It's a Beauty Way To Go - Part One (with apologies to Mr. Hicks)

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

In the early 2000s, I had a job that sent me to Canada a lot. To be honest, these trips are what reawakaned the dormant railfan in me, as I would go up there, see some of the fascinating rail operations all around, and get itchy to pull my camera out.

Unfortunately, having become a bit of an armchair railfan in the years before that, I was really rusty as a shooter. In fact, I remember one day having the realization that sun position mattered. Still, the results were lots of cut off pilots, lots of trees in front of trains, etc.

I’ve been going through and scanning those shots, and picking out some of the ones that I was really happy with.

Here’s a first set - from May/June 2001…

The short-lived, and almost never commented on, BC Rail Northwind Whistler was a luxury cruise train that would tie up for the night so that all mileage was in the daylight. It had its own Dash 8 painted like the train, but the day I saw it, a BC Rail unit substituted.

http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2351385

You could really tell how proud the railroad was of this train, with the officials that were out to watch it leave that morning. Sadly, it was dead within a year of its startup.

Next image is taken from fairly close to the previous one, in North Van, and is of the wonderfully restored WCRA FP7A.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=349833

And last image, is the next day, but in Calgary, Alberta… a westbound manifest (with tankers up front) crosses 11th Street. It’s after 9PM, but with the Calgary sun, looks like mid day.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=349842&nseq=0

As to the subject title - I honestly love and adore Canada… it’s such a great country… but whenever I

2

Thanks for the summertime memory in your third shot.

As a point of interest, if you notice the building under and behind the third signal from the left on the signal bridge, That building is located on 8 St. SW. There is an underpass there and as it comes up to street level again I lived in an apartment building on the corner, from June 1979 to September 1989. If your photo was a couple millimetres wider you would see it on the left. If you were to add SW to your description it would help sort out the Calgary pictures from others on the photo site.

The signal bridge is Sunalta, which I have referenced a number of times over the years.

You can see the end of the tender of former CPR Royal Hudson 2860, now owned by the WCRA on the left of your first picture.

Thanks, Bruce

3

I always enjoy looking thru “the albums”. This time especially the FP7. A mini-vacation and warm weather.

Thank you for sharing again!

Mook

4

Thanks, Charles!

Your pictures are always interesting, and appreciated, around here.[8D]

Thank you, for sharing the memories.

5

Thanks to all for the posts… and a special thanks to Bruce for the great info.

6

…Let me add my thanks as well. Charles’ photos are always interesting and very nice. I’m thinking of one back perhaps a year ago of a night time view of GCT in New York City…The best one could ever want.

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Thank you, Quentin,

Your post made my night.

CF