Friday, December 30, 2011

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

Thursday, December 29, 2011

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.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

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.

Friday, December 09, 2011

Trackside Log for Friday, December 9, 2011

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.

  • 1300 Aldershot - VIA 73 west - VIA 6440
  • 1342 Aldershot - CN 382 east - CN 2552
  • 1426 Aldershot - CN 551 west - CN 7080-CN 7068
  • 1437 Aldershot - CN 435 west - CN 2558-CN 5627

After watching some traffic under the overcast skies Missy and I headed for home.

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Trackside Log for Sunday, December 4, 2011

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.

  • 1229 near Cook's Mills - Miller Road bridge

I found the apparatus used for the telegraph wires quite interesting.

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, December 3, 2011

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.

  • 1002 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 9732-CP 9680

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Trackside Log for Thursday, December 1, 2011

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.

  • 1442 Nanticoke - SOR southbound - CEFX 2015-RLK 4057-RMPX 9431

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.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, November 26, 2011

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.

  • 1243 Merritton - former NSC&T bridge

While photographing the old concrete bridge I heard air horns to the west. I took a moment to photograph the eastbound Canadian National freight.

  • 1253 Merritton - CN eastbound - CN 4784-CN 1444-CN 4140

After the train passed I returned to continue photographing the bridge.

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Trackside Log for Sunday, November 6, 2011

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.

  • 1034 Welland - CP 254 south - CP 9656

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.

  • 1358 Fenwick - CP 246 south - SOO 6031-CEFX 3172-CP 8841-CP 8888

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.

  • 1559 Fenwick - CP 626 south - CP 8846-CP 9600

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.

  • 1637 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 9767-CP 8796-CP 9550-CP 8950

Canadian Pacific has kept to their pattern of running the new ES44ACs through town in low or no light when I'm at home.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, November 5, 2011

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.

  • 1417 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 8732-CP 9778

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.

  • 1800 Fenwick - CP 255 north - CP 8671-CP 8833

Monday, October 31, 2011

Trackside Log for Monday, October 31, 2011

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.

  • 1644 Fenwick - CP northbound - CP 8212-CP 8200

What we saw was the yard power taking a pair of pipe loads to Cappco in Smithville.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, October 29, 2011

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.

  • 1018 Niagara Falls - VIA 97 east - AMTK 145

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.

  • 1027 Niagara Falls - VIA 92 west - VIA 917

Friday, October 28, 2011

Trackside Log for Friday, October 28, 2011

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.

  • 1111 Garnet - SOR southbound - CEFX 2014

Once CEFX 2014 coupled onto the freight for Lake Erie Steel it pulled out of the yard and headed to Nanticoke.

  • 1115 Garnet - SOR southbound - CEFX 2014

Not long after CEFX 2014 vacated Garnet the second train with traffic for the Esso refinery departed for Nanticoke.

  • 1123 Garnet - SOR southbound - CEFX 2006-CEFX 2019

Once the activity had abated I continued the short drive to work.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Trackside Log for Monday, October 24, 2011

Today I had the scanner on while driving home from work. While driving through Wellandport I heard a southbound led by a Soo Line SD60 obtain a clearance from Smithville to Brookfield. I had plenty of time to get home, collect Missy and my camera, and drive to River Road for a photograph.

  • 1734 Fenwick - CP 626 south - SOO 6044-ICE 6449-ICE 6444-CEFX 3164

Not long afterward the local to Smithville returned as well.

  • 1740 Fenwick - CP southbound - CP 8200-CP 8212

Soon after that the sun was setting. It's starting to get dark very early now.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Trackside Log for Sunday, October 23, 2011

Once again Sam and I awoke at the Comfort Inn in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After breakfast we began our journey back to Ontario. As is often the case with me, it wasn't a direct journey. After stopping in Dexter for apple cider and fresh doughnuts our route took us to Hell. For about twenty years I've been talking about visiting Hell, Michigan. Today I checked that off my "to do list".

After stopping for a bit in Durand, finding nothing parked in the yard, and nothing moving on the Grand Trunk Western, we drove eastward to Port Huron. The only stop of note was in Lapeer where I photographed the Lapeer Industrial Railroad's 65 ton engine.

  • 1449 Lapeer, MI - Lapeer Industrial power - LIRR 5

Next it was on to Port Huron where I photographed the Grand Republic in the St. Clair River. We spent an hour on the Blue Water Bridge and ate supper at Swiss Chalet before driving back home. It wasn't the most successful day of photography, but it was pleasant.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, October 22, 2011

Yesterday Sam and I drove to Ann Arbor, Michigan so Sam could visit the Fiber Show. I was tagging along for company and a little road trip. After breakfast at the Comfort Inn I dropped Sam off at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds and started to explore. My first destination was Adrian to see the Adrian & Blissfield Railroad. Upon arrival I found one of their GP9s parked beside a playground.

  • 1103 Adrian, MI - Adrian & Blissfield power - ADBF 1759

Nothing else was visible in town and the former Wabash tracks were all quiet so I followed the Adrian & Blissfield to its other namesake. Here I found two more GP9s, the Old Road Dinner Train cars, and a variety of other rolling stock.

  • 1136 Blissfield, MI - Adrian & Blissfield power - ADBF 1751
  • 1138 Blissfield, MI - Adrian & Blissfield power - ADBF 1755
  • 1145 Blissfield, MI - Adrian & Blissfield station
  • 1147 Blissfield, MI - Old Road Dinner Train cars

After the photographs I continued my exploration. I followed the Adrian & Blissfield to Riga and their connection with the Indiana & Ohio. Nothing interesting was there so I then followed the Indiana & Ohio to Diann and their connection with the Ann Arbor Railroad where I found a tower and parked interchange traffic. Again with no activity present I followed the Ann Arbor north to the connection with Norfolk Southern in Milan. As I was crossing the former Wabash tracks I noticed a green signal for a westbound. I picked a decent location in town and waited.

  • 1341 Milan, MI - NS westbound - NS 8905-NS 9335

I decided now that the sun angle had moved around to head back to the Adrian & Blissfield again since there wasn't much other activity to be seen. Once again I found the GP9 next to the playground in Adrian.

  • 1431 Adrian, MI - Adrian & Blissfield power - ADBF 1759

And then back to Blissfield for another look at the rusty 1755.

  • 1455 Blissfield, MI - Adrian & Blissfield power - ADBF 1755

It was now approaching the time I agreed to pick Sam back up from the expo so I made my way back north to Ann Arbor. Sam enjoyed the show and I enjoyed exploring some of southern Michigan.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Trackside Log for Sunday, October 16, 2011

I was outside with Missy this morning when a northbound rolled through town. It was train 247 with the power from yesterday's trains 246 and 626.

  • 1045 Fenwick - CP 247 north - CP 8883-CP 8879-CEFX 3120-CITX 3071-CITX 3079-CP 5964

Then in the evening when I took Missy out for her walk the second loaded ethanol train of the weekend passed by.

  • 1730 Fenwick - CP 626 south - CP 8824-ICE 6411-SOO 6062

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Trackside Log for Saturday, October 15, 2011

This morning was windy, cool, and cloudy but I turned the scanner on to listen for activity on the Canadian Pacific Hamilton Subdivision. Before very long a southbound arrived in town so I took Missy to River Road for a photograph.

  • 0851 Fenwick - CP 626 south - CP 5964-CITX 3079-CITX 3071-CEFX 3120

The train stopped at River Road to wait for permission over the next crossing which was being replaced. I decided to drive to the south end of Welland Yard for a second photograph.

  • 0917 Welland - CP 626 south - CP 5964-CITX 3079-CITX 3071-CEFX 3120

That afternoon I heard train 246 approaching and decided to take Missy to Sumbler Road to have a look. It was grey and overcast but only raining slightly.

  • 1433 Fenwick - CP 246 south - CP 8883-CP 8879