A day at the curve


Last week, I decided to go railfanning at my favorite location, what is starting to be called by the locals "Matt's Curve". Here the CP line loops 210 degrees around on its wy up to the mining and logging town of Virginia. There is a wooden trestle, a steel bridge, a wreck, and a track in the valley to behold.
On the way, I caught some C-424s on an eastbound freight at Hicksville.
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I got quite lucky this day as the sun was shining bright, and a steam freight was afoot. It passed me as I set up near the bottom of the curve. It was at this spot that a rockfall wiped out the old wooden bridge while a 4-6-0 was going over it. It was too damaged to save.
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Next up was a coal train with a GP7, an RS-10 and two GP9s on the head.
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I then went down into Redrock Canyon to wait for the next freight, and again I was lucky. An AB set of freshly painted FA-1s came around the corner and stopped for me! (The last freight was setting out empties and getting loads at the coal mine)
I got two shots of it before it moved, and one more as it came through the cut near the east switch at Virginia, with storm clouds brewing in the background.
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I had to get going because of the rain, but from my hotel room I watched more coal being switched at the mine. Unfortunately, I botched my shot...
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/trainboysd40/0033.jpg
The next day I came back to Calgary, glad that I had found all that good weather on my outing. Got a few skeeter bites, but it was worth it! ;)
If anyone wants a larger version of any of the pics, just email me.
All were taken with 100ISO slide film in a Pentax K-1000. The first picture was with a 70-200mm lens at f32, 30 seconds, with a blue filter tapes to the lens.
The rest were taken with a 50mm lens, f22, 20 seconds, with the blue filter actually ON the lens. The final pic was taken in this manner, except then the lights were turned off for a minute to burn in the headlights. (Didn't work...)
 
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I model Red Rock Canyon on my layout as well. I wonder if there's more than one or if it just changed over the years.

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SpaceMouse said:
I model Red Rock Canyon on my layout as well. I wonder if there's more than one or if it just changed over the years.
Betcha its the same canyon, 'cept you're on the floor, his is higher up, lol!
 
Nice work Matt! My favorite shots are the ones with the wooden trestle, my layout doesn't have anyplace [yet] to justify my building one of those.
 
jbaakko said:
Betcha its the same canyon, 'cept you're on the floor, his is higher up, lol!


I knew it had to be something.

I realize that I was rude. I got so excited that someone else ad modeled Red Rock Canyon that I forgot to comment on your pictures, Mathew. Nice.

And I have to say that although I haven't built yet the bridge you are getting such praise for, I have to. How else does the train get out of Red Rock Canyon?
 
It's probably the same canyon! There is a track down in the canyon as well, but it's some of the worst track on the layout, just a petty reversing loop. No ballast yet...And Chip, don't worry! It's always good to see pics of your layout!
 



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