a closer look at the signals.


Note the following things about the signal tower:

• Black sign with white letters showing the signal number
• Yellow triangular sign with "L"
• Yellow square sign with "R"

The signal number is 111N. Signal numbers have an implied decimal point. This signal is at mile 11.1 and is on the North track.

The "L" and the "R" are both modifiers to the signal. For example, in the picture it is showing red / red. Without the "R", red/red would be rule 437, "Stop and Proceed". With the "R", it is showing rule 436, "Proceed at RESTRICTED speed".

I believe the "L" basically increases the speed limit from "MEDIUM" (30 MPH) to "LIMITED" (45 MPH).

Any modifiers like the "L" or "R" always make the displayed signal more permissive.

Here's a little closer view of the train. CN 2554 was leading and CN 2273 was trailing. There were no DPU engines in the train.

Another Three-Way

Another Hudson Bay, another three-way meet.

I went to see the Hudson Bay at noon on March 30, and found a three-way meet setting up. The north track was out of service west of St. James Junction, with CN 112 coming east, and VIA 693 (the Hudson Bay) and CN 787 going west. The plan was to bring the Hudson Bay up just west of Waverley Street on the south track, followed by CN 787, then run CN 112 onto the north track and go by the two trains.

At 12:24 VIA 693 crossed Waverley Street and stopped short of the CN-CP diamond.




Next, CN 787 pulled up behind them. They were too far away to get shots from Waverley Street and I was not going to trespass by walking down the tracks.

Next, CN 112 crossed over from the south track to the north track in front of VIA 693, then proceeded past. I pushed the limit of the zoom on my Canon S3 to get this shot. Note the solid red signals that VIA is seeing.


CN 112 rolled by me. They stopped with the head end in Fort Rouge yard for a minute, then carried on again.


The Hudson Bay got the green light and took off. Finally, CN 787 went by with IC 2723 and ex-BC Rail 4653.




Maybe we will see if April 6 is another Three-Way Tuesday.