Canadian Railroads > 20 Years Ago Today

March 8, 2003 turned out to be a productive day, with both passenger trains and a late running freight all getting in front of my camera.

First up was VIA 15, the westbound Ocean.  Something must have happened to one of the F40s, because CN Dash 8-40CM 2436 was leading the train at Milford, NS as the 16-car train passed the west end of the siding.  I didn't note the time of day here.  They should have been about an hour into the trip, but they were over an hour later than usual when they left Truro.

They likely met 14 at Londonderry (17 miles west of Truro, and still an active siding in 2003) and the eastbound Ocean had completed its Truro station stop and was running at track speed through Brentwood (about 15 miles east of Truro on the Bedford Sub) at 16:45 that afternoon.

Normally I would have followed 14 back towards Halifax, although with the train running at 75 mph in places, I might not have caught up to them before dark.  Instead I set up at Stewiacke for a very late running 148.  I don't remember the specifics now, but I suspect 148 was in the siding at Belmont (6 miles west of Truro), and met both trains there.  They went past me in Stewiacke at 17:20, and then 10 minutes later were in Shubenacadie approaching Milford when I got the last shot of the day.  Chasing even a freight train between Stewiacke and Shubenacadie would be impossible today, but 20 years ago there was a permanent slow order (30 mph?) just before the river crossing in Shubie, and the freight would have to slow for it, whereas I, on the parallel road, could continue on at 80 km/h.

Seeing a 6000 SD40u leading the 5700 was unusual, but the real rarity was the DW&P SD40 trailing, the last time I would see one working on a train.

GTD

 

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Very nice, thanks for posting!

I like Pic 3!!