I am going to be vacationing in the Banff, Alberta and Lake Louise, BC, area next week and would like to shoot photos at Morant’s Curve, a few miles east of Lake Louise on the CP main line. I know that the light and geography favor eastbounds in the morning. Can anyone with recent experience at this location tell me if train frequency is hit-or-miss or if there are any times of the morning and/or days of the week that might be more favorable?
Bill. I was there once. Although trains ran all night long, next morning MOW was working. It ruined my day, as we had to move on. I wonder if there is a CP website to get info. Share your pics with us when you get back.
While you are in the Lake Louise region you are very close to the spiral tunnel and Field, B.C. where there is plenty of rail action, also go down and hang around the Banff and Lake Louise train stations for some photos of big drags(good,safe photo spots)-----by the way the scenery is not too shabby either. - - - Have fun.
I am not sure how MOW windows are going in the area now. If you find such activity you might try to shoot the curve on Saturday or Sunday if the weather cooperates.
The curve location is not too hard to find, it is along the old Canadian Highway. Most people shoot roadside which is lower than what Morant did. Explore the area between trains if you can. I have commonly been there in the winter, great photos but the road is sometimes not plowed. It is amazing what front wheel drive and cable chains can get you into…and a shovel will get you out of.
I was up there last May and the traffic was pretty steady. Morant’s Curve like you said definitely favors the morning. I was up there for a Steam Photo Special and we got the extra bonus of fresh snow. Below are some photos from Morants Curve on May 2, 2006. First is CP freight and the second was of course the “prize” CP #2816 steaming through. The third photo is another spot south of Morant’s Curve, Storm Mountain Overlook. There is a spot to pull off the road. Again nice shot with the river and mountains.
For a real treat go west from Banff townsite about a mile or so on the Trans Canada Highway till you reach the Bow River which runs under the highway bridge, and the turn off to the old highway, a very short distance from the turnoff is the identical “Morant’s Curve” scene, easy access, identical set up (maybe better) The morning will be the best for photos. I was always under the impression this was Morant’s curve.
Keith, that’s impressive! I’ve never been able to beat a train to Storm Mountain after catching it at Morant’s!
Thanks,
But we had a little help. The train was running as a chartered Photographers Special. So they stopped at the wye south of Morants (name escapes me at the moment). To give us a chance to get ahead of it. Otherwise probably wouldn’t have made it.
I would love to take credit for some incredible driving, but I can’t.
Or rather, Keith can do some incredible railfan driving but not THAT incredible.
I guess it warrants pointing out that Morant’s Curve is named for Nicholas Morant, the legendary official photographer of the Canadian Pacific – and in light of these postings I would imagine that in many instances Morant (1910-1999), like Keith, was photographing a train that was stopping and starting for the benefit of the photographer(s).
Keith, the name would be Eldon wye (And siding) I’m not suprised it stopped to let you people around, since it’s nasty to race a passenger on P-60 track that’s mostly tangents through the Pines.
Dave, it’s quite true that many times the train was stopped, especially in instances which he was photographing The Canadian or the Dominion. Freights didn’t stop as frequently, since they’re harder to stop and get going, of course.
Addressing the first question a bit, traffic density is enough that if you wait a couple hours, a train is basically guaranteed - And almost any time of day is good for potography in this stunning location
Nicholas seemed to have a magic touch when photographing the C.P.R. he was almost given free reign of the system, he even had a wooden tower built in the Rockies to take advantage of a scene, I was lucky enough to do some work with him and managed to have lunch a few times in Banff, he was a perfectionist as is shown in his photos, there are some great books by him.
The trip to Canada was wonderful. The weather was not terribly cooperative…the sun never came out when the trains did, but there was lots to see and my ever-patient wife did allow some railfanning. We made two stops at Morant’s Curve and saw one westbound each time, a container train with two AC4400’s and a Canpotex unit train with four AC’s (two leading and two mid-train). Oh, and a Parks Canada ranger tracking a grizzly bear with a radio collar. Yikes!
We saw lot’s more CP action between Lake Louise and Field (7 trains in 2.5 hours). While having dinner one night at the Lake Louise station (now a very nice restaurant) a CP eastbound stopped and the crew came in for coffee-to-go while waiting for the Rocky Mountaineer cruise train to pass.
We also spent time in Jasper and followed the CN main line both east towards Edmonton and west through Yellowhead Pass, along Moose Lake and past Mt. Robson. Very spectacular country and plenty of trains to see. This line doesn’t get the attention that CP’s does, but it does deserve a look.
Glad you enjoyed the trip, lots of traffic between L.L. and Field eh? Someone should have told you about living up here in the land of ice and snow (10 months of winter and 2 months of poor sledding), now make sure your next trip is to Moose Jaw if you want lots of train action. Good to hear of your enjoyable trip.
