New Train Numbers

Former train 587 on the Nepisiguit Subdivision

I'm told that the train numbers on the former NBEC and CFMG territories are going to change. The new trains are rumoured to be:

L56011 Rivière-du-Loup - L'Isle Verte switcher 08h30
L56111 Mont-Joli switcher 17h30
L56211 Mont-Joli - Matane 11h00
L56311 Campbellton - Dalhousie switcher 07h00
L56411 Campbellton - Gaspè 00h01
L56511 Bathurst - Brunswick Mines (daily except Friday - Saturday) 20h00
L56611 Bathurst - Gloucester Jct?? (daily except Saturday) 14h00
L56711 Bathurst local (Monday - Friday) 07h30
L56811 Miramichi switcher 14h00

The times given are the "on duty" times. All trains daily except where noted.

To map to the old NBEC train numbers:
Train 590 -> 563 (time essentially the same)
Train 586 -> 565 (later than before)
Train 587 -> 566 (later than before)
Train 597 -> 567 (time essentially the same)
Train 580 -> 568 (same time)

I'm going to guess that train 566 is actually the Bathurst - Belledune turn.

I understand trains 402 and 403 will retain their numbers.

Export Train Update

CN 316 finally left Moncton at 16:15 for Halifax.

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Export Train Update

Wendell Lemon reported that the export train was at IRSI in Moncton at 07:25 this morning, picking up 6 more export locomotives to take to Halifax. They could be away by 9 AM.

Export Train Progress

Ron Pelletier is reporting that the export train was called from Montreal at 08:25 this morning, and called a clear signal at Fortier (west of Joffre) at 12:30 today. The RTC is going to hold him at Laurier siding for a while to clear cars from St. Apolinaire.

Given that it takes about 6 hours to go from Joffre to Edmundston, and another 6 from Edmundston to Moncton, one might expect the train to be in Moncton by the wee hours of Friday morning.

Export Locomotives Through On Friday?

Ronald Pelletier reported that a CN train 316 was called at 19:45 last night in Toronto to take the export locomotives to Halifax. CN 6027 was the lead engine. They are expected in Joffre, Quebec on Thursday. Depending on when they get into Joffre, they could come through New Brunswick in daylight on Friday.

NBEC 402/403 Update

Saturday morning's CN/NBEC freight through Rimouski, Quebec had a little different power on it. SD40 units CN 5245 and 5241 powered a relatively short freight. The CN SD40 units were sidelined in favour of the NBEC/CFMG SD40s, but apparently the CN units are back.


It looks like Sunday's 402/403 was back to the former NBEC/CFMG power with CFMG 6906, CFMG 6902 and NBEC 6901 providing the muscle.


Thanks to NBEC69 for the videos!

NBEC Update

Michel Boudreau sent an update on the CN/NBEC situation around Bathurst.

The power for the ore train (586/587) is CN 9452, NBEC 1868 and NBEC 1821. NBEC 1851 is the local switcher.

Tuesday's train 403 was pulled by CN 9562 and a CFMG SD40.

I wonder how much is going to change on or about March 1, as the transition to CN's management (from a customer perspective) should be complete.

Here's a video from Michel showing CN 9452, NBEC 1821 and NBEC 1849 with the empty ore train returning from Belledune on February 7.

Saturday's Train on Video

Here is Saturday's NBSR eastbound train on video. It had 68 cars, not too shabby!

Snow Throwing

While I was blowing the 40 cm or so of snow out of my driveway Monday, NBSRFan was chasing the NB Southern Jordan spreader. Here is his great video of the spreader at various spots along the McAdam subdivision. I especially like the overhead shot at Westfield Beach - fantastic.

Export Locomotives On The Way

Fifteen EMD export locomotives destined for Egypt (plus one for France) will be passing through in the near future. This video shows them rolling through Guelph, Ontario fresh from the factory on Sunday.


Word has it they will probably pass through New Brunswick on Tuesday or Wednesday. They will pick up the six export locos that have been stored at IRSI in Moncton and then proceed to Halifax to be loaded onto a ship.

Junk Power

Matt aka Saintjohnrailfan recorded a CN 406 with "junk" power on the head end on February 21 in Rothesay. By junk power he means a collection of old units normally used for switching and not for mainline freights. In this case it was CN 4773, CN 7010 and CN 4708, two GP38 units with a GP9 in the middle.

Presumably CN was running short on mainline power (C44-9W, SD75, etc) and had to scramble to find units to pull the train.

Mail Problem

If anyone with an NBNet or Sympatico (NB) account has been trying to email me, I haven't been receiving them. There is something wrong with the NBNet server that is preventing them from sending mail to theboykos.com. I am working with them to figure it out.

In the meantime, you can always comment here. :)

Chaleur in Halifax

Apparently sometime Wednesday night there was a problem with the Renaissance consist on the combined Ocean-Chaleur west of Charny. The Chaleur passengers were bussed from Matapedia, while the Ocean passengers proceeded to their destinations east of Matapedia in the Chaleur cars on Thursday. Make sense? :)

Friday's VIA 14 had VIA 6403, 6405 and 6429 with some deadhead cars and another locomotive for VIA 15 that would be left in Moncton.

Friday's VIA 15 was a set of silver Budd cars rather than the expected Renaissance cars. As it happens, it struck a pickup truck near Rogersville around 18:35. Fortunately noone was hurt but the train was delayed for over an hour and a half.

That VIA 15 with the Chaleur equipment had VIA 6432 and VIA 6427 leading baggage car 8619, coach 8103, Skyline 8509, and sleepers Chateau Denonville (8206) and Chateau Roberval (8224) through Windsor Junction.

Photo by David Othen.

NB Southern Eastbound Today

Since it was such a beautiful day today, I decided to chase the NB Southern Railway freight. I intended to see the train at McAdam and then have lunch in McAdam. But you know what happens to the best-laid plans...

I had intelligence that the train was due to arrive in McAdam at or shortly after noon. I left my house at 11:27 (late) and as I entered McAdam I heard an EOT squawk on the scanner. I crested the hill in McAdam and saw a train rolling east through the highway 4 crossing at 12:27. Drat!!!!

I turned around and headed back to Harvey. I arrived there after about 20 minutes and decided to set up east of the highway crossing. My kids jumped around in the back of the van while I listened to the sound of the train's horns echo in the distance. At 12:58 NBSR 9802 East rolled through the crossing with 9802, 2319, 2317 and 2610 pulling a fairly long train.


Within a few minutes, they were gone, and then we finally had our lunch.

Alco Fever

I miss the MLW units. I miss the smoke and noise they make. Just to remind myself of them, I uploaded a couple of videos of NBEC RS-18s working in Miramichi.

Here are NBEC 1854 and 1819 working in Miramichi on August 5, 2004. First they push a centerbeam flat into the port area, then they run light through the yard.


This one has NBEC 1866 and 1867 smokin' it up in the Miramichi yard on October 7, 2004.

Two Videos From July 2004

I uploaded two videos from July of 2004. The first shows CN 701 rolling through Burnside, NS on July 7, 2004 on its way back to Dartmouth with a load of gypsum. CN 5694 and CN 5626 provided the power. It's a short video because I had left my video camera on by accident, and the batteries died while I was taping this train.


The second (from July 11) is a cab ride in Salem & Hillsborough 8245 as it rolls through the lovely countryside of Hillsborough, NB. This was the last year of operation. I was the head end brakeman on this excursion trip. While the unit is rolling there is not much for the brakeman to do besides keep an eye out. Taping from 8245 was good because there was no short hood to get in the way.

Prairie Dog Central

I have uploaded some videos of the Prairie Dog Central Railway. I blogged about them before.

On board the train:


They do a runaround move at the end of the line:


Finally, I was in the cab while they turned the engine on the wye by Inkster Boulevard.


On YouTube, I found a nice, long video from G1Trains of the PDC, with the steam engine running:

Chaleur Through The Tunnel

Chris uploaded a video of the Chaleur going through the tunnel at Port Daniel, Quebec, from the dome. Very nice! I like the lighting changes as the train goes in, through, and out of the tunnel.

Saint John Friday

I did manage to see a few trains while I was in Saint John on Friday. As I was heading to the West Branch Library, I heard the CN 405 crew talk about the transfer freight [coming over from Dever Road]. At 14:08 I found them in behind Moosehead, having just left the yard. I pulled into a parking lot off Mill Street and took this still before shooting video with my Canon S3.



After my presentation, I headed back toward McAllister Place. Right after I turned the scanner on, I heard CN 405 get a highball, so I figured there was no chance I would see them. I saw NBSR 9803 and 2612 parked at the west end of Island Yard, in the siding at 16:33.


I passed Island Yard and saw quite a collection of locomotives there. CN 7010 and CN 4132 were together, as were CN 7038 and NBSR 2610. On the scanner I heard the yard master ask CN 405 if they were heading out soon, as they "had the yard corked up." 405 said they were heading out in 3 minutes.

I found them at the usual spot by Tim Hortons. CN 5774 and 5746 were providing the power for a long train. I did not stay to tape them but I did take a few shots. I was trying to be artistic with this shot, as the sun was not in a good spot for photos as usual.


I heard CN 7060 was out and about in Saint John, so that was the third leased CN GP9.