A Few More Minutes in Ogden

The CPR mainline passes right through the Calgary community of Ogden and if you’re into a little trainspotting there’s plenty of public places there where one can view the action. When in need of a fix we’ll head out that way, even if a busy schedule often dictates we can’t hang around for long. But…and there’s always a but…a time crunch wasn’t the only wildcard.

Covid – maybe you’ve heard of it – and the resultant rolling lockdowns had the economy in the toilet, so our odds were made a little worse. Not many freights were running, but even though a crap shoot it’s better than sitting at home. A day by the tracks is a good one.

Things have mostly returned to normal at the railway but in early 2020, when these photos were captured, nothing much moved. Usually it’s an endless parade and seeing it so quiet was bizarre.

We don’t often share photos from these outings, because they’re not really all that interesting (well, they are to us). This time, however, the sky was just so spectacular so we had to. Pink and purple! This is a fun little post, so we won’t drone on as usual and much like our time in Ogdentown, you’ll be in and out in a flash. Enjoy!

What we usually do on arriving is find a nice view of the railway and wait. Simple and to the point, eh? No scanners for us and it’s just fingers crossed, a hit or miss strategy if there ever was one, but we like surprises. Still, we might just check any line side signals in view to see if a green is displayed, to indicate an approaching train, but otherwise we’re in the dark.

Passing through the industrial park on the way in, it’s a curious railcar parked on a siding and photographed from a grade crossing. Here’s what the manufacturer has to say about it…

“The Plasser 09-16 DYNACAT is a heavy-duty, high speed, and continuous-action switch and production track-tamping machine with an integral dynamic track stabilizer.” Plasser American Corporation. Sounds awesome and now we all want one!

So in Railway Track Maintenance for Dummies terms it makes for a nice smooth track, the machine doing it all in one pass and with minimal fuss. Simply, it tamps the ballast under the rails and that gives them a good solid base. It’s a complex looking beast and would be interesting to see in motion.

Finding ourselves at the oddly vacant parking lot of the Glenmore Inn and attached strip mall (lockdowns ‘r’ us), we stake out the tracks down by the canal just as a train arrives. It’s the first and only one we’d see, but then again with time being short, it’s about all we could expect.

It’s a fast moving and long double stack that’s soon gone. The eerie silence returns and with our own clock ticking there’s no point waiting around for another. Not that we’re sure if another is due anyway, given the how few were running at the height of this first Covid wave. We lucked out and timed it right I guess.

With the sky alive with strange, vibrant colours and not a soul about it’s both beautiful and creepy. The hotel looks empty and any eateries in the complex are closed up tight as though the world has come to an end. There’s no activity at all, just us in this dystopian setting and even on nearby Glenmore Trail the traffic is light. It’s never quiet on that busy thoroughfare. Ever!

This is about the time, that border between day and night, when the zombies come out of the woodwork – so the movies tell us! It’s time to get out while the getting’s good…they’re coming…the Family’s coming!

This was a good few minutes wasted and we’ve done it many times before in Ogden and many since. It seems we never tire of watching passing trains and yes, perhaps that’s a bit out there.

Coming very soon to BIGDoer.com it’s more abandoned stuff and some fun Then & Nows, so keep an eye on this website.

They’re saying…

”These two are amazing !! I love following their adventures and the photography is…jaw dropping…I’m looking forward to living vicariously!” Dayna Kent.

Keeping the theme…
A Few Minutes in Ogden – An earlier visit.
A Few Minutes in Pincher Station.
Trainspotting – Field BC edition.

Something to say and no one to say it to? Go here: contact us!

Date of Adventure: May, 2020.
Location: Calgary, Alberta.
Article references: Plasser American Corporation.

Ogden = trains.

What’s this curious thing?

The evening’s train count stands at one.

A through the fence view.

Fifty five max.

Just us…