Trackside Log for Monday, April 30, 2007

I left work a bit early today to take care of my taxes. OK, so it's the last day but I procrastinated well. Besides, I was getting money back, so it wasn't a big deal. Anyway, I heard that train 255 was leaving Welland so I popped over to take a look at it in the bright sun.

• 1554 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 9596-CP 9735

After a couple photographs I returned home. A while later I heard train 426 call out Boyle so I drove to a nice location to photograph it.

• 1735 Fenwick - CP 426 south - CP 8809-CP 5641

There was a bit of cloud in the way, but it was thin.

Trackside Log for Sunday, April 29, 2007

Today I spent the morning outside washing my car on a nice sunny day. After completing the task I heard a horn off in the distance. A southbound was approaching. I grabbed my camera and legged it to the crossing.

• 1240 Fenwick - CP 254 south - CP 8839-CP 9586

After the photo I walked back home.

Trackside Log for Saturday, April 21, 2007

Hokey smokes! The sun! I'd forgotten what it looked like. Since it was so nice and not much else was going on I took off early to photograph ships and trains. First I drove to Port Colborne to see the Appolon. Then, on my way to Thorold to see the Fairlane I discovered train 339 in Port Robinson.

• 0906 Port Robinson - CN 339 east - CN 2604-CN 6025-CN 2608

After photographing the Fairlane I went to Fort Erie where several trains were due. First to arrive was Canadian National train 332.

• 1151 Fort Erie - CN 332 west - CN 5735-CN 2421

Canadian Pacific train 256 arrived as well but was blocked by train 332 while it lifted engine 6025 that was cut out by train 339 earlier. Eventually train 332 cleared so I was able to photograph train 256.

• 1233 Fort Erie - CP 256 east - CP 9537-CP 9003

Train 256 also had to wait for Norfolk Southern train 369.

• 1240 Fort Erie - NS 369 west - NS 8865-NS 9058

Afer train 369 cleared the bridge train 256 was able to depart. Nothing else was imminent so I departed for Port Colborne to see more canal activity.

Trackside Log for Saturday, April 14, 2007

I was pretty tired the day before so I slept in a bit and elected to relax for much of the day. Train 256 rumbled through in the morning with CEFX 1042 leading but I didn't go see it. A little later train 255 was switching Welland yard so I waited for it to get a clearance and headed out to see it.

• 1044 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 8834-CP 8611

After a few photographs I returned home.

Trackside Log for Sunday, April 8, 2007

Easter Sunday proved to be quite slow on the railways around Niagara.  However, in the afternoon Canadian Pacific started to pick up.  First I heard a clearanace for train 255 with a Norfolk Southern leader.  Now that is unusual.

• 1619 Welland - CP 255 north - NS 9405-CP 6063-CEFX 1044

I chased train 255 back to the yard in Welland where I also met up with train 256.

• 1638 Welland - CP 255 north - NS 9405-CP 6063-CEFX 1044
• 1641 Welland - CP 256 south - CP 8642-CEFX 1050-CP 8518

Not bad.  Unfortunately the weather was lousy, but I still managed to get a few slides.  After finishing work at Welland I caught the train again in Fenwick.

• 1734 Fenwick - CP 255 north - NS 9405-CP 6063-CEFX 1044

I think three locations for the train was sufficient. I returned home for the evening.

Trackside Log for Friday, April 6, 2007

This was good Friday and a day off. I decided I'd relax for the day and if anything interesting happened by I'd go out to see it. A light power train 426 passed by around 1300 so I figured to catch its return as 427. After a while I heard it coming and went out to see it.

• 1455 Fenwick - CP 427 north - CP 5864-CP 5662

It sure is nice to see some SD40-2's again. That seems strange to say considering it wasn't that long ago when all we ever saw on Canadian Pacific was SD40-2s.

Trackside Log for Sunday, April 1, 2007

Much of the day was wet and miserable so I spent it working on things in the house and running a few errands. I heard Canadian Pacific train 255 working in the yard and once again figured I would photograph it when it left. I zipped up the road to photograph it crossing Church Street.

• 1402 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 8518-CP 8818-CP 8637-CP 9831

It crossed the detector at mile 28 with 420 axles. After it passed I resumed my work at home. After a while train 257 also received a clearance out of Welland. The sun was starting to come out again so I went to find a nice place to photograph the train. There were a number of clouds in Fenwick but the sky to the west was clear so I headed that way to find a nice sunny location. Dengo Road in St. Anns fit the bill.

• 1852 St. Anns - CP 257 north - CP 9501

Feeling satisfied with some very nice light I headed back home again.

Trackside Log for Saturday, March 31, 2007

Once again the weather forecast bore no semblance of reality. The anticipated sunny morning was very overcast. I wanted to get out so I headed for Fort Erie to meet up with train 339. En route I heard that train 331 was leaving Duff so I intercepted it.

• 1009 Stevensville - CN 331 west - CN 5421-IC 6256-CN 8023

Upon arrival at Fort Erie I grabbed some food before checking out train 339 who was switching.

• 1039 Fort Erie - CN 339 east - CN 2221-CN 2524-CN 5457

Next I decided to photograph train 331 again. I departed for Merritton to wait for it to finish its work at Port Robinson.

• 1147 Merritton - CN 331 west - CN 5421-IC 6256-CN 8023

At that point I felt like going home, so I did. While relaxing around home I heard Canadian Pacific train 255 working Welland yard. When they got their clearance to proceed north I zipped out to see it.

• 1505 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 8839-CEFX 3171-CEFX 7108

It turned out to be a nice colourful consist of red, blue and green. I even lucked out as the sun was coming out.

Trackside Log for Thursday, March 29, 2007

I had my French class after work at Niagara College in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  Before I left work I checked what ships were in the canal.  The Atlantic Superior was going to be at Lock 1 before class so I decided to go see it.  However, on the way I heard the Trillium guys get permission from the Canadian National NI dispatcher to cross the Grimsby Subdivision.  I thought it would be nice to photograph them somewhere in Thorold and picked a nice spot alongside the canal.

• 1745 Thorold - Trillium southbound - TR 110

After photographing the S-13 I drove to Lock 1 to see the Atlantic Superior.  As I arrived it was just entering the lock.  Unfortunately that doesn't yield any decent photographic angles so I crossed the canal and drove to the college.  I'll have to try again on its next voyage.

Trackside Log for Wednesday, March 28, 2007

When I got home after work I set about some tasks that needed doing. At around 1700 or so a surprise southbound passed behind my house. It was quite short and I had no idea what it was. I turned on the scanner and heard it switching the yard in Welland. Evidently it was a Welland turn. It's the first I've heard. Eventually they finished in Welland and turned back north so I ventured out to take a look.

• 1931 Fenwick - CP Welland turn north - STLH 5593-CP 5868

While waiting I heard the train also talk with a train 427 which is also new. It was getting very dark so I went back home for some food.