NBSR - Saint John Sightings Nov 30

While out looking for some trains I found a couple of yard crews working in the Dever Road Yard. The first was GP38 #2612 working by itself on the west end of the yard. I made a small video of the unit shunting. You can hear the radio chatter from the crew in the video.

At the east end of the Dever Rd Yard GP38s #9803,2610 were putting a long cut of boxcars together on the main line that runs through the yard. NBSR sometimes stores empty cars on the rarely used track. I took some photos of the crew working from the bridge overlooking the east end.

NB Southern - 9802 Eastbound Nov 21

On Nov 21st I filmed the NBSR eastbound. The last time I chased the train it arrived at Vespra around 3:30pm, so I left Saint John at 2pm to make sure I'd get there by then. It can be hit and miss not knowing the actual time the train is due at McAdam. But today worked out good. I arrived at Vespra around 3:15pm. I was there only a short time when a call to the RTC was made on the scanner. They received a go ahead to proceed from mile 60.0 to the Dever Road Yard limits.

I set up on a private crossing just east of the grade crossing at Vespra. At 3:42pm the train arrived. GP38s 9802 & 2317 were the power along with 29 cars. On the drive up to meet this train I decided on some new spots for shooting.

My second shot I caught the train in Tracy at 3:51pm. I decided on catching a side shot of the train along the straight stretch. I like shooting at the Rte 7 crossing in Welsford.

Today I wanted to get a sound clip of the hot box detector. I like adding any sound clips of radio chat when I can just to make the video a little more interesting. At 4:29pm 9802 rolls through Welsford after no alarms from the last hot box detector before Saint John. And for my last shot I decided on a spot in Westfield just east of the RCMP office. At 4:40pm the train rolled through. Things weren't going so good though.

When I arrived at the spot there was quite abit of traffic. By the time I got out and across the road the train was coming into the curve. Then the ground was unlevel so I had to adjust my tripod. I got just enough of the train to put in the video. And with loosing the light I called it quits on taping and just followed the train into Saint John. So here's the video of my day..

NB Southern Railway - 2317 Eastbound

It was a nice sunny day today I thought I would chase the eastbound. I left Saint John around 12:30. I never really know what time the train is due into McAdam, so I take the older roads located close to the rail line. I arrived at my destination at 1:55pm. I usually stop where Rte 645 turns into a dirt road at Vespra. This is west of Tracy. I waited for over an hour. So I thought I would take a pic of something... crossing lights work. I really thought I wasn't going to see a train today. At 3:25pm I finally decided to leave after no sign of the train. Until.. I slowly drove over the crossing I was located by. I saw headlights! Finally the eastbound was coming. I was really starting to loose day light by this time.

I thought I would try a shot as the train enters Fredericton Junction at 3:40pm. I like this spot because of the angle with the rest of the train. Unfortunately it was back lit. But the sun lit up the rest of the train nicely.

At 3:50pm the setting sun was making for some good lighting for locations like this one in Blissville. Today's train consisted of sister GP38s #2317 & 2318 and 61 cars.

4:10pm rolling through Clarendon.

And finally Grand Bay at 4:36pm. Sunlight glared off the nicely painted GP38s as they round the curve. I shot at two locations other than shown. At Rte 7 crossing in Welsford and in Ketepec just outside the Dever Rd Yard limits. They both had poor lighting and the shots weren't the best. The train arrived in Saint John at 5pm.

NBSR SW9 #3703 Update

Steve Boyko has heard that #3703 is going to be getting a new paint job, some new parts and a cab overhaul. I have to say I'm glad to hear this. I have liked the SW9s since NB Southern purchased them. I will definitely update about this in the future.

CN and NBSR sightings Nov 6/07

This morning I was driving Saint John Transit's East/West route and I made quite a few trips through Rothesay Avenue. Anytime I travel that way my eyes are always on the look out for trains in the Island Yard. The first thing I noticed was a new CN unit SD70 #8819. The fresh paint job made it stand out quite nicely. As I drove by Brett Chev Olds on Rothesay Ave I realized I could get a nice picture from the parking lot of Brett's. I was working a split shift today so I wanted to get a pic of the new locomotive before it left for Moncton. I finally got out to Brett's to get my photo and when I drove into the parking lot the shot of the locomotive changed. A tank trailer had been parked beside #8819 ruining the shot. So I took two photos anyway, one of the nose and just a wide shot. While taking the photos of #8819 I also noticed a bit of a sad sight. NBSR SW9 #3703 was sitting outside the Island Yard shop all by itself. It looks to be that it might be retired. Although I'm not 100% sure on that but it just doesn't look good. The headlight bulbs are removed. It appears to have some of the glass removed. I have a video of #3703 along with #2610 working the Dever Rd Yard on Aug 14/07. So I would say it was parked shortly after. If anyone has any idea the story of what's to come for this engine I would love to hear it. I will try my best to find out.

It used to be if someone was rail fanning NB Southern in Saint John they would always see the two SW9s #3702-3703 working hard together. I often heard on the scanner the NBSR employees calling the little engines "Huff & Puff." Here are a couple of more pics of #3703 working with it's mate #3702.