I spent the day at home but had the scanner on. Sundays are typically pretty quiet on the Canadian Pacific Hamilton Subdivision and today was no exception. However, train 426 did announce itself in Smithville so I drove over to Boyle for a photograph.
I took a couple slides and returned home. That's about as eventful as it got.
Soon after Amtrak I could hear more horns approaching from the west on the Norfolk Southern tracks.
Then a foreman got on track one east of me to conduct a track inspection. Unfortunately that meant all trains were routed on track two for most of the morning.
I was getting rather tired of the eastbounds so I was delighted to see a westbound signal.
Time was getting on and the lighting at Angola was degrading so I decided to call it a day. I couldn't stay much longer anyway because I was going to a Bulldogs hockey game at 1900.
I was home sick today which sucked. The day started out sunny but would Canadian Pacific run any trains? Of course not. In the afternoon it clouded up and that's when the first train of the day showed up. I was feeling up to a walk so I hiked down to the Foss Road crossing to see train 426.
It was gloomy but at least I got to photograph something.
Today I was having a few guys over for a slide show. Marcus was heading to Niagara early to meet up with me for some photographs. I headed out toward Brookfield to meet up. By the time I got to Dain City I heard Canadian National train 564 obtain a track warrant on the Humberstone Spur. This was a once a month occurrence so I immediately changed my route to intercept 564 at the Highway 140 overpass and informed Marcus about what was transpiring.
Since track speed very slow it's really easy to chase on the Humberstone Spur. I set off for the next level crossing.
I met up with Marcus at the next crossing.
Train 564 set off its lone acid car at INCO and the chase was over. Marcus and I decided to try for a photograph of Norfolk Southern 369 in Fort Erie so eastward we went. As luck would have it 369 arrived while we picked up some food so we waited for it to drop its train and return to make the lift out of track 99.
Then things got interesting. NS 369 returned to the east end of the yard on the main track, paused, then backed into the siding. After a short wait it swithed over to track 99 where we thought it was positioning for the lift. But they never coupled. It turned out they were waiting for Canadian Pacific train 427 west.
Next 369 moved back to the siding again which got me to thinking Canadian National train 339 was imminent.
Train 339 set off freight for 369 to lift. Marcus and I decided the action was more or less over so we drove off for my house. Shortly after we got there Canadian Pacific train 246 informed train 427 that it was at Boyle. We went out to photograph 246.
Train 427 also arrived not long after but we didn't bother with it. Then Dave and Steve arrived and it was pizza and slide time.
Just after I got home from work I heard a northbound get a clearance out of Welland yard. I popped into the house to get my camera and went trackside.
It's nice that the days are getting a bit longer so it's actually light enough after work to take a picture or two.
It was Family Day in Ontario (or Dalton Day as I refer to it) which I spent at home. I turned the scanner on throughout the day and when train 426 announced its imminent arrival I headed trackside.
I was spending a nice Saturday at home with the scanner on again. Proximity to the tracks is one of the reasons I bought my house. Canadian Pacific graced me with a pair of trains this day.
I was amused to see that 9815 was still adorned with Christmas decorations from its trek on the Holiday Train.
It was a beautiful sunny day with snow all over the ground. This is the kind of day that explains why I like winter. I hadn't been to Fort Erie to see the Norfolk Southern transfer, train 369, in quite a long while so I decided to head there for a while. En route I heard on the scanner that Canadian National train 339 was at about Port Robinson so I met up with it at House Road in Stevensville.
Then I continued on to Fort Erie where I photographed the train again while setting off cars for Norfolk Southern to lift later that day.
Lo and behold, Norfolk Southern crossed the International Bridge soon after.
I'd accomplished what I wanted for the day so I headed back home but not before catching NS 369 pulling across Pettit Road to shove its train back into the yard.
I found out last night that Canadian National would be running an ethanol train through Niagara today. The ethanol was destined for Dunkirk, New York. Through IRC this morning I discovered the train had made it to Glenridge by 0855 or so. I drove out to House Road in Stevensville for a photograph. First I'd have to wait for it to work Port Robinson though.
Later in the day while listening to the scanner at home I heard that train 704 tied down in track 99 in Fort Erie.
I hadn't been to Merritton in an age and the day was beautiful and sunny with snow on the ground. Perfect. Merritton Road bridge over the Canadian National Grimsby Subdivision had been replaced recently so I wanted to get a picture of it. I've spent a lot of time there before and have many photographs of the old iron bridge. The new concrete structure doesn't have the same charm but at least it will accommodate busses and fire trucks better. I arrived on the scene just in time for the Maple Leaf.
Train 339 was interesting in that three of the four locomotives (2727, 2703 and 1038) are in fact Illinois Central power. Alas only 1038 is so painted.
