Canadian Railroads > Mile 26 getting Treed In

DGOLDE commented in a thread a while ago about the gypsum trains at mile 26 of the Bedford Sub in Nova Scotia:  Empty Gypsum Train Takes the Siding for Z120. (trainorders.com)  His excellent picture of a pair of MLWs and loaded train is part way down the page.

Indeed, that used to be a prime spot for photos in the early afternoon.  By the time I started shooting, CN was only running two gypsum trains most days.  A derailment had wrecked a number of cars, so instead of running three 50-car trains each day, with a pair of 3000 HP units, they changed to two 75-car trains with 3 units.  The train would have to wait at the mine while a dozen or so empties they had just brought, were loaded to make up 75 loads.  Later on with more modern power, they discovered they could get away with just a pair of 4000 HP units instead of three.  The "first gypsum", 701, would usually head back from the mine before noon, but they must have been a bit later than that on February 14, 2002 as SD75I 5755 and SD50F 5455 made their way east past mile 26.  It looks like some of the lineside vegetation has been cut back, perhaps to improve sightlines for a private crossing near the middle of the train.

By September 6, 2009 (the same day as a recent thread about Folly Lake) the brush situation was getting worse, and I tried for a shot of the Ocean just west of the pole seen in the first image.  There was some open space, but I lost the rear of the train beyond the farm crossing.

Finally, on a cloudy January 2, 2018 I tried from the opposite direction, but even at this fairly tight angle the brush obscured the rear of the train.  I don't remember now why there were four units on the Ocean, and I don't seem to have any notes about that.  It was during the Christmas rush when trains tend to be longer.  Perhaps one had failed, and was going back to Montreal dead.

GTD

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Very nice trio.
JB

Excellent photos.  Geoff we all know that you are great with a camera, how are you with a swede saw and pruning shears? 

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/21 10:37 by moonliter.

I like Pic 1!!

moonliter Wrote:
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> Excellent photos.  Geoff we all know that you are
> great with a camera, how are you with a swede saw
> and pruning shears? 

I do carry a small camp saw in the trunk of the car.  :-)  That's all I can say about it at this time.

GTD

It never ends, and there's only so much one man can do!  That last shot with the 4 units and lake/river is excellent!  I still like seeing the Ren cars.

Andy