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CPR's train no. 7, the first one into Vancouver powered by 4500 H.P. diesel electric on loan to the CPR from General Motors. The train was almost three hours late. Consisted of 13 cars and arrived in Vancouver on Friday the 13'th of January, 1950. Burrard Inlet west of Port Moody by 1.5 miles."TEST RUN DOWN FRASER VALLEY CPR diesel Opens New Rail Era" By A. J. Darrymple Out of this world! That's the three-unit royal blue, silver and gold General Motors diesel that pulled CPR's crack transcontinental "Dominion" into Vancouver at 10:50 a.m. today in a history-making test run heralding a new era in transportation developement in Canada. Imagine yourself at the head of a power plant 154 feet eight inches in length, with total weight of 718,000 pounds, lifting a string of 13 steel coaches, 1190 tons, up the grades and rolling around the heavy curvatures at 55 miles an hour, and you realize the thrill of railroading. Although these diesels have been undergoing exhaustive tests in Ontario, this test run really started from Winnipeg for the 1473 miles to Vancouver under sever winter conditions. Reporters, radio newscasters and photographers boarded the train at North Bend before dawn today for the run over the last lap into Vancouver. A blizzard roared down the Fraser canyon; and officials of General Electric and CPR checked the operation of the three units under sub-zero conditions. In the big, clean, roomy, clear-vision cab, the experts scanned the operational devices and speedmeter as the powerful engines sang their song of high efficiency. Veteran Engineer Alfred Fahey handled the throttle with Fireman M. J. Marshall on the left-hand side. While the window-wipers beat metronome time to the humming wheels, the crew, flanked by a battery of maintenence men and operating instructors, leaned forward peering through the snowy mists. Down through Yale and then the frosty Fraser Valley, rolling toward Deroche, passing the stations in a swirl of snow, all intent upon the flashing signals. A pin point of green. "Clear board," sang the engineer. "Clear board," corroborated his mate. On through Dewdney and Hatzic, passing the eastbound Huntingdon mixed train at 9:37, and then reaching out for the curving course around Burrard inlet, and through the yards and waving crowds at the station. "A fine trip," said D. M. Campbell, General Motors application engineer, "but we would have preferred the test under more rigorous conditions; 15 below was the worst we went through." Regardless of the weather, CPR chalked up another first; the first of such power units to be used in transcontinental passenger train through the Rockies; recalling another first, that day, May 23, 1887, when old No. 374 pulled the first passenger train into Vancouver. Now the trend is distinctly from time - honored steam to diesel; lower fuel, maintenance and labor costs; improved schedules through reduction of service steops. Example: Winnipeg - Vancouver run steam locomotives make 32 stops for water; diesels 10. For the passenger: Smoother stops and starting and a more restful ride; and for the romantic - minded rail-fan, a sleek machine in brilliant color designs, running swiftly and purring like an electric clock. CPR officials aboard were T. F. Donald, Winnipeg, assistant superintendent of motive power; G. H. Nowell, Vancouver district master mechanic; Al Cowburn, assistant superintendent, North Bend; W. Sinclair, Montreal, diesel equipment engineer; B. W. Woodland, Winnipeg, internal combustion equipment superinvisor; Ernest Hanson, Vancouver, diesel supervisor for Pacific region. General Motors officials: H. D. Dana, assistant general servicee manager; R. E. Hunter, sales director; Don Campbell, engineer; Mel Johnson, service and maintenance engineer; Frank Switzer, Ed Park, E. Formento, operating instructors.

Name:	Andy Morin
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	01/13/1950
Location:	Vancouver
Province:	British Columbia

5 Comments | 21 Favourites

Her headlight cutting a radiant beam through clouds of her own steam, CP moves under her own power for the first time since 2013. In preparation for her part in CP's "Holiday Train at Home" program, the locomotive was tested for a few days beforehand to ensure that there would be no issues arising from her long period in storage. In a testament to the quality of her design and the work done by CP's steam crew in preserving her, there were no issues whatsoever and the locomotive operated flawlessly.

Name:	Adam Meeks
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	11/20/2020
Location:	Calgary
Province:	Alberta

7 Comments | 31 Favourites

<B><I>CN Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its Privatization!</I></B><BR><BR>On November 17th 1995, CN’s shares were listed on the TSX and NYSE. Since then, CN has acquired the Illinois Central Railroad, the Wisconsin Central Railroad, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway, and BC Rail. Each of those railways, as well as the Grand Trunk Western, are represented by one of the locomotives specially painted by CN for the 25th anniversary of its IPO.<BR><BR>CN 3115 (BC Rail), CN 8952 (GTW), CN 8898 (CN), CN 3008 (IC), CN 3069 (WC), CN 3023 (EJE)<BR><BR>Picture was taken with permission.

Name:	Nicolas Houde
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	11/10/2020
Location:	Montreal
Province:	Quebec

13 Comments | 31 Favourites

Learning of this potential meet the day earlier, I planned an early start to my work day to allow me to head south from Jasper to Lake Louise around 1300. I wasn't sure where the meet would happen but as the day progressed I had a good idea that it would be between Field and Banff somewhere. Arriving at Lake Louise around 1500, I learn that train 608-015 was still tied down in the yard at Field (where it had been since about 0330) and that 303-600's train was pulling into Banff to meet 112-21. After some humming and hawing, I zipped down the hill into Field to quickly shoot CP 7021 on 608-015's tailend before heading back east to meet up with 303-600 at Castle Mountain. I'd follow 303-600 west until they met 608-015, wherever that may be. It turned out to be right at Stephen. After climbing the wildlife fence and swimming through 5' high snow, I lensed this image.

Name:	Tim Stevens
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	04/22/2020
Location:	Lake Ohara
Province:	British Columbia

17 Comments | 49 Favourites

The weather could not have been better as the southbound ORA excursion split the power and train to set up this photo shoot. Ex CPR 136 sits on the Elora Sub while 1057 is on the Orangeville Sub, later to become the Owen Sound Spur. The Elora Sub is now long gone and the Owen Sound Spur could be on borrowed time as Orangeville Council decides its fate. Indeed, those were the days !

Name:	Steve Bradley
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/12/1975
Location:	Cataract
Province:	Ontario

10 Comments | 38 Favourites

Lunch break at Bennett, BC. This is the southbound train; the northbound train (which I was riding) is barely visible beyond the station.

Name:	Bruce Blackadar
Railway:	White Pass and Yuk…
Date:	07/21/1977
Location:	Bennett
Province:	British Columbia

2 Comments | 19 Favourites

<br> <br>...A special place ... The Rock...<br> <br>… watching the dolphins play in the salt water bay....<br> <br>...and the breezy air is awakened by the rumble of two 567 powered GMD built G-8's...<br> <br>...at Mile 30 from St. John's......<br> <br>….Terra Transport mixed #231 to Carbonear<br> <br> ….powered by GMD built G-8 #805 / #800 <br> <br> ...and sufficient revenue passengers this Saturday to warrant a second open air coach......<br> <br> ... on a splendid August summer morning in 1982....<br><br> Terra Transport mixed #231, St John's – Carbonear, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday ( and return same days as train #232)<br> <br>... Oh!...The Rock ….<br> <br>… Oh! ….Holyrood....<br><br>August 7, 1982 Kodachrome by S.Danko at Holyrood , The Rock. <br> <br> more Terra Transport...<br><br><a href="http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id= 6608"> at Port aux Basques </a><br><br>sdfourty

Name:	sdfourty
Railway:	Terra Transport
Date:	08/07/1982
Location:	Holyrood
Province:	Newfoundland and …

2 Comments | 26 Favourites

A large bull elk crosses over the busy Edson Sub at Henry House to go and meet his three brothers that just did the same as Q143 comes barreling down the north track with a pair of C40-8s leading.

Name:	Tim Stevens
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	11/10/2019
Location:	Jasper
Province:	Alberta

8 Comments | 44 Favourites

A Ron Tuff photo, posted with permission. Long ago TH&B 53 on Hatt Street in Dundas, Ontario on the TH&B "H&D" branch returning with a couple of loads from Canada Cut & Crushed Stone. Speed limit on the H&D was maximum 15 mph with some other restrictions as well. In my brief time on the TH&B, I had the experience of three trips from Aberdeen Yard out to Dundas on the H&D branch. It was usually the 7 AM, Aberdeen Yard crew that was lucky enough for the trip to Dundas and service the few customers there, Bertrams, Valley City Manufacturing as well as CC&CS "the quarry". The houses in the photo look very familiar but I can't locate them precisely for the GPS location.

Name:	Ron Tuff, collectio…
Railway:	Toronto Hamilton a…
Date:	06/29/1979
Location:	Dundas
Province:	Ontario

13 Comments | 41 Favourites

"This is one of the last vans on the system with an operating toilet". The conductor and brakeman pause in Merrictton Yard the last day CN train 549 serviced St. Catherines and Thorold. The Port Colborne Harbour Railway started up the next day.

Name:	Tony Bock
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	06/1997
Location:	Merritton
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 20 Favourites

The final day of 2816's Inaugural Run from Vancouver to Calgary was magnificent.Departure from Lake Louise was of course "on time" and with moist crisp mountain air, the exhaust from 2816 could not have been more perfect. The train rounding Morant's Curve, MP 114 of the Laggan Sub.

Name:	Steve Bradley
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	09/23/2001
Location:	Morants Curve
Province:	Alberta

8 Comments | 22 Favourites

CN 5400 East completes a beautiful sunset scene just west of Irma Alberta on CN's Wainwright Sub.

Name:	Matt Watson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	11/28/2017
Location:	Irma
Province:	Alberta

9 Comments | 21 Favourites

Canadian National RS18's 3864 and 3090 lead a sister unit on a westbound freight past Brantford Station, at Mile 23 of CN's Dundas Sub in May of 1965.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	May 1965
Location:	Brantford
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 41 Favourites

PC 7440 passes under University Ave in Windsor bringing empties back from the Windsor Star. May 1976

Name:	Larry Broadbent
Railway:	Penn Central
Date:	05/1976
Location:	Windsor
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 22 Favourites

The classic over/under at Beare. It's pretty easy to do. First, open two shots in photoshop, one CP and one CN... heh. Ok, it's legit. CN 2100, 2544, and 5705 lead 149's train up the grade while CP 142's crew will be notching up 8712 and 8522 as their tail is now clear Staines. Back in the day, they'd already be rolling pretty good through here, but with 10,000' or greater trains on the Belleville Sub now, they're still watching the counter as they approach the crossing with CN. And CN? 10,000' is so 2001. 1439hrs.

Name:	Mike Lockwood
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	08/26/2015
Location:	Beare
Province:	Ontario

13 Comments | 77 Favourites

Canadian Pacific SW1200RS 8161 switches the Seagram's Distillery plant in Waterloo. The locomotive is coming back onto the street-running portion of the Grand River Railway line on Caroline Street, at Mile 15.4 of GRR's Waterloo Sub. The GRR and LE&N were operated as an operating division of CPR, and while the power was lettered CP, in the timetables and on the Preston facilities GRR and LE&N were used.<br><br>8161 was one of the trio of regularly-assigned GRR units 8160-8162, that operated on CP's old Electric Lines (GRR and LE&N) based out of Preston. When one went to Toronto for maintenance, it was always insisted that "their" unit be returned back to the GRR (a lot of the time if a unit stayed at an outpost for an extended period of time, the crews took better care of it).<br><br>The Seagram plant, which was the original Seagram distillery built during 1857 in Waterloo, closed in 1992 and has since been converted to condos and office space. Street-running along Caroline St. ended in July 1993 when the last train lead by 8161 and sister 8162 traversed this GRR trackage. 8161, not rebuilt in the 1200-series rebuild program of the 1980's, was sold off in 2004.

Name:	Bill Thomson
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	05/04/1971
Location:	Waterloo
Province:	Ontario

7 Comments | 46 Favourites

One of the scenic highlights of the Algoma Central Railroad is the bridge over the hydroelectric dam at Montreal Falls. For our Labor Day weekend in 1981, several of us arranged with the power company for permission to drive back their private road to hang out and get a few shots at the dam. Once we were back there, one of the employees volunteered that the view was even better from on top of the little cabin they had there. So here's a southbound freight with 2 SD-40-2's and 2 GP7L's and lot of logs on the head end crossing over the Montreal River.

Name:	Dave Beach
Railway:	Algoma Central
Date:	09/04/1981
Location:	Montreal Falls
Province:	Ontario

9 Comments | 64 Favourites

I posted another image of this little caboose hop a couple of years ago, but the uniqueness of the operation deserves second look. Here are CN 70-tonners #30 and #40 returning to Charlottetown from Souris with their wooden caboose in tow. Like a scene from the steam days, this caboose actually has lantern markers on the end. The bridge is over the mouth of the Midgell River, as slow and peaceful as the Island itself. Beyond is St. Peters Bay, and beyond it, the Gulf. Despite the 60 lb (I think) rail, the little train really opened-it-up along this stretch of track; memory fails me but judging by the whiffs of exhaust they might have reached 25 miles per hour. It is a real shame railroading days like this are long gone, and I feel regret for not catching more activity on the Island, but in honest recall know I did the best I could in the time I had. Not much happened out there. I had gone down to the Shop in Charlottetown early morning to see what time the first train to Souris in 3 months (empty reefers for potatoes) was going to be leaving and it had already departed, pre-dawn. So I was able to meet it in Souris, and grabbed a few photos of it on the way back. I don't know why I didn't plan better, but like many of us amateurs of the day I allowed myself to run out of film. Mad dash to a store fetched me something called "3-M" rather than Kodak. It had to do. Actually, turned out not that bad. The camera, btw, was an old Pentax K-1000. CN 1750 and 1786 departed PEI by ferry with the last train on the 28th of December, 1989. Now, the old line is mostly the Confederation Hiking Trail. Still good enough to make me want to go back. The locomotives? Both #30 and 40 were retired by 1983, with #30 going to the rail museum in Delson, Quebec, in 1984.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	09/17/1977
Location:	Midgell
Province:	Prince Edward Isl…

10 Comments | 66 Favourites

The setting sun works its way down the horizon, as Amtraks Cascades 517 heads south for Seattle from Vancouver. The train is crossing the Mud Bay trestle, which has recently undergone a re-decking from a wood to concrete.

Name:	Christopher Wasney
Railway:	Amtrak
Date:	09/26/2012
Location:	Surrey
Province:	British Columbia

9 Comments | 24 Favourites

After one of the last CN steam excursions to Fort Erie, CN 6060 returns to the Spadina Roundhouse after being serviced. Behind her, the old coaling tower looked nice but it hadn't held any coal for many years, 6060 had been converted to oil firing.

Name:	Tony Bock
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/1980
Location:	Toronto
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 28 Favourites

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