Canadian Railroads > Morant's Curve and CP 2816, Sept. 2001

I was among about 100 photographers taking this sunrise shot of CP 2816 at Morant's curve on September 23rd, 2001. About twenty scrambled up the hill behind the parking lot to take these images. This was an angle that Morant sometimes used also. The pole line was still there in 2001, plus sharp eyes will spot the flare orange fibre optic line marker beside the locomotive. The 111 mile marker is visible on the pole line. Morant always identified this location by the mileboard location of the CP Laggan Subdivision.

I was told that some early morning brush clearing by persons unknown may have enhanced this image.

Stunning !
Certainly worth the effort to climb the hill and cut some brush.
Gary

I was there that morning as well, but we would not meet until the 2003 trip to Cuba.

Gorgeous once-in-a lifetime photo, Phil! I rode around Morant’s curve with a kindly engr named Glen Miller on train #2 in Feb 1988– quite a memory for me!
I’m sure you knew him. He even had a “guest book” that you would sign!

It doesn;t get much better then that.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

Very nice.  This could be the time there was some published photo at the curve.  Very similar composition photos appeared in two magazines(not from your point).   They were significantly different in color and exposure  to the extent you would not think they were taken at the same time.

Bob

NIICE...!!

Perfect Phil,
Morant would proud!
Stay well.

611

Posted from iPhone

Train611 Wrote:
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> Perfect Phil,
> Morant would proud!
> Stay well.
>
> 611
>
> Posted from iPhone

Just the top of Mount Victoria is visible (snow covered peak to the right). This is the mountain above Lake Louise. Unlike Banff, where the hotel is close to the train station, the Chateau Lake Louise and the spectacular view are five miles away from the station.

Stunning vertical, for sure! I don't know if I've ever appreciated the plume from this trip before, and maybe it's your vantage point that emphasizes it, but the air must have been nearly dead still, because the plume traces out the curve perfectly. Marvelous!
Fred

Considering the number of people taking pictures that morning, I'm surprised I've not seen more published images. The media was there, along with a raised platform on a scissor lift.

Parks Canada Rangers and the RCMP were too. The train was waiting at the other end of the curve for the sun to rise from behind the mountains. You can see the shadow in the forground. There were three runpasts as I recall.  

Thanks for that background.

Mr Morant had several wood platforms constructed for his use. John Garden's book shows him on one of them, and mentions the value CP saw in his work on their behalf.