Edmonton and On Westward!

Well, after a short stop in Alberta's capital, it's onward to the mountains. Let's see what we discover on our way to the foothills!

The Alberta Terminals Ltd. certainly is a big facility judging by its size and the number of freight cars around the grounds.

These Inland cars looked pretty fascinating so had to snap a shot of them against the bright blue sky!

I love when the train passes the big freightyards. This open hopper is very similar to the ones my good buddy, Chris Lyon, has on his model railroad. Hey Chris...these ones are weathered! (Just teasin')

This CN freight is "in the hole" awaiting our train and a crewman has jumped down from the diesel locomotive to perform a visual runby and get the switch.

I snapped this interesting angle from the below deck side window of the rear dome car known as the "Park Car"!

In my next posting we arrive Lake Wabumen...the site of a major derailment the summer before. I'll have to post some of last year's pics there as well!

More From Edmonton

We were lucky to have such beautiful weather when our train stopped at Edmonton. The layover was short...maybe 30 minutes. This gave us time to stretch our legs a bit.

It's nice to see that the railroad wants its passengers to enjoy the view...and good clean windows go a long way for our "creature comforts!"

Another shot of our Park Car on the rear of the train. The stainless steel sure looks beautiful against the deep blue morning sky!

How's this for your "artsy shot" of the day. Yes, that's the moon as it descends towards the horizon while the sun has established itself on such a fine day!

After the "all aboard" call we find our seats inside the train and I am eager to see what else is in the railyard here in Edmonton. It isn't long before this spreader comes into view. What a nice surprise that was!

Yet, another surprise awaits me as we pull out of the station. Yes, this BCRail Diesel sitting in the yard sure looks lonely in the mix of red, white an black CN motive power!

And...another picture of the same diesel all dressed in blue!

Indeed, Edmonton is a very busy yard!

Edmonton's Rail Yards

The next selection of images were taken when we approached the station in Edmonton.

This CN train, an eastbound was throttling up as it began to let the slack out to begin its journey across the Canadian prairies. The lead unit CN 4766 is a GP38-2.

Here's a "going away" shot of the same train. Those sergeant stripes on the second unit certainly stand out against any background! The trailing unit, #5503, is an SD50AF.

It was a thrill to capture this locomotive, GMD1 #1063, as they are rare beauties spotted mainly on prairie rails!

Here's another GMD1u #1409 sitting next to the shop building in a sergeant stripe scheme.

More equipment...an SW1200RS. The 1385 is enjoying a rest before it is called out for duty once again in an around the yard.

Another view of the switcher as it sits below the clear blue Edmonton skies.

This fellow, a GP38-2, appears to have suffered some sort of mishap!

On my model railroad we call similar incidents "service interruptions"!

Out On the Prairies

We've departed Winnipeg and soon the evening light diminishes. The following morning I awake and head up to the dome car to check out the sights before we arrive Edmonton.

It is a real treat to spot a couple of grain elevators...especially the older wooden ones. Of course, we probably passed quite a few throughout the overnight but at least I caught a shot of this one!

Again, my apologies for the bug splattered windows. This shot was taken in the early morning light somewhere in Alberta east of Edmonton.

This industry seems to be hopping judging by the amount of rail traffic on the property! My next posting will be of the action in and around the Edmonton diesel facilities.

In Winnipeg on "The Canadian"

We arrive Winnipeg late in the afternoon of our second day's travel and we're granted a short amount of time to get off the train and walk around.

On my trip the previous year, I learned that there exists a railroad museum on the second floor of the Winnipeg train station. I ran up the stairs with enthusiasm and found this beautifully restored locomotive, "The Duchess of Dufferin". It is the first steam locomotive to ply the rails in western Canada.

This beautifully restored snowplow was also another "catch" of mine from last year's trip in Winnipeg.

What this unusual passenger set I see outside my window in Winnipeg during last year's trip? Why, it's the American Orient Express! Nice "capture" Mike!

Rather than head to the museum this year, I try my luck walking over to the market area beside the station where I'm told there are some old refurbished passenger cars.

And, so there are! I locate these two beauties in the parking lot of the market area. I learn quickly that I can enter the cars. It seems they are being used for other purposes!

Precisely what I thought! A candy store! Boy the little (and big) kids sure are happy to be aboard this train!

And...what else do I find in the parking lot? Yes, an old CNR caboose!

Before I leave Winnipeg, I snap a picture of the front of the station...an elegant and large structure indeed!

As we depart Winnipeg on the journey this year, I'm able to snap a shot of yet another interesting passenger train...this one with unique billboards painted onto the sides of the passenger cars. I hope you enjoyed my views of Winnipeg aboard "The Canadian"!

Scenes From On Board "The Canadian"

Taking a trip across Canada on our country's premier passenger train is a lot of fun! It is like being in a cottage on wheels! Check out some of these scenes from inside the train.

Our dining car and the dining experience that goes with it over the three day journey is "first class" all the way! Imagine dining at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa or the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City or the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta...well, that is what our dining experience was like aboard "The Canadian"!

We meet many interesting people and strike up friendships aboard "The Canadian". This couple is from England and the gentleman behind is Pierre Ozorak, a well-known railroad photographer. We're in the dome car here.

That's me in the foreground and the gentleman in the white T-shirt has come all the way from France to tour Canada.

This little tyke is enjoying his journey across Canada. I timed the shot as we passed through a freight yard in order to get the UP symbol framed nicely in the background!

This is Ivan, one of our VIA employees stationed in the "park car"...which is the first class lounge and tailend car.

The park car is a great place to unwind...as if you need unwinding! The entire trip is a pleasant experience! Check out the old ashtrays now used as cup and glass holders!

A "Meet"ing of "Similar Kinds"

Well, we're back aboard the train and the only two locations on board to get decent shots of passing trains is from the dome cars or the tail end park car. Keep in mind that these shots are taken through curved glass with much reflection. You can certainly grab some great interior shots though!

We've entered a siding in a long rock cut so I climb up into the rooftop dome section of the first dome car behind the locomotive set. There happen to be four dome cars on our train this trip.

And...here's who we've been waiting for...an eastbound CN freight train and he's travelling along very slowly.

The front door below the cab opens and a crewman steps out onto the front of his diesel to conduct a runby inspection of our train. It's certainly nice to know that we're well looked after!

We await our clearance before we head back out on the main in our westward direction. Hmmm...I wonder who we'll visit on our next "meet" in another siding.

I don't have to wait too long as we tuck into another siding. What a pleasant surprise to see our counterpart, train #2, the eastbound "Canadian" passing by! Could there possibly be any other surprises in store?

Why, yes there is! Now looky there would'ya! It's Spiderman pulling our eastbound friend...and because I managed to snag this shot from the rear car through the cleaner window...I'm able to get an okay shot!

I wave goodbye to the tailend car on train #2 and I wonder if someone in that car is taking a picture of me!

Refuelling at Sioux Lookout

Sioux Lookout is located north of Superior. It is known as the blueberry capital of Ontario. To railfans on "The Canadian" Sioux Lookout is one of the few places the train stops on its cross-country journey. This offers travellers the opportunity to get out to look at the old station and it offers railfoans the opportunity to grab a few shots of the refuelling operations.

The station is now abandoned and boarded up. This is most unfortunate as it surely must have been a beautiful structure in its heyday. A few years back a private individual purchased the station to renovate and re-open, but when the government learned that internal renovations were taking place, a stop-work order was issued based on the ground that this is a "heritage" building. Apparently this man threw his arms in the air and abandoned any dreams of making the necessary improvements in order to someday reopen the building.

I walk past the station to check on the refuelling job being done. All three locomotives are given a good, long drink before departing the station.

As I walk towards the engines I chose to snap this "artsy" close-up shot of the multiple unit hoses connecting two of our locomotives!

Before crossing the tracks, I seek permission. It is granted and I'm able to snap this photograph of the three workhorses that are pulling us across this vast land of ours! Not long after, we hear the "All Aboard" and we are soon on our way heading to the Ontario/Manitoba border.

Around Ontario on "The Canadian"

My previous post provided an account of the beginning of my trip on board "The Canadian". I would like to continue with more railroad photographs taken in Ontario above the Great Lakes.

This photograph was taken out the rear window of the park car "Waterton Park". The park car is the dome car on the end of the train and is a special car equipped with a full lounge and large windows sweeping around to the rear of the car.

You can clearly see that we've just "met" a CN container train heading in an eastward direction to Toronto. I cannot begin to count the number of meets that were held along the vast distance of our route from Toronto to Vancouver. One thing's for sure...we certainly saw a lot of "passing trains" over the course of the journey!

We've stopped in Capreol to refuel and pick up some passengers. The workers are very friendly and will pose for pictures while conducting their tasks. Those fuel tanks certainly look big when contrasted beside a grown railroad employee.

Hey, you don't have to be a man to work on the railroad as this happy lady can attest. Looks like a job I wouldn't mind having trackside! She's busy loading and unloading some baggage to and from the train during our stop in Capreol.

The 6458 is the second unit hauling our train and is seen here busy getting a little drink of fuel. The yellow, blue and grey stand out beautifully against the blue Capreol sky!