Confessions of a Train Geek

I've put a video of the recent NB Southern dimensional load train online at the usual place. Enjoy!

Labels: 2319, dimensional, nbsr, video

Bob Boudreau took some photos of the "real" NB Southern tank train Tuesday. He had sent a link to his photos from Sunday's test train, and they informed him the train was headed to Harvey. He found it near Westfield Beach and followed it to around Nerepis. They had a hi-rail truck ahead of the train to jackhammer a few rock outcroppings. The train itself had NBSR 2319 leading with eight bulkhead flats (7 with tanks and the last one empty) and caboose NBSR 422990 trailing. Ah, a train with a caboose.

Here it is at Westfield Beach:


Farther on down the line:


Thanks for posting your photos, Bob!

Labels: 2319, dimensional, nbsr

I don't have a proper page made up for it, but you can see the video itself here.

You can also see it in poor detail on YouTube.


It's interesting to see the quality reduction when you put a video on YouTube. It doesn't look nearly as good as the .mpg file, never mind the original video.

Labels: dimensional, nbsr, video, youtube

This post continues the description of my chase leisurely observation of the NB Southern dimensional test train on Sunday May 6.

They stopped several times before or in rock cuts to ensure the load would clear. I understand the tanks are 19 feet high and 21 feet wide, so they do take up a lot of space.


12:37. This was a typical sight - the train slowly creeping forward while the crew checks clearances on the inside of curves. They definitely knocked a few branches off!


12:39. The train paused here for a minute and I had a quick conversation with the engineer.
Me: This must be the slowest train you've ever had.
Engineer: Yeah, good thing I'm paid by the hour!
(Bob Boudreau is visible to the far left)


12:44. I shot this from the side of the road to illustrate the spacecraft-like shape of these tanks.


12:55. Trying for a little more of an artistic shot here... I don't think I really succeeded. :)


12:56. I thought this was a nice shot of 2319's shiny new paint.


13:15. Finally the train reached the Grand Bay overpass. There was a lot of concern about the overhead clearance for this bridge. From our perspective just off Station Road, it looked pretty tight!


13:17. Will it fit???

At this point my daughter announced she needed to use the washroom. I bundled the kids into the van and headed to Tim Hortons for a quick visit, then returned to the scene. There were quite a few people watching the train at this point, mostly local residents.


13:35. IT FITS!

After they got one tank through, it was all over. We headed out and I assume the train returned to Saint John before the evening westbound went out.

I understand the "real" move to Harvey will take place within a week or so, no doubt with all seven tanks on the same train. Given that it took them more than 75 minutes to go 10 miles, it will be a long long trip for the train crew.

I was highly amused by the number of people who did double-takes at the train, or better yet stopped and asked what we were looking at. I generally don't get that when I'm railfanning. :)

I'm glad I "chased" this train - it's a really unusual sight around here. I'd like to close by commenting on the professionalism of the NB Southern crew. They took this job very seriously, as they always do.

Labels: 2319, dimensional, grand bay, nbsr

As mentioned before, NB Southern plans to move some large dimensional loads (tanks) from Saint John to Harvey for shipment to the Nackawic pulp mill. As it turns out, today was a test move with two tanks to see if they fit through rock cuts and under the Grand Bay overpass. I understand the full move of 7 tanks will occur in a week or two. The tanks came by ship and were stored at the Port of Saint John.

Bob Boudreau called me at 10:50 to tell me he saw a train with two tanks moving behind Moosehead Breweries. I loaded the kids in the van and headed south. I called Bob as we entered Welsford and he hadn't seen them on the road yet. I took the Westfield Beach exit from the highway and proceeded through Grand Bay, then down the South Bay road toward Saint John. Bob called me again at 12:11 to say they had just left the yard and were proceeding quite slowly.

I found Bob and Dave Dineen waiting for the train near the yard. I parked and set up the tripod for my video camera. There were a few NBSR employees around as well.

At 12:24 I saw NBSR 2319 with two MM&A bulkhead flatcars come around the bend.

To say they weren't breaking any speed records would be an understatement. I'm quite sure I could have railfanned this train with a bicycle!

This was my first look at 2319 in her new paint.


Here's a closeup of one of the loads, on MM&A 25042.


I shot them again a short distance farther down the line, at 12:28:


Part 2 to follow shortly...

Labels: 2319, dimensional, grand bay, nbsr, saint john