Introduction
Miramichi
Saint John
|
|
Railfanning Saint John
Near the City
NB Southern operates the McAdam subdivision, which extends from Saint John to McAdam. There is one daily train each direction on this subdivision,
a westbound leaving Saint John very early in the morning and an eastbound returning in the evening. These trains usually have at least three units
and sometimes more. There is no predictable time for the NB Southern trains except to say that sometimes the westbound is usually long gone by
daylight. It is fairly easy to pace trains on the McAdam subdivision, especially between Saint John and Fredericton Junction.
CN operates the Sussex subdivision, which extends from Saint John to Moncton. There is one daily train each direction on this subdivision,
train 305 leaving Saint John anytime after noon, and train 306 leaving Moncton very early in the morning. These trains often have three units
for power, typically CN SD75 or C44-9W units and very rarely non-CN units. In the mornings the power is often parked in Island Yard. Around
11 AM they will begin assembling their outbound train, and often by 1 PM they are away for Moncton. They may stop and do some switching in Sussex
on the way. The power is often turned on the wye outside Island Yard in the morning, and may be used to service the
potash terminal.
CN 5746 leading CN 305 out past Coldbrook at the west end of the Island Yard.
|
CN 5643 on CN 305.
|
CN sometimes runs other trains on the Sussex subdivision, usually potash trains to or from Saint John. It is rare for NB Southern to run extras
but the occasional work extra or excursion train can be found.
Back to top
| |
In the City
NB Southern handles all the switching within the city, with the exception of the potash terminal, which is done by CN. NB Southern's interyard switching
is often performed by its two SW1200 units, but you can see GP38 units at work singly or in pairs. The switching at Island Yard is almost always
performed by leased CN GP9 units, sometimes in concert with an NB Southern GP9.
Typical switching runs within Saint John are:
- At least one transfer train daily between the Dever Road yard and Island Yard over the Reversing Falls bridge (usualy two SW1200 units)
- At least one daily train to east Saint John (Irving Paper, Irving Refinery, industrial park) (usually two GP9 units but sometimes a GP9/GP38 pair)
- A switcher to the freight terminal near Harbour Station (usually one SW1200 but sometimes one GP9)
- A train to the Port of Saint John (usually two GP38 units)
The time for these switching runs are difficult to predict. One can usually find the east Saint John run building its train in Island Yard
around 9 AM and departing around 10 AM. The key sign to watch out for is the
green NB Southern caboose #79635. Seeing it usually indicates the
train is being assembled or has returned.
Back to top
|
|
NBSR 3701 and CN 7010 leading the local toward west Saint John.
|
Yard Action
The Island Yard is not very
accessible, except that all switching on the north/east end can be seen between buildings off Rothesay Avenue.
Switchers repeatedly pass over a small bridge at the "throat" of Island Yard and can be seen. One can also see CN 305 assembling its train
anywhere along Rothesay Avenue. The south/west end is somewhat accessible, and one can sometimes see the transfer train assembling a train
to take back to Dever Road.
The west end of the ex-CN yard, near Crosby's Molasses.
|
A view of the Island Yard "throat" from Highway 1.
|
It is quite easy to see units as they turn on the wye outside Island Yard.
Ontario Northland 2105 and CN units just finished turning on the wye near Island Yard.
|
CN 2629 on the wye.
|
NB Southern's Dever Road yard
is also not very accessible. There is an overpass on Green Head Road over the tracks just at the east end of the
yard, where one can get telephoto shots of the yard on a clear day. There is also a cul-de-sac below the road that allows track-level
viewing of the switchers as they go by, although the light is not great. The west end of the yard crosses over Manchester Avenue and one can
see some of the switching action there, but the track is well above street level and views are limited without scrambling up the hill.
Back to top
The maintenance building at Dever Road Yard.
The Industrial Scene
Saint John has several large industries that are served by rail, as well as many smaller ones. The largest rail customers are Irving Paper,
the Irving Refinery, Moosehead, PCS New Brunswick, and the Port of Saint John. Most of these are not accessible.
The Irving Pulp Mill at Reversing Falls.
|
Pier 12 at the Port of Saint John.
|
Smaller industries include the two Ocean Steel facilities, and several industries in the Broadview and McAllister Industrial Parks.
Praxair in the Broadview Industrial Park. They ship carbon dioxide in tank cars.
|
Broadview Industrial Park, with Bercon Atlantic on the right. It receives plastic pellets.
|
PCS New Brunswick has a shipping terminal at Barrick Point.
They have
their own industrial switcher
that pulls the loaded potash cars through the unloader. It is rarely seen and is difficult to photograph.
Back to top
A view of the potash terminal's yard.
|
|
Favourite Spots
Rothesay Avenue - One can see the switching action, as well as watch CN 305 assemble its train. Hanging around the "throat" of the
yard allows you to watch for the east end local as well.
Green Head Road overpass - With a telephoto lens one can see the whole yard.
Westfield-Grand Bay - If you can catch a train going through here, you can easily get several good shots as you chase. There are two
overpasses for overhead shots and numerous curves for good photo opportunities. The track is almost continuously in sight.
Back to top
|
