@Kvr3005 It was practice for the Courtenay Turn to take all the cars to Courtenay to get in the clear for the Budd car. Once the Budd car left south for Victoria, the turn followed and switched the pole cars out at the pole spur south of town. Chances are loaded pole cars where waiting to be moved south.
@mattyrob87 Dynamite cars for Buckley Bay spur or Dunsmuir siding, propane for Courtenay, pole cars for Courtenay, seed, gondolas for concentrate from Western Mines that was loaded at Courtenay, pipes for the natural gas pipeline project, heavy equipment (graders,etc.) for the Dept. of Highways, furniture.
There is daily passenger service on the E&N today so the stations are active. Commuter groups and rail advocates are hoping for future upgrades and improved schedules.
yeah its a great video. its nice to see a video of a by-gone era. i dont think freight trains still do switching in courtenay anymore. i remeber when i was young, watching diesels shunt freight cars at the station. i liked the blue colour on the station, rather than the red paint thats on it now. great video. 5/5.
Interesting you like the blue. Fans at the time were disappointed when it was painted that colour. We were quite happy to see it restored to a more historically correct scheme.
why is the train leaving with empty pole cars.
Kvr3005 10 months ago
@Kvr3005 It was practice for the Courtenay Turn to take all the cars to Courtenay to get in the clear for the Budd car. Once the Budd car left south for Victoria, the turn followed and switched the pole cars out at the pole spur south of town. Chances are loaded pole cars where waiting to be moved south.
Shaysteamjamb 10 months ago
What exactly did they take up north of Parksville?
mattyrob87 1 year ago
@mattyrob87 Dynamite cars for Buckley Bay spur or Dunsmuir siding, propane for Courtenay, pole cars for Courtenay, seed, gondolas for concentrate from Western Mines that was loaded at Courtenay, pipes for the natural gas pipeline project, heavy equipment (graders,etc.) for the Dept. of Highways, furniture.
Shaysteamjamb 1 year ago
How long did the white extra flags last?
TrainmasterCurt 2 years ago
@TrainmasterCurt Don't know for sure. Not much longer, though.
Shaysteamjamb 1 year ago
Impressive locos. Are they GP 40s?
The beautiful passenger station looks very well cared for but, in more present-day videos, they seem to be closed and/or abandoned... Is it so?
Anyway, I'm falling in love with Vancouver Island and its railroads!
Thank you for these images.
gusneaker 2 years ago
You're welcome!
Both are GMD GP38ACs built in 1970.
There is daily passenger service on the E&N today so the stations are active. Commuter groups and rail advocates are hoping for future upgrades and improved schedules.
Shaysteamjamb 2 years ago
I used to walk those tracks everyday
tricky187 2 years ago
This area also used to be Baldwin diesel territory at one time, that would've been somethin
TrainmasterCurt 2 years ago
I grew up watching the Baldwins.
Shaysteamjamb 2 years ago
The good ol' DRS-44's
TrainmasterCurt 2 years ago
I miss those Yellow CP Rail cabooses, just not the same without em, though our local BNSF train has a white caboose on it!
TrainmasterCurt 2 years ago
7:53 Bring back the caboose FRED sucks!
trainguy91 3 years ago 2
I'm with you!!!!
Shaysteamjamb 3 years ago
but with the SBU, you won't get yelled at if you stretch out the slack a little fast.
enr3870 2 years ago
amazing any trains stay on that track now!
archerofloaf 3 years ago
the tracks weren't much better then.
enr3870 3 years ago
they are worse now - i just saw them at the .50 mile - every other tie is broken! lol
archerofloaf 3 years ago
Yep, they're in rough shape, about as bad as they were in the 80's.
enr3870 3 years ago
yeah its a great video. its nice to see a video of a by-gone era. i dont think freight trains still do switching in courtenay anymore. i remeber when i was young, watching diesels shunt freight cars at the station. i liked the blue colour on the station, rather than the red paint thats on it now. great video. 5/5.
imagreatbigman 3 years ago
Interesting you like the blue. Fans at the time were disappointed when it was painted that colour. We were quite happy to see it restored to a more historically correct scheme.
Shaysteamjamb 3 years ago
Actually thanks to the SRVI they do switch there again, and even possibly on the still extant trackage to Port Alberni
TrainmasterCurt 2 years ago
Thank's for filming this piece of rolling history! 5/5 Rich
cuzinitr 3 years ago
You bet! Glad you like it.
Shaysteamjamb 3 years ago