Retro Logo CN 3331 on Wainwright Sub - Fabyan Trestle and wooden Grain Elevators

On September 30, 2024 we set out from Wainwright to catch CN 3331 leading Q 18051 27 on the Wainwright Sub. CN 3331 is one of two units featuring a retro CN logo and often spends its time in the Chicago to New Orleans corridor. The logo on the unit dates back to 1919 when Canadian National was created after the government merged several railways that were failing financially following the First World War. One of these roads was the Canadian Northern (CNoR), where many of CN’s first executives came from and naturally they chose to modify the Canadian Northern logo to say Canadian National. This logo lasted several years before being changed following the addition of the Grand Trunk Pacific to the Canadian National.

In this video we’ll start the chase at Viking, on the former Grand Trunk Pacific mainline across the prairies and follow the train east to Nielsen, with stops at Fabyan and Greenshields. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to set up the video camera or launch drone at Nielsen for 3331. After Nielsen, the mainline is relatively difficult to access until Unity, Saskatchewan - another 90 minutes down the road, so we ended the chase and went back to the impressive Fabyan Trestle for a few trains. We’ll then follow M 34791 27 back towards Edmonton and stop along the way to see the opposing eastbounds.

Viking
0:00 Q 18051 27: CN 3331, CN 3876 – DP 1x1x0 – 175 cars
Fabyan
2:11 Q 18051 27: CN 3331, CN 3876 – DP 1x1x0 – 175 cars
Greenshields
6:46 Q 18521 27: CN 3170, CN 2885 – 140 cars
8:27 Q 18051 27: CN 3331, CN 3876 – DP 1x1x0 – 175 cars
Nielsen
9:22 Z 11131 27: CN 3883, CN 2605 – 145 cars
Fabyan
13:49 X 10451 28: CN 3821, CN 3374 – 158 cars
16:24 M 34791 27: CN 3269, CN 3210 – 105 cars
19:27 Z 11131 27: CN 3883, CN 2605 – 145 cars
Viking
22:32 Q 10251 28: CN 2603, IC 2720 – 146 cars
Russett
24:51 G 80851 30: CN 2686, CN 2225 – 140 cars
Shonts
26:52 M 34791 27: CN 3269, CN 3210 – 105 cars
Lindbrook
30:12 M 31451 30: CN 2510, CN 3177 – 93 cars