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!

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!

121 into the sunset

With the days getting longer and more sunlight I find my self out a little more offten catching 121. Tonight was one of those nights in more ways than one. Just as i was heading through fairview I could see 121 waiting by mile 7 for RTC to give them the green light. As I had passed Rockingham yard though it quickly became a different story.

As I approched mile seven 121 was on the move. I tried my best to head them off at Bedford station but with the traffic lights and other traffic working against me it just wasn't going to happen. So my only other chance to catch 121 is on Monday evening. Hopefully I'll be able to catch them then. I'll try for Windsor Jct on Monday. Till then, have fun and keep chasing those trains.