The Wrong Unit Leading

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've just been busy lately.

Here's my latest video, shot last Thursday, December 9th.



That's my first daylight catch of the "somewhat" new 2100 series.

-Matt

Overnight Potash Train

On Tuesday night, I decided to venture in to Saint John to catch the nightly potash train. I figured they'd be a little earlier than normal, since CN 406 was early that day. Sure enough, at around 22:00AST, I caught CN 594 crossing over Rothesay Ave in Saint John, NB, en route to Courtnay Bay to set off the full cars, and pick up empties for the return trip.



I don't catch this train very much, as it's mostly an overnight train, and it's times can vary.

-Matt

Some Updates - Train Show and Eastbound

It's been a while since I last did an update. It seems like that's the routine lately. Hopefully when things quieten down in the New Year, I can update the blog on a regular basis.

I won't go in to too much detail with this post. I've shot a few trains since my last post. On Saturday, November 5th, I was at the Saint John Model Train Show. It looked like a great turnout, with some great layouts as well. I only shot one video, of an N-Scale model.



A few days later, a friend of mine, Mike R, was driving the daily eastbound freight through Rothesay, NB.



Hopefully more updates to follow.

Quick Saturday Video

I was up in Moncton Friday night with a few friends just hanging out, having a mini "railfan video night".

I got up early Saturday morning before heading back home, and decided to try and catch CN 120. To my discovery, they were on the move to Halifax by 3:30am. The entire trip would have been pretty much in the dark, so I would have to make due.

At around 5AM, they pass through Maccan, NS, about 7 miles south of Amherst.



After that, I decided to head home.

-Matt

New Web Poll...

Just a heads up that on my YouTube page, I have a new poll set up with a question for people to answer and vote on.

You can find the poll, and my videos here: http://www.youtube.com/saintjohnrailfan

More of an update coming later.

-Matt

Google+

I'm trying my hand with this whole G+ thing. If you want to add me to your circles, I think this is the link:

https://plus.google.com/106456175400126599539

It's obviously going to be a mostly train related themed page.

-Matt

Traingeek And An Unfortunate Deer

Last Wednesday, I met up with Steve, aka "Traingeek", as he was in the area from Winnipeg for business. I met up with him at around 5:30pm, and we waited to catch CN 406 Eastbound.

We chatted for a bit, then, we heard 406 come around the corner into Rothesay.



Unfortunately, at around the one minute mark, a couple of deer decide to try and cross the tracks, with only one surviving. Oh well, better than hitting it with my car.

-Matt

A Weekend Of The Friendly Engineer

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a buddy of mine, Luc D, "The Friendly Engineer" was at the helm of CN 406, so I decided to venture out to catch him every day, if possible.

Between the three days, I managed to get four videos.









Enjoy.

Good Week For Railfanning

The start of this week was a good week for railfanning. On Labor Day Monday, I met up with Dave, as we decided to catch CN 406 Westbound. They had CN 9591 and CN 5751 for power.



Later on that evening, I decided to meet up with Dave again, and we caught a very late New Brunswick Southern Railway westbound. It had 3 HCLX (Ex Union Pacific) units, and a Maine Northern 9801 unit (Used to be NBSR 9801). We shot them outside of Saint John, NB at around 11:20PM.



On Tuesday, I found out that CN 406 westbound was another good size train. I decided to venture to Renforth, NB. I've been wanting to shoot there for a while, and finally had the chance to. Shortly after 2pm, CN 406 is westbound through Renforth, NB, a few miles outside of Saint John, with three units and 113 cars.



The two CN trains were shot using picture in picture, with two camera. Both shots turned out decent. A pretty good start to the week, train wise.

-Matt

YouTube Partnership Program

I received an email last night from YouTube. My YouTube account was approved for the Partnership Program. I guess after applying 4 times, they were starting to get sick of me. Hopefully this will help me attract some new subscribers.

Here's my latest video, shot August 31, 2011.



Enjoy!

-Matt

Sunny CN 406 Eastbound

Sorry it's been a few weeks since my last post. I've been getting into the Picture in Picture for my video a little bit more.

Here's my latest video. CN 406 is Eastbound through Rothesay, NB. Another attempt for Picture in Picture. I'm really starting to like the looks of it, and I'll probably start using it more frequently. Doing this will also allow me the time to take pictures as well.



Enjoy, and have a great weekend everybody.

-Matt

Last Sunday In Moncton

Last weekend I was up in Moncton to pick up something that I bought from somebody on Kijiji. While up there, I decided to try and catch a few trains.

I caught two trains up in Moncton, and one back down closer to Saint John. I've also been working with Picture in Picture (PiP) a little more lately.







-Matt

Some More EX-UP units en route for NBSR

This past Wednesday, I was told that the last two Ex-Union Pacific units for the New Brunswick Southern Railway were on route from Moncton to Saint John, NB on CN 406. I decided to venture out to get a shot of them while on break from work.

I set up and waited. At around 16:00AST, CN 406 heads by with CN 5723 & CN 2280 with the two units in tow.



When I arrived home from work, I discovered that the train had not departed Saint John yet to head back. I decided to go out and catch them leaving. At around 19:00AST, CN 406 is eastbound through the same spot (Rothesay, NB) with a decent size train.



Not bad for a regular Wednesday.

-Matt

Picture In Picture Video

A few months ago, I bought a new HD digital camcorder. The main reason for buying a new one was because I wasn't impressed with the low light quality that my other HD camera was offering.

I do have my other one for sale, but for the time being, I've decided to try and do some picture in picture videos (ie PiP). It involves setting up both cameras and tripods, and recording the train with both, and having a smaller version of one of the shots on screen with the main shot. Of course, that's how I'm doing it.

Yesterday, Saturday, I decided to venture out on a muggy afternoon to try and catch CN 406 westbound. Due to the heat, they had a 25mph speed restriction, which added an hour on to the trip. At around 16:20AST, CN 406 is westbound through Rothesay, New Brunswick. This is mile 78.46 of the CN Sussex Subdivision, a few miles outside of Saint John, NB.



As you can see, I have a bit more of an improvement to do when it comes to the picture in picture. I should have angled the zoom in shot more to the center of the train, so it wouldn't have gotten cut off of the zoom in.

Oh well, just another thing to remember for next time.

-Matt

Update

Well, it's been awhile since I've last posted anything. I've spent the last 3 weeks packing, as I was moving to another place. Although I was still able to get out and get some railway shots, my time spent online dropped down a bit, hence why I didn't have the blog at the top of the list.

I should be updating the blog over the next few days.

-Matt

Nice Day For A Few Trains

Last Thursday, I was finished work early, so I decided to venture out to catch a few trains. I had actually caught the overnight potash train (CN 594), while on the way in to work.

After work, I decided to meet up with Dave, aka "NBSRFAN" (http://www.youtube.com/nbsrfan) to catch the daily freight train, CN 406. We met up at around 1:30PM, just outside of Saint John. We sat and talked, and waited. A few hours later, at around 3:45PM AST, CN 406 is westbound outside of Saint John, NB, hauling a smaller train. There's been better power on the train as of late.



As of today, Monday June 13, CN 8865 & CN 8871 are still the power on the train.

-Matt

Post Judgement Day In Moncton -- Part 2

After arriving back in to Moncton, I found that CN 121 was still in Moncton, due to problems with their DPU. It worked out that they were stuck long enough for it be daylight for a decent shot. I set up at the usual location (Berry Mills), and waited, and around 7:30AM AST, CN 121 came through, almost two and a half hours after actually being ready to leave.



I went back to the yard in Moncton. While sitting there listening in, I saw the Indonesian export units being shunted around the yard.



At around 9AM, CN 305 was due on their train. After another quick stop at Tim Hortons, I went back out to Berry Mills and waited for about 20 minutes. Shortly after 10AM, CN 305 came through with a surprise at the tail end.



The "RM80-UHR Ballast Cleaner" was at the very tail end of the train. This car had been working near Halifax, for a week or so prior, but nobody really knew it's known whereabouts up until this point.

After 305 came and went, another fellow railfan joined me for a bit...

Part 3 to follow.

Post Judgement Day In Moncton - Part 1

Seeing that I survived the so called "Judgement Day" on Saturday, I decided to celebrate by heading up to Moncton, NB on Sunday to do some railfanning.

I arrived around 4am. Both CN 120 and CN 121 were still in the Yard. CN 121 was ready to depart around 5am, but they were having problems with their DPU, which somewhat helped me in a way. Also around that time, CN 120 had called the RTC saying they were ready to leave heading eastward to Halifax. I decided to head out to Memramcook to set up shot.

At around 05:50AST, CN 120 cruised through, with a smaller than normal train.



After they went by, it was around 6am. CN 121 was still having problem and were talking to the Diesel Doc about the situation.

Part 2 to follow soon....

New Camera, Long Train

Well, this week, I bought a new camera. I bought it at Future Shop and it worked out to be a good deal, as it was an upgrade to the one that I was looking at getting. As well, it was somewhere along the lines of 40% off the regular price, because they were using it as one of their sample cameras. It still has the one year warranty, as if it was brand new. So far, so good.

So now I have my Panasonic one that I'm looking to sell. It wasn't a bad camera, I just wanted something that would work better in low lighting areas.

Anyway, I decided on Saturday morning to test the camera out at McGivney, NB. I didn't stick around very long. I only caught one train, CN 121. I'm thrilled with the results with the camera, and I'm already finding it to be a better camera than my other one.



-Matt

CN 406 From New Location

Been over a month since I last posted something. I'll keep it short and sweet.

Here's my latest video which I've shot. I decided to venture to a new location. It's a nice view, but I probably won't shoot very much at this spot, in another month or so, it'll probably be more difficult to get a decent sight line on the tracks.

Anyway, here's 406 from Yesterday, April 16, 2011.



-Matt

A Bit Of An Update

It's been awhile since I've posted something. Anyway, here's an update of a few of the videos which I've shot recently.









Those are just a few of them. You can see others at http://www.youtube.com/saintjohnraifan

-Matt

Saturday On The Sussex Sub

I heard it through the grapevine that ex-UP unit, newly CN unit 2112 was originally scheduled to be on CN 406 yesterday. I decided to venture out to get a shot. As the day went on, I found out that apparently there were other plans for that unit (as far as I know), so it never made it on the train. The power was still CN 2322 & CN 8926, both newer units. I figured that in itself was a good reason to go out and get a shot.

At around 16:30 AST, CN 406 heads west through mile 61 of the CN Sussex Subdivision, with 86 cars in tow.



Not a bad catch!

-Matt

Excellent Sunday In Moncton

I was up to Moncton, NB with Dave (NBSRFAN) this past Sunday, and it turned out to be a very good day.

Here are the videos from our trip. We discovered that CN 121 was running about 5 hours behind schedule, which put it in to Moncton when we were already there. As well, CN 120 was running somewhat behind.



Next up, we shot 3 trains at Berry Mills, NB in the span of a few hours. The main train, the second one, CN 305 was well behind schedule due to and air problem, which was discovered to be at the end of the train. They ended up leaving roughly 3-4 hours behind schedule.



Next up, we decided to chase CN 406 from Moncton to Hampton, NB, on route to Saint John. We were lucky to have a friendly crew on the train, as we received a "Shave & A Haircut", as well some extra honks at other spots.



Overall, a very good Sunday.

-Matt

New Power On 406 On Saturday

I was in Moncton for a portion of the day on Saturday. After getting a few shots in the area, I decided to follow 406 west from Moncton down to Saint John, as a brand new SD70M-2, CN 8941 would be leading the train, along with 3 other units.

I had informed Dave D about the train. He drove up to Sussex from Saint John, and I drove down from Moncton, and we waited for the train. At around 16:30AST, CN 406 westbound came through with 4 units, and 143 cars. This was one of the longest 406's that I've seen in over 2 years. Ever since it was decided to run a seperate potash train, the trains have been relatively smaller.



They were going so slow due to the fact that the second unit (4708) had run out of fuel, and they needed all the units running, due to the fact that they were over 10,000 tons on this train. They met a fuel truck at the next crossing a few miles up. Due to the complications, they couldn't fuel the unit, and a short time later, they continued on towards Saint John with only 3 units working.

A little over an hour later, at 17:55AST, CN 406 heads west through Hampton, NB, going a tad faster than they were in the first shot.



After that, the trip went downhill. I don't have all the facts, but from what I understood, the train could not make the big hill up into Quispamsis/Rothesay, mile 71-75. The reason why they needed that unit fueled up was to meet their HP/Ton ratio, and to get that train up that hill without quitting. They ended up having to break the train in to two pieces, and bring each piece separately in to Saint John. After the first trip, the crew had to book rest, and a new crew took over and finished the trip.

It was definitely a long day for the crew.

-Matt

Dashing Through The Snow

I decided to venture out to try and catch the CN 406 westbound train on a snowy Saturday. NBSRFAN picked me up and we ventured a short distance from my house (roughly 4 miles). We set up shot, expecting the train shortly. About an hour later, CN 406 westbound came through.



Have a great weekend.

-Matt

A Few Trains With The Friendly Engineer

A buddy of mine, Luc Doiron, was engineer of CN 406 a few times this week. I decided to go out and shoot his train.

The first shot is from Wednesday, December 29:



The second shot of his train on a different day, yesterday, New Years Eve. He was driving 2 new ES44DC's to boot.



Happy New Year everybody!

-Matt