This morning I decided to go out and try to take some pictures of VIA and the O-Train near Ellwood junction. When I arrived at Ellwood, I heard CN589 on the scanner. I have heard rumors that there was a small Saturday morning freight service on the Smiths Falls sub, but I’ve never seen it in person.
I decided to go to the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway Federal Bridge crossing the Rideau River to try to catch the VIA train and this local freight. It was quite easy to get VIA45 since the driver called out each of the signals he passed on his way, so I was ready for the shot.
But there was still no sign of CN589. A few minutes later I heard that it would be waiting in the siding for VIA50 at Fallowfield.
When I arrived in Fallowfield, I found CN589 waiting at the far end of the siding.
Sure enough, just as I reached the location I wanted to take the picture from, VIA50 pulled up before I had a chance to change my lens (next time I should change the lens while walking). I did manage to get a couple of shots as they passed, but these shots would have been much better if I had the correct lens (these photos were super cropped since I had the wide angle on).
Strangely, the VIA had engines on both ends.
The two companies west of Fallowfield (near Ottawa) with rail service (that I know of) is lumber yard and the grain / fertilizer place in Twin Elm. By the time I arrived at Kott, CN589 had completed their switching. I expected that it would head up the line to Richmond then switch directions, so off to Twin Elm. On the scanner, I then found out that it was going to head backwards all the way, rather than going up to Richmond to switch the engine to the other side. So, it was back to Fallowfield for the final catch.
On question came to mind, does anyone know the rules around travelling backwards with freight cars in front of your direction of travel? I was surprised that they would travel backwards with freight cars in front of them for quite a while.