Colors----Canadian Day, on the CNO&TP

[Bill Richardson]

    I had been considering posting this previously, but didn't get to it for one reason or another, including internet trouble and computer trouble.  On April 2 I went out to the Burnside and Tateville area to see what I could find.  It is kind of like fishing.  Sometimes I find nothing, or very little, but sometimes some items of interest come along.

    As I was crossing the bridge over the Cumberland River, I saw a train with a red engine coming across, heading north.  It wasn't to the mid point yet, so I had a brief time to grap a photo or two.  There were no cars or trucks coming from either direction, so I stopped on the bridge, about mid way and hurridly got my camera out of its zippered bag.  I made two quick photos, while checking for cars.  I got a broad view, and then zoomed in on the red Canadian, a CP.  That was the first I had seen.  A CN was rare, before that day.  Now I see more and more.   I got the zoom of the CP and then took off, heading for the Burnside office.

Here is the zoom shot of the CP, with an SD locomotive to boot. 

      I didn't find anything at the Burnside place, so I headed for Tateville.   There was a train parked on the track, over the road.  I couldn't see the engines, so I turned off and went up to the track and then to the first road crossing.  There I found the front end, with a red cab CN in the lead.  I also found another rail fan, JS-In-KY, with his entourage.  We talked, and made several photos.  He showed me the radio he uses to keep tabs on what's happening, and alerted me to more colored engines coming.

    I had only one chance before to get a photo of a CN, and that one was zipping by, at Science Hill.  It is amazing that people take chances at crossings, driving across when they shouldn't.  Russian Roulette.

    I made several photos of that CN parked at the crossing.   It wasn't nice and clean, but it was something different, and I rarely get a camera aimed at something different.

   After that, I left and went to another place, at Woodson Bend.  It is one of my good places, for outdoors interest, and trains.   John had told me that something was coming, so I waited about a half hour, and then one showed up.  That one had the usual black engines, all Dash 9s I think.  Three trains came by while I was there.  The third was the special one, with colors.  It had two CEFX units, a red CP, and an ICE unit.  That was three unusual road names on one train, and that made two CPs in one day.  The ICE was only the second I have seen, the first being in the Danville yard with the Soo.  I posted photos of those two.

I had my camera set on burst, and got three shots of the train heading south.  This photo is the last of that group.

   After that one went by, I walked out and to the truck, then headed back to Burnside.  There I found John again, with his entourage, and camera, and more Canadians.  Two CNs.  I got photos of them too.  That made five Canadians in one day.  I guess that makes up for some dud days.   I made photos of them parked, and moving out.  I used the old film camera too, with B&W film.  Soon after I went home.  That was a good day.

Canadian Nationals at Burnside