My friend Jason Paul Sailer was in Winnipeg recently, and we spent a very enjoyable Monday evening photographing trains around the city.
We had no real plan, other than to capture the VIA Winnipeg-Churchill train on its way into the city, then keep an eye on the Canadian‘s progress.
VIA 692
We set up at mile 17.9 of the CN Rivers subdivision to wait for the Churchill train. I recall it was more or less on time. It was certainly making great time when it flew past us.
The consist was VIA 6446 / 6416 / 8602 / 8135 / 8126 / 85×2 / Chateau Roberval – two locomotives, baggage car, two coaches, a dome and a sleeper car. This is a normal Churchill train consist. They used to have a diner car on the train, but that was replaced by the Skyline cafe several years ago.
I set my phone up on a tripod to catch the video (lead image) and stood across the road to photograph the train passing between the signal masts. I was trying a different angle and I don’t really like it… the high grass distracts too much from the train in my opinion. It’d probably be better in the spring or in the winter.
We decided to head to Elie next. While on our way west, we discovered a westbound freight train.
CN
This was about two miles west of the previous location. Jason is shooting beside my car, and the mile 20 hotbox detector is behind me.
This train was heavy – the ground was shaking as the cars pounded by.
We continued west to Elie, but we saw no more trains on the CN line, and the signals weren’t indicating that any trains were on the way.
We decided to head north to the CPKC Carberry subdivision and work our way east back to Winnipeg.
CPKC
We saw nothing on the CPKC line between Marquette and Rosser. Dejected, we had just left the tracks and were heading into the city when I spotted a train in the distance.
We backtracked a few kilometres to the Viterra grain elevator and set up. Jason was near a former crossing and I was a bit farther back to get both the old and new grain elevators in the shot.
This was a true “CPKC” train with a CP locomotive leading a KCS locomotive. CP 9708 was on the tail end. I think this was one of the “hot 100” CPKC trains, maybe 101.
After that passed, we went on into the city and visited the CP yard downtown. There wasn’t much happening but we made the short trek to the reservoir overlooking the Weston shops.
There were quite a few CP and KCS units around this time.
We looked at the VIA Rail online tracker and saw that the Canadian was on its way west and approaching the city. Looking at our options, Dugald seemed the best spot to catch it, by the grain elevator there.
I drove east through the city – never a speedy process – and by the time I reached the east side, the Canadian was near Anola. That didn’t leave enough time to get to Dugald, especially since the city had closed part of Dugald Road down for construction.
We decided to park and walk up the Lagimodiere Boulevard overpass (here) to see the Canadian, since it had to pass by on its way downtown.
It was a fairly long wait there.
While we waited, a police vehicle stopped to ask if we were “up to anything nefarious”. We pointed to the tracks and our tripods and they said, “carry on,” and drove off. I suppose it was a little weird for us to be standing so long on the overpass.
Jason had his scanner and it turned out that VIA 1 stopped at Dugald for a meet with two trains. We thought about going to Dugald, and in fact we walked off the overpass toward the car, but then we saw VIA start moving again and that plan was out the window.
Back to the drawing board overpass.
CN, Again
Before VIA arrived, a westbound container train rolled through – probably one of the trains that VIA had to wait for. CN 3977 was on the point as it passed by Home Depot.
This train went by at 2056 (8:56 PM). It was getting fairly dark.
VIA Hot on the Heels
Less than 10 minutes later, the headlights of the Canadian appeared in the distance. They paused briefly at the signals and then rolled onward, switching tracks as they went.
The photo above shows them rolling through what is known as Beach Junction. The track curving off on the left edge is the Central Manitoba Railway (CEMR) on what was the CN Pine Falls subdivision. CEMR uses this to interchange with CN at Symington Yard and also to access the CN main line to access CEMR’s Carman subdivision. The tracks to the right of the Canadian lead to Symington Yard.
For those who care, the consist was: VIA 6454, 6457, KENT, 8608, 8102, 8140, 8506, Thompson Manor, Brant Manor, Bayfield Manor, 8512, Frontenac, Dunsmuir Manor, Franklin Manor, Grant Manor, Wolfe Manor, Jarvis Manor, Osler Manor, 8501, Acadian, Chateau Salaberry, Chateau Varennes, Laurentide Park. Two locomotives, 21 cars including the deadheading diner KENT.
Wrapping Up
It was nearly dark by this time, so we packed up and headed home. We swung by Symington Yard on the way and observed a couple of the hump yard locomotives at work, but it was too dark to linger there.
I’m glad that Jason and I were able to meet up. He’s good company and we had a good time.