Steam & Excursion > Canadian Steam

Today we stay a bit closer to home than previous posts. Canada (which I can usually see out the front window of my house).  In May, 2006 Historic Preservation got approval from Canadian Pacific Railway to run locomotive No. 2816 using some of their heavyweight equipment between Calgary and Lake Louise. The train was followed by car, with maps and locations provided by the organizer John Craft. The train waited for us to leap frog with the result being about six locations each of the two days. The  train closely resembled a passenger local from back in the day. This photo was taken at the famous Morant's Curve, just east of Lake Louise. This was the first location on the second day after the loco was turned overnight. So there we waited well past the scheduled time for the train to appear. But what a beautiful location to wait. Freight after freight passed our photo line, all resulting in beautiful shots if you like that sort of thing. However with the passing minutes which led to over an hour, the trees lost most of their snow that had fallen overnight. One hour sooner and the shot would have made all the difference.  Looking back on those two days, it was pretty amazing that CP would allow this to happen given the heavy volume of freights on the line. Probably never to be repeated. Tomorrow China. 

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Years ago we did the hike from Lake Louise to the Tea House.  Some of the most scenic areas one can find.  Superb photo.  Thank you.

Kennard Britton
Bedford, TX
 

I agree with the above; thanks for posting. I was fortunate to have had three trips behind that locomotive on public excursions.

Here's a few I shot in 1992 from the same general area.  Spent time doing VIA in 1986 and went back for freights again in 1996 and 1999.
Canadian Rockies are superb.
I never saw 2816, but it was nice that it lasted a few years.  I did purchase a couple titles on 2816 from Rail Innovations several years ago(Restoration and first trip to Calgary).  Impressive engine, but I think I like 2839 better! Picture is at this link near Morants Curve in 1992.
http://www.gregschollvideo.com/images/cpkick-dvd.jpg
Greg Scholl

I'm confused.  I thought this was Morant's curve but it looks a lot different from the picture above.

JBWX

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I shot this at a different time, at a different place, but called "Morant's Curve,"    This place is a bit further west than the first shot.
The date was September 23, 2001.

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andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Today we stay a bit closer to home than previous
> posts. Canada (which I can usually see out the
> front window of my house).  In May, 2006 Historic
> Preservation got approval from Canadian Pacific
> Railway to run locomotive No. 2816 using some of
> their heavyweight equipment between Calgary and
> Lake Louise. The train was followed by car, with
> maps and locations provided by the organizer John
> Craft. The train waited for us to leap frog with
> the result being about six locations each of the
> two days. The  train closely resembled a
> passenger local from back in the day. This photo
> was taken at the famous Morant's Curve, just east
> of Lake Louise. This was the first location on the
> second day after the loco was turned overnight. So
> there we waited well past the scheduled time for
> the train to appear. But what a beautiful location
> to wait. Freight after freight passed our photo
> line, all resulting in beautiful shots if you like
> that sort of thing. However with the passing
> minutes which led to over an hour, the trees lost
> most of their snow that had fallen overnight. One
> hour sooner and the shot would have made all the
> difference.  Looking back on those two days, it
> was pretty amazing that CP would allow this to
> happen given the heavy volume of freights on the
> line. Probably never to be repeated. Tomorrow
> China. 

Not taken at Morant's curve.