chasing Bullet Nose Betty on Canada Day

[Wiredup]

In my younger years from when I could first walk and talk I was obsessed with trains my parents say. And once I was introduced to CN's 6060 when I was 3 I fell in love for the first time. I saw her last when I was 7, or so the date stamp on the photos from my childhood say... She's lived a mere 200km away for over 20 years now. And it took just about that long for me to return to her and watch her work. This time I brought the wife!

I was telling my wife for months how badly I wanted to go see my first love again. She knows 6060 has a special place in my heart... its obvious from the posters, photos, wood carving (this is cool, I'll take a photo of it for you guys one day), HO model, and the N scale conversions I have done of this wonderful locomotive. I told her months ago that Canada Day would be the day we see each other once again.... sadly as the day drew nearer things came up that took the money away for the excursion trip. (need of a new car, new furnace, and the miscarriage of our first baby all in one month) So the tickets were refunded.

I came home from a blah day of work and music on Wednesday night around midnight. Stayed up until 2:00am watching TV not knowing what she had in store for me the next day. She wakes me up at 9:00am (admittedly a little late) and says I better get up quick if we're going to make the train. Confused... I got out of bed, got ready, grabbed my camera and camcorder and jumped in the car. Forgetting extra memory cards and battery packs.... (oops)

Departure time was 11:00... and we were 2 hours away at legal speed, and it was now 9:30. Breaking the rules, but getting held up by the necessary fuel stop and hold ups for highway construction we made it to the departure station at 11:15. Too late to get on board. But I'm not driving 2 hours for nothing.

Into the Nav I programed the trains destination. Big Valley, AB. We took off trying to beat her there, not knowing how long it would take us or her to get there. Surprisingly we got here by 12:00pm. a full hour before 6060's arrival.

We were able to hang around Big Valley and I filled my camera with some pretty awesome shots and some good video on the camcorder. I would like to share a few of the photos with you now.

Camera is a Pentax K20D

All shots were done in aperture priority mode. with an f22 or f8 setting. ISO 200-400

Lenses used for the train shots were all Pentax brand: DA*16-50mm, DA limited 40mm, and the one shot using the DA 10-17mm fisheye.




This is a shot of the roundhouse (whats left of it) in Big Valley, AB.











































I got many more to share, just need to do some processing on them.

My camera filled up when the best shot of the day was getting framed... and remind me never to do this again without earplugs.

I laid down on the ground at the crossing, about 5 feet from the tracks, and was trying to shoot through the grass up at the loco bearing down on me. The "preview" shot on the display was perfect... but no room to save the photo. For sure the best photo I never took.

By the way... feeling this massive locomotive fly by you at 40kph while your lying on the ground 5 feet way not only gives your wife a heart attack, but man...the sensation through your body is pretty awesome! The whistle blowing is quite deafening too. Steam wasn't too hot either. luckily.

[MasonJar]

Great shots. The post-processing gives some nice effects too!

Happy Canada Day!

Andrew

[Steamtrains]

That's one awesome locomotive....Great pics...Let's see som'ore...
Three cheers for the wife who knew exactly what your weary butt needed....

[Charlie B]

Let's all hope that this trip is a turn around point for you. A very thoughtful gift from your lovely lady.
Charlie

[Gary S]

A very touching story. Great photos to go along with the great memories. Thank you much for sharing. Best wishes to you and your wife.

[Herc Driver]

Great story and great shots.

[doctorwayne]

Great shots, Luke.
My daughter and I rode behind her back in the mid-'70s, when she was the regular power Wednesdays and Saturdays on the Toronto - Niagara Falls train, otherwise covered by RDCs. Track speed then was 79mph, and she handled it with ease. CN took care of the railfan fraternity, too, with an open-door baggage car right behind the tender:


Besides these regularly-scheduled trips, she made several fan trips through this area, too.

Wayne

[Wiredup]

That would have been something to see DoctorWayne. That would have been a fantastic experience, especially getting upto speed.... 40kph is kind of an insult eh?

But if you saw the rails, well you can I took a photo of it above. Yea, they aren't exactly the kind of rail that would be utilized for a locomotive like the 6060... I think Ten-Wheelers were the biggest locos on those rails until she started excursion service down there.

I think the Kettle Valley train in the Okanagan valley in BC is a little quicker. But they run 3716 (2-8-0) most of the time while they have a perfectly good Shay sitting there...