The Pelletier Subdivision, Part 2

Continuing from the last post, we were at Riviere-Blue in Quebec awaiting the arrival of CN 308. We were not disappointed, as she rolled through at 12:25 Eastern with IC 2717, dirty black IC 1020, blue BCR 4652, CN 5648, and red-white-and-blue BCR 4608 leading a long long train.


After a dozen or so freight cars went by, we jumped in the car and beat it out of town. Alas, they got past CN 121 at Tarte and to the highway crossing before us. It was close but of course safety comes first so I stopped at the crossing, got out and gave them the railfan rollby inspection. Once the long train passed, we pursued and this time I got to the highway crossing well ahead of them at Long Lake. We elected to jump out just out of town to get this shot across the lake.


Once again in pursuit, we crossed the border ahead of them and got one side-of-the-road shot just short of Lac Baker. We then hurried ahead to Lac Baker to get the church shot. I was literally slapping the tripod up and turning the video camera on as the train rolled into view at 14:05 Atlantic... it was a close thing.



This time I shot the whole train, since time was running short and I didn't intend to pursue any more.

As it happens, they beat us to the next highway crossing and then we passed them as we entered Edmundston on our way home.

CN Detour, Days 2 and 3 and over

I heard nothing in Bathurst Friday morning, except for NBEC train 587 getting ready to go to Belledune in the rain.

NBEC 1868 and 1821 were the power, except they kept having problems with 1821. They pulled out of the yard at 06:50, with 1868 pulling her heart out. They stopped soon afterward and pushed back into the yard, and I believe they doubled the train from Bathurst to Belledune. I heard a horn blow at 09:10 in Belledune so that was probably them.

I heard nothing in Bathurst Friday evening, either. I headed down to Miramichi, and as I approached I heard someone talking about a hot wheel on the 136th car. Since NBEC doesn't run trains that large in Miramichi, it had to be a CN detour. It turned out to be CN 308. The head end was stopped just short of the UPM-Kymmene mill, and the tail end was just out of the NBEC yard. The power was CN 8807, CN 5414, and IC 6058.



21:40ish VIA 15 met CN 122 at Irvco (Belledune)

May 3:
01:15 CN 122 through Rogersville with 2550 and 2621
06:20 CN 120 through Tide Head, passed by VIA 14 in Campbellton

That was the last train of the detour, as CN's main line is now open.

Back to the start

Video of CN 308 today

Here's the video of CN 308 that I made today at Deersdale, N.B.

CN Derailment

There has been a derailment on CN's Pelletier Subdivision. As a result of this derailment, CN trains that normally travel between the Maritimes and Montreal and points west are not able to pass.

From Ron Pelletier: "The derailment occured near Riviere Bleu around 16:00 [Sunday] near Route 289 and a Camping site (Domaine Drapeau). Some 25 cars are off the track and apparently damage to a building(camp) and a few automobiles, no injuries."

Some trains have begun detouring on NBEC/CFMG's rails (the former Intercolonial route). CN 308 (Toronto-Dartmouth freight) left Joffre, Quebec at 05:00 local time and will be detouring. UPDATED - no detours planned at this time.

Two trains are stopped in Moncton, as reported by Wendell Lemon at 10:30 this morning. One train has CN 5515, BCOL 762, CN 2632. The other is led by CN 5689. There is more power in the yard. They are likely CN 121, 149 and 305.