Posted 12 years ago
walksoftly
(167 items)
Selected photo's of the Canadian Pacific Railway, it's Hotels & scenes through Alberta & British Columbia, including Banff & Yoho National Parks.
First image is Cathedral Peak with a CPb passenger train entering a snow shed.
Second image shows the upper spiral tunnel. The Spiral Tunnels were opened on September 1, 1909. They were built to replace what was known as "The Big Hill" on the Canadian Pacific Railway main line it was the most difficult piece of railway track on the Canadian Pacific Railway's route. It was situated in the rugged Canadian Rockies west of the Continental Divide and Kicking Horse Pass.
To reduce the steep grade two tunnels driven in three-quarter circles into the valley walls. The higher tunnel, "number one," runs under Cathedral Mountain, to the south of the original track. The track emerges from this tunnel & has doubled back, running beneath itself and fifty feet lower. It then descends the valley side in almost the opposite direction to its previous course before crossing the Kicking Horse River and entering Mount Ogden to the north. The descent was again about fifty feet. From the exit of this tunnel the line continued down the valley in the original direction, towards Field. The constructions and extra track would effectively double the length of the climb and reduce the ruling gradient to 2.2%.
Link to more info on the Spiral Tunnel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hill
Thanks for the love & comment Phil, it would be nice to see these in their original format. They gave up some quality when they went for quantity.
Thanks for the love Tony & nldionne.
When I was out there in the early 80's, I was going to take the CP to get a good look at the Rockies & the Spiral Tunnels. All the trains, east or west bound, went at nite. Finally hitched a ride so I could take pics. The Canuck's brake system was leaking & made an exciting trip down the other side so half of my pics are blurs!
Nothing like going through the Rockies at high speed!
You should have asked him if he had brakes before you climbed in.
Do You always ask if people have brakes before you get in their car? Why take all the thrills out of life. By the way, beer does NOT work for brake fluid!(Or Molson Golden doesn't)
Life would be boring without a few thrills along the way, although I would sooner be in control of those thrilling moments.
I still wonder if I saw the Spiral Tunnels?
If you were unable to STOP at the Lookout point then not likely!
A nice video of a train going through the Upper Spiral Tunnel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP1-PrP1ROg
The CPR freight train exits the tunnel below itself at 2:35
We couldn't stop! We didn't stop for miles after we got on level ground. That's where I got out.
Blunder I would have got off sooner ! Although I did go down a tiny one lane mountain road and when I looked down a few inches from ledge I wanted out bad . Never went up a mmountain road again and going down a mountain on snow and ice is a thrill I will not forget either . Those are not on my bucket list anymore been there and did that :-
Couldn't get that 1 to play but it put me into youtube & others I watched. One of my permanent memories is a nite CP trip to Thunder Bay. Smoking a dooby on the back platform watching a huge orange harvest moon. The rails behind us lit up like weaving gold ribbons. Incredible! Only moving train I ever jumped off of but that's another story.
Thanks for the love B'buss, Moonstone, Vetraio & Mani.
I can see it in my minds eye B'buss, even the part of you rolling ass over tea kettle in the rocks & spruce trees!
That's another warning if you are talking about jumping off of trains: Watch for signal light poles, tuck & roll! Jump school training is a great help.
stunning photo walksoftly:)!!!
Thank you Sean, your comments are always appreciated.
Thanks for the love Nicole.
Thanks for the love Ted.
How did this get past me?Oh crap,I haven't been paying attention!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the love gargoyle, did you not here the train a comin'?
Thanks for the love inky, kerry, petey, brat, Don, pw & aeon.
Evening David, hope life is treating you well.
Hi Kerry, life is treating me well & you?
Hi Bro ! waving Hi to you and Sherry !
Hi Sis, big waves back at you from us both!
Manikin and walksoftly are you related? How cool...
No, in spirit only, she adopted me!! :-))
Does she take in strays too?
Yes, but you have to stay in the garden with the gnomes:-))
HA ,I thought you were going to tell me I had to be fixed!!!!
LOL :-) Gargoyle and Bro . How did you know I have Gnomes and my garden and oh Gargoyle we don't require our strays to be fixed just behave :-)
Walksoft is my link Fluffy to my Canada family he keeps me informed on them as has gone to see them for me . He is a special friend and is like kin folk to me :-)
YEAH!!!!!!!!!Look out manikin ,me and WS could be in your backyard now!!!!!!!!!!
and BTW I would behave...
for a while:)
That for awhile seemed pretty close to behave Gargoyle :-)
Just so you know gargoyle this is what happened to me the last time I snuck into her garden.
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/65392-disneys-pinocchio-made-in-italy-milano
I still have nightmares :-0
And your still froze by that lizard and turned into a statue Bro :-) I will bring you in come winter ok :-))LOL
Crap!!!!!!!!!Walksoftly,that's why you haven't been around lately!I hope she at least sprays for termites!
All is well the Seven Dwarfs came by & carried me back across the border undetected! :-)