Passenger Trains > Royal Canadian Pacific In Southern Alberta

A few weeks back CP ran their Royal Canadian Pacific passenger train to the coast of BC and back. This train had the A-B-A set of F's for the first time in a while. Upon getting back to Calgary, another excursion was on the horizon to the southern mainline through Alberta and into BC. I managed to get out and snap some photos on both CP's Aldersyde Sub and Crowsnest Sub. Unfortunately CP swapped the 4106 for the 3084.

1. Southbound passing the wooden Pioneer elevator in the town of Vulcan,AB.

2. Vulcan is Canada's official Star Trek capital and has many monuments to Star Trek along with this "Prairie Spaceship".

3. One of the newer and bigger elevators in town is this Viterra elevator on the south end.

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4. Carmangay has a nice trestle, unfortunately the light wasn't amazing but you make do.

5. The special stops at Barons to unload the wealthy American family who chartered this train. Word is they went to the Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump world heritage site west of Fort Macleod. http://history.alberta.ca/headsmashedin/default.aspx Barons,AB was the spot for the train scene from one of the original Superman movies, can't remember which one right off the top of my head.

6. Southbound departing Barons.

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7. Sitting on the #2 run through in Lethbridge awaiting a new crew to take the train west.

8. Departing the Cautionary Limits at Lethbridge yard, otherwise known as Kipp.

9. Arriving in Fort Macleod to reload the passengers.

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10. Having climbed the grade out of Piegan towards Brocket.

11. West of Brocket with the windmills in the background. Despite the fact that the 4106 was substituted, it was interesting to see the 3 different schemes together.

12. Dropping down the short hill and crossing the Oldman River bridge. This is a line revision built in the 1990's when the Oldman River Dam was built flooding the original right of way.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/12 01:13 by CP9300.

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13. Curving off the Oldman River bridge and back up the hill towards Cowley. There are many windmill developments dotting the landscape from Lethbridge to the BC Alberta border. It can gust quite heavily through here all year long. As I write this we have winds of 80kmh gusting to 100kmh in Lethbridge tonight. I can imagine there is a lot of power being generated tonight.

14. Accelerating uphill towards an overnight at Cowley,AB. The guests slept on the train and continued west the next day into a rainy BC.

15. As we drove home a large storm was passing through. A very impressive sight to see for this former coastal BC boy.

Hope you enjoyed seeing the pictures as much as I did taking them.

Happy Hunting, A.J.

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Really nice shots. Especially the second last one. You can charter an entire train!!

My vote is for #13, once again good stuff. I love the prairies & get tired of the mountains in B.C.

Bob Ritchie
Chase, BC

great chaSE

any security issues being around those VIP's?

Thanks, for sharing whole train, especially open platform. Love posters that whole consist, not just engine.

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> any security issues being around those VIP's?

The CP Police were out. The only time I had a conversation with a Constable was when I was pulled to the side of the road and she wanted to know if everything was ok. Very friendly for these kind of specials in the great white north.

A.J.

Superb! Wonder why CP has such trouble keeping all three Fs running. Thanks for a great post! Kurt.

CP9300 Wrote:
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> The_Chief_Way Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > any security issues being around those VIP's?
>
> The CP Police were out. The only time I had a
> conversation with a Constable was when I was
> pulled to the side of the road and she wanted to
> know if everything was ok. Very friendly for these
> kind of specials in the great white north.

I was in same general area several years ago.....snapping a few pictures at the road entrance to a yard but still on the public highway when I saw the CP Constable approaching. Well he stopped his SUV and said “you’ll get a better shot over here”. We talked trains for a few minutes then he said he had to go.....but I was fine where I was standing and to just be careful.

Would I be correct in assuming "a few weeks back" would be May of this year? The color in the grasslands would seem to suggest so, but it also looks like the area has suffered some of the same drought conditions that several areas of the US are suffering.

I also really like shot #13, but I'll cast my vote for #14. I love the way the prairie is contrasted with mountains and the way the side-lit (entire) train comes into a higher definition is superb. Great stuff!

Lance

santafe199 Wrote:
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> Would I be correct in assuming "a few weeks back"
> would be May of this year? The color in the
> grasslands would seem to suggest so, but it also
> looks like the area has suffered some of the same
> drought conditions that several areas of the US
> are suffering.

Lance, this trip happened from Calgary to the Crowsnest on June 25, 2012. We have had a few good soakings in the last few months giving the grass a little greener tinge. Glad you enjoyed the shots.

britchie Wrote:
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> I love
> the prairies & get tired of the mountains in B.C.


Well now I've heard it all. Go figure.

Rick

rschonfelder Wrote:
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> britchie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I love
> > the prairies & get tired of the mountains in
> B.C.
>
>
> Well now I've heard it all. Go figure.
>
> Rick

I have an ocean view with the highlands of Cape Breton across the bay every day.....ho-hum.

But give me the prairies or BC mountains anytime.....It’s whatever you’re used to!