Canadian Railroads > Squamish Sub. 16 May 2000 pt. II

I jumped the gun a bit in part 1 and missed a few photos before the train started it's uphill battle from the Pemberton valley. So this would chronologically start after the previous post's photo close to SNS Spetch.

1. 4625 still going downgrade with dynamics holding the train in check is heading south towards Mount Currie.

2. Having crossed the relatively flat right of way through the Pemberton valley, the train begins it's last climb requiring the pushers just south of Pemberton. This rock cut is a great place to get roof shots of equipment for modelling reference.

Next shot would be the train crossing the Green River at Wedge that was the last photo in the part 1. From here I decided to drive to the Cheakamus Canyon lookout to see if I could locate the old tote / BC Hydro access road. Then hike in to the mile 56.6 bridge.

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3 & 4. It took a bit of searching to find the trail. There used to be a pullout / lookout on the canyon side of the highway that had been blocked off by concrete dividers. If you can locate the leveled off area with some rocks rising out of the ground, the trail starts off from here and leaves the highway into the canyon. From there it's a bit of a hike down to a stretch of trail where you can view this bridge. I didn't want to leave this spot once I arrived in case the train came through. After the head end went by, I went a little further and found an even better view without power lines and tree branches obstructing the it. "Next time" I thought, but I haven't caught another train over this bridge since.

5. I hiked further in to the curved side hill bridge (mile 55.7) to see how far in it was, for my next trip here. These guys in a CJ-5 offered me a ride back to the lookout, and a cold beer. I wasn't going to turn that down. I can't remember their names, but thanks again if you see this. A rock slide has occurred and scaling has been done on the trail more recently making it pretty impassable for all but the smallest vehicles. It's inclusion in the Sea to Sky Trail probably prohibits motorized use as well.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/15 00:51 by Helo-Mech.

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6. On my way back to the car, I thought I began to hear the rumbling of another train. Soon some unmistakable flange squeal could be heard. I got this tree covered shot of the train heading north.

7. Another treed out picture of 753 working as the mid train unit. After this I called it a day. I Made my way back to the car. After a quick trip past the Squamish yard didn't net anything, I had an uneventful drive home.

After this day I always made sure to wait for a northbound train to come through the canyon. If a southbound I was chasing hadn't met any northbounds before entering the north end of the canyon, it was a pretty sure bet there was one waiting at the south end.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, and thanks for the kind words in part 1.

Mike N.

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Dunno what I liked better . . . the 56.6 bridge shots . . . or you holding a cold one in the Jeep!

Well done!

Craig
http://mcmrailvideos.com/

Oh look a heep!

Too bad you can't drive that far in anymore, oh well a little excursive never hurt anyone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/15 15:22 by BCR4619.

spdaylight Wrote:
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> Dunno what I liked better . . . the 56.6 bridge
> shots . . . or you holding a cold one in the Jeep!
>
Wasn't me in the Jeep, I just met these two who were "out for a rip" up the canyon. I was the one holding the camera. I remember the driver saying he was just telling his friend as they passed the curved railway bridge that he's seen lots of people taking pictures of the trains right around here.

Mike N.