Trackside Log for Saturday, September 29, 2012

This morning I was to meet up with Marcus in the Hamilton area. I decided to catch the "Maple Leaf" along the way. I had originally intended to photograph it in Jordan Station but wasn't paying attention and headed the wrong way. New plan: Grimsby.

• 0937 Grimsby - VIA 97 east - AMTK 21
  

Whilst driving along the Queen Elizabeth Way toward Hamilton I heard the Canadian National dispatcher mention a train would soon be working in Aldershot Yard and another in Hamilton Yard. I guessed these to be trains 422 and 331 respectively. I believed I could get to Aldershot ahead of train 422. I did easily but just missed train 148. As I waited I now heard the dispatcher talking to a train 570 in Hamilton Yard that would be ahead of my awaited train. I wasn't sure what to expect from 570 and it was a pleasant surprise when it rolled down the track with HEPX 200, a 20-axle Schnabel car.

• 1040 Aldershot - CN 570 east - CN 4777
  
• 1048 Aldershot - CN 422 east - CN 2183-CN 2248-CN 2243
  

After the GE parade of train 422 passed by I met up with Marcus and his son Brandon at the Royal Botanical Gardens. We chatted with a few other folks on the bridge there before train 331 began to pull out of Hamilton Yard. We pooled into Marcus' car and drove to Copetown for a look.

• 1202 Copetown - CN 331 west - CN 2242-CN 2426
  

With noon upon us we drove to Brantford for Brandon's lunchtime establishment of choice, McDonalds, after which we made our way to the VIA station in town. We arrived just as train 73 pulled into the station with the "Mother Parkers" private car in tow.

• 1331 Brantford - VIA 73 west - VIA 6404
  
• 1335 Brantford - covered hopper - DME 316874
  
• 1411 Brantford - tank training car - CN 911
  
• 1414 Brantford - CN power - CN 4116
  

Since nothing was happening on Canadian National we decided that it was rather boring. We turned back east toward Hamilton and decided to run by the local yards to see what might be interesting. First was the former Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Aberdeen Yard. Here we discovered the TEC train that I photographed a day earlier.

• 1547 Hamilton - CP TEC train - CP 7310
  

Next, Marcus wanted to photograph the GO trains parked in front of the former Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo station (now GO station).

• 1604 Hamilton - parked GO train - GOT 612
  

We were headed over to the Southern Ontario Railway's yard when I heard horns blowing when we were crossing the industrial tracks near Dofasco. After a short search we discovered Southern Ontario Railway heading into National Steel Car to lift some new potash covered hoppers.

• 1640 Hamilton - SOR local - NECR 3840
  

Whilst photographing the GP38-2 I also decided to take a few photographs of the Hamilton-built Paling Industries transporters that Dofasco (now Arcelor-Mittal) uses to transport heavy loads around their facility.

• 1648 Hamilton - heavy transporter - Dofasco Paling 035
  

Also parked nearby was a brand new well car for export. The Arabic lettering gave it away.

• 1651 Hamilton - new NSC well car - DBLSTK 8642
  

One of my favourite buildings in Hamilton, from an architectural point of view, is National Steel Car's gate building on Kenilworth Avenue. It's an excellent example of Art Moderne design. It gives the appearance of being under renovation, but it's looked this way for at least two years. Hopefully it receives the attention it deserves sometime soon.

• 1655 Hamilton - National Steel Car gate building
  

Our last stop of the day, now that the clouds were rolling in and it was getting both dark and late, was the Southern Ontario Railway's yard. We had a quick look at the motive power parked in front of the shops.

• 1711 Hamilton - SOR power - RPMX 9431 & RLK 4003
  

Now it was time to head back home. We went back to the Royal Botanical Gardens in time to see Canadian National train 331 head into Hamilton Yard in the distance. We'd had a good day and the weather was better than forecast. Not bad.

Trackside Log for Friday, September 28, 2012

This morning, after taking care of an errand, I was just about to leave for work when I once again heard horns to the south. As I was on my way out the door I grabbed my camera and intercepted the northbound at Farr Street.

• 1009 Fenwick - CP northbound TEC train - CP 7310
  

I was a bit surprised to see the TEC train hurtling toward me. It's been quite some time since I've seen it and this is the first with a former Delaware & Hudson GP38-2.

I resumed my drive to work and decided to make a quick detour past the Southern Ontario Railway in Garnet. I figured they should be just about ready to begin work for the day. As I pulled up to the tracks I was proven correct.

• 1106 Garnet - SOR 596 south - CEFX 2006-CEFX 2015-CEFX 2019
  

After a few photographs it was time for work.

Trackside Log for Saturday, September 22, 2012

This morning I was just puttering around the house. I happened to hear some horns to the south so I grabbed my camera and walked to the tracks.

• 1056 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 8830-CP 9561
  

Also of note is that the 10 mph speed restriction has been lifted now that the Foss Road crossing has been replaced. The crossing was installed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Canborough Road crossing was then replaced Thursday and Friday. Now trains are back to running at 25 mph through Fenwick.

Trackside Log for Friday, September 14, 2012

Soon after I awoke this morning I heard horns approaching town. When I looked outside I discovered that the sun was shining, albeit through significant haze. The forecast was for rain today so I thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of the sunlight.

• 0842 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 8701-CP 9632
  

When I returned home I looked at the weather radar and saw an approaching wall of rain. Good timing.

Trackside Log for Thursday, September 13, 2012

This morning I resumed working on my photographs from the east coast trip. Once again I left the scanner on in the background. It wasn't long before both trains 246 and 255 were to converge on Welland Yard. The southbound was the first to roll (slowly) through Fenwick.

• 0921 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 8799-CP 9641
  

After train 255 finished its work in Welland Yard I returned to Chantler Road to photograph it.

• 1028 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CEFX 1014-CP 8804
  

After its ten mile per hour crawl through town I returned home.

Trackside Log for Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Today was the first day back home after my ten day excursion to the east coast. I spent much of the day going through the photographs I took during the trip. I did however leave the scanner on in the background and when train 246 made an appearance I drove to River Road for a photograph.

• 1156 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 9751-ICE 6414-CP 9711-CP 9679
  

I discovered whilst waiting for the train to arrive at River Road that the speed restriction in town had been lowered to ten miles per hour during my absence. It took a while to get to me. I decided, since the consist was somewhat interesting, to meet up with it at the south end of Welland Yard.

• 1220 Welland - CP 246 south - CP 9751-ICE 6414-CP 9711-CP 9679
  

Then I spent the remainder of the day with my vacation photographs.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Today was the last day of my east coast trip with Sam and Missy. We started the day by visiting Biscotte & Cie in St-Bruno, Québec. After Sam made her purchases we were headed west toward home. I only made one railway related stop. I heard about two westbounds on the scanner and drove to Dalhousie Mills, Québec to attempt a photograph. Unfortunately they were gone before we arrived. However, an eastbound was on the way. I decided to drive ahead a bit to meet it.

• 1416 EDT Glen Roy, ON - CP eastbound - CP 8707/CP 9607 (DPU)
  

Just after the train cleared the crossing and I was about to resume our homeward trek, an unmarked OPP vehicle stopped behind me. I've had this happen a few times before but this time the officer was curt and quite rude. Normally the police have been polite when asking what I'm doing. After running a check on me and finding nothing of interest he left us to ourselves. Several miles later we encountered him again chasing down another car.

With that we made our way back home with only a stop at Sam's parents' home once again. Then the trip was over. Although much of what Marcus and I saw ten years ago is no longer, I enjoyed myself.

Trackside Log for Monday, September 10, 2012

We three travellers awoke this morning in Edmundston, New Brunswick and set off for the day. Before leaving town I drove down to the Canadian National tracks in town. Parked there was a pair of GP38s so I took a quick photograph.

• 0945 ADT Edmundston, NB - CN power - CN 4719-CN 4810
  

Next we were off and quickly changing time zones as we made our way back to Québec. My first destination was three hours away in Vallée-Jonction. I wanted to see what the Québec Central looked like these days.

• 1301 EDT Vallée-Jonction, PQ - former Québec Central station
  
• 1303 EDT Vallée-Jonction, PQ - museum display - CNR 46
  
• 1311 EDT Vallée-Jonction, PQ - former Québec Central engine shed
  

Sadly the old engine shed and turn table were sitting empty and idle. Everything has been removed. It was really rather disappointing. With nothing else to photograph we made our way west to Sherbrooke where I found a Montreal, Maine & Atlantic locomotive and the Orford Express tour train's M420TR.

• 1657 EDT Sherbrooke, PQ - MMA power - MMA 2004
  
• 1659 EDT Sherbrooke, PQ - Orford Express power - OEX 26
  

Our next stop was in Richmond to see if anything interesting was at the St. Lawrence & Atlantic. Unfortunately when we drove along the yard we could see only freight cars. It was getting a bit late so we decided to call it a day and made our way to Brossard for the night.