April 23, 2007
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last updated: 05/08/07
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© 2000-2007 Dave Honan
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Towards the end of the movie Ronin,
Robert DeNiro, playing the part of undercover CIA operative Sam, says at the end of a successful
stakeout: "All good things come to those who wait." That is how I felt when I walked out the
door of the motel on Monday morning and was greeted by a wide expanse of clear blue sky. I followed
a loaded coal train north towards Golden and was pleased to hear the dispatcher inform the crew
they'd be meeting a southbound at Seeney, but that feeling turned to dismay once I figured the time
of the empty and realized it would be almost to Radium Hot Springs before the sun lit up the valley.
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| Radium Hot Springs, BC |
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With the sun having just climbed over the Stanford Range, CP 9768 South passes below
The Springs Course at Radium Resort on an alignment
defined by the Columbia River and the unusually-shaped bluffs. |
While waiting for the southbound to arrive, I had overheard the dispatcher talking to the northbound
load about an empty train that would be ready for them to board as soon as they reached Golden,
if the yard actually lived up to its promises for once ("and we all know how that goes" said
dispatcher Steve). I was torn: Should I continue south with this train, guaranteed to get at least
three more quality shots, or head back north in the hopes that the next empty would depart Golden before
the sun got too high in the sky? In the end I concluded that because I had been hoping to make a
particular photo at Harrogate since I saw the spot on Friday evening, I'd kick myself for the next
few months if I passed up the opportunity, so I returned north towards Golden.
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| Parsons, BC |
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I settled down north of Parsons to wait for the train and, after a seemingly interminably long
wait, the train finally called up the dispatcher to announce its departure from Golden. About 45
minutes later I photographed CP 8628 South near Milepost 121 against a backdrop of the Dogtooth Range
rising above the lowlands of the Rocky Mountain Trench. |
| Castledale, BC |
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The chase was on! I knew I had time for one more shot before reaching my target location, so
I pulled off the side of Highway 93 just south of Castledale to photograph the empty leaning through
a curve alongside the Colubmia River. |
| Harrogate, BC |
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It took all weekend, but I finally made this photograph: The head end reflected in the calm waters
between the railroad and Highway 93, the first lush greens of spring showing in the wetlands, the train
strung out along the Columbia, and the snow-capped Beaverfoot Range framing the scene. A wonderful
conclusion to my adventure in Canada, even if I did receive a curious stare from the conductor as he
gazed over at the spectacle of my setup on the roof of my Jeep, with the tripod and photographer carefully
perched amongst the small forest of radio antennae. |
Later that afternoon, while cruising westward on I-90 through Sprague, WA, I saw a westbound BNSF
train working along the Lakeside Sub. I didn't want to take the time to venture into the more
scenic areas west of Lind, but I couldn't resist an easy catch, so I dropped off the interstate at
Keystone and searched for a shot.
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| Ritzville, WA |
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I ended up on the outskirts of Ritzville and photographed the empty grain train approaching the
Tokio shuttle loader. |
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