CN 8964 in the early morning rain

6:30 A.M. CN 8964 and IC 1005 rest in the rain after completing their journey across the country with a string of container cars.

Stranger in a foreign land

6:30 this morning under a gray dismal sky I hit the rail yard with my camera in hand where I spotted CN 8964 with what I thought was a BC Rail Phantom blue unit in tow but to my surprise it was Illinois Central 1005 (EMD SD-70 BLT 09/95). The lighting conditions weren't the greatest in the light rain but I managed to get a few descent photos which I turned into the Black and White images you see here.

Westbound at Exstew on the Skeena Sub

CN 2527 and 5657 pass the CTC signal system at the East end of the Exstew siding under power on the Skeena subdivision April 22, 2011 just after 15:00pm.

BC Rail 4647 crew change at Quesnel

April 22, 2011 I caught 4647 during a crew change before continuing on to Prince George.

BC Rail 4647 South of Williams Lake

April 21, 2011 I managed to catch BC Rail 4647 leading CN 5518 & 5607 North between Lac La Hache and Williams Lake BC pulling a mixed freight load.

Eastbound Canadian Pacific empty coal train

Moments after a seeing a grain train on my side of the Thompson river an empty coal train passed by heading East towards Ashcroft on the far side of the river.

Westbound in the Thompson River Valley

Canadian Pacific 8716 leads a Westbound grain train between Ashcroft and Spences Bridge April 21 during the early afternoon hours during a sudden cloud burst.

Planes, Trains and Trucks?

I haven't had too many opportunities to do much railfaning lately but did manage to capture a few photos of CN 616-34 which is a rather unusual piece of MOW equipment. I spotted the unit in the early morning hours March 22 in Cache Creek, B.C. at the local A&W restaurant where the truck driver was tightening the hold down chain. The unit is a jet engine with a flared nozzle mated to a self propelled chassis used to melt/blow snow off tracks.

Taking a break!

After along trip across the continent pulling a container unit train locomotives 2614 and 5673 idle on the Rupert waterfront in the early morning hours of March 3, 2011.

CN 15007 15008 Track Evaluation Cars

While its been along time since I've posted anything due to a busy schedule at work and home. I have replaced my Sony A380 with a new Sony SLT A55 which is a huge setup on the 380. The weather has been typical North Coast, winter rains day after day with the occasional brief break in between squalls. I did manage to get out today and made my way to the waterfront where I caught up to CN 5287 with cars 15007 and 15008 parked idling in the rain. These cars are starting to make regular appearance in town. I have seen them 2 or 3 times over the past year. 15007 is a former 60' ballasted box car (CNA794704) built by Pullman Standard in January 1964. 15008 is a track geometry car converted from ex. Via 1802/CN 1802 "Cape Rosier" built by Pullman Standard in 1954.