Recorded over 3 trips in 1998,2000 & 2001 and showcase the fascinating acoustic variety of Canadian Railroading from the busy eastern mainlines, over obscure regional railroads to the 24/7 battle against the snowy Rocky Mountain grades.

1 (1:09) VIA 6455 is in charge of a Montreal-bound AMT commuter train. Listen to the cacophony of joints and switches!.

3 (3:15) An eastbound CN freight towed by 9407, 9580, 9472, 7039 passes the station. The CN hasn't passed the scene when on the CP main two SD40/SD40-2 5426 and 5410 drag an intermodel train to the east.

5 (2:28) A recording inside the cab of MLW RS-18 no. 183 of the Ontario Southland Railway. I was operating the engine! The reverse handle is in off-position so the unit can be notched out without moving. Notch by notch through run-8 the 12-251B engine is revved up. As the control cabinet behind the engineer is open you can clearly hear the clicking of the relays in response….

9 (4:31) On Kicking Horse pass where, the tracks parallel the Trans-Canadian-Highway, we wait in early winter darkness as two AC4400s (9635 & 9616) power eastbound grain empties uphill. The nearby grade crossing signal is triggered by the approaching train & soon the engineer grabs for the horn, a Nathan K3L.

So come and get transported to Cajon by some high quality-high fidelity recordings.

1. 4 unit westbound intermodel in dynamics and 2 x SD40-2 helpers accelerate uphill. 2. A 5 unit hot, short UP intermodal races over a crossing. 3. 3x GE C44-9W glide past in dynamics. 4. Blue Cut, a UP doublestack with 2 x SD60M & a SD40-2 rumble past. 5. Swarthout Canyon, 2 screaming SD70Ms work a long manifest uphill. 6. Then a manifest accelerates up the long grade and a 5 x 2 loco manifest gets under way. 7. A doublestack starts up the grade accelerating notch by notch as a fast westbound intermodal passes. 8. An intermodal with 4 xC44-9Ws climbs round Sullivan's Curve under full power blowing for the crossings. 9. Two GEs thunder by with an empty TOFC. 10. A solid 5 unit of older blue & yellow ATSF power scream their guts out on a heavy oil train. 11. The Cajon local accelerates to 30mph and goes into neutral without dynamics. 12. An empty TOFC thunders by. 13. Defect detector at Cajon Jctn.

Four Ore haulers along the the lower St. Lawrence shore carry the heavy loads from the country's interior, these are the Cartier Railway, the Quebec, Northshore and Labrador Railway (QNS&L), the Arnaud Railway and the Romaine River Railway of the Quebec, Iron and Titanium Company (QIT). The fifth railroad in the game is the Wabush Lake Railway in the heart of Labrador, which connects with the QNS&L.

There are eighteen stunning tracks featuring older power still hard at work in today's world. On the Cartier and the Arnaud; ALCo & MLW RS18, C636 & M636. On the QNS&L; SD40-2s. On the Wabush: RS18s. On the QIT: GP9s. Most are hard at work on 3 or 4 engine hook ups flat out in run 8 or running downhill with dynamics howling, some struggling some on top of the job, some idling, some at ease. All at work. Rolf really sticks at the recording to get the best possible sounds. Like waiting from 8 pm to 1 am in freezing temperatures - and then almost missing the train when batteries needed changing! But I cannot speak more highly of Rolfe's recording standards of quality. He really puts you into the middle of the action in a way that is impossible on video and the atmosphere is electric. Detailed notes set the various scenes completely. I do so recommend all his recordings. They are the best.