Pop-up Post: Four Days in September, Day Four

Spoiler Alert and Rules for Day Four: I think I was channelling the 'Thirteen Days in October' Cuban missile crisis when I entitled this four-post (or more) pop-up post series on my four days of railfanning in...September. But wait - if you're keeping track, you'll realized we are now fresh out of September and the fourth day is in October - October 1st! After Day Three, I wrote down four rules for myself early on this fourth day: 

• Rule 1. No chimping.
• Rule 2. Only one shot allowed per VIA train.
• Rule 3. Spend all day at Townline Road.
• Rule 4. Check Invista on the way home.

I adhered to these rules fairly well, though I allowed myself chimping (checking camera memory right after taking a picture) only to ascertain engine numbers for my notes. I bent Rule 2 a couple of times, as you'll see. I kept Rule 3 until I went to Big Creek Road to catch formerly all-wrapped consist. And I checked the construction at Invista (watch for an upcoming post) on this Sunday when nothing was happening at the site. Now back to the trains.

Upon arriving at Townline Road for a second day in a row, I confirmed that north-side morning westbound lighting is suboptimal (top photo) before doing a 180-degree pan to the west and capturing the view at 0900. I vowed to achieve some vivacious visual variety by getting some photos from this side.

Once again, my favourite train CN No 372 did not disappoint, toddling along at 0929 with 2991 leading:

I took quite a few photos of these new Trinity-built "Port Hawkesbury" boxcars. Here's a 'breeding pair' GTW 407085-407141:

Mid-train DPU ex-Citirail 3917 preceded 50 autoracks on the tail-end:

While I'm planning another pop-up post on rolling stock I photographed, this full-side graffiti belongs here. On the same train, I didn't photograph an interesting silver GATX autorack until it was too late - the panels had been rearranged and someone's graffiti now looked like a checker-board! TTGX 996285:

Trying to minimize the mind-numbing monopoly of CN No 149, I moved to the north side to capture the view there. Lighting was abysmal, so welcome to the dark side in B&W:

Unusually rating three locomotives, 2727-2531-2327, I went for a back-lit going-away grab-shot:

Monotonous, maybe but also a study in perspective to a vanishing point:

For the third freight in the first 90 minutes of Day Four, daily CN No 271 Engs 2284-2717 brought its blingy bevy of bilevels into view:

Again, I couldn't resist a going-away shot with Union Pacific easily the prolific supplier of new auto rack bodies in TrailerTrain's fleet these days:

Since I arrived too late to catch the Sunday-only non-J-trained VIA No 50, I made do with VIA No 62 Eng 6405 and 52 Eng 917, J-trained with one HEP/four LRC and five HEP cars, respectively. Respectfully honouring their fleetingly short lives, the detritus of dead bugs is what's blocking out the numberboards:

CN was regrettably almost all out of freight trains to send me, but nine VIA's were heading my way. Time for some van-based visual variation showing VIA No 643 Eng 6414:

Each day during the Kraftravaganza, there was a break between my wife's online sessions during which she'd text and we'd eat lunch starting right at noon. Not just one, but two turkey sandwiches today!

Trees, instrument box, crossing gates and hydro pole give a narrow frame for westbounds, like VIA No 63 Eng 6452 at 1151. Another spoiler alert - I was hungry and started lunch before noon, sandwiching mid-day between sandwiches!

Freight, finally. Intermodal freight in the form on CN No 100 Eng 8881 leading ex-BC Rail (and the last one still in the tricolour) 4642. Causing a minor railfan sensation along the CN Kingston Sub this day, I was off-grid, off-line and unaware of this possibility - until it just happened right in front of me!

It rates a second photo:

This train is a mix of railway-owned, private-owner domestic containers and import/export:

Let the VIA's begin. Dark-side view of VIA No 40 Eng 907 with five HEP cars:

Staying on the dark-side 16 minutes later for VIA No 45 Eng 6413, and netting a respectable 60 cents in returnable beer cans while waiting!

The clouds were high and interesting, here above VIA No 64 Eng 914. Was it worth waiting an hour for, though?

Only 11 minutes until the next VIA, westbound No 65 Eng 6421:

On the other side of the photographically poorly-positioned pole, here's HEP2 coach 4109 trailing No 65's six other LRC coaches:

Operating on streetcar headway, here's VIA No 53 Eng 905 fifteen minutes later:

Eastbound (and it was rare to see a car waiting at the crossing) is VIA No 42 Eng 919. After four days, I was getting very used to some of these engine numbers.

Proving that not all is monotonous at VIA or at Townline Road, I permitted myself a rapid relocation westward based on my prediction of the former all-wrap consist being on No 47 and wanting to fit all four cars in a photo. The Big Creek bridge beneath is invisible, but I managed to get the decapitated telegraph pole out of the way for this final train of the day...

...though not final photo of the day. Going-away and going-home shot of my railfan ride at the Big Creek Road crossing as No 47 reluctantly recedes toward Toronto. Matt, I did my best to make that non-wrapped car invisible behind the crossing gate!

For old time's sake here's a cobbled-together view I constructed of the all-wrap train that I couldn't fit in one frame, here in one frame as VIA No 52 (below - rear half of J-train) on September 15. I leave it here on your viewing table as a complimentary compote, a composite confit, a cornucopic consist if like logos for you to like!

By the Numbers over Four Days:

19 - Number of freight trains observed.

49 - Number of VIA trains observed.

47 - Greeting cards produced at home during the Kraftravaganza!

2 - Wellness checks made by strangers.

3 - Turkey sandwiches consumed.

2 - Baloney sandwiches consumed.

8 - Cups of coffee consumed.

5 - Trackside Treasure posts! (rolling stock pop-up post coming down the track soon!)