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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Posts
    614

    Default Day Trip To Takakkaw Falls with the Spiral tunnel

    August 20 we did a day trip into the mountains to try for a drive up to Moraine Lake. Left fairly early as in the summer now the lack of parking has the Parks Service running shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. As we got closer to Lake Louise (the town site) we saw that the Shuttle buses were running already.

    Back up plan, keep driving. We ended up going into BC and ended up driving into Takakkaw Falls. We didn't stop there as the parking there was just as bad as Lake Louise. Not a parking spot to be found but the drive in was worth it on its own. So mainly sunroof shots on the Falls road.
    After we came out we went into Field BC to find a bit of lunch. Saw that there was a train heading west which meant that it would be going through the Spiral tunnels. Over the last to many decades every time I have been through the area I have stopped at the over look for the tunnels in hope of catching a train. So lunch was put on hold and a slight race was held to beat the train to the tunnels. We won.

    I hope that you like the pictures.

    Starting up the road to Takakkaw Falls. Beautiful warm day and low enough speeds to have all of the windows and sunroof open.

    DSCF3087 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Most interesting feature of the drive can almost be seen in the distance.

    DSCF3088 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Hard to see but there is a switch back up ahead. Better pictures on the way down.

    DSCF3089 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3091 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Looking down from where we came.

    DSCF3093 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3094 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3095 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3096 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    DSCF3098 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3099 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3100 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3101 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3102 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    DSCF3104 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3105 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3106 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    First glimpse of the falls.

    DSCF3107 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3113 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3114 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3115 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    What the parking lot looks like all the way through.

    DSCF3116 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Heading back out.

    DSCF3117 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3118 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3119 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3120 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3121 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Coming up the the switch back.

    DSCF3122 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3123 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3124 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The really fun thing about this switchback is that tour buses (at least they used to, I don't know if they still do) take this road to the falls. The trip through the switch back (two corners the upper one is this one) involves nosing into the corners backing up up into the next corner and heading on up/down.

    DSCF3125 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    In the corner from the last picture.

    DSCF3127 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3128 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    On the way down.

    DSCF3129 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3130 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Model of the tunnels. We are watching the train from the parking lot area.

    DSCF3165 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The beginning of the Spiral tunnels shots. The lower spiral tunnel is in the middle of the taller trees.

    DSCF3132 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The engine at the front of the train heading into the tunnel.

    DSCF3133 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3134 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3135 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Front end coming out.

    DSCF3139 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3140 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3141 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Green splotch in the trees is the train. If you look at the model you will see under the parking lot where the train runs.

    DSCF3151 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Picture with the tail end, middle and front end.

    DSCF3153 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Engine on the end of the train.

    DSCF3160 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3162 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Done with the train. Into Field for lunch. Old railway building.

    DSCF3168 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3169 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    A couple of shots up the Kicking Horse River to where the tunnels are.

    DSCF3170 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The highway with the bridge over the river can be seen at the end of the valley.

    DSCF3171 by ssicarman, on Flickr

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Wales UK
    Posts
    1,901

    Default

    Great pictures!

    Hope you managed to keep both hands on the wheel, while taking them?

    That train must be some length to be able to see the engine as it comes out of the tunnel and the last wagons as they are still going in!

    Presumably it also has a Tandem Engine set up to get up the gradients?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Bella Coma BC Canada
    Posts
    93

    Default

    nice scenery
    good to have 4 wheel disc brakes
    cheers
    Hank

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Posts
    614

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by XCovlov70 View Post
    Great pictures!

    Hope you managed to keep both hands on the wheel, while taking them?

    That train must be some length to be able to see the engine as it comes out of the tunnel and the last wagons as they are still going in!

    Presumably it also has a Tandem Engine set up to get up the gradients?
    Hands on wheel at all times of course. Safety first.

    Train had a couple of engines at the front, middle and one at the end. They were working hard.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Posts
    614

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Da Tow'd View Post
    nice scenery
    good to have 4 wheel disc brakes
    cheers
    Hank
    I have always enjoyed the drive to the falls, goes through a wide range of scenery.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Wales UK
    Posts
    1,901

    Default

    WOW!
    The 'control wires' between the Engines must be good to keep it going up and downhills!

    While I guess there are a high number of wagons in the train!

    Your mission should you accept.........

    Next time you go up there, could you count the number of wagons that are in the train please?

  7. #7

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