I had an appointment in Hamilton today at noon. With no other appointments afterward I took Missy to Lemonville Road in Aldershot to see if Canadian National had anything going on.
After watching some traffic under the overcast skies Missy and I headed for home.
I was out with Missy today on a photographic project. One of my destinations was the Miller Road bridge over what was once the Michigan Central Canada Division Main Line. The track was removed in 2002. I decided to create a panorama from below the bridge. The following photograph is a composite of twenty individual exposures.
I found the apparatus used for the telegraph wires quite interesting.
This morning was a bit chilly, but sunny. The puddles had a thin cover of ice but the warm sun was melting it away. I had the scanner tuned into Canadian Pacific's Hamilton Subdivision and heard a southbound announce the Smithville mile board. I took Missy out to Chantler Road for a photograph.
I was on my way home from work today and, since the weather was rather nice, I swung by Nanticoke to see if the Southern Ontario Railway was switching Esso. Good fortune was with me as they were just about to cross Concession 3 and head into the refinery to switch.
The leased GP20D joins mates 2006, 2014 and 2019 on the Southern Ontario Railway. The other three had been working the Hagersville Subdivision for quite some time so last week's power change was welcome.
Today I was roving around the Niagara area on a photography project. One of the subjects I was interested in was the old bridge on the former Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto spanning Oakdale Avenue in Merritton. When I arrived at the location I quickly discovered that all the brush and trees had been hewn away from the high fill on which the tracks were once laid. I then determined that the bridge was scheduled for demolition in a mere three days.
While photographing the old concrete bridge I heard air horns to the west. I took a moment to photograph the eastbound Canadian National freight.
After the train passed I returned to continue photographing the bridge.
Today was the first day back on standard time. This means I won't be able to photograph anything after work until spring. But today was Sunday, so when I awoke with my extra morning hour of sunshine I turned on the scanner to discover Canadian Pacific train 254 working in Welland Yard. I waited until they were nearly finished before taking Missy to the tunnel under the Welland Canal for a photograph.
I've wanted to photograph a ship passing over a train at that tunnel for many years. Today was another near miss. The Algoma Provider sailed by approximately ten minutes before train 254 arrived. Maybe next time.
Later in the afternoon train 246 made an unannounced appearance in town. I drove to River Road for a photograph of the colourful consist.
Upon my arrival at home I heard on the scanner that a loaded ethanol train was departing Hamilton. After a while the crew of train 626 called out the Smithville mile board so I took Missy to photograph the train between Webber Road and River Road. Here the track is high on a fill: a perfect location for late day light. I had never photographed the location before so I took the opportunity.
Train 255 was waiting in Welland Yard for the ethanol train so after walking back to our vehicle Missy and I drove to Farr Street for a photograph. By now the light was fading fast, but there was still enough.
Canadian Pacific has kept to their pattern of running the new ES44ACs through town in low or no light when I'm at home.
It was a fantastic day and I spent it around home puttering away on a few projects. I left the scanner on in the background but it was pretty quiet until mid-afternoon when I heard train 246 report the south siding switch in Smithville restored to the normal position. Missy and I walked out to the tracks to watch it pull around the curve through town.
As dusk was approaching train 255 arrived at Welland Yard. What I thought was to be a quick lift there turned into a longer switching session. Alas, by the time the train rolled through town it was rather dark. I elected to merely watch the train with Missy.
I was just about to take Missy to Welland for some photography and a walk along the Welland Canal when I heard a train approaching from the south. The new plan was to walk back to the tracks for a photograph of the northbound before the drive to Welland.
What we saw was the yard power taking a pair of pipe loads to Cappco in Smithville.
I had learned that one of the Amtrak 40th anniversary P42s was to be on the "Maple Leaf" this morning. I decided to drive to Niagara Falls to photograph it at the station.
In my opinion a P42 looks rather good in that old Amtrak paint scheme. I wouldn't mind seeing more just like it.
While the "Maple Leaf" prepared to cross the border into New York I took some photographs of VIA train 92 waiting for departure. I hadn't photographed it with Renaissance cars before.
Today I was heading to work after an appointment on the 9th Concession Walpole. Since the Southern Ontario Railway's Garnet Yard was nearby on the 8th Concession Walpole I chose that route. My timing was about perfect. They were in the process of splitting up les trois amis to take two separate trains south.
Once CEFX 2014 coupled onto the freight for Lake Erie Steel it pulled out of the yard and headed to Nanticoke.
Not long after CEFX 2014 vacated Garnet the second train with traffic for the Esso refinery departed for Nanticoke.
Once the activity had abated I continued the short drive to work.
