The Land of Ice and Snow Jan 25

[Mayner]

My first train photos of 2025, been a bit cold so far for lineside photos. But heared the whistle of an Eastbound CP fraight as I returned home from the grocery store.

I didn't get a photo of the head end power as I struggled with the screenlock on my iPhone but managed to catch the tail-end power the majority of CP & BNSF through freights in this part of the World are now run topped-& tailed

Fairmount looking West Demson Grain Inc elevators in distance. Oil Tank cars set out on spur for/from local oil terminal. Line in centre of photo is spur connecting CP (Soo Line) with local fuel and fertiliser terminal. 

20 or so years ago an 'old man" lived in a dilipadated two storey house and had a vegetable garden in the area between the trees, these days the remains of his cars/trucks and furnace (heating boiler) remain.

Fairmount looking East. Grain terminal which includes original Elevator occasionally dispatches grain by rail. The original CP Depot is likely to have been in this area, tank cars on through freight barely visible.

Centreflow Hopper cars in through freight. Designed for carrying lightdensity products including plastic pellets.

Tail end power a General Electric 4400hp+ unit which has tended to be the main stay of motive power on the CP/SOO line in this area during the past 20 odd year.

The ex-SOO line is fairly easily graded with a single large GE unit heading most trains, biggest change during the past 20 years has been the conversion of the SOO line from unsignalled 'Dark Territory" to CTC & the running of less frequent heavier freights following the introduction of "Precision Railroading" where freights run to a schedule as opposed to 'Extras" based on traffic/customer demand.

In unsignalled 'dark territory" trains movements were controlled by TWC where instructions (Track Warrants) were transmitted by radio by a Dispatcher to Train Crews an updated version of Telegraph and Train Order control of the 19th Century. TWC was excellent for enthusiasts listening in with a radio scanner as not only could you find out what trains were running, but also loco number, engineering posessions, train crews and dispatchers.