Out of Time

“Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the railfan way
The time is gone, the train didn’t come,
Thought I’d something more to say.” – “Time”, Pink Floyd, with a few revisions

As I mentioned in a previous post, I went out on December 2, 2018 to photograph the first passenger train to Churchill in over a year. However, that didn’t work out… but I did see some trains.

Usual disclaimer about this post originally appearing at www.traingeek.ca/wp/out-of-time/ and that no permission has been given to repost anywhere – anywhere.

Yet Another Oil Train

I found an east-facing oil train sitting near mile 10 of the CN Rivers subdivision. This train had new, frost-covered CN 3823 on the head end. It has become common for eastbound trains to pause here on their way into the city, as CN’s line has become saturated and trains wait their turn to proceed.

Older CN 2807 was on the other end, not in a photogenic location.

My intent was to wait around the Diamond area so I could get a nice, wide shot of the VIA Rail train, especially the newly wrapped “Expedition to Churchill” diner car. 

I noted that IC 2463 was at the head of another east-facing train, also waiting… around mile 16 this time. The lead photo shows that frosty engine. As I photographed that, I noted a westbound train approaching.

CN 8873 West

CN 8873 and 5404 were at the head of a westbound container train. I recorded the meet between the two trains, with video and with my Canon 77D.

Waves were exchanged between the crew of CN 8873 and the crew of IC 2463, on the ground for the rollby inspection.

Here’s the video:

Once the meet was done, I relocated back to the other side of Diamond to wait for VIA. I kept checking the VIA tracker app and, although VIA 693 showed up in the list for once, it wasn’t moving.

I waited… and waited… and… well, waited… however, the next train was…

The ICeman Cometh

As IC 2463 charged toward me, it disturbed a group of pigeons, who flapped around for a while before finally giving it up and heading elsewhere.

I watched the train roll by, and noted distributed braking boxcar CN 0031 on the tail end. It’s still weird to see a boxcar on the end of a container train.

Here’s the video for IC 2463.

Unfortunately, I ran out of time and had to head home. I checked the VIA app when I got home and noted that the Churchill train had just started moving when I got home, so I would have had to wait a good half an hour longer to see it, and I didn’t have that time.

Oh well… you can’t catch ’em all!

One Last Thing

Did you know I have a new book out?! “Passing a Half Century” tells the story of how I spent my 50th birthday driving around Alberta and British Columbia, photographing trains and grain elevators. It’s now in paperback and available for order. Check it out!