Cedarview Road: Now and Then

Recently, I've had a few opportunities to make my way out for some train watching. Since there isn't much variety where I live, I have tried shooting trains in different spots and from different angles as a way to get some new photos, even if there are still just shots of Via corridor trains.

I've mentioned Cedarview Road as a spot where I like to shoot, since you can get relatively close to the right-of-way while remaining at a safe and legal distance. Just like I did in this recent post where I compared winter and summer shots, I thought I would do some similar comparisons at Cedarview Road.

The first shot is a typical four-car LRC consist being pulled by an F40PH-2. I was pleased with this shot, but was struck by the different look of the right-of-way compared to the winter shot (below).

What I found interesting is that I can't see the edge of Barrhaven in the winter shot, due to the snow being whipped up by the train. But, I did like that I got a few decent shots from the same vantage point that showcase how interesting railfanning can be in a four-season city like Ottawa.

After taking the top shot, I waited for Train 55 to get a little closer so I could catch it near the pedestrian underpass. The lighting was decent, although I did get a lot of glare off the coaches. Still, this is a great spot if you are looking to get a dramatic shot from just below the right-of-way (from a bug's eye view as my art teacher in high school called it).

Now compare this with a shot from a similar point of view taken earlier this year after a snowfall. I like the winter shot better, because I got a little closer and managed to avoid much of the fence in the shot. Also, I love any train photo with snow whipping around. It certainly conveys more of the movement than a summer shot would.

Speaking of Via Rail, there are a number of projects the railway has ongoing in Ottawa right now, which you can read about by visiting this webpage. You may recall from this post that there is a work consist that has been parked on a spur in Richmond. I can't say for sure that it is being used by Via Rail in the city, but it's a good bet that it is. The railway says it is doing much of its track work at night, when its schedule is lighter. Too bad because I would love to catch some of these work trains in action. The railway is doing the following things in the city:

- replacing ties on the Alexandria Sub, just east of Ottawa's Central Station.

- repairing concrete and steel supports on the Rideau River bridge near Prince of Wales Drive. This work is supposed to wrap up by next year.

- installing continuous welded rail on a stretch of the Beachburg Subdivision stretching from just west of the Central Station through to the Billings Bridge area.

- upgrading the platforms at the Central Station so that the platforms will be level with the doors on passenger coaches (this would make the platforms in Ottawa similar the platforms in Montreal and Quebec City). The platform work is part of a larger project that will see numerous upgrades at the Central Station. More on this in a future post.