Pop-up Post: Two Days in March 2025, Day One

For the second time in two months, an online crafting event for my wife meant an anticipated three days trackside: March 21-23, 2025. My goals were to visit some Kingston railfanning locations I hadn't been in awhile, and to catch some doublavay Venture eastbounds. Each train will be listed by time, direction, train number if known and notes. 

March 21 - my first of two day-one doublavays was not too far from home, at the Bayridge Drive overpass near Mi 179 CN Kingston Sub (video capture - top photo).

0853 EB - VIA No 60/50 Sets 10/9 doublavay Youtube video link

I headed east thereafter to Gananoque Junction's VIA station, origin point of the former Gananoque Spur - Mi 154 CN Kingston Sub. But first, two stops - Cobb's Bakery for a complimentary loaf of bread with the purchase of a package of hot cross buns, and Cataraqui Cemetery because without my parents, I wouldn't have had a birthday to mark on this sunny morning. 

1006 WB - CN No 149 2279-2864:

 

1027 WB - CN No 731 3373-3869-3370-3970(exCitirail)-3354 with potash empties, also on the south track:

Tail-end DPU 3012, 736 axles, 37 mph:

1044 WB - VIA No 643 Siemens Venture Set 13:

1120 WB - VIA No 63 6420L(ove the way)-5 LRC cars at the signalled but not bell-equipped crossing near the station:

I did a bit of tromping, a bit of breaking and bit of bending of stems to clear up the sightlines.

1136 EB - VIA No 62/52 Sets 2/8 doublavay:

1215 EB - CN Hirail means no trains on the south track for a bit...

1144 WB - VIA No 43 6443-4 LRC cars (unphotographed).

1220 WB - VIA No 45 917-5 LRC cars (also unphotographed).

1225 EB - CN No 372 3273-midtrain DPU 3357:

1320 EB - VIA No 40 918-4009-4119-4117-4103-41xx-41xx doing 94 mph:

1355 WB - VIA No 53 905-3354-3357-3304R(en)-3476 F(uture)-903 An older couple, at the right (below), from London had been visiting family at Mont-Tremblant and Gananoque-area for one week. After being dropped off, they waited 1230-1400 outside. There was a cold wind from the west and the couple first waited on the shaded bench but moved east of the station to wait in the sun. We chatted quite a bit about the unsatisfactory services available at Gan Junction - no phone, no staff, no schedule. Fortunately they had the VIA app and used it to advantage. Several other cars arrived to drop off passengers for other trains. Watch for an upcoming post on this historic station.

1410 WB - CN No 305 3809-midtrain DPU 3090:

1431 EB - VIA No 64 910-3463-3473-3341-3350F-3323R-3312R:

1449 WB - VIA No 47 Set 24:

Stopping east of the station (above) and preparing to depart the west end of the station (below).

Heading back to Kingston, a stop at Findlay Station Road Mi 160.2 CN Kingston Sub.

1510 WB - CN No 271 8809-5602:

Vista Drive at Bath Road Mi 179 CN Kingston Sub, both unphotographed:

1650 WB - VIA No 67 909-5 LRC cars.

1700 EB - VIA No 306 3182-no DPU (unphotographed).

In Part 2, it's Day Two and we'll see what happened to Day Three! Plus an upcoming pop-up post on the Two Days in March freight cars!

Running extra...

This past Thursday marked the 70th anniversary of the debut of Canadian Pacific's Canadian. Some among us make history. Some among us learn history. I think the wisest among us live history. Inside the cover of my Dad's copy of Donald Bain's British Railway Modelers of North America volume on Canadian Pacific's The Canadian, he taped a photocopy of his own photo of the maiden voyage of 'The Canadian' west from Windsor Station. Captioned simply, "First Canadian from Montreal - Valois, April 24, 1955 (Dorval 1:20 p.m.) There was no doubt that he was living history, and then documenting it. I wonder if he would have predicted the precarious presence of CPR Budd-built cars on Canadian rails, 70 years later. Replacements are not expected for at least another decade.

VIA is commemorating the 70th anniversary on its website, written by my very distant cousin (!) Marie-Julie Gagnon. Curiously, uberVIAphile Mark Sampson (above with conductor's hat, No 1's crew on April 23 departure from Toronto Union with VIA CEO Mario Peloquin at right - VIA Rail Canada photo) name is misspelled Simpson, and the consist is referred to as a convoy (something lost in translation there), and the ex-BC Rail 'Ultra Domes' are mentioned though they haven't operated on the Canadian since before the pandemic.

Thanks to blog partner Jim Lowe for providing links to Glenn Gould's CBC programme. At the 4:55 mark... Hear! The prolific pianist opine while surrounded by pre-VIA CN railroading. See! A man on a coach drinking water out of a paper cup! Don't allow the CBC to decrescendo into oblivion, vote in this Monday's federal election!

First past the post...

Fellow Associated Railroaders of Kingston member Grant LeDrew aptly capped the discussion at my Wednesday night PowerPoint presentation on Analysis Paralysis in Model Railroading and its possible impacts on our mental health - potentially negative but promisingly positive - with a pithy quote from that cherubic Carroll creation, the Cheshire Cat (that's not Chessie the cat!), “I am not crazy; my reality is just different from yours.”