© 2001 Steve Barry steve@daylightimages.com
The northbound train approaches Charles siding, about 30 miles north of Port Cartier. About ten miles north of Charles siding (the sidings are named in alphabetical order as Able, Baker, Charles, Dog, etc) the road crosses to the east side of the tracks, making afternoon photography difficult. Therefore, our chase ends here for the day. A southbound train is out there somewhere, but by sunset the train still hasn't shown up.
TT3806
Day Two on the Cartier is September 11, 2001. Track work has the railroad shut down until the afternoon, so I head back to my motel in Port Cartier and turn on the television, where I see the unfolding tragedy of terrorist attacks in the United States. Not knowing what to do (should I head home?), I decide that until I can get some concrete news on if the U.S. border is open, I'll stay in Port Cartier. In the afternoon I head back to the tracks, listening to the CBC news broadcasts on the car radio. Just before sunset, a work train behind three RS18s heads south into Port Cartier. It looks like my week-long trip on the Cartier will be cut short.
TT3807
I decide to work towards the U.S. on September 12th, but I try to get my mind back on photography for a few more hours as I head north along the Cartier. A green southbound signal at Able draws my attention, so I set up and catch a lumber train heading south behind M636 No.87 sporting the railroad's new paint scheme. A lumber transloading facility is located adjacent to the Quebec Cartier's facility along the waterfront in Port Cartier.
TT3808
It's back to the Route 138 overpass to get a shot of the train as it skirts the northeast edge of town.
TT3809
Near the waterfront of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the lumber plant spur diverges from the line into the ore plant and crosses the ore plant access road. No.87 swings into the curve approaching the grade crosing.
TT3810
Seconds later the sharply-painted MLW crosses the road and vanishes into the lumber transloading facility.
TT3811
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