Mike In B&M Territory

My good friend, Trevor Marshall, sent me this picture taken many years ago when we would travel down to Springfield, Mass. for the huge train show.  Of course, that's me in front of a Boston and Maine buggy!  Thanks for sending the photograph along, Trevor.   Have a great train day everyone!

Ottawa Station

Ottawa's train station is located in the suburb of Alta Vista where I reside.

It's just a matter of a five minute drive in the car or a fifteen minute bike ride and I'm there!

This VIA train has arrived Ottawa from Montreal.

Of course, no bike riding for me in the wintertime, but I still like to get out to the station every now and then. This train is being readied for its trip eastbound to Montreal.

This train is readied for its trip westbound to Toronto.

Thanks for checking in!  Have a great day.  Mike Hamer

The Yard at Coteau

We are in the yard at Coteau, a junction just to the west of Montreal.  Coteau Junction is the location where the line to Ottawa veers off the mainline between Montreal and Toronto.  Another line arrives Coteau from the south which crosses the St. Lawrence River into the United States.

Suffice it to say that Coteau can be a very busy place.

The local crew is using this trio of locomotives to switch the yard.

Looking south and east we see the big curve in the tracks.

Lots of blocking of traffic was done in the short time we remained on site.

The crew entertained us very well.

Have a great day!  Mike Hamer

Railfanning Coteau Junction

One of our group's favourite railfanning hotspots is Coteau Jct. This is the location where the line from Ottawa meets CN's mainline between Montreal and Toronto. There always seems to be action of some sort when we visit Coteau and we are never disappointed!  This day was a Sunday, but the trains seem to run "24/7". We arrive the junction in the hopes of seeing the Ottawa Central come down to pick up its traffic for Hawksbury and L'Orignal.  While we wait, a number of trains begin their parade past the platform. The first was this CN drag from Toronto inbound to Montreal. That red nose certainly can be seen from quite a distance away!

A short while later, I managed to snag this westbound VIA train out of Montreal bound for Toronto. I really like the appearance of the clouds in the sky and the switch post certainly adds interest to the scene!  This little puppy was travelling at speed so, upon Chris's recomendation I set my shutter speed at 1/800.

Of course, we are looking east towards Montreal in this image. The blue, grey and gold colours of VIA look pretty good on these newer locomotives.  

  

The parade begins!  It wasn't ten minutes later when I heard someone in the group holler "headlight"! Turning around, I was able to set up for this shot of the eastbound counterpart, VIA heading into Montreal!  The corridor between Montreal and Toronto is a busy one.  

A short while later, we spot the Ottawa Central coming down off the line branching to the right. With a break in the mainline action, the Ottawa Central is able to take the crossovers and come into the yard for its interchange freight.

The train is pulled by three Alcos...all RS18's I believe. Two are painted in the "all black" scheme of the OC while the third is still in CP colours, with the "C" changed to an "O".  The crew are taking the crossovers to reach the traffic residing in the yard.

Love the look of these black beauties!

A going away shot.  Thanks so much for checking in on some of the mainline action at Coteau Junction between Toronto and Montreal.  Have a great day!  Mike Hamer.