Trackside Log for Sunday, May 27, 2007

The previous night I went to the Hamilton Bulldogs game with my sister. They beat the Chicago Wolves and advanced to the Calder Cup finals to face the Hershey Bears. Way to go Dogs!

I spent the night at my sister's house and wanted to visit Canadian Tire as well as spend some time outside. The weather was reasonable. It was a little cloudy, but bright enough to shoot slides so I drove over to Copetown for a little while. Nothing happened for nearly two hours until finally train 271 rumbled up the escarpment.

• 1246 Copetown - CN 271 west - CN 5445-CN 9523
• 1254 Copetown - Via 72 east - VIA 920
• 1259 Copetown - Via 73 west - VIA 915/VIA 6428

It was too quiet so I packed it in and headed to Canadian Tire.

Trackside Log for Saturday, May 19, 2007

Well, it was the long weekend an a beautiful day as well. I felt like seeing if I could find some trains. I hadn't been to Fort Erie for a little while so I thought I'd head over at least until Norfolk Southern train 369 arrived. It took a while, but eventually a train arrived.

• 1100 Fort Erie - CP 427 west - CP 9010-CP 5924-CP 5911-CP 8850
• 1255 Fort Erie - CP 256 east - SOO 6037-CP 6052-SOO 6051
• 1351 Fort Erie - NS 369 west - NS 8693-NS 9041

Amazing. I sit on Canadian National track for hours and only see Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern trains. Not much was going on so I drove back home to catalogue some slides. Eventually I heard some horns in the distance and went out to see what Canadian Pacific was running.

• 1841 Fenwick - CP 426 south - CP 5741-CP 5814-CP 5775

On the positive side of things, Canadian Pacific only ran one GE locomotive and it was brand new. I was happy to see the SD40-2 in abundance.

Trackside Log for Sunday, May 6, 2007

It was another bright sunny day and I felt compelled to spend it outside with a camera in hand. The ship Yankcanuck was traversing the Welland Canal so I started out the day with a trip to see it. On the way I heard Canadian National train 422 departing Port Robinson. I had time so I detoured to see it first.

• 0811 Niagara Falls - CN 422 west - CN 2453-GCFX 3053

Then I drove back to the canal to see the Yankcanuck. After watching it make its way past the guard gate I started my trip to Georgetown. I hadn't been there in a long time and it afforded me the opportunity to see Shane again.

• 1143 Georgetown - Via 85 west - VIA 6416
• 1159 Georgetown - CN 384 east - CN 5682-CN 2520
• 1213 Georgetown - CN 385 west - CN 5611-NS 9034
• 1330 Georgetown - CN 422 east - CN 2453-GCFX 3053

The sun angle was improving at Scotch Block, so I left Georgetown in favour of the nice scenery at mile 30 of the Canadian National Halton Subdivision.

• 1409 Scotch Block - CN 338 east - CN 2558-CEFX 3131
• 1423 Scotch Block - CN 148 east - CN 5723-CN 5416
• 1434 Scotch Block - CN 392 east - CSX 5298-BNSF 4959-GCFX 3069
• 1647 Scotch Block - CN 393 west - CN 5709-CN 5459-CN 2557
• 1748 Scotch Block - CN 398 east - CN 2433-CN 2422

While there a variety of other folks arrived for some welcome company particularly during the two hour quiet time. I was getting hungry and the day was getting on so after train 398 I returned home.

Trackside Log for Saturday, May 5, 2007

It was a stunningly sunny day for a change so I got up and drove for the border. It had been a while since I'd last spent a day in Angola, New York. Traffic was very light at the Peace Bridge so I made good time. No sooner had I arrived at Sturgeon Point Road when a trio of eastbounds appeared including a late Amtrak.

• 0946 Angola, NY - CSX Q114 east - CSXT 4775-CSXT 4829
• 1003 Angola, NY - Amtrak 48 east - AMTK 204-AMTK 95
• 1009 Angola, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 5261-CSXT 5251
• 1059 Angola, NY - CSX westbound - CSXT 4803-CSXT 5375
• 1117 Angola, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 250-CSXT 172
• 1129 Angola, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 9012-CSXT 7865
• 1205 Angola, NY - CSX westbound - CSXT 5430-CSXT 5234
• 1217 Angola, NY - CSX westbound - CSXT 5412-CSXT 741

Then at 1229 I got hosed by a meet right in front of me. The westbound had a Union Pacific SD70M for a leader with a CSX trailing. The eastbound was a pair of CSX GE's. I was unable to get decent photographs of either train.

My stomach was trying to tell me something so I drove into the village of Angola for food. I picked up a tuna sandwich at The Twister and ate it trackside.

• 1320 Angola, NY - CSX Q279 west - CSXT 9041-HLCX 7175
• 1332 Angola, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 5266-CSXT 7680
• 1341 Angola, NY - CSX Q274 east - CSXT 669-HLCX 7231

After lunch the angle of the sun was getting poor so I made my way to Blasdell for a better location. As soon as I arrived a local police officer checked me out. He was the second. An Evans officer stopped at Angola. In eight years I'd never been approached around western New York until this day. Weird.

• 1440 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q109 west - CSXT 5118-CSXT 4816
• 1451 Blasdell, NY - CSX westbound - CSXT 5001-CSXT 662
• 1510 Blasdell, NY - NS 309 west - NS SD60-NS C40-8W
• 1601 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q378 east - NS 7514-CSXT 7794
• 1616 Blasdell, NY - CSX S290 east - CSXT 7521
• 1644 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q167 west - CSXT 4809-CSXT 685
• 1645 Blasdell, NY - South Buffalo westbound - BPRR 1511-BPRR 1512
• 1657 Blasdell, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 5326-CSXT 8663
• 1717 Blasdell, NY - CSX eastbound - CSXT 625-CSXT 7584
• 1740 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q291 west - CSXT 7358-CSXT 8536
• 1747 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q119 west - CSXT 5433-CSXT 5410
• 1810 Blasdell, NY - CSX Q116 east - CSXT 5480-CSXT 5305

While at Blasdell a variety of people happened by. After 1800 I was getting tired so I bid farewell to New York and made for home. When passing through Netherby I heard the Canadian National NI dispatcher mention that trains 431 and 333 were approaching Robins. I managed to catch the latter.

• 1857 Welland - CN 333 east - CN 5676

Then while passing Canadian Pacific's Welland Yard I espied train 427. I aimed to see it in Fenwick.

• 1948 Fenwick - CP 427 north - CP 5750-CP 5833-CP 5664

It had been a busy but photographically productive day.

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.