Canadian Railroads > The Gypsum Train at Kinsac, NS

On October 18 I took a drive out to Kinsac Siding to see the new signal installation that CN crews are working on.  Kinsac is 4 miles west of Windsor Jct., but to drive there, you have to go a long way out of the way, and it takes about 20 minutes.  Since CTC was installed on the Bedford Sub during  WW II, the signals have all been the searchlight type, and the new ones here are the first LED "Darth Vader" style ones to be installed.  Along with the replacement, the signals are being upgraded to allow trains to set off and pick up cars without have to copy track warrants from the RTC.  Kinsac is frequently used to drop cars for either Halifax or Dartmouth, and locals also use it to run around the train when working Bedford Quarry.

Just before noon, the two lights of the old searchlights went from red-over-red (stop) to red-over-yellow (restricting), and the points moved to route an eastward train into the siding.  I knew 511 was on its way east, and 407 was traveling west from Dartmouth, but thought 407 was on its way to Halifax for another extra intermodal train.  In the first image, 511 is passing the new (3 turned heads) and old signals as they go into the siding.

407 had only just left Dartmouth, so I headed for Windsor Jct., and caught them in this back lit but colourful cut at 12:23.  Plans had indeed changed, and 407 would be going light engines all the way to Moncton.

Unlike my 20 minute drive, 407 was at Kinsac in about 5 minutes, and once they cleared the east end, 511 was on the move again, reaching me at this slightly better lit location, Fall River Crossing, at 12:37.  The two SD70M-2s were working hard to lift the 7500 tons of gypsum up the grade towards the junction, but in a bit more than a mile, the engineer would slack off on the throttle before the train took the 15 mph switch to the Dartmouth Sub.

GTD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/21 18:12 by cn6218.

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The third shot is gorgeous, Geoff. I must say I always liked the difference the horizontal headlights made to the look of the 8000s, especially in the distance.
Fred

Very good!  
great autumn colors 👍

Agreed....Pic 3 is very nice!!