Canadian Railroads > Trestle Tuesday - CN on CP Over the Rideau River, Carleton U

In October and November, CN would often run transfers north on CP from Walkley Yard to City Centre in Ottawa. The line ran through Carleton University, and my office faced the tracks. On November 18, 1986 I had my camera with me and saw CN run north. So I hustled out of my office and crossed the trestle on the south side of Carleton, knowing I had plenty of time. Of course, I was assuming CP was not going to run anything, which was pretty safe. After a bit of a wait, the return SB move occurred, with GP9 4361 in charge of a single RBOX car at 0859. This unit was equipped with a steam throughline for passenger service, and I would see it and its sisters in the 4360-series on the headend of Toronto passenger trains, using a steam generator car.
Fred

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feclark Wrote:
>So I hustled out of my office and
> crossed the trestle on the south side of Carleton,
> knowing I had plenty of time. Of course, I was
> assuming CP was not going to run anything, which
> was pretty safe. 

Fred anytime is train time!  ;>)  Great shot however.
Yes it was a different world back then.  I walked across that bridge many times in my earlier years, today VIA won't even let you take a photo of the locomotives in places like Jasper or Hornepayne, sigh!
Well you will be pleased to know that now you can cross the river in safety to get a shot of the OTrain but only in the summer!   The City of Ottawa feels the it would be too unsafe for pedestrians to use the $5 million bridge in the winter.  My photo was taken from the OTrain crossing the Rideau River.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

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feclark Wrote:
>GP9 4361 in charge of a
> single RBOX car at 0859. This unit was equipped
> with a steam throughline for passenger service,
> and I would see it and its sisters in the
> 4360-series on the headend of Toronto passenger
> trains, using a steam generator car.

It was always fun to see something different pulling VIA train every now & then. Here we have CN 4361 on passenger duty but still operating over CP Rail's track.  VIA train No.43 is running as an extra over the CP because the CN Smiths Falls sub is being rebuilt.  4361 will only go as far as Brockville.  Its consist will be handed over to VIA No.53 for furtherance to Toronto. 4361 will be the power for VIA No.44 to Ottawa when VIA No.54 sets of the Ottawa cars at Brockville.

Photo 1:  VIA No.43 at Carleton Place, ON  27.7 CP Rail's Carleton Place sub. April 20th, 1984.

Photo 2:  VIA No.43 at Brockville, ON  27.8 CP Rail's Brockville sub. April 20th, 1984.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

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I figured I had several minutes before the NB would clear to allow a CP SB to appear. Plus I had the emergency step-out if I needed it. Still risky, I know, and I wouldn't do it now. Are you serious about the bridge being off-limits in winter, or are you just mocking their failure to clear the snow?Fred

moonliter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> feclark Wrote:
> >GP9 4361 in charge of a
> > single RBOX car at 0859. This unit was equipped
> > with a steam throughline for passenger service,
> > and I would see it and its sisters in the
> > 4360-series on the headend of Toronto passenger
> > trains, using a steam generator car.
>
> It was always fun to see something different
> pulling VIA train every now & then. Here we have
> CN 4361 on passenger duty but still operating over
> CP Rail's track.  VIA train No.43 is running as
> an extra over the CP because the CN Smiths Falls
> sub is being rebuilt.  4361 will only go as far
> as Brockville.  Its consist will be handed over
> to VIA No.53 for furtherance to Toronto. 4361 will
> be the power for VIA No.44 to Ottawa when VIA
> No.54 sets of the Ottawa cars at Brockville.
>
> Photo 1:  VIA No.43 at Carleton Place, ON  27.7
> CP Rail's Carleton Place sub. April 20th, 1984.
>
> Photo 2:  VIA No.43 at Brockville, ON  27.8 CP
> Rail's Brockville sub. April 20th, 1984.
>
> Gerry Gaugl
> Ottawa ON

That would have been wonderful to shoot a movement like that. I will have to scan some slides of a CP freight movement on the Carleton Place Sub; they sat on that leg of the wye until the EB RDC cleared.
Fred