Trackside Log for Saturday, October 6, 2007

Today Sam and I were driving to Pinawa, Manitoba to visit some of Sam's family there. Along the way we stopped off in Beaucejour, Manitoba to photograph a former Manitoba Pool elevator and a former Canadian Pacific caboose that was parked in front of it.

• 1229 CDT Beausejour, MB - static display - CP 434449 caboose (photo)

We continued on to visit Sam's family where we had a really nice Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately this was our last day on our "Elevators 2007" trip to the prairies. All in all it was great though. We got to see great scenery, take lots of photographs and relax.

Trackside Log for Friday, October 5, 2007

Today was devoted to the railways. Sam and I drove out to Portage la Prairie to watch trains. Both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific main lines pass through this once vital grain hub. No elevators remain in Portage la Prairie. We were subject to very cloudy weather with spits of rain so slides were out.

• 1139 CDT Portage la Prairie, MB - CN 114 east - CN 5751-CN 5288 (photo)
• 1205 CDT Portage la Prairie, MB - CP westbound - CP 9122 (photo)
• 1317 CDT Portage la Prairie, MB - CN 111 west - CN 8007-CN 2573-CN 5403 (photo)
• 1333 CDT Portage la Prairie, MB - CN westbound - CN 2640-CN 2427 (photo)
• 1359 CDT Portage la Prairie, MB - CP eastbound - CP 8607-CP 8651

After a while we headed back toward Winnipeg and made a pitstop in Dacotah, MB. Sadly the elevator that I photographed here several years ago was now gone.

• 1522 CDT Dacotah, MB - CN 450 east - CN 5544-CN 5265 (photo)

And that was about it. There were certainly fewer trains that I was hoping for and the weather sure didn't cooperate, but at least we saw something.

Trackside Log for Thursday, October 4, 2007

Sam and I headed out once again this morning into a beautiful sunny day. The hunt for grain elevators continued. As I always do on these trips I keep the scanner on just in case. Today as we were following an abandoned Canadian National branch I heard a Canadian Pacific grain tramp obtain a clearance onto the Arcola Subdivision. Whoa, this is a rare occassion. I made the decision to forego the grain elevators and find the grain tramp. On the way to Schwitzer, the beginning of the Arcola Subdivision, I discovered a former CSX GP15 at a grain elevator.

• 1105 CDT Nesbitt, MB - elevator switcher - LLPX 1502 (photo 1, photo 2)

Very soon after joining the Arcola Subdvision I found the grain tramp.

• 1157 CDT east of Deleau, MB - CP westbound grain tramp - CP 3108-CP 3060-CP 3130 (photo)

Considering the rarity of the train and the 30 mph speed limit we gave chase. Next stop was just six miles farther west.

• 1209 CDT west of Deleau, MB (mile 9 CP Arcola Subdivision) - CP westbound grain tramp - CP 3108-CP 3060-CP 3130 (photo)
• 1245 CDT Reston, MB - CP westbound grain tramp - CP 3108-CP 3060-CP 3130 (photo)
• 1302 CDT Sinclair, MB - CP westbound grain tramp - CP 3108-CP 3060-CP 3130 (photo)

And then we arrived at the destination for the grain cars, Redvers, Saskatchewan. This is also now the end of steel. The track has all been removed beyond Redvers.

• 1250 CST Redvers, SK - CP westbound grain tramp - CP 3108-CP 3060-CP 3130 (photo)

We watched the crew spotting the cars in two tracks at the elevators and then they headed back to Brandon, Manitoba with light power.

• 1325 CST Redvers, SK - CP eastbound light power - CP 3130-CP 3060-CP 3108

That was great. I've wanted to chase a grain tramp on a branch line for a long time. Today I got lucky. After fueling up both the car and our stomachs we continued hunting for grain elevators. No more trains were to be found this day but I did find a Canadian Pacific caboose parked near an old water tower and the grain elevator in Glenboro, Manitoba.

• 1618 CDT Glenboro, MB - CP 434590 caboose (photo)

It was starting to get rather dark. I photographed a couple grain elevators more and then we made our way to Winnipeg, Manitoba for the evening.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, October 2, 2007

This morning in Regina Sam and I looked out the window and witnessed bright blue skies and perfect weather. We gathered ourselves, had a bite to eat, and trekked onward. Our original plan was to visit Moose Jaw before turning southward. However, we discovered in the news that Canadian Pacific derailed a dangerous car in their yard and had evacuated the area. Scratch that idea. Because of the situation there were a number of northbound trains parked along the Weyburn Subdivision. However, none were worth photographing because the sun was directly behind them. Oh well. The first photograph worthy scene was found in Estevan.

• 1325 CST Estevan, SK - static display - Prairie Coal 182 (photo)

At this point our trip began to head back east again and ran into a Canadian Pacific westbound along Highway 18 in Bienfait.

• 1428 CST Bienfait, SK - CP westbound - CP 8548-CP 8643

And that was the last train we saw for the day. That evening once again found us staying in Regina.

Trackside Log for Monday, October 1, 2007

We awoke in Yorkton, Saskatchewan to an overcast morning but that wasn't going to stop us. Ever onward we continued to follow the rail lines in search of grain elevators. While exploring the stunning beauty of the Qu'Appelle Valley I heard a Canadian National train on the scanner. Amazingly we managed to time it just right to find train 423 north on the Qu'Appelle Subdivision.

• 1219 CST west of Balcarres, SK - CN 423 north - CN 2546-CN 2558-CN 2503 (photo 1, photo 2)

We continued the tour westward along the Canadian Pacific Bulyea Subdivision and then north along the Lanigan Subdivision when we met a southbound grain train.

• 1505 CST Duval, SK - CP southbound - CP 8856/CP 8750 (photo 1, photo 2)

As we weaved around Saskatchewan following the rail lines we found ourselves in Regina for the evening. After a great day Sam and I rested to see what the following day would bring.