668 - Train Wreck
Today we explored a derailed train in Canada.
It’s the last adventure of the Pacific Northwest series, and one of the shoots I was looking forward to posting the most. When else do you get to see a wrecked train in the wild?
Let’s start with a little history.
The disaster happened in the 1950s when the train derailed after going nearly double the speed limit around a tight turn. It then proceeded to jam into a narrow tunnel so tightly that it was nearly impossible to move. In order to get them out, the train had to hire a local logging company to move the cars with their heavy industrial equipment.
Of the 12 cars that derailed, 7 still remain to this day, left behind in the forest after the company deemed them too damaged to salvage. And that’s where we come in, nearly 70 years later.
Upon our arrival, I had no idea what to expect. Surprised?
You’re supposed to do all this research for these kinds of urban exploration shoots (because half the time it’s illegal, difficult to access, has other unforeseen dangers, yadda yadda yadda) but we went pretty much on the flip of a dime. The road we were traveling on to visit my dad in Whistler just happened to go right by it.
You could even say we were derailed by this adventure. Alright I’ll shut the fuck up.
Point is, we showed up not knowing what we were walking into and were surprised to find a state sponsored trail that led right to it.
Turns out, this place had gotten so popular in the past half century that the government decided to build a trail and bridge that led right to it.
Which makes a lot of sense when you realize that the only other way to get to the wreck without the bridge was to walk down a live train track for quite a ways. Not ideal.
You know, it’s nice when the government looks out for our safety. But it also takes some of the fun out of the adventure. ᴵ ᵏᶦⁿᵈᵃ ʷᵃⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵈᵒ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗʰᶦⁿᵍ ˢˡᶦᵍʰᵗˡʸ ᶦˡˡᵉᵍᵃˡ
Needless to say, I snagged enough pics to satisfy my train urges for the next half century:
On a passé un super moment, as the French would say.
