Canadian Railroads > "The prairies are underated"

The thread title is a quote a railfan companion stated as we stood there watching the rolling hills and CN's scenic Three Hills sub this past weekend. It certainly holds true in this area. Having a good guide and some decent intel we set off after CN's Q115 Toronto BIT-Calgary Logistics Park intermodal train after they made their crew change at Mirror.

1. The first spot was the impressive bridge just south of Alix over the Red Deer river. The location is known as the Ardley Trestle. The light wasn't all that favourable but we were happy to scope the location for a future shot.

2. We caught up to them just south of Elnora as they started to drift downhill towards the next town of Huxley.

3. The sound was great as they roared up the hill into Trochu and passed the classic wooden elevator.

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4. Contrasting scenes with modern containers next to a neatly groomed farmers field as Q115 is about to pass under Hwy 21 between Trochu and Equity.

5. Some of the best highlights of the Three Hills are the elevators. The town of Three Hills has a few remaining prairie sentinels to neatly frame the scene. For a different and more adventurous view https://www.flickr.com/photos/andymoose/15244756376/

6. Wrapped around several curves, 115 climbs the hill towards Perks siding and a meet with northbound A443.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/14 01:06 by CP9300.

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7. After meeting A443 at Perks we left 115 behind and turned our attention to 443. Nicely cleaned IC2721 leads 443 downhill out of Perks towards Three Hills.

8. Halfway between Perks and Three Hills the line crosses the Kneehills Creek waterway on a nice trestle.

9. Heading the other way through the elevators at Three Hills.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/14 01:22 by CP9300.

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10. IC2721 does it's best steam engine impersonation as it climbs out of Trochu.

11. Passing some overturned and out of use grain bins on the approach to Huxley.

Thanks for having a look. I hope you enjoyed this brief look at some neat spots from CN's scenic Three Hills sub. I hope to get down again soon and prove once again that the "Prairies are underated".

Happy Hunting,
A.J.

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Nice shots A.J. Hidden somewhere on my computer I've got a similar set. In our travels around Alberta my wife and I have "loosely" followed Hwy. 21 between Edmonton and Calgary a couple times over the years--it just naturally follows that I'd get some train shots along the way. That stretch between Three Hills and Trochu is a little more "prairie-like" than up around Edmonton...

Keith Robertson
Langley, BC

Terrific photo compositions and story! Thanks for posting.

So... al the locos shown are at their original horsepower, then? LOL!

Brian Ehni

Very nice. Reminds me of the area between Wichita Falls and Amarillo,TX.

GREAT stuff...!!! Thanks for sharing.

Love the shots with the grain elevators .... on the flatlands,
called "Prairie Skyscrapers", the only thing you see for long
distances out at 43rd and Plowed Dirt. (Where I live, too.)

Awesome bunch! Sure doesn't look like a line that would host an intermodal hotshot.
JB

outstanding pics. thanks for posting.....

66

Great images from someone who understands the beauty and majesty of the prairies! Thanks for sharing....

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

A wonderful tour! Thank you!
It is always heartwarming to be taken via pictures back home!

Brian in California

If I am looking at the map correctly, this would be the former Alberta Railway between Edmonton and Calgary - is this correct?
Why would intermodal trains run over this line - I thought they'd all be on the transcon.

Andy
Jacksonville, FL

Calgary is a major centre obviously and not on CN's transcon mainline, not even close. These trains used to run direct from the mainline at Saskatoon, SK through Kindersley, SK and Drumheller, AB but part of that line is now abandoned and the rails lifted.

Calgary is on CP's mainline and if CN didn't service it all that business would be CP's!

Perhaps a somewhat comparable situation in the US would be Phoenix. BNSF has an intermodal facility there but it is some distance from their transcon mainline.

Thanks for this post. This is the kind of coverage that we need more Canucks to bring to TO. sometimes I look at the Canadian list and see absolutely no movement. There is absolutely some fantastic coverage from across the country from only a handful few. But there is also a lot of people - great photographers - who won't join this great forum but enjoy the current day information and content. Come on guys - this is cheaper than a magazine subscription and lets get some more Canadian stuff.

Fantastic photo essay CP9300. What happened to all of that snow from early September?

Rick

Nice work escorting the two "southerners" AJ!

Trevor

Thanks for all the compliments. It was a first for me shooting this line and I wasn't the area guide but we managed to get some pretty decent stuff.

This line was built by the Grand Trunk Pacific in 1913 and has been hosting trains ever since. Since CN shuttered the faster route through Drumheller to Calgary, the Three Hills has certainly gotten busier.

As for the snow....Calgary and area got the brunt of it and there wasn't a trace when we rolled through. Nice and warm with temps in the mid 20s Celsius.

A.J.

Posted from Android

Nice shots.And, you are right!Bill Webb