I will be in Vancouver for a day before going to Whistler, what is the single best spot (in a good part of town) to see the most action? While in Whistler, it would be nice ot catch a train on the ex-BC Rail line there (Squamish Sub). Are there any predictable daylight trains through there? Thanks!
I would have hoped someone else with better info had replied to this by now, but normally CN only runs one freight each way per day on the ex-BC Rail line out of North Vancouver. I have no idea when it is supposed to run, but it matters not, freights rarely keep to their schedules anyway.
Rocky Mountaineer runs over this route during the summer months, they are far more likely to run during daylight hours and keep to their schedule. There should be a schedule on their website.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
There is a rail museum in Squamish about midway between Vancouver and Whistler. Maybe they would have an idea of the comings-and-goings of the line.
Thanks! Do you happen to know the symbol (I have seen L570-51 and L571-51)? Also, I am new to CN railfanning, how do they call signals (CSX throws in everything but the kitchen sink when they call signals).
The ex-BC Rail line is OCS (dark territory) so there are no signals to call. Our current rules require trains to call every mile that ends in 5 (mile 5, 15, 25...), but we do not have to call approaching stations anymore.
The Squamish museum (West Coast Railway Association) is the largest rail museum in Canada after Montreal's ExpoRail, and no trip to the area is complete without a visit.
Squamish is also the crew change point between North Vancouver and Lillooet.
Thanks! I know from YouTube videos that Whistler has a Defect Detector/Hot Box Detector. I hope that I get to see a train (also seen that they run with DPU).
When I was in Whistler and Lillooet last September, I saw a north and a south bound freight (around the middle of the day) - both had three units on the front and no DPU.
I also didn't hear any train horns in Whistler, and the railroad is across the other side of the valley from the main part of the town - so you'll need the scanner and some luck...
First few photos here are from Whistler and Lillooet - https://www.flickr.com/photos/135999716@N08/sets/72157692582779735
...and video -
There was only one train that I saw when I stayed at Whistler. I could hear it's horn in the distance giving me enough time to get to the station adjacent to our hotel. It's on a curve right there but it's still a tight place to shoot video.
Yard Limit It's on a curve right there but it's still a tight place to shoot video.
Agreed.
Just north of the hotel (Nita Lake Lodge) there is a decent view across the (small) lake from the footpath that runs along the east side - if you can get there in time...
Is it worth renting a car for visiting all these places?
Yeah. You better rent a car if you want to go sightseeing because Vancouver's public transport is so damn expensive. Also, you may consider taking the train for a more relaxing trip. Anyways, make sure you book your tickets in advance on dbauskunft.net to avoid waiting in those endless queues. In general, you don't need to be at the railway station more than 30 minutes early and can stroll right to your platform. It simply takes a few minutes to board. Also, keep in mind that some international/national trains may have delays.
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