Early morning start

Well this CN crew had a short Christmas holiday when their day started at 02:30 in Terrace on Boxing day. They pulled a mixed freight to Rupert where they split it up and sorted the cars into the correct order they had to go on to the rail barge at Pillsbury Point. Once the car are sorted a string of idler cars (bulkhead flat cars) is inserted between the locomotive and the cars that are being put on the barge (keeps the locomotive off the ramp). 2555 was the prime mover for the days work, gone are the days a geep or switcher was assigned the duties. While the train was being switched another crew on the Foss Marine tug was pushing the barge into its slip and bolting the rails that extend beyond the end of the ramp to the rails on the barge deck. They also attach winch cables to the barge that pull the barge tight to the ramp to keep it in place. The tug remains under power pushing the barge into the ramp during the loading procedure as a safety precaution.