NBEC 403

This evening I heard NBEC 403 call RTC to inform them they were in Charlo. So I figured I would try and catch them in Dalhousie Jct. Well no sooner was I in Richardsville did I hear the sqawk of the EOT. So picking the best spot I could in quick time I got my self set up and ready to go. 403 went by with twenty two cars. Not very long! From there I went to the Arron street crossing and that's where I met Justin Babcock chasing 403. I assume he started his chase in Dalhousie Jct. We took some pictures and chatted a bit. On my way on to carry on with my evening I noticed he stopped in Atholville next to the west end yard. So I got out and took some more pictures with him. Got some really good shots. So here they are.

Well thats it for me tonight, have fun and keep chaseing those trains!

My one hundredth and first post!

Wow it's been over a year now since I've been railfanning (Actively) and blogging about it and this is my 101st post! Awesome. Anyhow so last weekend I went to Halifax I boarded 614 eastbound and well, I have some new freq's for VIA and I wasn't dissapointed they worked! I caught three detectors along the way, I didn't get any past Moncton because I don't have CN freqs. I have a video of meeting 615 somewheres in Nova Scotia.

So funny thing is, everytime I take the train anywhere I go, I always look out the window as though on a mission. Friday morning as we pulled into Mirimachi station my self and the other smokers made our mass exidus for the platform to get that nicotine craving out of our systems when to my left just at the very end of the platform stood a man with his camera and tripod filming the Ocean as it came into the station. I couldn't help but snicker to my self as I know that would have been me in Campbellton or in Dalhousie Jct.

Soon it was time for the crew to hoard us back into the cattle car and resume our journey to Halifax and other points in between. As we went by I couldn't help but snicker again at the thought of what I must look like and thinking to my self, "So this is what it's like from the other point of view." Oh well. If anyone out there know who this person is, (If you can identify him) please let me know. I have a picture for him of him.

Anyhow I took a few pictures and some video of course I'll post the videos on Youtube at a later time, I'll post my pictures here. Well that's about it for me as far as trains go. Have fun and keep chaseing those trains.

New Videos on Youtube!

It appears I've been busy lately! Well no I haven't. I've been posting a few of my older videos, so here they are. Yes there are a couple of newer ones so enjoy and keep chaseing those trains!






Those are it for now, I'll be uploading more later. Enjoy!

So long and thanks for the memories!

After a few phone calls and several emails a couple of some reliable sources have told me it is infact true CN will be taking over NBEC/CFMG lines. CN is negotiating to take over 881 miles of track. There are a lot of worried people right now and I'm one of them. I am not working for the railroad however my fear is simply CN will buy the lines back and then dismantle them after a year or two to eliminate competetition. (OR however it's spelled!) Well that's not good. Also the current personel working for NBEC and CFMG have their union trying to secure their jobs accroding to the francaphone newspaper "Le Press" So far nothing yet on that. Throughout the railfan websites in New Brunswick everyone is suggesting to go out and take pictures while we still can. It won't be long now before CN locomotives are here again and NBEC/CFMG locos are gone for good.

So last night I did just that! I went to the Campbellton yard to catch NBEC 403 arriving, while waiting for 403 to arrive I seen several people walking along the tracks as though it was no bodys business! WOW!!!!!! There is a freight train coming it's clear to see but yet some idiots just don't understand. One of them had an MP3 player on walking in the middle of the tracks while the train was about 500 feet away! That's crazy. I believe one guy had flipped off the condutor as he rang the bell to get him out of the way. The arrogance.

Here's my pictures of NBEC 403 arriving in the Campbellton yard. As you can see not only did they put their lives in extreem danger but they also ruined some great shots too!

This would have been a great shot!

This is a pretty good one!

Nice close up!

403 approching the Campbellton yard limits.

The end of a short era.

Here we go again!

I wasn't going to post this but I decided to anyhow simply because I have nothing better to do at this moment.

So last night I got an email from another railfan informing me that CN had indeed bought the Newcastle and Mont Joli subs. The deal will be made public on Friday that would be tomorrow or 19 Sept 08. Well I honestly have to say that if this is true well than let's hope for the best and hope for more jobs! If not....Well it'll just be another rumor as usual. I'm not taking this seriously however though, if it's true well than great if not oh well just another day for me.

Have fun and keep chaseing those trains!

403 chase last night

Last night I went to chase 403 from Dalhousie Jct, and it couldn't have been better timing. As soon as I turned onto Blair Malcom Rd the detector went off at M.P. 159.9. It was only a very short drive to the crossing but I made it there faster than some people would like me too. I had just enough time to get out of the car and get to a good spot and wait. The lead unit made the bend and I began to record. After 403 cleared the crossing I went to McClouds to take a few stills from there and then to the iron bridge in Campbellton to get some video of it crossing over. It was a great chase. I got two great videos and some "ok" pictures. My camera isn't the best when it comes to taking pictures in dimming light so some of them are not the best. So here they are.

Oh and before I forget the lead on last nights 403 was CFMG 6906 followed by NBEC 1813, and just to share a quick little story about Tuesday nights chase or attempted chase of 403. My oldest Daughter and I went to the Jct to wait for 403. After about ten minutes I thought I heard the familier rumbling of a locomotive in the not so distant distance we started walking towards the tracks to a spot where I normally film. (I have a nice little spot where I have a great vantage point.) But I changed my mind instead of going there I decided to goto another spot on the other side of the tracks. So I started walking down the embankment and into the ditch next to the tracks, I told my Daughter to wait till I got to the other side of the ditch to wait for her. I walked a little ways up the embankment looked to my right and there was nothing. I looked to my left and there he was, sitting down looking right at me about fifty yards away a black bear. I calmly instructed my Daughter to turn around and go back to the car. By then the bear was curious about me and stood up. At that point I was telling her to run to the car. She had no idea why I was telling her to run back to the car but she didn't argue with me.

As soon as she was cleared of my way I began to run with her, I looked back at the bear and he was doing the same thing, getting the hell out of Dodge! I think he was more scared of us than we were of it. If anyone out there knows me well enough there are only two things on this Green Earth that I fear. And one of them is bears. Of course we got to the car safely without incident and that was the last I seen of "Pooh bear". According to my Daughter that's his name.

This is one of those poor light pictures I took. Still not too bad though.

Another one.

This is one of the things that happens when I take the flash off. Sucks but oh well. 403 making the bend in McClouds.

And my youngest Railfan got tired of waiting for the train. She was ready though, with scanner and camera in hand.

I'll have the videos up on Youtube as soon as I can. Enjoy, have fun and keep chaseing those trains!

New Videos

If you haven't already seen them, I have several new videos up on Youtube. Last night I was sitting on my deck and I heard a CFMG extra coming into Campbellton. It was approching the crossings in Atholville. The echos coming off of those mountains was just absolutly amazing! I really like that effect. So much did I like it that I wanted to share that sound with others! Here is the video. I put my camera on the railing of my deck, and pressed record. I pointed the camera in the direction of the crossing. The mill in the background is AV Cell (My former employer!) Of course one cannot see the crossing/s however on clear cold clear nights if you listen good enough you can hear the crossing bells at the mill road crossing. Yes I've heard them before late at night. Only on cold winter nights though. The crossing is roughly about 3 or 4 Km's away across the Restigouche River. Well enjoy and I highly suggest you turn up the volume on your speakers to get the real effect. Thanks and remember Keep chaseing those trains! and have fun!

All the buzz!

Steve Boyko and the others have reported that CFMG 402 had derailed in the Matapedia Valley. There was a two car derailment and The Ocean 615 was behind the derailment. Concequently they had to back up back to Campbellton that night and all passengers were bussed to their destinations. I don't know what to think about this latest derailment. It seems to me there have been a lot of problems lately with the NBEC and CFMG lines in regards to maintence and time delays. This cannot be good PR VIA, NBEC or CFMG or the whole QRC altogether! I have no idea what had caused the derailment however I can only speculate it is because of poor maintence of the line. Again that is ONLY a speculation not an acusation or anything of the sort.

VIA 615 spent the day in Campbellton where crews can clean the coaches and sleeper cars and perform usual maintence etc. This morning it has left Campbellton as 614 on it's way to Halifax. I have no idea if the line is open now or not but I am pretty sure it's still closed to all inbound and out bound traffic till further notice.

On the lighter side of things in the past week I've been pretty busy inregards to railfanning! I have several videos of the 615, and the 402/3. I'll post them all as soon as I have the time as there is quite a bit. I haven't uploaded them to my computer yet so be patient. Last night Jess and I went for a walk on the former INR line at M.P. 00.00 to near Christopher Brook....A really nice walk. My dog took me for a walk as per usual and our new puppie well...She's not the walking type just yet. She's only seven weeks old, She still doesn't have a name yet, I was thinking of calling her "Ocean" anyone have any suggestions? I also suggested "Alco" but that shot down before I could finish my sentence.

For my last order of business, I just receved and email from Ron Jackson, informing my self and other railfans, there will be a railfan trip to the IRIC shops in Moncton on Oct 3rd. Here is an excerpt from the email.

"The Costs, Hotel $84.00 plus tax per night. Two per room or single. The rooms must be booked by Sept 20th. The rooms are booked under my name Ron Jackson and the number for the Hotel is 1-800-561-4667

Bus TBD depends on the numbers

Train $58.00 per person tax included return.

Lunch $28.00 per person tax included for both meals

The Train and meals must be paid directly to me so we can all get the rate and the lunch sitting. Cash or cheque ok on the day of departure. The train and meals must be booked before Sept 20 and there is a $17.50 penalty if you cancel after Sept 20th. "

So there you have it, the second railfanning trip of the 08 season! Well that's about it for me as for trains go this week, have fun and keep chasing those trains!