Luckily for me but less for the Edmundston-based crew, some issues with the GEVO leader that morning in Québec City's Joffre Yard occurred and trailing unit, in this case a member of the now retired fleet of CN's C40-8M, were put in charge of M306, the daily manifest linking Toronto,ON and Moncton,NB.
Flanges are squealing over the surrounding mountains as M306 coasting on the downhill grade averaging between 1.2 and 0.8% since Pelletier summit some five miles behind, CN 2454's dynamic brake sound could be easily recognizable over it's sister, trying to hold over 9000 tons of loose freight on the grade toward Pohénégamook as the train thunder over the 845 foot-long trestle spanning over Boucanee river.
The former National Transcontinental Railway line in this part of the province avoided the United States territory by only a few feet when it was built and as the train will pass thru the village of Pohénégamook in the next 20 minutes or so, the engineer on it's side will look at the United States while the conductor will be graced with a beautiful view of Pohénégamook Lake on the Canadian side of the border.
Sadly, only two pair of trains per day now polish the ribbon rails of the Pelletier subdivision.
CN M30631-05
2454 2312 GECX 9129
Milepost 62.0 Pelletier subdivision
St-Éleuthère,QC
October 6th 2018
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