Quick Veteran Train photos

The train approaching Amherst. As you can see, it didn't quite fit in the frame.


The train crossing the Tantramar Marsh on its way to Sackville.


The tail end leaving Onslow just outside Truro.

More pictures and the chase description coming soon!

Video editing

I've been doing some video editing tonight for an upcoming yet-to-be-titled DVD. It will feature VIA's Ocean and Bras d'Or trains in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It is being done as a fund-raiser for the Canadian Railroad Historical Association (NB Division). Most of it will be my own footage, but David Othen has kindly donated footage, including all of the Bras d'Or footage.

Tentatively, these are the clips that will be on the DVD:

• VIA from Halifax to Campbellton
• VIA at Night
• VIA in the Snow
• The Bras d'Or
  

The Night and Snow ones are done. Tonight I finished the Bras d'Or footage and now I'm getting the last couple of clips ready for the big cross-Maritimes clip.

I hope to have it ready by the end of November. After that, I have to figure out how to market it... a challenge for another day.

Railfanning equipment

Here's the list of stuff I'm going to bring with me on the upcoming chase of VIA's Veteran Train:

• digital video camera
• digital still camera
• tripod
• spare batteries
• cellphone
• Trackside Guide
• snacks

I often borrow a scanner, but the person who I borrow it from will be in the same car, so... no need for that.

I would bring a map but I'll be with three other experienced railfans, so I think we'll do fine for navigation.

What's your railfanning equipment? Comment here!

Veteran's Train assembling

I'm told the first few extra cars for the November 9 Veteran's Train arrived in Halifax Friday on VIA 14. The rest of the extra cars will come on Monday November 7 on VIA 14 as well. They are coming with the stainless consist.

I will be chasing the Veteran's Train on Wednesday. Pictures and video to follow, of course!

Train Sightings in Saint John

Some train sightings in Saint John...

09:55 Leased CN 7000 was working the transloading facility near Harbour Station. NBSR 3702 and 3703 were pulling a string of doublestacks and CN ballast cars out of the Island Yard by Harbour Station.

CN 5693, 5717 and 2564 were in the yard.

11:10 CN 5693, 5717 and 2564 ran light through the wye in East Saint John heading toward the potash terminal.
11:45 Those three came back through the wye with about 25 empty potash cars.

VIA 14 in Moncton

VIA 14 arrived in Moncton at 12:36 with VIA 6431 and 6403 leading a Ren set. Consist below.


7009, 7228, 7232, 7231, 7316, 7523, 7513, 7504, 7311, 7402, 7314, 7521, 7520, 7501, 7526, 7503, 7602, 8704 (Evangeline Park)

August 1988 CN Car Control Manuals

I now have four CN car control manuals from August 1988 online for your viewing pleasure at http://www.theboykos.com/raildocs/cn/carcontrol/index.shtml.

Thanks to Steve Dickie for scanning them, and to David Morris for providing them.

Railfanning in Winnipeg

I spent the morning of October 11 railfanning, mostly camped out on the CN mainline through Winnipeg.

I arrived at 08:25 and there was a headlight in the distance, an eastbound manifest freight led by CN 2597 and CN 5762 (85 cars)

I like how I caught the reflection. It was intentional, even

Right after that freight passed, a CN work crew arrived and started working on a crossover switch. It was obvious to me that nothing would be coming for a while, so I went downtown to the CP yard. I saw a little MOW crane pushing a gondola and pulling a flatcar through the yard, and a couple of CP GP9s were working the yard at 09:49 (1587 and 1503):


These were the units I saw in the yard: CP 9302, CP 9103, CP 5398, LLPX 1502, CP 5773, CP 6010, CP 5626, CP 5687, CP 5826, CEFX 1020.


Back to CN. The work crew said they had to clear out for 11 AM, so I was hoping it was the Canadian coming through. It wasn't. 11:05 : CN 5795, CN 5274 (102 cars)

2005/10/11 11:27 : CN 5665, CN 5538. I was trying to video them threading through the diversion created by the overpass construction on highway 90.


I heard a horn blowing, which was unusual because CN doesn't blow its horn in this area. It turned out to be a northbound CP freight on the La Riviere sub crossing the diamond. 11:36 : CP 1128, CP 3028 (30 cars)


2005/10/11 11:59 : CN 5343

This train had a meet with a westbound at 12:00 : CN 5756, CN 2443, CN 1440 (113 cars)

Love those GMD1's!


Finally, one more westbound with a CP unit trailing. 12:13 : CN 5649, CP 6035 (88 cars)


Not a bad morning! Here's a video showing the trains going through the shoo-fly track.

Just One More Thing

Here are some books about Winnipeg on Amazon.

Riding the Ocean from Miramichi to Amherst and back

Nick and I went to Miramichi today to ride the Ocean from there to Amherst and back. We met Luc Doiron at the station and chatted for a bit.

1029 VIA 14 arrived, with 6411 (Lifesaver) and 6434 (Spiderman) leading a Renaissance consist.


The consist was 6411, 6434, 7011, 7223, 7217 ... more to come .. and Yoho Park on the end.

1037 The consist rolled forward for the second platform stop.
1040 We departed Miramichi in car 7217.

When we arrived in Rogersville, I spotted David Othen filming our arrival. I took a few snaps of him from the car but out of respect for his privacy, I won't post them. :)

1120 We departed Rogersville. We hit two slow sections between Rogersville and Coal Branch. It was fairly rough track but the Renaissance cars went smoothly over it. I noticed how close some of the trees and bushes were getting to the track. It reminded me of the Salem and Hillsborough Railroad before we had them cut back.

1205 We arrived at Pacific Junction and got onto the CN Napadogan subdivision.

1215 We passed a number of CN ex-gypsum cars stored on the siding near Gordon Yard.

After arrival at Moncton, Nick and I detrained and went up to the engine. The very friendly engineer invited us up and we had a little chat about brakes with him. After a bit, we stepped out and ran into list member Tim Dryden. I admit I was a little brief with him, as I was worried about getting back on the train before it left. I apologize, Tim!



1255 We left Moncton station.

1307 We took the siding before Painsec Junction and spent 10 minutes crawling along before what I have to assume was CN 307 rocketed past on the main around mile 117. It had 3 big engines and a GP38.

After Memramcook at 1335 and Dorchester at 1342, we arrived in Sackville at 1353.



1421 VIA 14 left for Halifax.



1554 VIA 15 arrived at Amherst. I tried to take video of its arrival but some woman seemed to make a point of walking right between me and the lead engine. Very annoying. I'm sure she wasn't doing it on purpose but gosh darn it.





We boarded the train, dropped our coats in 8117, then took up residence in the dome. I hardly left the dome. :) I had a good chat with an older couple from B.C. who were doing a cross-Canada trip. They had flown into Newfoundland, toured Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and were off to Quebec City next.



The consist: 6412, 6442, 8622, 8137, 8117, 8506, Chateau Rouville, Chateau Iberville, Acadian, Chateau Joliet, Chateau Viger, Chateau Papineau, Chateau Iberville, Chateau Rigaud, Chateau Levis, Revelstoke Park.



1700 We arrived at the Moncton station.

1727 Outside Gordon yard we met NBEC #402, stopped in the siding with CFMG 6907 and SFEX 4204 leading 17 cars.



At Pacific Junction I caught a glimpse of an eastbound CN train waiting on the main for us to get onto NBEC trackage. Any idea what train this was? I just got a very quick grab shot so it's not great quality at all:



1830 We rolled past the Rogersville station without stopping.

There was a beautiful sunset:


I caught a shot of the UPM engine as we passed through:



1912 VIA 15 left us and Miramichi behind. The engineer gave us very friendly waves.

Bathurst and Miramichi

There was no power in the Bathurst yard this morning either. I wonder if the switcher is still stationed in Bathurst now that Smurfit Stone is shut down?

Speaking of Smurfit Stone, their snowplow is in their outside yard with no other railcars visible inside or outside the fence.

I just saw the tail end of VIA 14 at Belledune at 0846. I proceeded to the same location I was at last night to wait for them to leave the station. While I waited, another railfan showed up, David Chiasson. As it happens, we were about to take a photo at the same location as one he has on Railpictures.net.

VIA 14 passed under us at 0929 with 6409, 6424 (Spiderman) and 6403 (CBC) leading 17 Renaissance cars, one Park car, and 5 more Renaissance cars. I presume the extra Ren cars are going to IRSI for maintenance.




Later in Miramichi, I noticed that the NBEC RS-18s were still sitting at Ultramar around 1130. There were four cars at the LaFarge cement plant, but they weren't the usual cylindrical CN cars. The RS-18s were gone from Ultramar at 1330.

NBEC 402 arrived in Miramichi at 1340, with CFMG 6906, NBEC 4214, NBEC 4210, NBEC 6900, and SFEX 4204 heading up 27 cars (about 5 boxcars and 5 tankers, plus the 17-car TankTrain). It seemed like a lot of power for a smallish train, until I saw the crew setting 4204 off and moving from 6906 to 6900. I guess 4204 is going to IRSI as well.



There were several MOW trucks at McGivney around 1530.

VIA 15 at Night

At 10:40, UPM 711 was working inside the UPM-Kymmene complex in Miramichi. Traffic looks a lot more like normal there, now that the strike is over.

CFMG 6907 was in the NBEC yard in Miramichi. No sign of the RS-18s but there was a ram of tank cars at the Ultramar facility. A flatcar, CN 668014, was on the team track in Miramichi by the VIA station. It was quite surprising because I haven't seen anything on that track in a few years, and before that the only thing that was there was an MOW crane. The flatcar was empty, by the way.

Since I'm staying in Bathurst tonight, I thought I'd try some night video of VIA 15 as it passed through. I set up at the one-lane bridge over the tracks just south of Highway 11. The friendly station crew had told me they were running about 30 minutes late.

I heard the hum of the train, then the scanner said "Approaching subdivision at Bathurst", whatever that means. About 10 seconds later, VIA 15, with 6412 leading a Budd consist, rolled into sight. This was 20:40.


The engineer was having fun with the horn. 6412 led out quite a series of short toots as they approached the next crossing.

I zipped onto the highway and beat it to Beresford to catch them at the overpass there. I arrived about five minutes ahead of them. I decided to stand on the slope below the road surface to keep the car noise down and quit being blinded by headlights. It was a good location. The Ocean showed up at 21:00.
By the way, there were no engines in Bathurst.

Quick Shots, September 2005

VIA 6417 leads VIA 14 out of Campbellton.

The "going away" shot.

Grab shot of ore train 587 leaving Belledune across highway 134.

1867 and 1819 at rest in Miramichi.

Train 403 leaving Miramichi with NBEC 6905 in the lead.

Work train in the siding at McGivney.

CN 306 (with 2727 leading) at McGivney.

CN and NBEC, Oh My!

I had some good luck on the 8th.

0735: I caught VIA 14 (on time) departing from Campbellton on the first stretch of mainline outside town. The consist was VIA 6417/6403 (CBC) with 17 cars including the Park car. I videoed them going by and the "going away" shot with the Park car going into the sunrise was quite nice.

I hit the highway and they crossed under the highway at Dalhousie Junction just before I did. I didn't bother trying to catch them at Eel River because they were too far ahead. I heard the hotbox detector at mile 159.9 go off. It's quite detailed - it had speed (62 mph), temperature (14 degrees), axle count, car count (19 including the engines), and total length (1414 feet?). It has a "male" voice.

1255: Train 591 got a clearance to enter the Dalhousie subdivision as work extra 1857.

1310: I was on highway 134, just crossing the tracks on the Irvco spur, when I glanced toward the water and saw headlights! I stopped and jumped out to catch NBEC 1813 and 1851 leading train 587 toward the main line. It had 4 CN covered gondolas, 3 boxcars, and 26 NBEC ore cars.

1316: NBEC 587 got an OCS clearance to head to Bathurst.

1555: NBEC 403 left Miramichi with three SD40s - NBEC 6905, CFMG 6906 and NBEC 6900. It had maybe 50 cars with a ram of Ultramar tank cars on the rear.

1730: While crossing the CN main at McGivney, I saw headlights in the siding. It turned out to be a CN work train (CN 52xx with several gondolas and a crane) facing east. I saw the west-facing signals had a green light so I waited. The crew for the work train came out of the depot to do an inspection of the oncoming train.

1740: CN 306 led by 2727 and 5661 blew through McGivney pulling 78 cars.

Pictures to follow...

Northern Road Trip

09:45 UPM-Kymmene - the picket lines are gone but it doesn't look like the plant is quite back to full production. There were 4 tank cars in the outside yard and one inside the facility. No sign of the switcher.

Apparently it was maintenance day on the NBEC. I saw a crew rebuilding the King George Highway crossing in Miramichi, a hirailer at Beresford and a couple of trucks in the siding at Belledune.

10:00 Miramichi yard - CFMG 6903/NBEC 1867/NBEC 1819 (SD40/RS18/RS18) coupled together in the parking spur.

11:05 Bathurst yard - There were nine AOK covered hoppers looking shiny and new near the VIA station. The build date was May 2005. I don't think I've seen many covered hoppers on the NBEC. Also in the yard were the usual bunch of CN covered gondolas, four CN chip cars and a few battered NBEC ore cars. No yard power.

11:45 Belledune - NBEC 6901 East blasted through the crossing about 30 seconds before I got there. I saw the ram of TankTrain cars for Ultramar at the end and that was it.

NBEC 587 (the ore train) was pushing a string of ore cars through the scales behind the smelter. There were two RS18s for power, one of which I think was 1854. It was hard to tell from the highway.

After my work I decided to go to Petit Rocher to try to catch NBEC 403 on its way back to Campbellton. I figured it would leave Bathurst around 1700 so I would easily have enough time. I heard it get a clearance from the RTC at 1725 from mile 96 to Campbellton. I should have remembered that mile 96 was SOUTH of Bathurst, so that meant
they hadn't even reached Bathurst at 1725. I waited, and waited, and waited. At 1810 the RTC called for an OS, and 403 said they arrived at mile 108 (Bathurst) at 1755. I waited and waited some more.

Just when I was about to give up, I heard 6901 West blow for a distant crossing. They rumbled through Petit Rocher at 1705. It was a big train.



NBEC 6901
NBEC 4214
CFQC 4203
CFMG 6907
25 boxcars
7 86' boxcars
7 loaded log racks
9 tank cars
5 loaded CN woodchip cars
6 airflow cars
3 centerbeam flats (paper loads)
23 covered CN gondolas
(85 cars)

After I taped the train, I beat it to Jacquet River a few minutes ahead of them, and set up on the iron bridge over the tracks. They rolled right underneath me and I got a good lungful of smoke from 6901 and a jolt from the horn. I swear engineers just LOVE doing that. It was a great location for overhead taping, though.




I rushed to Charlo and caught them at 1955 by the VIA shack. I probably should have picked a better location but time was short.



After that, I was quite hungry so I stopped to put some expensive gas in my car and grab a sub. Then I went to Campbellton in the falling dark, arriving a few minutes before 403 did. Right after they passed, NBEC 1857 rolled out to reline the switches back to the main. It's interesting that 1857's rear lights are almost as bright as the front ones.





They puttered around with some shunting while I checked into my hotel and did a few things. I went back out to catch VIA 15. I decided to set up just east/south of Campbellton on the straight approach before the Irving siding. They were about 15 minutes late at 2145, and YAY it was a Budd train.


VIA 6409
VIA 6420
baggage 8619
coach 8118
coach 8108
coach 8137
Skyline 8506
Chateau Rouville 8225
Chateau Iberville 8209
Diner Acadian 8401
Chateau Joliet 8260
Chateau Viger 8229
Chateau Brule
Revelstoke Park

They took their sweet time getting out of Campbellton for some reason. After all the passengers were on board, the crew fiddled around in the cab for almost ten minutes before rolling out. I didn't have my scanner with me so I'm not sure what the delay was.




Here is a video of the whole NBEC chase.


EDIT: Video added

The Canadian Railway Museum

As promised I am posting a bit about the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec just south of Montreal.



This engine is on display outside the facility in the parking lot. Once you pay your ticket, you cross the streetcar track and are confronted by the new building. It's quite a nice building and a great addition to the site. I took many photos in the building but they are all fairly dark and not quite blog-worthy. Here's one:

We went for a ride on their miniature railway:

This engine is not yet on display:

They have a nice little station there:

My son Nick was very excited about the LRC engine they just acquired:

CP 7077 is nicely painted:

Well worth the visit: www.exporail.org