Chris Parker and I got up at 6:30 AM and then headed to McDonalds for breakfast while Anton slept in. Chris would pick him up as they would be chasing my train towards Glenwood later this morning. Chris and I headed towards the Amtrak Station to pick up Bob Riskie and his cousin Dale but we would make a stop first at the Minnesota Commercial Railroad Shops.
Here motive power is at rest this Sunday morning in the Twin Cities.
Here I found the Minnesota Commercial C-424 314.
Also here was Minnesota Commercial SF30C 1971. We drove over to Amtrak where Bob had returned his rental car and I waited by the car for him and Dale while Chris shot pictures of the Empire Builder for the first time. We headed to Shoreham Yard but stopped at a gas station for snacks and drinks for our steam trip to Thief River Falls today. We pulled into Shoreham Yard and parked the car.
CP 2816 Shoreham to Thief River Falls 9/16/2007
I walked down towards the engine after storing my bag on the train. As usual CP Rail was working on the engine before today's trip.
Canadian Pacific 4-6-4 2816 on the point of our train followed by Water Car 35508, CP GP-38-2 3094, CP 29114 Tool Car, CP 96, Sleeper CP 110, Coaches CP 101 Dominion, CP 102 Ernest "Smokey" Smith VC, Baggage NRS 9107 {in CP Colors}, RPCX 5534 HR Bowen, Minnesota River NRHS 31, Wisconsin Valley NRHS 3103 800757, Super Dome 800862 and Cedar Rapids 800040. I settled in for the trip and waited for departure time talking with friends who were here to ride the ex Soo Line mainline from Glenwood to Winnipeg like I was. At 9:03 AM the Canadian Pacific 2816 started pulling forwards as we began the trip to Thief River Falls.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 curves out of the loading area as we started our trip.
We are a very colorful train for this unique trip. The Canadian Pacific 2816 slowly pulled us out of Shoreham Yard as passengers looked for friends who would be chasing the train. I knew we would be seeing Chris and Anton someplace west of Plymouth later this morning.
At University we turned west onto the Paynesville Sub for the trip out to Glenwood like I did last weekend.
Crossing over the throat of the BNSF Northtown Yard.
The train came out onto the Mississippi River Bridge.
You could see downstream towards downtown Minneapolis.
Looking upstream. Our train ran through Humboldt Yard. The Canadian Pacific 2816 next crossed the BNSF Monticello Sub before it passed through MN&S Junction. The train ran through the communities of Hamel, Medina and Loretto where Canadian Pacific 8780 East was in the siding.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 took one of the many slight curves on this piece of railroad.
Just before Rockford our train crossed the Crow River. Another CP Rail freight was in the siding at Dickinson before we rolled through Buffalo.
There is a station building at Buffalo. Since we had not seen Chris Parker and Anton I had Bob call him. Bob handed me the phone. "We just passed Buffalo, where are you?" Chris said "Just west of Lorreto" I said, "You can still catch us but get a move on and watch the small towns for local cops".
Maple Lake was next as we ran through it.
A car in the weeds and trees at Annandale is part of the collection of Don Lind known as the Minnesota & Western Railroad Museum.
We got a yellow as we approached South Haven where our train was serviced after we meet CP 9828 East. This delay allowed Chris and Anton to get ahead of us and I spotted them as we left South Haven.
Chris Parker and Anton drove by before they stopped for another picture of our train.
Chris Parker video taping our train while I took his picture.
The train crossed another trestle.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 took another curve.
The train took the big long curve before Eden Valley.
Our train took another slight curve.
Rob Riskie was enjoying the open door of our baggage car.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 curving into Paynesville.
The CP 9717 West was at Paynesville.
Our train curved towards Regal. We proceeded west through Belgrade, Brooten and Sedan before we reached the yard at Glenwood.
CP 8827 East was waiting for a crew at Glenwood.
We pulled up to the Glenwood Station for a thirty minute servicing stop. I detrained for a few pictures.
CP 9605 East was waiting a crew.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 took water at Glenwood.
The Canadian Pacific 2816 being serviced by the wonderful CP Rail Crew. I stopped by the Coke machine for 50 cent Coke.
I walked over to the street side view of the Glenwood Station. I reboarded the train.
CP 9675 East and Soo Line 4415.
CP 6905 and CP 8827. We slowly departed Glenwood for Thief River Falls at 1:55 PM.
At the west end of the Glenwood Yard we passed the CP 8523 West.
