CN Moves to Abandon Most of Newcastle Subdivision

CN detouring past the now closed UPM-Kymmene mill in Miramichi, May 2008.

CN has begun to abandon 139 miles of the Newcastle subdivision in New Brunswick. This stretch of track runs from Catamount (where it joins the CN main line at Pacific Junction) to Irvco (at Belledune). This track includes the communities of Bathurst, Miramichi and Rogersville, as well as the Nepisiguit Subdivision serving the Brunswick Mines.

CN purchased the Newcastle subdivision when they acquired the assets of the Quebec Railway Corporation in November 2008, including the New Brunswick East Coast Railway that operated this portion of track. At the time, many wondered why CN would be interested in a line that did not seem to have any growth potential. Now it seems CN is wondering the same thing.

CN was talking about abandoning this track about a year ago. Now the news articles say CN is looking for $50 million to maintain service. I assume this is deferred maintenance on the track.

The current shippers on the affected portion of the line include the Brunswick Mines (slated to close soon), Ultramar in Newcastle, the lumber mill on the Nepisiguit subdivision, and probably a few small shippers. The CBC article says CN has 12-15 customers on the line.

Of course, VIA Rail would be affected, since they run over this line. VIA has made some hints recently that they could consider running over the Edmundston-Moncton CN line instead. Obviously they had prior knowledge of this announcement.

Opinion: Obviously I think this would be a tremendous loss for the province and the area. Rail lines provide a vital link in the transportation infrastructure of this country and once they are gone, they don't come back. Even if there is insufficient traffic at the moment to sustain the line, it could come back and without rails it would have to travel on our roads.

The provincial government has already stated it will not purchase the line, but is willing to "work with" other parties. I know the province is already deeply in debt, and it has never supported railways in the province in any meaningful way, other than a meager contribution to NB Southern's maintenance in 2009. Colour me bitter but nobody should expect any significant help from the provincial government, even though they should help out.

The only possibility of saving this line, as far as I can see, is for someone like J.D. Irving to step in and purchase it. From afar, I do not see a good business case for them to purchase the line but they were able to make a go of the old CP lines, so there may be efficiencies they can bring that CN cannot.

Let's cross our fingers and hope for some solution to retain the rails.

Video - CN on Nepisiguit Subdivision

David Chiasson posted a great video of CN power running the ore train on the Nepisiguit Subdivision. CN 5342 and 5251 provided the power. Well worth watching!

CN 4483

I bought this slide off eBay a while ago, and wanted to share it with you. This shows extra 4483 West at Gloucester, NB just south of Nepisiguit Junction outside Bathurst. You can tell it is an extra train by the white flags on the lead unit. However, the slide says it was train #393.

CN 4483 was a GP9, built as CN 2012 in 1955 and quickly renumbered to 4483 in 1956. It was rebuilt in 1984 and became CN 4036, which is its current number. (thanks to the CN Lines CNcylopedia)

NBEC-CN Videos

The NBEC/CFMG SD40 units are still running on the mainline freights on the former Quebec Railway Corporation territories. Here are two videos from NBEC69 and one from David Chiasson. First, NBEC69's videos.

On Sunday December 7, CFMG 6903, NBEC 6905 and CN 5260 ran through Rimouski.


The same units again, in a different location.


Finally, because I love them so much, here's David's video showing NBEC RS-18s 1866 and 1814 powering the ore train through Nepisiguit Junction back on May 6, 2007. Listen to the squeal of metal on metal as they go through the curve!

Farewell

Nicolas Kiss reported today that NBEC train 402 left Campbellton at 09:30 hrs with CFMG 6903, NBEC 6901, CN 9402, CN 9513, and CN 9461. The CN units are GP40-2L(W), which will replace the RS18s on the Brunswick Mines-Belledune turn, and the Bathurst switcher.

This means there are no Alcos running on the NBEC any more. :(

History-minded railfans will note that GP40s used to be on the Brunswick Mines-Belledune turn, as evidenced by CN 9457 and 9548's presence on the runaway train of March 9, 1987.

NBEC Videos

David Chiasson has been posting some NBEC videos... get those Alcos while you can!

Here's NBEC 1835 at Nepisiguit Junction with the Bathurst local train 597.


Next, the ore train 586 at the first highway 430 crossing on the Nepisiguit Subdivision on September 10, 2008. The power was NBEC 1849 and NBEC 1821. The sunset on the side of the train is nice.


Finally, the ore train 586 at the second highway 430 crossing on the Nepisiguit Subdivision. The power was CFQC 3000, NBEC 1819 and NBEC 1849.


There aren't many chances to get video of the MLWs any more. I saw three RS18s in Belledune on Thursday but I didn't have a chance to take any shots.

Video of NBEC Ore Train

David Chiasson has posted a nice video of NBEC 587 on its way to Brunswick Mines. Here are NBEC 1849 and 1821 pulling a solid block of blue ore cars along the Nepisiguit Subdivision on September 10, 2008.

New VIA Videos

Here are two clips I took on May 26, when I was in the Bathurst area.

First, VIA 15, led by Loto-Quebec 6414, comes to a stop at Nepisiguit Junction so the crew can reline the switch to the Nepisiguit Subdivision. The NBEC ore train usually leaves the switch against VIA as they proceed up the sub. There were quite a few bugs around at that time of night.


Next, the same train leaving Bathurst. Less bugs this time!


Finally, the next day (May 27) I caught VIA 14 leaving Bathurst with the Telus unit 6429 on point.

CN Detour, Day 1, Evening

My evening started off with a great find. As I left Belledune I heard the EOT device chirp on the scanner at 17:52, so I beat it for the west end of the Belledune siding. As I approached the crossing the lights came on, and I just had time to jump out and take one snapshot before CN 121 was blasting by.


Then I took video with the Canon S3.


Michel Boudreau shot it just before me, in Bathurst threading its way through the yard. 121 had CN 2560 and 2645 for power. It was reported into Campbellton just after 20:00.


As I approached Bathurst, I heard NBEC 402 (with 6904 for power) getting an OCS clearance (22 loads, 5 empties, 2797 tons, 1927 feet). I thought that very odd because I saw 6904 in Miramichi in the morning! I'm guessing that NBEC turned 402 in Bathurst rather than have it proceed all the way to Miramichi, and had 6904 bring the northbound traffic up and take the southbound traffic down. That would also explain the empty Ultramar tank train in Bathurst yard tonight, which would normally never dwell in Bathurst.

ANYway, I drove over 402 on highway 11 at 18:21, then took the next exit and beat it for Nepisiguit Junction. I was there a minute before 402 showed up. They were talking about going into the siding at Bartibog.

I went back to the yard and saw NBEC 586 making up its train. At 19:14 they left for the Nepisiguit Subdivision. They had 9 loads, 50 empties, 3320 tons, and were 2830 feet long.


I taped it with my weenie tripod right on the bridge members. It was a little precarious.


At 19:32 NBEC 586 reported it was on the Nepisiguit Sub, and at 19:40 NBEC 402 reported that it left Bartibog.

VIA 15, the Ocean, arrived in Bathurst in fairly heavy rain at 20:09 with VIA 6410 leading.


I had a tip later on that CN 123 was coming, so I went down to the station and saw them come through at 22:32. CN 123 had CN 5704, IC 2462, CN 4775, and another GP38 for power.

On to day 2

NBEC and CFC videos, with a twist

Michel R posted a video of NBEC 586, the ore train, leaving Bathurst in the evening for the Brunswick Mines site on the Nepisiguit subdivision. The train had NBEC 1868 and NBEC 1819 with 10 of the short ore cars (345xxx series), 12 CN covered gondolas, and 3 AOK covered hoppers.


This one from Nicober100 is a little different! It features a Microsoft Train Simulator view of former NBEC 4214 on the Chemin de Fer de Charlevoix (CFC) with two LLPX GP-15 units.

As I blogged earlier it appears 4214 has gone to another Quebec Railway Corporation line.

Self-Doubt and "Oh, Crap!"

Every railfan has their moments of self-doubt, and their "oh, crap!" moments. I had both tonight in Bathurst.

New Brunswick East Coast Railway's ore train 586 from Bathurst to Brunswick Mines comes on duty at 18:00. I was at the NBEC yard at 16:10 and nothing was going on. Two NBEC MLW RS-18s were down in the yard and NBEC 1851 was dead by the station. I figured I had some time, so I went over to East Bathurst to look at the Smurfit Stone facility. While I was there, I heard train 586's crew bring their train out onto the main and then call the RTC. "Oh, crap! I'm out of position!"

I had hoped to get them at the iron bridge near highway 11, but that was clearly out of the question. I decided to head for Nepisiguit Junction, as I knew they would have to stop to line the switch for the Nepisiguit Subdivision. I headed to the end of Smith? Court and jogged the last few feet into the wye at the Junction. Soon I heard them rumble around the corner and pull up to the switch. Give the conductor credit, he lined that switch so fast that the train stopped for a mere 25 seconds.


At 18:56 train 586 rolled onto the Nepisiguit Subdivision with NBEC 1868 and 1821 leading 14 CN covered gondolas and 5 AOK covered hoppers.

I resolved to try different locations than last Thursday's chase. I did get him at the first highway 430 crossing at 19:03, albeit only with video.

I took a side video shot at 19:07 to show some of the pretty colours coming out.

I decided to go behind the Blue Mountain? racetrack and get him coming around the corner there, rather than take the second highway 430 crossing. It was a pretty good location but there's not a lot of room to step back from the train there. The light was really starting to fail at 19:14.


I took one more side video shot a few minutes later just before the track went away from the road. I decided to give up the chase, as the light was getting pretty bad, and go to Nepisiguit Junction to wait for VIA 15.

I got to the overpass over the Junction by 19:40 and set up my tripod on the overpass. There is lots of room to shoot westbound trains there without fear of cars. I waited.. as the light went away. Soon I snapped the "night shot" feature on my video camera to have some hope of shooting anything, and waited..

Here was my moment of self doubt. Did I miss the train? Was it early coming into Bathurst? No, that couldn't be, because I heard nothing on the scanner. But where was it? I hate those moments.

After 40 minutes of waiting, VIA 15 showed up at 20:16 in the near dark. I taped them coming, and used my Canon S3 to record them going away:


They had to stop to reline the switch at the west end of the junction, so I got to the VIA station ahead of them. They rolled in at 20:29. I went to the head end and tried a few time exposures of the engine. I think I did it a bit too long. What do you think?


They rolled on out at 20:35 with 6415, Operation Lifesaver 6411 and 16 Renaissance cars with Assiniboine Park at the end.

Oh, and this morning VIA 14 arrived in Miramichi at 10:09 and left at 10:16 with 6400, 6417, 7011, 7223 and 14 other Renaissance cars plus ReveLstoKe Park.

Northern New Brunswick

Today I went to the Bathurst area, and fortunately saw a few trains along the way.

CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 in Miramichi

In Miramichi CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 provided the yard power, while NBEC 6900 sat at the back of the yard.

I had just exited highway 8 onto route 360 when I heard VIA 14 tell the RTC that they just arrived at Bathurst. I stopped here where the railway crosses 360 and waited a few minutes until VIA 14 showed up. It passed at 09:14 with VIA 6400 and 6417 leading a Renaissance train, with Revelstoke Park bringing up the rear.

VIA 14 at the route 360 crossing, September 2007

By the way, what's up with the weird lettering on Revelstoke Park? Did VIA run out of lower-case stencils?

ReveLstoKe Park at route 360

Later, I heard NBEC 403 arriving at Bathurst at 17:00. They did some shunting, then left quite quickly at 17:35 or so. I handily beat them to Beresford and taped them there at 17:43. They had NBEC 6901, CFMG 6907, CFQC 3000 and NBEC 1819 as power. I guess 402 must have brought a new pair of RS-18s down to Miramichi.

NBEC 6901 leading train 403 through Beresford, NB, September 2007

The train had the usual mix of boxcars, tank cars, wood chip loads, loaded lumber cars, covered hoppers, CN covered gondolas, and the inevitable 17-car ram of Ultramar tank cars for a total of 63 cars (33 loads, 30 empties).

CN tank train in Beresford, NB

Back at Bathurst, NBEC 586 was ready to go to Brunswick Mines by 18:40 with MLW RS-18s 1868 and 1821 on the point. Since I was going that way anyway, why not do a little chase?

They crossed route 430 the first time at 19:00. You can see the shadows were getting really long. I really like this shot - I just wish it was brighter tonight.

NBEC 1868 on the Nepisiguit Subdivision

I got them next at 19:05 at Sewell Road, although I think the video turned out much better than the stills did.

NBEC 1868 and 1821

A quick run down the road got me to the next highway crossing just before the train did, so I just took stills at 19:10.

NBEC 1868

My last catch was a few km up the road, at a private crossing just before the track and the road part ways. At 19:18 the sun was pretty much below the horizon.

NBEC 1868

Train 586 had 15 blue NBEC ore cars, 26 covered CN gondolas, and 5 AOK covered hoppers.

Here's a short video of the train.

In case you feel nostalgic, you can read about my last visit to the Nepisiguit on July 17, 2006.

Just One More Thing

A few Alco/MLW books:

• Alco Official Color Photography
• The Diesel Builders Vol 2 - Alco and MLW
• Alco Locomotives

Budd VIA 14 April 22

drc35ca has posted a really good video of VIA 14 going through Nepisiguit Junction on April 22. The camera work is great and he chose a great angle.

Nepisiguit Subdivision Railfanning

I'm dying to write about the extra-special train 402 I saw today, but I promised to write about train 586. A promise is a promise.

As I previously wrote, I chased train 587 (Bathurst-Belledune turn) from Belledune to Bathurst, where it magically became train 586 (Belledune-Mines turn) through the wonder of railroading.

At about 18:15 I dashed down to my favourite spot on Little River Road where the bridge goes over the tracks, figuring 586 would be along shortly. I waited.. and waited. I heard 403 doing all kinds of switching but nothing from 586.

I finally saw 586's headlights at 19:10 but then THEY started doing some switching. I believe 403 was headed to Campbellton by this time. David Chiasson arrived (we met back in September 2005) and informed me that I was way too early. I got that! ;) I guess it's typical that 586 goes to Nepisiguit Junction around 19:30, just before VIA 15 comes through.

I heard 586 do its brake test at 19:25 and get its TOP (what's that stand for, anyway?) at 19:30. Soon afterward they started rolling, and they passed underneath us at 19:42.

Love that Alco smoke!


David turned into a tour guide and led me on a merry chase up the Nepisiguit Subdivision. I had never railfanned that portion of NBEC so I was quite happy to be led by someone who knew where to go.

We stopped at mile 1.17, the first crossing on the subdivision. While we waited for the train, some jackass stopped at the lights, looked at the train, then squealed his tires and took off as the train thundered closer. I only wish I had the license plate number.


Anyway, here's the train. I imagine the engineer was laughing at me standing waist-deep in long wet grass. Anything to get a picture!


Our next spot was near Sewell Street at about mile 3.5. I really like this location as the train is raised a little from the rest of the landscape.


The next shot was the next highway crossing at mile 3.89, aka "Blue Mountain". There's a racetrack, Blue Mountain Speedway, just beyond this crossing. I bet you can see the train well from the stands.

I like the urgency in this shot, especially with the motion blur on 1867.

Our final location was at about 4.5 as the train pounded up the hill at ever-increasing speed. David told me they were difficult to catch after this so we made this the final one. One more shot of Alco smoke.


We went our separate ways after this, and shortly thereafter the skies opened up and dumped a lake on Bathurst. I'm glad the rain held off until the railfanning was done!

Thanks for showing me around, David! You can see David's photos on railpictures.net.