Calling my bluff
After photographing CPKC train 248 with a KCS Southern Bell leading (flic.kr/p/2pZZn3e) at Kellogg, I continued my trip north checking out more possible locations to shoot CP 2816.
As I headed north on US-61 the rain subsided, and eventually came to a end as I approached Red Wing and eventually Hastings, MN. Other then what I believe was the I70 out of Wabasha switching in Hastings, CPKC trains were nonexistent, and I eventually arrived in St. Paul.
Having never been to the area before, trains were plenty, but I was lost. In the two and a half hours in the area between St. Paul Union Depot and Newport, I must have seen 15 to 20 trains. I unsuccessfully tried to find the view looking over Pig's Eye Yard from Dayton's Bluff. Eventually settling on parking in the cement plant lot, along with other "fan's".
After the fustrutation of watching multiple trains pass by and not knowing where to be, I decided to head back towards Red Wing, where I had my hotel booked for the night. As I headed south, the clouds compleatly disappeared and plentiful sunshine came out.
After arriving in Red Wing, I checked into the hotel and decided to cross over the river to Wisconsin with hopes that the BNSF St. Croix Subdivision, would be hopping more than CPKC's River Sub was, and get me out of my St. Paul funk.
I have always loved mountain railroading with the mountain tops in the background, and massive rock cuts. I knew through the years and the drive up, that the bluffs along the Mississippi River definitely gave the impression of "mountain" railroading.
With that in mind I started driving north from Hagar City, on Wisconsin St. Rt. 35, and did not have to go very far to find the location I was looking for with sandstone bluffs in the background. Just two miles north of town I found Trenton Bluffs just across St. Rt. 35 from C.P. 3929 on the St. Croix Sub.
With the scanner listening for trains heading my way, the wait began around 16:00 CST. Around a hour later and my stomach telling me that it's been awhile since the last time I ate, I kept the watch. Around the hour mark, the scanner picked up a broken conservation about some train waiting at the end of double track for a train heading the way of La Crosse.
Not long after hearing this conservation the eastbound signal on main two popped up with a clear signal for a eastbound at C.P. 3929. The wait for the train was broke up with a visit from a carload of railfans also out checking out the action. Forty-five minutes, later the other "fans" had left, and about this time with long shadows encroaching on the right of way, and my stomach reminding me more and more it was time to go find food, I found BNSF was calling my bluff.
Thankfully two hours after parking, and a hour after the signal appeared off in the distance from the west a headlight approached my location and autorack train VPTSLAW passed by. Unfortunately I needed a westbound train for the good light shining on the bluffs.
Finally 15 minutes after the passing of the autorack train, the westbound I had heard a hour ago waiting that was waiting at the end of double track appeared in the distance. Coming through the interlocking at C.P. 3929 and passing in front of the bluffs BNSF 6692 and 5178 lead a unknown double stack train into the setting sun, allowing me to photograph what I had been waiting for.
After the passing of the double stack train I headed back to Red Wing and grabbed some food at a great mexican restaurant, next to my hotel called Rancho Loco Grill & Bar. After the short walk back to the hotel room, I sat down and deciphered the info I gathered from the day to put together what I thought was my final game plan, for the start of the chase the following morning.
As most people know though, the best laid plans of mice and men, it almost blew up in my face.
Calling my bluff
After photographing CPKC train 248 with a KCS Southern Bell leading (flic.kr/p/2pZZn3e) at Kellogg, I continued my trip north checking out more possible locations to shoot CP 2816.
As I headed north on US-61 the rain subsided, and eventually came to a end as I approached Red Wing and eventually Hastings, MN. Other then what I believe was the I70 out of Wabasha switching in Hastings, CPKC trains were nonexistent, and I eventually arrived in St. Paul.
Having never been to the area before, trains were plenty, but I was lost. In the two and a half hours in the area between St. Paul Union Depot and Newport, I must have seen 15 to 20 trains. I unsuccessfully tried to find the view looking over Pig's Eye Yard from Dayton's Bluff. Eventually settling on parking in the cement plant lot, along with other "fan's".
After the fustrutation of watching multiple trains pass by and not knowing where to be, I decided to head back towards Red Wing, where I had my hotel booked for the night. As I headed south, the clouds compleatly disappeared and plentiful sunshine came out.
After arriving in Red Wing, I checked into the hotel and decided to cross over the river to Wisconsin with hopes that the BNSF St. Croix Subdivision, would be hopping more than CPKC's River Sub was, and get me out of my St. Paul funk.
I have always loved mountain railroading with the mountain tops in the background, and massive rock cuts. I knew through the years and the drive up, that the bluffs along the Mississippi River definitely gave the impression of "mountain" railroading.
With that in mind I started driving north from Hagar City, on Wisconsin St. Rt. 35, and did not have to go very far to find the location I was looking for with sandstone bluffs in the background. Just two miles north of town I found Trenton Bluffs just across St. Rt. 35 from C.P. 3929 on the St. Croix Sub.
With the scanner listening for trains heading my way, the wait began around 16:00 CST. Around a hour later and my stomach telling me that it's been awhile since the last time I ate, I kept the watch. Around the hour mark, the scanner picked up a broken conservation about some train waiting at the end of double track for a train heading the way of La Crosse.
Not long after hearing this conservation the eastbound signal on main two popped up with a clear signal for a eastbound at C.P. 3929. The wait for the train was broke up with a visit from a carload of railfans also out checking out the action. Forty-five minutes, later the other "fans" had left, and about this time with long shadows encroaching on the right of way, and my stomach reminding me more and more it was time to go find food, I found BNSF was calling my bluff.
Thankfully two hours after parking, and a hour after the signal appeared off in the distance from the west a headlight approached my location and autorack train VPTSLAW passed by. Unfortunately I needed a westbound train for the good light shining on the bluffs.
Finally 15 minutes after the passing of the autorack train, the westbound I had heard a hour ago waiting that was waiting at the end of double track appeared in the distance. Coming through the interlocking at C.P. 3929 and passing in front of the bluffs BNSF 6692 and 5178 lead a unknown double stack train into the setting sun, allowing me to photograph what I had been waiting for.
After the passing of the double stack train I headed back to Red Wing and grabbed some food at a great mexican restaurant, next to my hotel called Rancho Loco Grill & Bar. After the short walk back to the hotel room, I sat down and deciphered the info I gathered from the day to put together what I thought was my final game plan, for the start of the chase the following morning.
As most people know though, the best laid plans of mice and men, it almost blew up in my face.