The Big Hill 2.4% A shiny new CPKC locomotive leads an eastbound stack train up the 2.4% section of Canadian Pacific's original "Big Hill" at first light. The original line reached a stag... (more)

Rock Climbing Kicking Horse Pass Early Morning... a Westbound train of tanks climbs the 2.4% grade above Field BC. A rough trail used by rock climbers skirts the shed to the lofty height... (more)

Iron Ridge A BNSF oil train rounds the 10 degree curve and climbs the 2.2% grade at Iron ridge on Mullan Pass. The train is bound for Pacific Coast refineries and acts as a pipeline as th... (more)

The Mount Stephen Route An eastbound stack train negoiates the last of the 2.2% on the climb thru Partridge above the Upper Spiral Tunnel. Mount Stephen pierces the blue sky at a lo... (more)

The Big Hill CPKC manifest with a mix of the the new merged railroads power climbs the mountain out of Field, BC. 7/24 The name originally given the "Big Hill" was the orig... (more)

Jasper Alberta A westbound grain load blasts the last mile of grade towards the crew change location of Jasper, Alberta. The train is set up 2x1 and despite the grade being relatively ... (more)

Swan Landing An eastbound Potash train skirts the shores of Brule' Lake as it makes it way towards Edmonton. Jasper National Park forms a backdrop. Swan Landing is an important intercha... (more)

Canadian Pacific's Kicking Horse Pass There were several passes considered for Canadian Pacific's railroad across the Rockies. At least 2 passes to the north and the Corwsnest to the s... (more)

Southern Style way up North! A heavy sand train descends heavy grade towards Winniandy. The mountainous line has grades exceeding 1.25% and this requires lots of horsepower. This sand trai... (more)

Kicking Horse Canyon From high above the new highway and the old, an eastbound stack train roars up the 2.2% grade out of Glenogle, BC. The original road closely followed the original ali... (more)

Entering the Canyon A CP stack train starts into the depths of Kicking Horse Canyon. The grade will soon increase from 1% up to 2.3%, on the climb towards the crew change point of Field, ... (more)

Pulling Kicking Horse Pass CP8021 leans into the last portion of the 2% on the pull for Kicking Horse Pass. The manifest train(mostly empty tanks) has just passed the flat spot at Wapta L... (more)

Montana Subdivision CP5049 rebuilt SD40-2 pulls one of the many grades towards Milk River. The local originates in Lethbridge and brings interchange cars for the United States border.

Mason Creek Viaduct A southbound coal load crosses Mason Creek Viaduct on the Grande Cache Subdivision. The train is climbing the long 1%+ grade from Winniandy, Alberta (Grande Cache). The... (more)

Kicking Horse Pass In November of 1994 my friend Dave Gayer had a feature article in Pacific Rail News about Kicking Horse Pass. On page 29 is a photo of a CP SD40-2 poking its nose ou... (more)