Trackside Log for Monday, March 5, 2012

This morning I had two appointments in Hamilton. By the time I was finished it was nearly lunch time. I decided to have it next to the railway tracks. En route to Wendy's in Aldershot I stopped by the Southern Ontario Railway's yard in town. A GP38 was busy switching the east end of the yard and a variety of other power was parked through out the yard.

• 1126 Hamilton - SOR switcher - RLK 3873
  
• 1126 Hamilton - SOR power - RLK 4057
• 1131 Hamilton - SOR power - RMPX 9431
  
• 1132 Hamilton - SOR power - RLK 1757-RLK 1808-SOR 5005-RLK 1755
  
• 1135 Hamilton - SOR power (in front of shop) - CEFX 2019

The rather ugly looking RMPX GP40-2W has received a new red rear end. It doesn't really help its appearance much.

Once sustenance was obtained I headed over to the Lemonville Road overpass to see what would transpire. Canadian National was quite idle so I settled for the pair of mid-day VIA trains.

• 1229 Aldershot - VIA 72 east - VIA 6441
  
• 1258 Aldershot - VIA 73 west - VIA 913
  

Then it was on to Jarvis and back to the office. On the way I noticed that the Southern Ontario Railway's Nanticoke train was still parked on the main track in Garnet. I stopped for a quick photograph.

• 1352 Garnet - SOR 596 south - CEFX 2015-CEFX 2006-CEFX 2014
  

It's nice when you can intersperse some photography with your work day.

Trackside Log for Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Today was Leap Day. I took the day off, mostly to participate in a Leap Year Day photography project over at Google+. But I did have the scanner on while I was at home. Unfortunately I missed the empty ethanol train, but I did hear from the Canadian Pacific local just before it was leaving Welland Yard to pick up empty pipe cars from Cappco in Smithville.

• 1631 Fenwick - CP northbound - CP 8250-STLH 8245
  

It's nice to have one of the remaining St. Lawrence & Hudson locomotives in the area.

Trackside Log for Sunday, February 26, 2012

All the rail movements on the Canadian Pacific's Hamilton Subdivision, at least around Fenwick, were before I awoke for the day. However, I decided to take Missy for her walk someplace interesting. I chose a section of the former Canadian National's and Wabash's joint Cayuga Subdivision. I only took my cell phone along, but took some photographs with it.

Note: The place marks on the map are hoverable and clickable.

View at EveryTrail

Trackside Log for Monday, February 20, 2012

Sam was visiting for the weekend. As she was getting ready to return home this morning I heard a southbound talking to a maintainer on the scanner. After Sam left, Missy and I walked to the Church Street crossing for a photograph.

• 1050 Fenwick - CP 626 south - CP 8825-CP 9757
  

After the dismal winter we've had thus far, photographing the loaded ethanol train in some sun light was a refreshing change, even if the scenery is rather bleak.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Today I rode the GO train to Toronto to sign all the paperwork for the renewal of my mortgage. The weather on this Valentine's Day was dark and dreary, but I toted my camera along anyway. After all my business was complete I had a bit of time before my return train so I took my camera up to the Skywalk for a few photographs.

• 1518 Toronto - GO eastbound - GOT 611
  
• 1521 Toronto - GO westbound - GOT 641
  
• 1529 Toronto - GO eastbound - GOT 625
  

Trackside Log for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Well, I haven't been very active with the camera of late. The cause is the weather this winter. It certainly hasn't been very motivational. For someone, like me, who enjoys photography in the snow this has been the ugliest winter I can think of.

Nevertheless, today just as I was just leaving home for an appointment I heard a southbound approaching town. I mustered the energy to get my camera and meet the train at Chantler Road.

• 0857 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 8819-CP 8632
  

The motive power was pretty boring but I'm encouraged by the fact that I actually photographed something.

Trackside Log for Saturday, January 7, 2012

Today I had an appointment in Onondaga. Since I was going to be very close to Brantford I decided to take along my camera and visit the station afterward. My timing upon arrival at the VIA station was superb. The Southern Ontario Railway was just starting to assemble their train to haul toward Nanticoke.

• 1106 Brantford - SOR 596 south - RLK 4057-CEFX 2015-RMPX 9431
  

Once they had pulled four tracks to build their train I headed south for some more photography. I didn't quite leave in time though. I got stopped at the Colborne Street crossing and had to wait. Once it cleared I made my way to Onondaga for another photograph.

• 1207 Onondaga - SOR 596 south - RLK 4057-CEFX 2015-RMPX 9431
  

My next stop was Forfar Street and the Grand River in Caledonia. A sizable railway bridge crosses the river there that I had previously only photographed one time. Today made two.

• 1232 Caledonia - SOR 596 south - RLK 4057-CEFX 2015-RMPX 9431
  

The last waypoint on my trek homeward was the grain elevator in the subdivision's namesake, Hagersville. While waiting for the train to arrive I wandered around with Missy and photographed a 40' boxcar which has been parked in town for quite a long while.

• 1252 Hagersville - former CN boxcar - CN 72484
  
• 1310 Hagersville - SOR 596 south - RLK 4057-CEFX 2015-RMPX 9431
  

The train began to switch town and I decided it was time to get back home and consume lunch. Considering this train is normally a night operation I feel rather fortunate to have been in the area on a day when it ran in bright sunshine.

Trackside Log for Friday, December 30, 2011

This afternoon I was at home but not really paying attention to the railways. However, I heard some horns approaching from the south and looked outside to see an empty ethanol train cruise behind my house. The power was from the prior day's loaded ethanol train.

• 1300 Fenwick - CP 627 north - CP 6228-CITX 3102-ICE 6418-CITX 2796

Trackside Log for Thursday, December 29, 2011

I was at home organising family photographs and discovered via e-mail that an ethanol train was on its way. I left the scanner on in the background and eventually heard CP 6228 announce the Smithville mile board. I walked over to Foss Road with Missy for a photograph of the former SOO 6028.

• 1537 Fenwick - CP 626 south - CP 6228-CITX 3102-ICE 6418-CITX 2796
  

The train was quite colourful on a dull winter day. Nonetheless, it was the first rebuilt SOO SD60 I'd seen. The remaining roster of SD60s is in the process of being rebuilt and renumbered into the 6200s by CAD in Montreal.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Well, it's after Christmas and the hustling and bustling is over. Marcus and I scheduled the day to meet up and see if Canadian National would present some trains. I picked him up at the Aldershot GO station just after the Maple Leaf departed. While he was getting into my vehicle train 393 cruised through the station. We decided to head it off at Copetown.

• 0947 Copetown - CN 393 west - CN 5708-CN 2689
  
• 1114 Copetown - CN 331 west - CN 2682-CN 2505
  
• 1246 Copetown - VIA 72 east - VIA 905
  

After a pretty slow morning in Copetown that was getting very damp we headed back to Aldershot. While passing by Bayview Junction we noticed VIA train 63 wying their train. We managed to catch it at Lemonville Road heading east.

• 1315 Aldershot - VIA 63 east - VIA 909
  

The dreary weather was not very motivational so we decided to call it a day.