Almost.......Missed Connections
While I don't think anyone riding the Empire Builder, Amtrak train #8, missed there connections in Chicago upon their arrival, my shot of train #8 just about became my missed connection and the end of the first day before it even began.
As I have alluded to a few times, now in my photographic journey of CP 2816, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. After eating supper and walking back to my hotel room in Red Wing, MN. I set about making the plan for the next days chase down the CPKC River Subdivision.
I had already mostly made my mind up earlier in the day after finding what I had convinced myself was the "money shot", even more than a shot along the Mississippi River, that I was going to just start the morning in Red Wing and not try to head farther north. Partially due to the fear of getting stuck in traffic in a major city, even on a Sunday morning, and partially due to fear of if I did not arrive at my "money shot" early, I might not have a seat at the table.
Sitting in the bed I went over test shots and locations stopping to cross check against the SunCalc app, to where the sun would be for what time I guessed the train would be a each location. As I went through the locations, the "chosen" ones were marked on Google maps with a point and name for quick directions, mileages, and times to aid in the chase. With a quick check of the CPKC schedule that was published and the Amtrak timetable, it was fairly obvious that Final Spike Steam Tour would follow the Empire Builder out of St. Paul. With that my mind was made up that Red Wing was the right choice, and I headed to bed for 5 A.M. CST departure from the hotel for food and head to the first spot, or so I thought.
Well as soon as I woke up, the wheels started turning in my brain, and that's when things started to go awry. I had visited a spot in Cottage Grove the day before not far south of CPKC's St. Paul Pig's Eye Yard where the 2816 spent the past few days. While it was a ok shot I had dismissed it for reasons mentioned above, but as I got dressed, packed the bags, and checked out I couldn't help but think that one more shot would be nice. So then and there "the plan" was ditched and I raced north US-61 for Cottage Grove.
After arriving into town, I was a little more relieved to see traffic was relatively light. A quick stop to grab breakfast and off to the spot I had located to wait the arrival of 2816. As I got close to my chosen location along West Point Douglas Rd. South, the shortest way in was blocked by a westbound CPKC train with a pair of CSX ES40DC's stopped at a red signal at the north end of the siding on number one main. Being forced to take the long way around I arrived to find no one else around in the paved driveway leading to nowhere and shortly after the westbound departed.
As I sat and waited for the next few hours other railfans arrived all looking for the same thing CP 2816. The day before a friend mentioned to me as I was driving around St. Paul, that while CPKC owned one of the two tracks between St. Croix and Hoffman St. it was all dispatched and controlled as two main track between the two points by BNSF. Now chalk it up to my lack of knowledge of the area, my brain just not paying attention or just, the fact that I was sure BNSF would not let CP 2816 run down the track they owned, I did not give the info much thought.
As time pressed on and grew near, a BNSF westbound passed heading to the city, and another westbound CPKC pulled up and paused briefly before heading for Pig's Eye Yard. All the while conservations were started and continued with other railfans as we all waited. During this entire time I thought it odd that all we were seeing were westbounds and in the distance I could hear numerous eastbounds could be heard on the BNSF owned number two main.
As time went on conservations started to change to are we in the right place? No one in our group could really answer that question, as none were from the immediate area. A quick call to my friend that pointed out the day before the operations on the double track, but split line, finally opened my eyes to the real possibility that, we might be in the wrong spot. Other checks on Facebook groups, did not yield and suggestions as to what track CP 2816 would take. Knowing we had not yet seen the Empire Builder I decided to stay put, but things were about to take the now obvious turn south. Oh where are you mice and men?
The time was quickly approaching 08:00 and Amtrak time, and the scheduled time for the Final Spike Steam Tour, to pass. More frequent checks of Facebook groups, finally revealed that CP 2816 had permission to leave the yard and was already past Newport. Again maybe it was my lack of knowing the area, or just I was 100% convinced that the steam train was going to head east on the CPKC owned track, I knew that if it was past Newport, it was on the move, but did not realize how close Newport was to Cottage Grove.
Finally at 09:05 CST someone yelled "Headlight" followed by "Amtrak", and we all headed for the edge of the road and took our positions for a shot. Wasting no time Amtrak train #8 The Empire Builder flew past the three story Norris Square Senior living community in the background with a pair of new ALC-42 locomotives lead by AMTK 338 & 331.
The joy of being able to photograph another pair of Amtrak's new locomotives in there classy paint, and brilliant bright sun, very, very quickly disappeared as i dropped the camera down from my eye, and to my horror noticed that before the last Superliner passed, the BNSF East Hump dispatcher had already lined a westbound train in the minute or less than #8 had cleared the westend of the siding. It was at that moment, I knew my last second decision might have just cost me the entire chase down the River Sub. along the Mississippi River.
I quickly told the other railfans of what was happening and we all scattered like cockroaches when a light is turned on in a dark room. As I speed along the road, Google maps told me the fastest way to Red Wing was on the east side of the Mississippi River on along WI St. Rt. 35. Taking advantage of every available MPH I could without getting too crazy, as I approached the Diamond Bluff area I heard train #8 call into the station at Red Wing. Phewwwwww, I managed to almost beat #8, but more importantly the steam train was still behind Amtrak. As I started across the east side of the Mississippi the Empire Builder called out departing Red Wing, and within another ten minutes, I arrived to my "money shot" and to my relief, I was the only one there.
The wait was not long standing across from the G.A. Carlson lime kiln, before CP 2816 came along (flic.kr/p/2pRfQfz) and the chase was on.
Almost.......Missed Connections
While I don't think anyone riding the Empire Builder, Amtrak train #8, missed there connections in Chicago upon their arrival, my shot of train #8 just about became my missed connection and the end of the first day before it even began.
As I have alluded to a few times, now in my photographic journey of CP 2816, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. After eating supper and walking back to my hotel room in Red Wing, MN. I set about making the plan for the next days chase down the CPKC River Subdivision.
I had already mostly made my mind up earlier in the day after finding what I had convinced myself was the "money shot", even more than a shot along the Mississippi River, that I was going to just start the morning in Red Wing and not try to head farther north. Partially due to the fear of getting stuck in traffic in a major city, even on a Sunday morning, and partially due to fear of if I did not arrive at my "money shot" early, I might not have a seat at the table.
Sitting in the bed I went over test shots and locations stopping to cross check against the SunCalc app, to where the sun would be for what time I guessed the train would be a each location. As I went through the locations, the "chosen" ones were marked on Google maps with a point and name for quick directions, mileages, and times to aid in the chase. With a quick check of the CPKC schedule that was published and the Amtrak timetable, it was fairly obvious that Final Spike Steam Tour would follow the Empire Builder out of St. Paul. With that my mind was made up that Red Wing was the right choice, and I headed to bed for 5 A.M. CST departure from the hotel for food and head to the first spot, or so I thought.
Well as soon as I woke up, the wheels started turning in my brain, and that's when things started to go awry. I had visited a spot in Cottage Grove the day before not far south of CPKC's St. Paul Pig's Eye Yard where the 2816 spent the past few days. While it was a ok shot I had dismissed it for reasons mentioned above, but as I got dressed, packed the bags, and checked out I couldn't help but think that one more shot would be nice. So then and there "the plan" was ditched and I raced north US-61 for Cottage Grove.
After arriving into town, I was a little more relieved to see traffic was relatively light. A quick stop to grab breakfast and off to the spot I had located to wait the arrival of 2816. As I got close to my chosen location along West Point Douglas Rd. South, the shortest way in was blocked by a westbound CPKC train with a pair of CSX ES40DC's stopped at a red signal at the north end of the siding on number one main. Being forced to take the long way around I arrived to find no one else around in the paved driveway leading to nowhere and shortly after the westbound departed.
As I sat and waited for the next few hours other railfans arrived all looking for the same thing CP 2816. The day before a friend mentioned to me as I was driving around St. Paul, that while CPKC owned one of the two tracks between St. Croix and Hoffman St. it was all dispatched and controlled as two main track between the two points by BNSF. Now chalk it up to my lack of knowledge of the area, my brain just not paying attention or just, the fact that I was sure BNSF would not let CP 2816 run down the track they owned, I did not give the info much thought.
As time pressed on and grew near, a BNSF westbound passed heading to the city, and another westbound CPKC pulled up and paused briefly before heading for Pig's Eye Yard. All the while conservations were started and continued with other railfans as we all waited. During this entire time I thought it odd that all we were seeing were westbounds and in the distance I could hear numerous eastbounds could be heard on the BNSF owned number two main.
As time went on conservations started to change to are we in the right place? No one in our group could really answer that question, as none were from the immediate area. A quick call to my friend that pointed out the day before the operations on the double track, but split line, finally opened my eyes to the real possibility that, we might be in the wrong spot. Other checks on Facebook groups, did not yield and suggestions as to what track CP 2816 would take. Knowing we had not yet seen the Empire Builder I decided to stay put, but things were about to take the now obvious turn south. Oh where are you mice and men?
The time was quickly approaching 08:00 and Amtrak time, and the scheduled time for the Final Spike Steam Tour, to pass. More frequent checks of Facebook groups, finally revealed that CP 2816 had permission to leave the yard and was already past Newport. Again maybe it was my lack of knowing the area, or just I was 100% convinced that the steam train was going to head east on the CPKC owned track, I knew that if it was past Newport, it was on the move, but did not realize how close Newport was to Cottage Grove.
Finally at 09:05 CST someone yelled "Headlight" followed by "Amtrak", and we all headed for the edge of the road and took our positions for a shot. Wasting no time Amtrak train #8 The Empire Builder flew past the three story Norris Square Senior living community in the background with a pair of new ALC-42 locomotives lead by AMTK 338 & 331.
The joy of being able to photograph another pair of Amtrak's new locomotives in there classy paint, and brilliant bright sun, very, very quickly disappeared as i dropped the camera down from my eye, and to my horror noticed that before the last Superliner passed, the BNSF East Hump dispatcher had already lined a westbound train in the minute or less than #8 had cleared the westend of the siding. It was at that moment, I knew my last second decision might have just cost me the entire chase down the River Sub. along the Mississippi River.
I quickly told the other railfans of what was happening and we all scattered like cockroaches when a light is turned on in a dark room. As I speed along the road, Google maps told me the fastest way to Red Wing was on the east side of the Mississippi River on along WI St. Rt. 35. Taking advantage of every available MPH I could without getting too crazy, as I approached the Diamond Bluff area I heard train #8 call into the station at Red Wing. Phewwwwww, I managed to almost beat #8, but more importantly the steam train was still behind Amtrak. As I started across the east side of the Mississippi the Empire Builder called out departing Red Wing, and within another ten minutes, I arrived to my "money shot" and to my relief, I was the only one there.
The wait was not long standing across from the G.A. Carlson lime kiln, before CP 2816 came along (flic.kr/p/2pRfQfz) and the chase was on.