Nostalgia & History > CN Mixed (passenger & freight) #203

After the narrow-gauge ‘Caribou’ was discontinued in 1969 across Newfoundland.....CN still maintained a Mixed Train service between the division points of Bishops Falls and Corner Brook to reach the isolated ‘Topsails’.....a high plateau in the central part of the province from Badger to Howley away from the highway. Here’s Mixed #203 departing Bishops Falls in 1978.

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This divided section of the Trans Canada Highway just outside of Corner Brook is built on the abandoned CN right-of-way through the Humber River Gorge but beyond Deer Lake.....the old rail bed is now the Newfoundland T'Railway....giving access for ATVs, bikes and hikers.

https://goo.gl/maps/9eMKvJjLvVPevUv99
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Here’s we’re stopped along the remains of the old Millertown station platform.

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ghCBNS Wrote:
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> After the narrow-gauge ‘Caribou’ was
> discontinued in 1969 across Newfoundland.....CN
> still maintained a Mixed Train service between the
> division points of Bishops Falls and Corner Brook
> to reach the isolated ‘Topsails’.....a high
> plateau in the central part of the province from
> Badger to Howley away from the highway. Here’s
> Mixed #203 departing Bishops Falls in 1978.

Was this mainline mixed part of the regular cross-island freight, or a separate train?  I seem to remember seeing pictures of the passenger cars trailing quite a long freight at times.

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
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> ghCBNS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> > Mixed #203 departing Bishops Falls in 1978.
>
> Was this mainline mixed part of the regular
> cross-island freight, or a separate train?  I
> seem to remember seeing pictures of the passenger
> cars trailing quite a long freight at times.
>
> Dave

I saw that too. The Mixed lasted another 10 years after I shot this in '78....and just before the abandonment in '88 there could be several passenger cars to accommodate for those out for a last ride.

Never did ride this one but I hade a round trip between Clarenville and Bonavista (below) in June '81:

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Is that boxcar on the ground at the engine end?

Posted from iPhone

SD45X Wrote:
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> Is that boxcar on the ground at the engine end?
>

Yup!....and now the rest of the story,

When I rode in '81 track conditions were poor with was only minimal maintenance on branch lines. (the mainline was still in great shape)

I spent the day riding out to Bonavista and back with a great crew who offered cab and caboose rides. But there was one comment 'don't be surprised if we go on the ground sometime during the trip"

And sure enough we did. At Shoal Harbour....just a couple of miles before we were back in Clarenville.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/19 12:54 by ghCBNS.