A Few Hours Around Grand Forks

My family traveled to Grand Forks, North Dakota a couple of weekends ago for a little shopping and to get away for a bit. As we approached the border crossing at Emerson, Manitoba, I saw a CN train at the Letellier grain elevator with a big engine (Dash-9?) and a GP38 for power. Just north of the border was another train with a single BNSF engine on it. BNSF has started running its power straight through into Manitoba on occasion.. more on that in another post.

On the morning of February 16, I went out for a couple of hours of railfanning. I went to the yard first to see what was around. On the west end, orange remote control engine BNSF 1730 was working the yard while green BNSF 2921 (GP39E) and 2082 (GP38-2) idled patiently.


I saw a train rolling east through the yard up to the shop. It had BNSF 4163 (C44-9W), BNSF 7499 (ES44DC), BNSF 1531 (GP28M), and old friend BNSF 3028 (GP40E) as the fourth engine.




BNSF 3028 was a familiar sight in Winnipeg for quite a while, as the BNSF Manitoba power.

Over by the turntable, three engines were arrayed quite nicely for viewing from the sidewalk. BNSF 3195 (GP50), BNSF 8168 (SD60M), and BNSF 1885 (SD40-2) provided a nice variety.


After surveying the yard, I headed back west to the Amtrak station and saw a grain train disappearing down the line toward Fargo, and headlights to the west... what to do, what to do. I decided to go shoot the eastbound train. BNSF 962 was on the point.


They were poking along so it was easy to shoot them twice.


Right after that, I headed down I-29 to try to catch up to the southbound freight train.Mile after mile went by and I finally caught sight of the tail end near Buxton and they went under the I-29 overpass just before I reached it. Too bad - that would have been a nice spot. I carried on to Mayville but I wasn't far enough ahead to take the exit, so I carried on to Hillsboro. I exited there and drove straight to the grain elevator to set up the shot. Soon enough BNSF 949 (in Santa Fe livery!) and NS 8140 came through this pretty little town.


Love those thoroughbred engines!


I took a few more photos of the grain elevators in town, as well as caboose BN 11711 on display, then headed back north on I-29 toward Grand Forks. I saw a train coming south and it was the same train I saw approaching Grand Forks! Here it is again... BNSF 962, BNSF 9850 and BNSF 2284 were the power.


I always enjoy railfanning in North Dakota.

Dang It

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Seneca, Roman philosopher

I went out early this afternoon to my local Sobeys to buy a Coke Zero or two to sustain me through the afternoon. I brought my camera bag along, figuring I would take a glance up and down the CP La Riviere subdivision on McGillivray Boulevard here in Winnipeg and see if there were any trains about. I did that, and lo, there was a northbound train approaching.

Congratulating myself for thinking to bring the camera, I parked, grabbed the camera, and got into position to video them crossing the road. As they started to blow their horn for the crossing, I turned my T1i on and... something was wrong. Lens cap? Check. Camera ON? Check. What was this door doing open on the camera body?

My memory card was at home, stuck in my computer.

I had opportunity, but obviously not enough preparation. Oh sure, I had a spare card in my camera bag (don't you?) but there was no time to go and get it.

I let the camera hang around my neck and watched the train roll on by. CP 3028 and 1128 led 26 grain and tank cars.

Ah well. Next time. For now, imagine the train was like this one... shot a year and a day ago and a mile or so north of where I was today, with the same engines.

New BNSF Unit

Winnipeg has a new BNSF engine. Thanks to a heads up from a local railfan, I went to the BNSF yard shortly before noon on Thursday to see the new unit, GP39E BNSF 2756. It and the "old" unit BNSF 3028 were both in the BNSF Manitoba yard on Lindsay Street. BNSF 3028 was put into the engine house and then 2756 followed.

It doesn't look a lot different than former Winnipeg resident BNSF 2743, seen here in September 2009, also a GP39E.

It looks like the horns are in slightly different spots, and BNSF 2756 has a horizontal white stripe between the green and black.

Presumably BNSF 3028 will be going home today or tomorrow on CN train 532.

Hot Times at Portage Junction

I had a bank errand to run late Monday morning. When I finished, I was on Pembina Highway just south of Fort Rouge. I stepped out of the bank and heard the unmistakable sound of a train engine in run 8 struggling to get a train moving. At that time of day it had to be CN 532 heading down the Letellier subdivision.

I raced down to McGillivray and parked by the Rexall pharmacy. Very soon I saw CN SD40-2 #5264 struggling to pull a fair sized train by itself.

I imagine the nice thing about the Letellier subdivision is that it is straight and flat, so once you get a train moving you shouldn't need much power. Starting must be a problem!

I wanted to wait for the Canadian, so I went to Fort Rouge and parked on the street. I saw BNSF 3028 was doing a quick turn in the yard. They kicked their cars into the yard, then doubled up the return train and headed out.

Once BNSF left, there was nothing in sight, so I decided to go back to my car to get my tripod. On my way back, a CN eastbound rolled by with CN 5765 and IC 1029 on the head end. I think it was probably CN 198, given the time, and the junk cars at the head end followed by containers.

I was a little concerned that CN would block my view of the Canadian, but luckily the tail of the CN eastbound just cleared in time for VIA to be visible on the north track.

As usual, there were no repainted units on the Canadian. I know they have passed through Winnipeg, but I have yet to see them. It'll happen eventually.

Full consists

Action at Fort Rouge

I was running an errand Thursday (Oct 14) and found myself near Fort Rouge in Winnipeg just before 11 AM. I decided to see if there was anything going on in the yard. Sure enough, BNSF 3028 was there with a short train, waiting for their turn to return to the BNSF yard.

As I approached to take the above photo, I saw a CN westbound train passing them. I missed shooting the head end, but I saw that IC 2708 was bringing up the rear.

It was nice light for roster shots!

I last saw IC 2708 in February of this year.

Today's Canadian and BNSF Transfer

I shot the Canadian for the first time in a while. As you can see, it has grown to a respectable size.

Right after VIA passed, the BNSF transfer train pushed out of their yard onto the CN main line to proceed to Fort Rouge. As you can see, the ditch lights were not on.

Action at St. James Junction

I went up to St. James Junction in the bitter cold to see the Hudson Bay today. On my way there I noticed a northbound CP train waiting to cross the diamond. There were a couple of railfans camped out there, as well as a stopped train on the north track. It turns out the train was CN 314, stopped just short of Waverley Street. Shortly a set of headlights could be seen on the south track and the Hudson Bay was upon us with five-eyed VIA 6438 leading the way.

You can find the Complete consist here


CN 314 cleared the junction soon after the Hudson Bay went by, and then the CP northbound came through, with CP 3028 and 1128 pulling a relatively short train of about 15 cars. It had one unusual car, a depressed center QTTX car.

Soon enough CN 115 showed up, rolling by with CN 8885, CN 5675 and CN 5727 pulling a whopping 156 cars. 114/115 have junk cars at the head end before the containers, much like the former CN 148/149 did in the Maritimes.


Within 10 minutes another train rolled by. This was CN 198, fresh from Prince Rupert with a solid container train. I just stayed long enough to shoot the head end, CN 2542 and ex-BC Rail 4650.


By this time, both my video camera and still camera were complaining of low batteries (due to the cold). Time to leave!

Another New BNSF Unit in Winnipeg

A new (to Winnipeg) BNSF unit arrived on Wednesday (Feb 10), as reported by Jeff Keddy. I saw it Thursday noon at the BNSF yard off Taylor Avenue.

BNSF 2978 didn't last long! It arrived on January 5.

Three Railways Out Of Four

Here are videos of three of the four railways I saw on Tuesday.

First, the Hudson Bay.


Next, the CN local with slug 266 leading.


Finally, CP 1128 and 3028 going north on the La Riviere subdivision.

CP 3028 South

I happened to catch CP 3028 and 1128 bring a southbound freight across the diamond at St. James Junction today in Winnipeg. Here's the video.