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Latest productions are available in High Definition
AVCHD format that is playable on most Blu-Ray players
GMD1s
35 minutes – DVD format Recorded between 1991 & 2005
The DVD begins with a selection of photographs taken of both the CN and NAR GMD-1s between 1978 and 2008 along with a narration that traces the changes that have occurred with the GMD-1s since their manufacture in 1958. This includes the 1000, 1100, 1400, 1600 and 1900 series of locomotives and also the NAR locomotives purchased new and second hand from CN. It also shows them after their absorption back into CN. A printout of this information is also included with the DVD.
This is followed by video of the 1100, 1600, 1900 and 1400 series units at work in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia between 1991 & 2005. Locations include Edmonton, Sylvan Lake, Winnipeg, Moncton, Windsor Junction, Windsor NS and Dartmouth.
A preview of the DVD is below.
FOLLOWING the THOMPSON RIVER
Kamloops to Lytton BC – 69 minutes – available in DVD and AVCHD (High Definition) formats
CN & CP follow the banks of the Thompson River from Kamloops to Lytton BC where the Thompson joins the Fraser River. Much of the terrain is dry and arid. The river has steep banks and is subject to mud slides. CP took the easiest route leaving CN to build several small tunnels and slide sheds. The CN tracks cross the river several times.
Track repairs and accidents have caused the two railroads to divert trains on to the other railroad’s tracks. Increases in traffic caused the two railroads to negotiate a co-production agreement in 2000 to share tracks and permit directional running on each track between Mission and Basque.
A wide variety of trains and locomotive types are seen including grain, coal, sulphur, potash and intermodal with SD40-2s, SD50s, SD75Is SD90MACs, AC44000s and others. The Rocky Mountaineer is seen both in 1999 and in 2011 by which time it had adopted a new livery.
This video shows the tracks between Kamloops and Spences Bridge in September 2011 and was filmed in widescreen high definition. Trains between Spences Bridge and Lytton were filmed in June 1999 using a High8 camcorder. This footage features the tunnels and slide sheds just east of Lytton.
NEW ENGLAND TRAINS May 2013
68 minutes – available in DVD and AVCHD (High Definition) formats
The first part of this video shows Amtrak’s Vermonter, Ethan Allan and Downeaster trains in various New England locations including the Vermonter at Bellows Falls, Claremont Junction and Waterbury, Vermont. An accident near New Haven caused the Springfield to Washington portion to be cancelled and the train returned with the cab control car leading – it is seen at White River Junction VT passing two blue and gold liveried NECR GP38s.
The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway is seen between Brownville Junction ME and Northern Maine Junction Bangor ME. The railroad runs many trains with one man crews using belt packs and cabooses to pick up the radio signals. This operation is seen at Brownville and Northern Maine Junctions.
Vermont Rail System trains with locomotives lettered for each of the five constituent companies are seen on the Vermont Railway and Green Mountain Railway at many interesting Vermont locations including Rutland, Burlington, Chester and the limestone mine at Florence.
New England Central Railway freight trains are seen at St Albans VT, Georgia High Level Bridge VT and near Colchester VT.
Pan Am Railways are seen shunting the yards at Waterville ME.
CN/National Gypsum trains Past & Present
(Recorded between 1993 and 2012)
69 minutes – available in DVD and AVCHD (High Definition) formats
National Gypsum owns the world’s largest gypsum mine at Milford Nova Scotia.
They have used a variety of locomotives, many remote controlled, including GE 45 & 100 tonners, a Hunslet and now a SW8 and a SW900. Video taken from the cab of the Hunslet & the GE 100 tonner is included. The loading & unloading operations are also seen. In the photo below the Hunslett is pushing cars into the dumper at Wrights Cove.
CN hauls one or two trains on most days between the mine at Milford and the ship loading facility at Wrights Cove in Dartmouth. Trains used to comprise about 70 CN open hoppers and these are seen being emptied emptied one by one in a rotary tipper. Now National Gypsum uses its own bottom dump cars in trains of about 50 – 55 cars and the rotary tipper has been converted to allow dumping out of the bottom of these cars.
A wide variety of locomotive types have been use on the gypsum train including MLW (C-630M, M-636, HR-616, M-420, HR-412, RS-18 and RSC-14), GM (GP40, GP40-2, SD40, SD40-2, SD70I, SD75I and SD70M-2) & GE (Dash 9-44CW and ES44DC). Most of these locomotive types are seen operating the gypsum train.
The train travels about 36 miles from the mine to the ship loading facility and passes several lakes and is seen in both winter and summer surroundings.
The videoclip below shows how the trains have changed over almost 20 years (and videocameras have improved!)
Back to David Othen’s Canadian Train Photographs
Material on this page copyright by Pat and David Othen. Reproduced with permission.