CN Rail -- Any spare power for a Westbound train? Jasper Feb2014 Part 4

The crew of the Westbound Grain Unit train called in the power trouble while still some distance east of Jasper. One of the two units lost 3 of its 6 traction motors. On arrival the units were uncoupled and moved ahead to a more convenient spot. The service people arrived, but couldn't rectify the problem. The defective unit was placed into an adjacent track.
Meanwhile yet one more Eastbound had advanced to "Home", tied up and secured the train, the units advanced. Ahhhhhh .... at least one replacement unit for that urgent Grain Train. Anyway, this one is about the to and fro of engines to get the grain back on the way to Vancouver.
2013 was a bumper crop of grain on the prairies, the railways have been hard pressed to move it all - short of cars, power and crews. There have been bitter complaints regarding the lack of transportation - part of the blame addressed the increase in oil traffic on rail (higher earnings for the railways), another part the efficiency drive to make more money with less resources.
Given all of that, I was surprised that CN wouldn't have a spare power unit at Jasper.

[@tycholuna1]

Train problems aside, the great scenery and the deer and elk that are there for company make for a pretty nice video.

[@burdizdawurd1516Official]

This is such a beautiful place. With the mountains and the fog and the wildlife right there, it must be paradise with some heavy railroading thrown in. It will be very American of me to ask, but is all of Canada like this? At least by the rails, that is. I would love to live in a place with such a nice view.

[@DaringDramis]

Canada is largely unoccupied as you approach the North Pole... Very large territory, very large coldness... But supposedly very large and wild unexplored land and lakes!

[@cathy9160]

and I hope it says that way do not need condos and people to ruin this gorgeous spot.leave it just the way it was meant to be .people ruin everything..trains and elk that's all that's needed there.

[@TheOldRailfan]

Four years on I can't remember what the Park employee called them. What floored me: how unimpressed and brazen these guys and girls were around trains. One was on the double track bridge (road underpass) just West of the level crossing. Took his sweet time to get out of the way when the Eastbound rolled up. Of course all of this is tame compared to the bear who climbed on top of a parked grain train. Was quite a job to get the silly guy off. ;) :))

[@cathy9160]

o I wish I was their to see the bear these guys have the best job in the world and I hope they know that.please stop for these beauties.

[@FishplateFilms]

Great stuff! Having been there just a week ago , it is nice to see it in winter! Jasper , and Canada is a lovely place and I will be back for another visit in the future! Cheers Gregg.

[@46fd04]

Its 2018 ans the same issue is happening again. Not enough trains and crews for CN and CP

[@mrbillmacneill]

cool video! liked the deer and the elk. are they eating spilled grain or something?

[@aldean2984]

Beautiful mountains backdrop! Love the deer! Amazing SD75i is also my favourite DC power from 3rd generation diesels! Good job!

[@TheOldRailfan]

Yes, they're feeding on the grain that leaks from the trains. I talked with one of the Parks Canada wardens while filming and he was wondering how much grain was left in the leaky hoppers by the time they reach Vancouver. The situation on the CP is very similar at Fields, BC. The one time I stopped there the yard was completely empty except for the deer and elk feeding all over the tracks. If they would have been a bit closer it would have made for good video; late afternoon and 1 km away gets a bit tricky during the Winter.

[@embassyhotel]

great footage,amazing mountains. I'm from Windsor,Ontario,Canada across from Detroit & no views like this wow. but we still have great CN & Via Rail footage

[@TheOldRailfan]

+Sudsy Sutherland Thank you! Yes, the mountains are very intriguing. Born and raised in Switzerland, I immigrated to Canada back in '69. Spent the first 30 years in Ontario, close to Toronto, but had a job that had me travel right across Canada. In '99 it was time for the "Big Move" to the Okanagan Valley. Pretty good location if one likes mountain railroading; about half way between Vancouver and Calgary. Kamloops is 75 minutes from home., a bit more to get to Revelstoke. Going West it's down the Thompson and Fraser Canyons with a rail line on either side of the rivers. The Cascades on one side and the Coast Mountains on the other. Following the CP from Salmon Arm or Sicamous it's one mountain range after the other all the way to the Foothills just West of Calgary. Going North from Kamloops along the CN and then heading East through Jasper, there are more or less the same mountain ranges as along the CP . As far as scenery goes .... I guess the videos tell the story. ;) :)

[@jerrydoolittle9747]

Great video and beautiful country.. As others have mentioned, those are mule deer and not elk, but they are obviously railfans! Thanks for sharing... ;-)

[@RayzorFilms]

There was 1 elk when the camera was facing eastbound. Had a collar on

[@dave_yeg8596]

Don't like Elk, nasty creatures.

[@teddyschulte5639]

Those are definitely mule deer not elk

[@KingTrump2024]

"Oh Deer" !

[@bobhennis3585]

those are mule deer not elk and there is no s added to elk. elk is plural. must be a city boy.

[@bobhennis3585]

i stand corrected the animal on the far right is an elk, it's both deer and elk sorry.

[@geoffreylee5199]

Interesting, but could use major editing.

[@TheOldRailfan]

The interesting part was/is that our Canadian freight haulers are so trimmed down since "the Hunter" instituted "Precision Railroading", that they are no longer keeping a spare set of engines including crews at major division points like Jasper AB; or for that matter Field BC on the CPR. it's money money money! Interestingly both "The Hunter" (may he shovel coal in Hell) and his side kick Keith Creel were/are American "Flatlanders" who lack(ed) the wits for mountain railroading in harsh weather.

[@TheOldRailfan]

And you best leave the editing savvy for your own videos, that is if you ever have any to edit.

[@JayJr2007]

Great video! When I visited Jasper I was amazed at how comfortable the wildlife was around people, cars & in this case trains.

[@paul1x1]

Only one elk the other ones a grizzly

[@robsan52]

Hope you have a great career Bud. This is my RR alma matre 72 until 79 then BN, CP, BN, Tacoma Belt Line, Amtrak, Wisconsin Central, Portland Terminal, U.P. and retired off Amtrak 2012 as engineer. Track a few months, Conductor, switchman, few months as Cadman, headmaster, engineer...22 terminals I think and many wonderful and interesting friends. Why? Wish I knew. 😎

[@TheOldRailfan]

Yeah, I did; more than one career, but never worked for a railroad.

[@bradwallace9558]

Genie kush give it 5 yrs

[@garyhotchkiss796]

they are deer not elk

[@kddaniels5965]

elk are aweome lol

[@judgedredd8657]

my terminal

[@marcusgibson3899]

I think the deer and female moose have photobombed this video..

[@TheOldRailfan]

:D :D Yeah they certainly were the highlight of the day. The owner of the coffee and souvenir shop in the station told me about the daily routine of the herd. I made sure to be in position at the road crossing for what was coming.

[@Evematrix102]

Leave it to Cn to always have broken trains lol

[@cdavid8139]

Yep. They haul incredible tonnage safely and profitably but not good enough for railfans

[@marcoacho]

coool

[@marcoacho]

hi

[@joestrainworldvideos3977]

I subscribed.Joe's train world videos 😀😀🙂

[@joestrainworldvideos3977]

Great video of trains in winter setting. Joe

[@takethetrainTRL]

Wow, great video! Deers railfanning :))) You have my subs!

[@westtennesseerailfan8170]

the deer tho