Canadian Railroads > Wainwright Wednesday - Seventeen in Twelve, Plus Industrial

I got out for a solo shoot on Saturday, September 9. For the first time in a long time, I had no commitments, there was an iron-clad guarantee of sunny weather with pleasant temperatures, and we weren't afflicted by forest fire haze. It was a day well spent, twelve hours of track time yielding seventeen trains (I missed one of those), of which two I shot at two locations. I also managed a properly lit shot of a grain switcher. The time of year meant good daylight would be limited to the 0730-1930 time range. Sorry for the long post - 21 photos - but there's no point in saving them for my post-mortem retrospective.
1. I got in the vicinity of Lindbrook, coming down Highway 630, and heard #102 call clear to Tofield. At the same time, I heard about a #315, and wasn't sure where it was. So I took the slower route into Range Road 194 (MP 230), in case 315 was there, then worked out to Highway 14 and the chase of 102. I caught the tail end by Torlea, but had to keep hustling past Viking until I could get to Range Road 121, MP 177.76. The 'lake' didn't give me the water perspective I hoped for, but at least I got the train, at 0823. The stack train was led by 2967, DPU 3107 was assisting the total of 464 axles rolling at 39 mph, in 12 degree air.
2. It was screened out by 102 on my EB drive, but when I returned to the Parrish & Heimbecker inland terminal at Torlea (west Viking), their switcher was nicely posed in the right sun angle. Their number 16 is the former CP 5727, and looks good in black. By the time I'd taken several photos, I was visited, and invited to leave. There have been incidents of vandalism.
3. What next? The only information I had was from the RTC talking with 102, indicating there'd be two WB for them to encounter in the Wainwright area. I dithered a bit, then decided to head back to the east end of Lindbrook, for acceptable lighting angles on them (the track bends a bit southwest here). As I was pulling off Highway 14 to work my way up Range Road 194, the RTC spoke to #402, verified it had finished its work, and gave it the signal to leave Tofield. Rats. I turned around and tore back east, but it was a distant speck and making 60 mph based on the detector chatter. So I drove back in to the tracks at Range Road 194, MP 229.9. The first of the WB arrived at 1103 in the form of stack train #115, behind 2825 and 3292. I was a bit disappointed to have to use a familiar angle, but it's one of the few that works for morning WB. There were 488 axles, but speed was irrelevant, as it came to a stop for the west switch. Ah, a meet was in order.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/23 22:10 by feclark.

---

---

---

4. The fear is always that the WB won't clear your view before the EB shows up, but it did. Sixteen minutes later, at 1119, 3064 split the signals on the head end of #104, with the temperature having risen to 19 degrees. At a speed of 47 mph, 284 axles were clipping along, assisted by ex-CREX 2796 as a DPU. You can see the tail end of 115 at the end of the tangent.
5. After 115 left, eventually #844, EB grain empties, came through at 1203, led by solo unit 3182 doing 40 mph in 21 degree air. Axle count was 422, so the car count was 104. The dirt road you see connects Range Roads 194 and 195 on the south side of the tracks.
6. The RTC had things nicely timed, as the next WB, #199, was entering the south track on the east side of Tofield. The meet having occurred, lights were back on for 3116 and ex-CREX 2774. But this was no sure thing. As this train announced Tofield, another EB was calling clear to Lindbrook, so it seemed likely they'd meet, and lights would be dimmed. But it held up for me. Sadly, the WB skunked my view of the EB, but that was crawling slowly. So I got on my horse, and tore out Range Road 194 and back to the highway, to see what I could do with #316, which I had seen was led by a CREX-painted unit, and the ex-demo 8100.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/23 19:26 by feclark.

---

---

---

7. To my surprise, I caught and passed the 844 just before Holden, and pulled in to a location just east of Range Road 161 that I'd spotted on my back-and-forth. I forget why it was that slow, but it must have met 199 at Russett, and there was a looming problem. The RTC was dealing with a logjam at Wainwright, and was going to sift a WB past these two EB at Kinsella. There was no rush. The grain train, with 3182, came past me at 1249. I was barely in position, and with some hesitation took this shot. The autofocus issue Geoff Doane identified recently (https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?15,5739336) caught me, so the fence rails of the pen are sharp, the train not so much.
8. The shot I really wanted here was this one, of 3942 (ex-CREX) and 8100 across the large pond/lake here. This was the train hidden at Lindbrook. The time was 1259, axle count 424, so 103 cars of mixed freight in #316.
9. In response to the RTC's directives, #844 and #316 were to hang out around Torlea until #325 showed up, at which point they'd pass it when it took siding. I let 844 go, but set up at Range Road 134 (MP 188.26) for 316. The background barns seemed like a good element. Although the train approached with lights off, when the crew saw me, they turned them on briefly and I grabbed the shot, at 1328.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/23 10:54 by feclark.

---

---

---

10. As I came up to the grade crossing to take this shot, the crew obliged with the lights! It's stationary, but creates a nice illusion.
11. I worked back the short distance to the town of Bruce, and set up on the west side, where I could get some good distance from the track, and a neat barn. Finally, at 1428, the advertised #325 arrived, behind ex-CREX 2793, and DPU 3204 assisting on auto racks and tanks. I hung around, because I'd seen an EB stopped at the east switch of the long Bruce siding.
12. A few minutes later, at 1435, #356 came by behind 2296, a solid train of auto racks except for the first three cars, and DPU 2340. I thought the old barn looked great; I wasn't so fussy with the new build, or the fact I couldn't really compose it out of the shot.

---

---

---

13. I couldn't resist the mirror shot, even though the image was only partial because of the distance to the tracks, and height of grasses.
14. I was working back to Range Road 161 on the east side of Holden, awaiting the passage of #101, which was fighting against the flood of EB trains. Yet another one of those showed up before I got there. This was #114, behind 3811, ahead of DPU pusher 2811, at Township Road 492, MP 204.44, There were 400 axles doing 45 mph in 23 degree air.
15. My shot of the day, making the whole trip worth it. This is 101 behind 2847 and 3043 at 1537. There were 292 axles in the stack train, 41 mph, at 24 degrees. I was so intent on composing this shot from Range Road 161 (MP 205.14), making sure I'd shoot while the milepost was visible, that I hadn't realized its mirror potential. Usually it's windy, and the mirror is not an option. Serendipitous!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/23 10:55 by feclark.

---

---

---

16. With no idea of what else was running, I held station, and was alerted by the sound of horns behind me. At 1605, old workhorse GEs 2676 and 2554 brought the 408 axles (99 cars) of grain empty #806 through, doing 40 mph.
17. It felt like time to be working back toward Edmonton, and see what might be shootable at Lindbrook. As I was coming up Range Road 194, an EB called clear at Lindbrook. This meant it had a bit less than two miles to go, but I managed to get into place, and set up on my stepstool, just in time. At 1718, 3887 and 3093 were in charge of a stack train whose number, and car count, I never caught. I was a bit disappointed to be repeating an angle from earlier in the day, but the lighting was different.
18. I left Lindbrook and set up in the parking lot of Deville-North Cooking Lake Community Hall, east of Uncas. It allows open views of the track, and passable lighting in both directions. After a while, an EB called clear at Uncas, and in short order, 3123 and 3122 came into view at the head end of #312 at 1805. The mixed consist had lots of boxes, covered hoppers, tanks, and some auto racks. Eventually the RTC told them they'd be given the signal to leave Tofield, upon the arrival of #111.

---

---

---

19. The sun was getting lower, and I figured 111 was going to be my last train of the day. But the permissive signal to my left turned red, and I knew one more EB was coming. I changed position slightly, in the sinking light, and caught #198 behind 5726 and 8011 (GM power!) at 1845. Temperature was down to 20 degrees, speed was 27 mph, and axle count 412. I thought this was going to delay 111 further, and shadows were threatening to encroach on the tracks. So I upped takes and headed to Township Road 524, MP 245.63, where things are more open.
20. While waiting for 111 to appear on the north track, 3900 East announced its arrival at Barker. This meant I was in a race to see who'd arrive first. The headlights of the EB got closer, but at last 111 called MP 245 no restrictions, and I knew I'd win. At 1925, 3119 led 258 axles of stack train doing 53 mph. The light had shifted due to the imminent sunset, as well as a local burning trash to create a slight haze.
21. Swinging around from the grade crossing, I captured 3900 and 2507 in charge of grain empties at 1926, 680 axles (142 cars) doing 21 mph in the cooler air at 17 degrees. A nice way to end the day.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
Fred
 

---

---

---

Full day for sure.  Some good  locations, lots of action. 

Good to see a different area.

Bob Jordan

Superior series - A great day to remember.
Bob

Great story and a fine set of photos.  I love the prairies.  We have to plan a train day together sometime in the future.  I was lucky enough to drive along the Wainright sub this summer and saw a bunch of trains. This was with my wife & trailer in tow,i.e. not a railfan trip.  I did have to stop & kick the tires (wink,wink) at Poe, AB and as luck would have it, a westbound miraculously appeared.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

Photo: CN westbound, Alberta Highway 14 & RGE RD 165, MP 209.1 CN Wainright Sub. June 23, 2023.

---

moonliter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great story and a fine set of photos.  I love the
> prairies.  We have to plan a train day together
> sometime in the future.  I was lucky enough to
> drive along the Wainright sub this summer and saw
> a bunch of trains. This was with my wife & trailer
> in tow,i.e. not a railfan trip.  I did have to
> stop & kick the tires (wink,wink) at Poe, AB and
> as luck would have it, a westbound miraculously
> appeared.
>
> Gerry Gaugl
> Ottawa ON
>
> Photo: CN westbound, Alberta Highway 14 & RGE RD
> 165, MP 209.1 CN Wainright Sub. June 23, 2023.

It would be an honour to share the road with you sometime, Gerry. When I saw a reference to Poe, you threw me for a loop - I didn't know the name at all. I knew that mileage was between Holden and Ryley, almost spot on the old elevator at Russett (MP 210; the long siding called Russett is just west of there). But I never ran across Poe. Google Maps did, and it explains the tiny deviation of the highway. Nice mirror shot on a calm evening!
Fred

When I label my photos I like to look at old ETTs to find old town names that have disappeared.  Of course I use the current mileages and subdivisions names as they change over time.  911 has be helpful as now all the rural routes require civic addresses.  When I stop to shoot, I take one photo to ID the location.  I couldn't afford that in the Kodachrome days. : > )

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

moonliter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I label my photos I like to look at old ETTs
> to find old town names that have disappeared.  Of
> course I use the current mileages and subdivisions
> names as they change over time.  911 has be
> helpful as now all the rural routes require civic
> addresses.  When I stop to shoot, I take one
> photo to ID the location.  I couldn't afford that
> in the Kodachrome days. : > )
>
> Gerry Gaugl
> Ottawa ON

Digital has changed the game, hasn't it? I'm still in the habit of writing the location down in my log book when I arrive to set up, or if the time is too tight, to fill it in afterward. The info on crossbucks is sure helpful. The place name thing can drive you wild. When I moved to Edmonton, a railfan took me out to Bremner, just west of Ardrossan. Eventually that siding got taken out, and Bremner disappeared. Then I started hearing crews call Bremner again, and I wondered if they were just old-timers. No, it's an old name now applied to a different location. Then I kept hearing about Barker. What?! Part of my problem is that I had just xeroxed and pasted the relevant timetables from the TSG into my photo log book, and hadn't realized Ardrossan was no longer in the books. Barker is the old west switch Ardrossan. And so it goes.
Fred

My favorites are Pics 15 and 20!!