Meeting Place

Late in the afternoon of February 29, I was rolling down Wilkes Avenue in Winnipeg to see if there were any trains about. As it happened, I overtook a westbound freight train (CN 301) with CN 5761 on the head end. I got ahead of them and shot them coming around the bend at Carman Junction.


Note the yellow-over-red Clear to Stop signal (rule 411) on the north track.

I jumped back into my car and headed west, intending to shoot them again somewhere near Diamond. I heard that another train was coming east so I headed to Hall Road just west of the Perimeter Highway. I pulled up near the crossing and jumped out to wait for the trains.

Hall Road is a good place to shoot eastbounds because it is wide open to the west. It is not good for westbounds because there are buildings close to the tracks on the south (sun) side. You have to step pretty close to the tracks to get a shot without all the junk on the right.... not safe when a train is coming! One could always cross the tracks and shoot from the north, but then you are shooting against the sun and that only works on cloudy days.

I saw that the signal facing the eastbound container train was a single flashing yellow light. If I'm correct, this is Advance Clear to Stop (rule 415) meaning the next signal is displaying Clear to Stop. The next signal for that train would be at St. James Junction so they had a few miles before having to stop.

Very soon the container train approached. It turns out this was CN 196, with CN 2264 on the head end.


Fortunately I was close enough to get the meet with my 55-250mm lens. I stepped in to get a few shots then retreated from the crossing before the train was too close.


I took off west to get one more shot of CN 5761 before giving up. As I headed out I saw CN 2335 pushing on the end of train 196, seen in between the cars of train 301.

Here's a closeup of CN 5761 approaching Diamond.


Grubby CN 2629 was the second unit behind 5761, and they had a GP38 as a third unit, CN 4790.

Here you can see they had a red-over-green-over-red signal. This one actually is Limited-to-Clear (rule 416), because there is an "L" plate on the signal mast.

Regina Sightings

I was in Regina, Saskatchewan a few weeks ago on vacation. I had a chance to get out and see trains a couple of times while I was there. On August 5, I visited the CP yard downtown as well as the CN yard off 1st Avenue. Photography is difficult at the CP yard so my shots are basically through the fence and not worth posting. Since CP's main yard is in Moose Jaw, the Regina yard is pretty small and doesn't have a lot of engines hanging around. There was a collection of GP9s, GP38s and an SD40 there, as well as an American crane.

Things were a little more interesting as I approached the CN yard. I was heading north on Winnipeg Street when I saw a four engine CN set at 1st Avenue. CN 2200, CN 5640, CN 4792 and CN 4797 were by themselves there. In retrospect I think they ran light from the CN yard and turned on the wye. I saw them heading for the CN yard so I gave chase. Fortunately they were running slowly and I got ahead of them, and shot this video as they crossed Broad Street.


I went to my favourite viewing spot, atop the berm at the north end of Connaught Street. I drew it in dark gray in the map.

Standing on top of the berm, you usually can see the whole yard. Unfortunately, a large string of grain cars was blocking the view the first time I was there. I returned later and got some decent shots from the berm.

One of my favourite engine types was present, with GMD1 CN 1439 parked near the crew building.


Two GP38s were also present, CN 4795 and 4790.


Old black caboose CN 79543 was there as well. I saw the graffiti "artists" have been vandalizing it.


I last saw this caboose in August 2008.

I'll post more about my Regina sightings later, including some interesting industrial engines.

August 16 in Regina

I spent some time railfanning in Regina in the afternoon. First, I went to the CN yard off 1st Avenue North. My son and I stood on the berm on the south side of the yard and watched the "choo choos". There was only one unit running around, CN 4790.


4790 was kicking cars in the yard. For those who don't know the term, "kicking" refers to the practice of sorting cars by rolling them through the yard without an engine attached. The engine and cars accelerate to a brisk walking speed, then the conductor on the ground uncouples the car while the engine stops. The "kicked" car or cars continue rolling on momentum down the track until they run out of speed or couple to the cars already in the yard. It's a faster way of sorting cars but I expect it can be a little hard on the cars.


My favourite little engines, the Canadian-only GMD1, were represented by 1438 and 1415.


There were two cabooses in the yard, red 79847 and odd black 79543.


CN 4791 and 4795 were also in the yard.

After we watched for a while, we went over to Dewdney Avenue to the CP yard. I shot a collection of units through the fence, though none of the pictures are really worth printing here. I saw CP 1611, CEFX 104, CP 3133, CP 1603, CP 6007, CP 1568, CP 3103, and CP 3049 as well as caboose CP 434412, as well as one rabbit.

While we were watching, we noticed a train rolling by on the main. I ran over and recorded it with my Canon through the fence. I apologize for the backlit video. I believe the units were CP 8849, CP 8830, CP 5972, CP 6023, CP 9014, and CP 9022.


After that, it was time to go to Chaplin, SK for a day.