Springtime in Belleville, March 2016

Sunny spring afternoon trackside treasure trove! CN No 305 was stopped at Mitchell Road, just west of Belleville Yard on Saturday, March 12. Class unit 8000 led BCOL 4613 still wearing the red-white-and-blue scheme. They were waiting for...something.

Ah, as VIA No 64 cleared the west end of Belleville, 305 was on the move:

Didn't log that log car behind the power:

After auto racks, dozens of empty UN 1267 oil tank cars and Irving lumber, DPU 2653 crested the hog's back:

Barely was 305 tucked away on the south side of the yard (below - visible at left) than the patient CN No 376 began pulling out of the north side. Sole leader 2867 did the honours as the outbound eastbound approached Elmwood Drive crossing:

Wanna race?

Its progress plodded ponderously due to the approaching VIA No 63 behind 913:

And soon DPU 3011 was visible, sandwiched behind classic CN predecessor scrap tie cars, tank cars and ahead of UN 1267 oil tank:

Here's a related post in which I profile some of the interesting, not mundane, cars on this train.

Ever eastward:

After a crew-change, 305 headed west over the Moira River bridge as the spring runoff rapidly ran:

Here's a bonus train on Sunday, March 13 - the next day's CN No 376 approaching Kingston station behind a flaked-off-CN-less 8007 with 5628 and more scrap tie cars lettered for Bessemer & Lake Erie, Chicago Central, and Illinois Central:

Reminds me of those Railway Association of Canada graphics not showing favouritism to a particular, or any, Canadian railway. Pssst...it's CN!

Running extra...

Fellow photographer Reg Aitken shared a couple of photos of a CN freight in Collins Bay in March:

Enjoying The DARjeeling Limited with Luke and Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody: quirky Wes Anderson classic from 2007.  The DAR part has nothing to do with the Dominion Atlantic Railway!

Formula vs. function: