Branchline Goodness

I was heading home on Wednesday afternoon when I heard two different CP freights ask the CN RTC (Rail Traffic Controller) for permission to cross the CN Rivers subdivision. How is that possible?

Well, if you look at the Rivers subdivision, you will see that CP crosses it in four different places!

1. Mile 4.8 - CP La Riviere subdivision at St. James Junction
2. Mile 14.3 - CP Glenboro subdivision at Diamond
3. Mile 56.2 - CP Carberry subdivision at West Tower in Portage la Prairie
4. Mile 237.2 - CP Yarbo subdivision at Code

My scanner is pretty good but it won't hear anything from Portage la Prairie when I'm in Winnipeg!

I was a few kilometres from Diamond but I figured I'd better give it a shot to catch one of the rare Glenboro freights. As it happened, I was there in plenty of time to set up the tripod and take video and photos.

CP 5957 was leading a short freight northward / eastward. I took a few shots "into" the sun as they approached.


I tweaked the heck out of the above photo. I think I went overboard on the sky and it is too blue. I might have another go at it later. It's hard to shoot toward the sun like this and not end up with A) the sky blown out to white, or B) the ground becoming very dark. Landscape photographers will use multiple exposures and HDR but you can't do that with a moving train!

Here's a closeup of the lead engine, CP 5957, as it approached the road crossing.




The trailing engine was CP 6022.


I've only seen two other freights on the Glenboro sub, one in January 2010 and the other in July 2010.

VIA Accident in Ontario

VIA train 92 derailed in southern Ontario at speed at about 3:30 PM today, and in the ensuing crash, three VIA Rail engineers lost their lives. I feel terrible for their families and friends.

CBC is reporting that the train was carrying 75 people when it derailed. VIA 6444, the only engine, toppled over and appears to have extensive cab damage. It appears to me that there were five LRC cars and three of them went over on their sides, with the lead car striking a building. VIA Rail is reporting that three passengers were airlifted to hospital, and 42 passengers and a fourth VIA engineer were taken to local hospitals.

The accident appears to have happened near here. The Globe and Mail has some aerial video and this aerial photo:

Aerial photo of VIA 92 crash, from Globe and Mail online article

The National Post has some large high resolution photos of the scene.

Walter Pfefferle has a photo of VIA 6444 from February 15. I only saw it once, on November 17 2011 here in Winnipeg.


My condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy. It's a somber reminder of the dangers that train crews face every day.

EDIT: CBC reported that the three engineers who died were Ken Simmonds, age 56; Peter Snarr, age 52; and trainee Patrick Robinson, age 40. Mr. Simmonds and Mr. Snarr were based in Toronto and Mr. Robinson was from Cornwall. The first two engineers were long time VIA veterans, and Mr. Robinson was an experienced engineer but had only been with VIA since last October.

Meet Me In The Middle of the Day

Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say, everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say, everything's all right
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
  -- Romeo's Tune, Steve Forbert


Here's a meet that occurred in the middle of the (Thurs)day. I went out to shoot the Canadian and when I arrived there, I saw that a freight was approaching from the west. I set up my video camera and then shot a few photos of CN 106 approaching.


The engine is on top of Kenaston Boulevard / Route 90. Note my gloves and my scanner lying in the snow. I have to figure out a way to hang the scanner from the tripod.

They passed me on the north track and then slowed down and finally stopped.


I waited and was rewarded with the sight of VIA 1 in the distance through the blowing snow.


Another friendly VIA crew!


Here's a long shot as they went away. I'm really liking my Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS lens. It's much better than the Canon 75-300mm - well worth the extra hundred bucks.


After VIA passed, CN 106 started up again. I amused myself by taking this pan shot of CN 2252, the only DPU engine on the train. I liked how the snow went all streaky.


That was it for the noon meet... but I witnessed another meet later in the day. Next post!

Improve Your Kit Lens

This is a very simple way to improve the performance of your Canon kit lens.

Did I say performance? I meant appearance.

:)

Canadian Sunrise

I stumbled across this video by Dormitator1 of VIA 693 (the Hudson Bay) idling in The Pas, Manitoba. Check out the car on the end of the train!


Anyone have any information on this car? I see Canadian Sunrise is numbered HBRY 800576.

SD60s in the Snow

First off, I must apologize for not blogging as much recently. I have a little back problem these days and I'm trying to limit my computer time a bit, so the blogging suffers. Hopefully things will improve soon.

I have been seeing trains, and I wanted to share this one from February 16. I went to St. James Junction to see if I could see a train, and sure enough a freight was visible to the west through the falling snow. A CN crew were looking at the diamond, and after saying hello to me they took up positions on both sides to inspect the train.

The lead unit was CN 5538, followed by CN 2727, then another SD60, CN 5508.


I was idly standing by, doing my own rollby inspection, when this car came rolling by. I managed to take a few snaps of this artwork.


IC 799789 appeared to be bearing a likeness of Willie Nelson. I don't know a lot about railway, but this one was done by "Theory" from the FR80PHILE gang.

Near the end of the train, there was a series of shiny new TILX tank cars. They appear to have been built around April 2011 so they are pretty new. These cars were carrying some kind of combustible liquid, according to the 1993 placard. It's a class 3 flammable liquid which means it has a fairly low flash point = easy to ignite.


There were also a few Interstate Asphalt cars, carrying... asphalt. Interstate Asphalt supplies the Chicago area with asphalt, so these cars had a fair distance yet to go. Maybe they came from the tar sands area in Alberta?

Saint Valentine's Train

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On Valentine's Day I caught one train out near Diamond in mid afternoon. Here's the story, in pictures. First I shot CN 2626 at a distance as they approached. There was a CN maintenance crew out and about in two hi-rail pickups as well as a Pettibone vehicle. Here the train passes the second pickup.


As the train passed, I took a panning shot of CN 2626. CN 8811 was the second unit on this long train.


I amused myself by taking some more pan shots. Here's a Golden West Service boxcar behind an old Union Pacific boxcar. I believe Golden West Service was a boxcar service sponsored by Southern Pacific and a few major shippers.


The train passed my location, and I saw a Pettibone vehicle coming my way on the north track, carrying a freshly-cut piece of rail. I'm pretty sure it was a Pettibone Speed Swing.


Here's a close look at CN 438-01. "NO RIDERS" indeed.


The vehicle stopped a few times, I think to drop and/or pick up rail, and each time it puffed out some smoke when it started up again.


I hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

NB Southern Update

There are some good photos and video available of the new NB Southern leased power now, plus a few run-through engines!

Jody Robinson sent me these two snaps from McAdam, NB from Sunday February 12. First up are two run-through engines, MEC 380 and 381. Both of these engines are GP40s but MEC 380 is unusual as it is a high-hood GP40. You can't see that from this photo, alas.


Also on the freight were the two leased SD40-2 engines, HLCX 6200 and HLCX 6318. You can see that they now have the bay windows fitted. I think they give a bit more visibility and are warmer than the standard windows. 6318 has her nose chevron stripes now.


Jody says that traffic on the St. Stephen subdivision has picked up quite a bit, with a daily train every weekday with good size trains to St. Stephen and the Woodland mill in Maine. Good news. Thanks Jody for the news and the photos.

Matt aka Saintjohnrailfan got out to Enniskillen today to catch the westbound freight. As it happens, it had HLCX 6318 on the point with the aforementioned MEC 380 second and NBSR 2319 trailing. You can catch a glimpse of the high hood on 380. Great snow action!


Dave Dineen aka NBSRfan was out on February 9 to shoot both the eastbound and westbound freights. Each train had one of the leased Helm SD40s on it. It's a typical quality video from Dave.


It kinda makes me want to be back in New Brunswick to shoot the mean green trains!

February 5

We spent last weekend in Fargo, North Dakota doing some shopping. I did not have any time for railfanning while in Fargo, which is too bad because Fargo has a lot of BNSF action. I did see one BNSF caboose... woo. ;)

On the way home, though, I saw one BNSF train, led by BNSF 4901 and BNSF 4151. It was between Fargo and Grand Forks.

Once we passed through Canadian Customs (a 35 minute wait) we were on the road for home... until about 3 minutes later when I spotted CN 532 approaching the border. I pulled over and took a series of shots as the train rolled past. SD60 CN 5503 led the train with ex-BNSF CN 2145 trailing.


The sunset colours were pretty good. I spotted the moon over the tracks and grabbed this shot of the engines under the moon.

Busy Times at St. James Junction

I went out on Thursday, February 9, to shoot the Canadian at St. James Junction. There was another vehicle there already, with two railfans in it, brothers I have met before. We had a brief chat but it was interrupted by two trains arriving at once - BNSF 2968 returning from Fort Rouge and a CP local train heading north on the La Riviere subdivision. I chose to focus on the CP train and saw old friend CP 8251 leading.


It is challenging to shoot a northbound CP train here as the sun is over the engineer's shoulder. Of course I also got the shadow of the signal protecting the diamond on the engine... sigh.

Here's the video of the same train.


I chatted for a bit in the cold and finally saw headlights coming from the east. There was the Canadian, maybe 10 minutes late.


As the train passed, I shot each car to record the consist in my database. I quite liked my shot of the Skyline car, VIA 8504, and turned it into a black-and-white shot.




VIA 1 quickly receded into the distance and I hit the road.

January 3

I'm way behind in posting this, but better late than never, right? Right?

On January 3 I went to St. James Junction in Winnipeg to try to shoot the Hudson Bay, er, I mean VIA's "Winnipeg-Churchill train" VIA 693. What a dull name!

There were two other railfans there already, VanBilly and another gentleman whose name I never got. Nothing much was going on so we chatted for a bit. Soon the CEMR train came along, heading west toward their Carman subdivision. CEMR 4002 and CCGX 5232 were the power.


Here's VanBilly's video.


Soon after that, the BNSF transfer train came back from Fort Rouge. New-to-Winnipeg engine BNSF 2968 was on the point.


Here's VanBilly's video of the same train. I think you might see my shadow in the shot at one point.


Right after that, a CN freight came rolling east. I think it was CN 404 but I could be wrong. It had an interesting consist on the front end. CN 8892 was the lead unit, a fairly boring SD70M-2, very common these days.


There was a bit of an editorial comment on the frame of CN 8892...


The second unit was one of my favourites, an SD60, CN 5526, in "sergeant stripes".


The real catch was the third unit, an SD40, CN 6008, in CN North America livery!


I had to leave after that, so I never did see the Hudson Bay. I don't know why they were so late!

EDIT: Added VanBilly1's videos.

Recent Shots

Here's a few recent shots.

First, a long distance shot of two CP switchers working the Spectra Energy plant at the Perimeter Highway on January 26.


I believe that location is part of the Natural Gas Liquids pipeline that brings propane (and perhaps other liquids) from the Burstall, SK production facility to various points in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The product is loaded into railcars and trucks for distribution. The facility is on CP's La Riviere subdivision around mile 12.

Moving on, here's an eastbound train west of Winnipeg on January 31. CN 2632 approaches the curve just west of Diamond outside Winnipeg.


The crew of the train looked curiously at me as they rounded the bend.


I hopped into my car after the head end passed and caught up with them before mile 10. They had crossed over from the south to the north track at Diamond and that slowed them down enough for me to pass them. Here they are just east of mile 10.


It's nice to see those red, white and blue BC Rail units still around!

EMD London Shut Down

One of EMD's fine products, an SD70M-2 outside Winnipeg.


You may remember that Caterpillar locked its London, Ontario workers out of the EMD locomotive plant after they refused the "last" contract offer. Caterpillar has now decided to shut the plant down and cease production of locomotives at the London, Ontario plant, and move production to their Muncie, Indiana plant.

It is probably no coincidence that Indiana just passed a right-to-work law essentially bypassing unions. It is now unlikely that a union will form at the Muncie plant.

The former workers continue to picket the plant.

EDIT: Local Mark's Work Warehouse stores pulled CAT boots from the shelves in support of the ex-EMD workers, and the Canadian Auto Workers union is talking about occupying the plant.

Whither the Chaleur?

I'm quite concerned about the future of VIA's Chaleur train. The Chaleur has been terminating at Matapedia, Quebec for more than a month.

First the bridge over the Grand-Pabos River in Chandler was condemned on December 14, forcing the Chaleur to turn at New Carlisle. Then the bridge at St. Jules / Cascapedia was condemned on December 22. That's this bridge, by the way.


That bridge is between Matapedia and New Carlisle, so since December 22 the Chaleur has been terminating at Matapedia and passengers have been bused the rest of the way. There's a VIA press release about this.

Did you know there are 95 bridges on the route? When I was last there I would bet that at least 80% of them had a 10 MPH slow order on them. That gives you an idea of the condition of the line.

The Gaspésie Railway (Société du chemin de fer de la Gaspésie), owners of the line from Matapedia to Gaspé, have asked all levels of government for additional funding to repair the railway, to the tune of $19 million per year for the next five years (press release, news story).

This article says the bridges should be fixed by mid-February at the latest. There is an interesting photo in the article showing three Rio Tinto passenger cars led by an ex-NBEC RS-18 being brought to Gaspésie Diesel for work.

The odd thing is that VIA is booking coach and sleeper space on the Chaleur on ReserVIA. They do have a note that the train will be replaced by bus between Matapedia and Gaspé on February 2 and 3.

Special thanks to VIA Guru Tom Box for all his informative posts on CanPassRail!

From happier times, here are some photos of the Chaleur provided by Bob Liming, who had the opportunity to ride the train twice, in October and November 2011. Just in time!

Here's VIA 6457 at the station in Gaspé in October.


And from the rear...


Now this is November with VIA 6426. Note the masts behind the train from the marina.


 You may remember that some idiot tried to burn the station down back in early 2011. VIA has been using a trailer for the station since then. It's just visible on the right.


Here's Bob himself standing in front of the station. Thanks for the photos!

Minnesota's Railroads

I found a very interesting web site on Minnesota's railroads, the Minnesota Regional Railroads Association. There are a lot of railways in Minnesota - Class 1 railroads like BNSF, CN, CP, Union Pacific; and also a number of shortlines.

The site has a map of Minnesota rail lines as well as a very good PDF describing Minnesota's railroads.

CN Derailment

Here's a few photos from the past week or so.

First off, here's a train parked on the north track of the CN Rivers subdivision around mile 10.5 on January 25th. For that matter, it was there on the 26th too.


Why? Well... there was this little wee derailment on CN at Fabyan a little west of Wainwright, Alberta. 17 cars fell off a high bridge and closed the mainline for several days. During this time, CN sent some traffic over their north line and also over CP. They also parked a number of trains in anticipation of the line opening. VIA turned the Canadian at Edmonton and Winnipeg and either flew or bussed the passengers in between.

This train had CN 8938 and ex-BNSF CN 2152 on the head end.


Back a ways was CN 2227 and CN 8861 as DPU engines, idling away. 2227 was smoking away. I wonder how much fuel was burned by this train as it sat there, idling.


If I had to guess, I'd say this was CN 347 but it's just a guess.

The Fabyan bridge is here. It's quite an impressive structure. I mean, it's no Salmon River but it's big enough.

The bridge was reopened at 05:40 on Friday January 27 and the traffic started flowing again.