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Railways and People

Discussion in 'Photography' started by Britfoamer, Jul 27, 2017.

  1. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Field is a railway town on the Canadian Pacific Railway about halfway between Calgary and Revelstoke in the Rocky Mountains. As well as a crew changing point, it was once a helper station where extra locomotives were added for the push up the “Big Hill” which starts eastbound straight out of town. Higher powered locomotives and AC traction motors have now dispensed with helpers, the extensive yard now just a staging point for massive trains awaiting fresh crews.

    Crew changes for those trains not staging over and going straight onward, are often done down at the road crossing at the east end of town just out of the yard. Crews from Calgary alight here to await another train for a turn back home, and vice versa for those coming up from Revelstoke. Fresh crews from the bunk house and beanery are bussed the short distance to the crossing, the bus then collecting the incoming crew.

    As most lines are single over great distances passing points are the normal out here. Footplate crew are expected to get down to the lineside for a mark one eye ball inspection (known as a roll bye) of the train passing them in the opposite direction, for smoking hot boxes or stowaways hiding in the car ends.

    So the scene in the photo is set. 8933 east has arrived first, pulled up to the crossing and a crew change over effected. 8876 now slowly grinds to a halt having descended the hill, and has its crew changed out. 8933’s crew is out for the roll bye.

    Having a radio scanner for train watching in America and Canada is essential if you want to know what is moving and going on. Whilst stood at the crossing taking the shot and watching, this is something like the dialogue that we were listing to.

    8876: “8876 west to dispatcher”

    Dispatcher: “Dispatcher answering”

    8876: “Okay sir, we are all ready to go if that fits with you, what’s it looking like ahead?”

    Dispatcher: “Okay 8876, go on my signal. I have you clear to Golden, then a meet with an Eastbound, give me a call when you’re getting into town”

    8876: “Thanks for that, leaving with a green light on the main.”

    Train passes slowly over the crossing, taking nearly 15 minutes to clear.

    8933: “8933 crew to 8876 west - good roll bye, have a good trip”

    8876: “Thanks for that brother, have a good trip yourself, catch you next time”

    8933: “8933 east calling dispatcher”

    Dispatcher: “Dispatcher answering”

    8933: “Good to go whenever it suits you sir, how’s the road ahead looking for me?”

    Dispatcher: “Go on my signal 8933, you have track work at Eldon so you’ll go through the siding, engineers holding the main, and I have a meet for you at Banff, the Campotex has already left Alyth (Calgary yard) and on its way. Get back to me we you’re approaching Banff.”

    8933: “Thank you for that sir, 8933 leaving Field with a green on the main.”

    The next thing is the scanner cracks into life again, the hot box detector reports (in its mechanical voice) on the 8876 west by now near Leancoil: “CP detector milepost one four point two, four six zero axles, speed two four miles per hour, temperature one eight degrees, no defects, detector out”

    Time to return to the bar at the Truffle Pigs in Field for one more Canadian Malt Beer and pouring over the maps for the hike to the Continental Divide and the Summit Lakes shots tomorrow.

    P1050907.JPG
     
  2. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    We will be in Field towards the end of the month and are looking forward to sampling the food and drink at the Truffle Pigs.
     
  3. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Quite jealous, one of our favourite billets for train watching and hiking in the Canadian Rockies! If you haven't been before just a sample of the view from the grass at the Truffle Pigs, the old closed and boarded yard master's office in the background, a member of the new footplate crew walking back to get the heavy lift out, up and over the Big Hill. In the foreground is the flat area where the steam half roundhouse once stood, you can still see the outlines of the radial pits as different colours in the grass if you look over the edge (not in this shot). P1050787.JPG
     
  4. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    We lived in Calgary as newly weds and stayed in the hotel that is now the home to the Truffle Pig on our last visit (the sounds of the engines keeping us awake) but this is our first visit back on over a decade so we are very much looking forward to it.
     
  5. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Ok this is another of mine from the past. Around 1982+/- taken at Steamtown/Carnforth, in the days before Smiffy and West Coast Railways, moved in and took over. We have City of Wells having its smokebox door repainted with at first a Lavender [yes Lavender] heatproof [?] undercoat. Alongside we see the LMS Jubilee 5690 Leander in LMS maroon and one of the N.R.M. LNWR Royal Brakes that was used at the time as support coach for Duchess of Hamilton. At the time in the early eighties, City of Wells was trail blazing for the as built [complete with chain drive valve gear] West Country/Battle of Britains' on the "Mainline".

    2015-02-27_7.JPG
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2017
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  6. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    As an additional note to my last posting above. I feel that this has turned out better having been taken as a Black & White rather than colour shot. Granted a colour photo would have highlighted that lavender smokebox door....... These days you can still do B&W photos with modern digital cameras by adjusting the settings.
     
  7. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    Back to Canada...

    Just to prove it's the same at most preserved railway depots. Taken at Cloverdale Car barn on the Frazer Valley Heritage Railway. One person working and 4 watching ......
    https://fvhrs.org/
    Thanks to John Cowan for a private tour on a volunteer working day. Incidentally, Cloverdale museum is well worth a visit if you're in the Vancouver area. It can be accessed by public transport, but it's a long bus ride from the end of the Skytrain metro system.

    Cheers, Neil
     

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  8. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    A watched kettle never boils ........ P1020821.JPG
     
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  9. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Excellent Wi-Fi on the Moscow underground causes man to miss train! P1040460.JPG
     
  10. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Getting tanked-up means something entirely different in our circle. WHR Garrett 87 at Rhyd Ddu takes the usual top-up. P1040726.JPG
     
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  11. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Early morning preparation at Durango, Colorado. Always worth turning up at least an hour before the first train to get all the shots of the trains and loco's setting up for the slog to Silverton P1000498.JPG
     
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  12. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Yes Sir John, dam pigeons are a real pest! P1050166.JPG
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2017
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  13. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Have a similar photo of myself in the same place!
     
  14. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Waiting for the off! Boiler full, fire done, footplate swept and swilled. The fireman contemplates an interesting day ahead whilst he awaits the Bobby pulling the peg off and Guard's whistle for the 09.30 away from Bury Bolton Street. P3020554.JPG
     
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  15. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    image.jpg Terry meets Julie.
     
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  16. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Hmm, said that LGB didn't couple to everything, should have got the Hornby converter wagon out. P1020812.JPG
     
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  17. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Big water carts on the Southern, may be a while before it's topped up enough. P1010057.JPG
     
  18. Britfoamer

    Britfoamer Well-Known Member

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    Early morning preparation on shed, always an interesting time. P1030491.JPG
     
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  19. 84H

    84H New Member

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    A bit of head scratching required at the SVR Spring Gala 2017 F495F965-D8C2-4ACC-81BA-421366EC7B45.jpeg
     
  20. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    "I tell you Bert, I've looked at it up and down and front to back, and for the life of me I can't find any copper bits up top to polish!"

    Tom
     
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