Canadian Railroads > The Rest of Saturday's Trains

Although I had already had a pretty good day (by Nova Scotia standards) chasing Z120 back to Halifax from Folly Lake, the action wasn't done yet.

As I was waiting for Z120 to finish their inspection and arrive at Rockingham on the Transfer Track, 522, the Rockingham switcher was getting a track warrant to enter the main line at mile 6.03 (the Rockingham yard office), and head west to Kinsac with some loads of LPG.  The LPG customer is located at Bedford Quarry, but the points face east on the main line and the track is restricted to 4-axle locomotives only, so GP40-2L 9584 (seen the week before in Burnside on 505) was slowly heading west on the main line with 3 tankers.  In the first photo, at 11:13, they were nearing mile 7, and Z120 was taking the switch to the Transfer Track at Millview, about a mile ahead.

Meanwhile L507 had entered the main line at Windsor Jct. once Z120 cleared, and met 511 (gypsum) on their way back from the mine at Sandy Cove.  522 needed to run around their 3-car train at Kinsac (mile 20) in order to be on the right end to switch the Quarry.  I thought that would be a good time to have 511 head east to the Dartmouth Sub at Windsor Jct., but the RTC had other ideas.  511 stayed at Sandy Cove while 522 made their moves, and 522 was the first train back at Fall River Crossing in Windsor Jct. at 12:43.  Part of the reason for 522's slow progress was that they were operating as a transfer, with no SBU, and therefore limited to 15 mph.  I'm not sure if the RTC was aware of that fact or not.  It seems that 511 could have covered the 10 miles from Sandy Cove to the junction before 522 could have got there (about 7 miles).

Finally at 13:12, it was 511's turn, as they split the new signals approaching Windsor Jct.  These LED signals replace a set of searchlights about a mile to the west which were inaccessible.  Since the new ones stay on all the time they can convey a fair bit of information about impending train movements.  If nothing is lined up they will show clear-to-stop since the control points in either direction are at stop.  If they are lined for a westbound train, they will show clear unless a train will be entering Kinsac siding.  If they are at stop, it probably means a train is lined up to go east, or you just missed the westbound.  In the other direction they will usually show clear for the main line to Halifax, or clear-to-slow for trains taking the switch to the Dartmouth Sub.

GTD 

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Excellent !

The next day 511's power was on 507 at Oxford Junction.

March 12th 2023 @ 17:22, CN L507 passing the Onion House at Oxford Junction NS
(MP 46.9 CN Springhill sub) with 180 axles (CN 2240, CN 5718)

...John Reay
Springhill NS

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I like Pic 3!!

Photo 2 is a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Normally, a second-generation (with widenose, no less) running long-hood forward would make me toss my lunch. That's a great shot.
Fred