A first time for everything.

Last night I had gone out as per usual and caught 121 at Windsor Jct. At aprox 2100 121 called the signal at Windsor Jct and rolled past us nothing unusual about that.

Aproxamately two minutes later just as the DPU was going past me, the detector had gone off, and announced a hot wheel axel 308 south side. If you listen carefully you can hear it in the video that is now posted to Youtube. I assumed they would be stopped at Sandy cove for some reason or another. So I went there, and of course no 121. I waited around for a few minutes, but still nothing. I was getting tired and didn't hear anything on the scanner for a little while so I opted to head home. Once I had got into Dartmouth I was picking up a lot of chatter. 121 was good to go, RTC had given him the "go ahead" and a caution to drop the car off at a siding if the car had set off the detector again. I am not sure but I think a crew from Rockingham had been dispatched to 121 to help out, from what I could pick up and make out from the static it appeared all that car needed was the axels needed to be greased.

You can view the video here.

Other videos I had posted are from 11 July, 513 and shortly afterwards 121, great catch that evening, even some chatter between 121 and RTC. Well hope you enjoy/ed the videos. I'll keep you all posted on my other adventures as soon as they happen. Till then, Have fun and keep chasing those trains!

CN 121 and 513

Last week, I was lucky enough to catch both 121 and 513. Approching Windsor Jct, I picked up on the scanner 121 was past the signal at Millview. Then 513 called RTC informing them they were in Windsor Jct awaiting 121. I was a bit confused. That is until 513 said they would back up and not block the crossing. (How nice of them!).

Approching the Dartmouth Sub crossing in Windsor Jct, I could see 513 sitting idle about twenty feet away from the crossing. The warrning signals were activated, though drivers cautiously drove passed the crossing.

I waited patiently further up the line for 121, and aprox 2035 121 could be heard calling the Windsor Jct signal and the horns for the crossings.

Less than five minutes later ditch lights could be see coming around the bend. I got out of the car and made my way towards the tracks. I didn't have enough memory on the card for video so I opted for stills. Some weren't too bad. Though sun light was something to be desired.

This next batch on the other hand is a little more appealing, After 121 had passed the detector, we began to head down the road towards the former station. From there (At the Jct) I was able to get great sun lit shots.

513 got the "all clear" signal and began its journey with gypsym cars.

2580 is seen here leading 513 passed the signals. Here the loaded (?) cars move past the wye.The sun shines on the cars nicely.And this is the end of a great catch!

Well this is it, I'll be posting more in the coming days, I'm on vacation now, so that means more time to go out and see some trains. Tomorrow 29 June 2o11 I'll be on the 15 heading home then heading back on the 14. I'll defiently be bringing my scanner and camera. I'll post the full adventure when I return. Till then, have fun and keep chasing those trains!

Railroad Empire!

Back in January I found this new game on Facebook, called "Railroad Empire" Well as the name suggests you have to build a railroad and make billions. You build stations, complete research to build and buy new types of locomotives. One starts the game in the 1800's around the time of the industrial revolution.

You start off with a Then you build your first station then you expand your operations from there. You have the whole map of North America (Compliments of google) and from three you can see where your train/s is/are and your stations. After aquring enough money and points you can buy more locomotives and more improved ones. As well as new lines and better rolling stock to make more money. It's a fun game and a bit time consuming; so if your working the back shift and it's two in the morning with nothing else to do, than you can play the game and have fun.

There's a lot more to the game than what I had discribed so play the game and find out for your self. Logon to crackbook (Facebook) and type in Railroad Empire and you can go from there.

Onto other business; last night I caught 121 in Windsor Jct and 513. 513 was late leaving Dartmouth (I assume) and was stuck waiting for 121. Ten minutes after 121 had past the Jct 513 got the yellow signal to procede. They passed Windsor Jct around 2035.

I had decided to take pictures rather than video. It's been awhile since I took some pictures. However I currently don't have my camera at this moment, so I'll post them this evening. So enjoy have fun and remember; Keep chasing those trains!

As promissed.

The title says it all! As mentioned in my previous post, here are my pictures from the past few months. Some are from back in Febuary when Kyla and I took the 15 home to New Brunswick and the 14 back to Halifax. I wasn't going to post these pictures but I decided to. There is a series of pictures below that are from Feb as well, when the train we were on (14) collided with a skidoo. No one was hurt just a lot of pride and snowmobile that was wrecked. I didn't have my scanner with me at the time so I didn't know what was going on till the on board crew informed us. Again no one was hurt. Thankfully! Well here are some of my pictures. enjoy!

This first one here is the 14 in Truro. Feb 2011.Here we are in Moncton.This was taken on the way to Northern New Brunswick on the 15. Again in Moncton.This would be near the tail end of CN 409(?)Here's the head end of 409(?)409(?) flying through Windsor Jct on a cold January morning.

More to come. I'll post more pictures later. Hope you enjoyed these ones.

And as always, keep chasing those trains!

Oh where has the time gone?

So it's been a while since I last posted here and I think I should get back to posting my adventures and what not agian. It has been awhile. Well I've been in Halifax now for almost two years. Two in August.

Well to get things rolling, every now and again, I go out to Windsor Jct to catch 121, I have tried on two occations to catch the export locomotives that come out this way to be shipped out at HOT but no such luck. On one night (After one of the exports have already arrived in HFX) I went down to the Halifax Ocean Terminals (HOT) and did see the exports. FIve if I recall. Didn't take any pictures it was dark out and no camera. That would explain everything.

However! I did take the camera with me on my last excursion out to Windsor Jct, I have a few pictures. I'll share with you. I have one new video up on Youtube but it's crappy and don't understand why it's not working properly. After 25 seconds it cuts out and doesn't play. Must be the codics in the video or transfering over to Youtube don't know.

In the last two years I have been active with a few dry spells here and there, just down the embankment from my work runs the Dartmouth Sub. I usually see 509 running to the refinery and to the Auto port with empties and loads. I don't know why it hasn't occured to me yet as to why I haven't taken my camera out with me to work to catch them going by. But oh well one of these day's or evenings I will. However I have noticed one evening (On those RARE days the sun was actually out.) 509 sat idle behind work. Didn't move for about an hour. One unit on the head end, I think it was a GP-30. Not sure. And a Sea King (Crash King) was flying over head keeping an eye on the train. Odd to me. Must have been something on the train that was of interest to them. Anyhow it sounded as though it was struggling, it was a twenty car train and tha tone unit sounded as though it was struggling, so it's possible it needed an extra unit to help pull. Didn't see the train leave though. End of my shift by that time.

A few weeks ago Steve Boyko was in the HRM, we met up and tried to catch the 509 but didn't work. I think we would have had better luch catching the 121 since it was leaving Rockingham late that night. Anyhow it was good to finally meet him after several years of talking back and forth through emails. Here's Steve's posts from his trip to Halifax earlyer this month. On a side note, I had admited to Steve that it was after watching some of his videos and reading his blog's is when I had started taking a big interest in railfanning back in 2006.

So I'll start posting more frequently now, even if I have to do it from work, haha. Hopefully I'll get my latest pictures up soon. So come by soon for any new updates. Anyhow have fun and keep chasing those trains!

Merry Christmas!

Although this year I have been pretty quiet in terms of posting my railfan adventures does not mean that I haven't been out! Infact I have been quite busy, traveling the province and some of the maritimes (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) either by car or by train.

Though not too many pictures were taken, and those that I did take are now lost (Long complicated story.) However in April, June, August, September I have traveled the Ocean between Halifax and Campbellton. Though now it is well known, the section of track between Rogersville and Bathurst is pretty much all slow order, I don`t recall going any faster than 35 Mph and between Campbellton and Bathurst it`s between 45 - 55 Mph. The Irvings got a big chunk of government money to upgrade their lines between St John and St Stephan, CN is putting a bit of cash into the Newcastle sub, between Campbellton and Moncton, lot`s of ribbon rail being laid and new ties as well.

With that being said, now on to something a littler more festive. Although not in the Maritimes here is the Canadian Pacific "Holiday train" and from my family to yours have a happy and safe Christmas! And remember to keep chasing those trains, Safely!

Hit or miss...

As some of you may already know I am for railway safety for everyone, especially railfans. So Here is an interesting video. I must say though it is a little disturbing, however the message contained therein is very strong.