CN 149 at Cantor

Today I decided to do something different and try to railfan CN, rather than the usual NBSR. I loaded the two youngest kids in the van and we headed toward Chipman, leaving Fredericton a little after 10 AM. I figured we had a chance to catch CN 149.

We arrived at Cantor (Hardwood Ridge) at about 10:50. I noticed the east-facing signals were showing green over red, and the west-facing signals were red over red. I parked and started setting up to tape the westbound train that was coming. Suddenly I heard someone say "CN Cantor" on the scanner, so I knew the train was imminent. I finished setting up the tripod, put the video camera on it, and prepared to take some shots.

Suddenly I heard the blast of CN 149's horns as she rounded the corner at the highway 10 crossing.


CN 2200 and 2529 led a long train past me.


And just like that, it was over. I decided to proceed to Chipman anyway, just in case something else came along. The only thing I saw in Chipman was this MOW thingie:


We had a nice lunch at a diner in Chipman, then I drove around a bit. I found this vantage point near a park on highway 123 that offers a good view of the Chipman bridge.


On our way back, I checked the signals at Hardwood Ridge and they were all red.

December 29, 2002

I would post this tomorrow but I won't be near a computer.

Tomorrow, December 29, marks four years since my father, my son and I went to Cantor, N.B. to look at a railway bridge.


My dad had been looking at a contour map of the area and noticed that there must be a bridge at the west end of Cantor siding, near Hardwood Ridge, just north of Minto. He asked me if I was interested in going to look at it, and of course I was. We tried a few different dates, but finally went on December 29. My wife was 8 months pregnant with my daughter, so she stayed home with my mother while my dad, my son and I went out on a cool December day.

We parked near the highway and made the long walk through the snow to the west end of the siding. The siding itself has a gentle curve near the east end.


It was 8150 feet long, according to the 1980/06/08 CN timetable. I remember it being a long walk!

Finally we reached the west end and saw the bridge. It was worth the trip.


According to the builder's plate, it was built in 1909 by the Structural Steel Company Ltd. of Montreal. Of course it was part of the National Transcontinental Railway, before that was acquired by CN.

After taking numerous photos, we were ready to head back when we heard a hum in the distance. We quickly decided an eastbound train was coming, so we waited to see it. Those of you more observant than I was would have noted the green signal facing west we were standing beside.

At 15:30 what I believe was CN 308 came through with SD50s CN 5446 and 5439 on the point with 50 cars. I taped them going by and I remember the wind of their passage buffeting me as they roared by at track speed. My dad took a few snapshots; I'll have to post them when I scan them in.

The video is here.


All too soon, it was gone:


I still remember that trip very fondly.

See you in a couple of weeks.