Introduction
Miramichi
Saint John
|
|
Railfanning Miramichi
A Typical Day
| 07:00 | The morning switcher/local NBEC 578 comes on duty. Power is two RS18s. |
| 09:55 | VIA 14 arrives and departs. |
| 10:00 | Often the morning local goes downtown with a few cars for the port. |
| 13:00 | NBEC 402 arrives from Campbellton. Power is either three SD40s or two SD40s bracketing one or two C424s. |
| 13:00 | The power from 402 will be turned on the wye. The switcher power, 402's power and 403's power make up train
402 to Moncton and train 403 to Campbellton. |
| 15:00 | NBEC 403 leaves north for Campbellton. The power is the same power that arrived on 402. |
| 16:00 | NBEC 402 leaves south for Moncton. Power is a single SD40. |
| 19:15 | VIA 15 arrives and departs. |
| 20:00 | The afternoon/evening local may go work the Loggieville Spur. |
| 21:00? | NBEC 403 returns from Moncton. |
Railfanning Locations
As always safety and respect should be your main concerns. Do not trespass, and keep an eye out for train
movements. Respect the railway employees and keep out of their way.
NBEC Main yard
The main NBEC yard is paralleled by Gladstone Avenue to the northwest and Station Street/Roger Street to the southeast.
From the VIA station on Station Street you can view the VIA trains (obviously) but little of the NBEC action.
For that, you need to move down the yard on Gladstone Avenue or go to the end of Sweeney Lane near the crew shack.
In the morning the light is better from the area near the crew shack. The action takes place between the crew shack
and the yard on the southwest side of Beaverbrook Boulevard/Highway 430.
| |
|
|
|
The VIA station, shot from Gladstone Avenue.
This shot is often blocked by standing freight cars.
|
A shot facing south from the industrial park.
The north leg of the wye is visible to the right.
|
|
|
|
A view from just off Gladstone Avenue, opposite the crew shack.
|
|
NBEC Southwest yard
This yard is a storage yard railway south from the main NBEC yard. It is used to store some cars, and the engines
work there when assembling the return train for train 403. The wye for turning engines is also present here to the
north of the main line. Unfortunately this yard is pretty much inaccessible to the public. Some glimpses can be
seen from Dalton Avenue and Harris Street in the industrial park.
Downtown Miramichi
It is quite easy to follow the local to and from downtown. It will go railway south from the main yard, then proceed
east across Beaverbrook Boulevard/highway 430 then across the King George Highway/highway 8 and Pleasant Street before
turning north to cross Jane Road to the downtown port area. The speeds are low and following is easy.
A crewman gets off the engine to flag them across most streets.
|
|
|
The local switching the port in downtown Miramichi.
|
The local returning from the port.
It has just crossed Beaver Brook Boulevard heading to the main line.
|
UPM-Kymmene
UPM-Kymmene has its own switcher.
The interior of the plant is of course off limits. The outside yard is also off limits but there are a few points
where it can be observed from. There is a bridge over Highway 8 at the north end of the UPM yard that can be viewed
from the road, and there is a large open area to the west of the tracks just north of the Miramichi River where you
can view NBEC's local as it shunts the outside yard. Viewing the switcher itself is very difficult. You may catch glimpses
of it as it works the yard.
|
|
|
The UPM switcher on a rare visit to the NBEC yard.
|
A more usual glimpse of the UPM switcher working their outside yard.
|
Loggieville Spur
There are four rail customers on the Loggieville spur: Weyerhauser, Ultramar, Lafarge and a team track:
- Weyerhauser has its own ex-CP RS-23 switcher.
It is difficult to view the operations there.
- Ultramar receives 17-car Tank Train sets of tanker cars on its siding.
They arrive on train 402 and are brought over by a local. There are public roads near both ends of the siding.
- Lafarge receives CN cement cars. They are only active in the spring and summer. The main highway parallels their
short siding.
- The team track is located behind the mall at the very end of the spur. I have seen up to three boxcars here, or occasionally
a gondola. Access is quite easy.
|
|
|
The team track behind the mall.
|
The LaFarge cement plant.
|
|
The end of the Loggieville Spur.
|
|
|
|
The team track behind the mall.
|
One end of the Ultramar siding.
|
|
