January 3, 2001: Castle Mountain from a hilltop off the old highway that few use this time of year. The rising sun cast a warm glow on this impressive peak. This hangs on my wall in my home.
Banff / Lake Louise /Field
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January 3, 2001: Castle Mountain from a hilltop off the old highway that few use this time of year. The rising sun cast a warm glow on this impressive peak. This hangs on my wall in my home. |
| I drove along Bow Valley Road and got out, scampered down an embankment, and waited. I waited some more, then finally, a low rumble through this quiet winter scene. The rumble became a roar as an Eastbound CP freight lead by GE AC4400 No. 8562 motored around the bend. |
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Three CP units kick up snow as the haul their load around the Bow River. I can see why famed CPR photographer Nicholas Morant found this location to be the most poignant to frame his company's trains in. |
| I will admit to some tampering here. I removed the abandoned powerline from the nose of the cab. This is a common sight along the rail lines in rural Canada: old power and telephone lines that have been replaced and left to rot. |
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A friend who is deep into the art of photography said he liked this one best. He pointed out that there is a contrast of dead and live wood here. I can see what he meant. |
| After that roll, I loaded a roll of Kodak C-41 processable (any 1 hr lab can process it like regular colour print film) black and white film for the next train. It's not true B&W since it has a slight sepia tone to it. But I do like the old fashioned feel it has. |
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And this is the wide angle view (sans trains). I'd love to build a cabin on the spot where my tripod was set. If I didn't know better, this photo looks 100 years old. I prefer to shoot black and white when the weather is gloomy since it overcast scenes in colour photos look gray anyway. |
| I wish I knew the name of this mighty giant. I was driving near Rogers Pass in the Rockies and after exiting a tunnel, I stopped the car and quickly shot this on a cheap point and shoot camera. If you recognize the mountain, let me know. |
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Not far from Lake Louise and over into BC is the old CPR station of Field where westbound trains stop to catch their breath after descending the 'Big Hill' and eastbound trains build up speed to ascend it via the famed spiral tunnels. Here we see SD40-2 CP 5826 & FURX 3051 (leased from First Union Rail) head unit into the town of Field with their goods before continuing to Vancouver. |
| Descending the grade just past Field before tackling Rogers Pass, SD40-2 flashes itself between the trees. Just moments before as I hiked to this location about 1 km from the Tran Canada highway, an Elk and her calf were traveling along the tracks. I didn't see it but I'm sure they escaped safely. |
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