Canadian Railroads > Two Days, 5 Trains, CN's Westlock Sub

5 trains in 2 days might not seem like a lot, however CN's Westlock sub is only a branch line. Running 130 miles from Edmonton to Smith Alberta (connection to points north) the Westlock Sub for many years saw two trains every 24 hours or so. With an increase in grain traffic as well as the oil boom, traffic has swelled on the sub. Over the past couple days, I found the sub to be quite busy.

Day one had me all set to shoot some mainline action west of Edmonton, however scanner chatter on the Westlock Sub had me pull a quick U turn and seek out some classic branch line railroading.

#1 CN Train L590 (Westlock Sub grain lifer) is tied down outside of Morinville, Mile 19.5 waiting for a re crew.

#2 With the new crew on board, L590 slowly rolls into town to split its train into two sections for a meet with northbound A419. DISCLAIMER: I digitally removed a radio tower in this shot.

#3 The passing track in Morinville was too short for L590 to fit, so the crew left part of the train in the elevator track north of town. Here the crew cuts the power of the second section of its train and prepares to run Northward to clear the "main line". At this point I burned north out of town to set up to catch A419.

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#4 A419 just north of Busby Alberta, mile 34.7 of the Westlock Sub. Power for today's train are a pair of SD40-2W's and a GP40-2LW. The second unit was one of two former LNG test units, now converted back to conventional SD40-2's but retaining the modified SD45 like radiator section.

#5 The light was not quite in the right position to shoot a northbound, but with an all 645 consist I couldn't pass it up! A419 rolls past the large elevator at Westlock Alberta.

#6 Final shot of day one on the Westlock Sub. A419 crosses the wooden trestle at Fawcett Alberta

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Day two on the Westlock saw the addition of fellow TO member CP9300 to the chase, as well as some "intel" on the train lineup.

#7 Southbound A418 passes the elevator at Dapp Alberta. We are lucky again with the power make up, today's 418 has an SD40-2W SD40-2 GP40-2LW lash up!

#8 A splash of fall color, and 3 645 prime movers in Run 8. Today is a good day!

#9 The pole line still survives on much of the Westlock Sub!

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#10 A418 meets northbound G849 at Westlock Alberta. It's 2014 and there's not a GE in sight!

#11 After meeting G849, train A418 continues its southward journey near Busby Alberta

#12 A418 had yet another meet this day, here northbound A419 sits in the siding at Morinville as A418 rolls by. Today's A419 has 2 variations of the SD60 model on the head end.

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#13 A419 northbound near Mearns Alberta.

#14 A419 south of Busby Alberta

With the last shot of A419, we break chase and head for home.

-Trevor

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Fantastic presentation. Very much appreciated by me as the last time I was up there was 1981.

I cannot believe how much has grown around that southbound curve at Morinville; I think it was photo 2. Is that a QNS&L unit in the sandwich?

Rick

Trev,
Picture #3, when you say the track north of morinville (elevator siding), is it the old Athabasca- Legal spur?? Did you catch the units heading north on that line??

Corey

BCR_766 Wrote:
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> Trev,
> Picture #3, when you say the track north of
> morinville (elevator siding), is it the old
> Athabasca- Legal spur?? Did you catch the units
> heading north on that line??
>
> Corey

North of town referred to the elevator in the first picture. No action on the line to Legal, but I'd love to shoot something on that section, especially where the tracks cut through downtown Morinville!

-Trevor

rschonfelder Wrote:
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> Fantastic presentation. Very much appreciated by
> me as the last time I was up there was 1981.
>
> I cannot believe how much has grown around that
> southbound curve at Morinville; I think it was
> photo 2. Is that a QNS&L unit in the sandwich?
>
> Rick

Rick,
That grey unit is an ex CN, ex KCS SD40-3. Here's a better shot of her.
-Trevor

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rschonfelder Wrote:
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> Fantastic presentation. Very much appreciated by
> me as the last time I was up there was 1981.
>
> Rick

AJ and I were talking about how cool it would have been to shoot GP9's and GMD1's on this line. Do you have any shots to share?

-Trevor

Great work by Trevor. I don't have much to add but here are a few.

1. Southbound A418 shares a view with some freshly bailed straw as it charges towards a meet in Westlock with G849. The sound of 3 hard working 645's was amazing and one would get lost in the methodical chant were it not for more photo opportunities ahead.

2. Pickardville had a nice little boneyard with some striking fall colors.

3. There is a very smart looking church in the tiny hamlet of Mearns that stands idly by as A418 rumbles by.

Thanks everyone for looking. It has certainly been a fantastic few months of classic power around Alberta.

A.J.

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You got the better shot of the iron at Pickardville!

-Trevor