Trackside Log for Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Today I was driving to Port Dover and Delhi for a pair of appointments. I had some time at lunch so I got my camera and tripod out to photograph some more panoramas. I managed to create three in Simcoe.

The first is the former grade crossing of the Lake Erie & Northern and the Canadian National's Otterville Subdivision (later the Simcoe Subdivision). Both these rights of way are now part of the Lynn Valley Rail Trail.

NOTE: You can download the full resolution image of each panorama by clicking the “download” button at the left above the photograph after clicking the thumbnails.

• 1244 Simcoe - LE&N Crossing
  

Next I drove a little north to where the three tracks of the Canadian National and Wabash's Cayuga Subdivision passed over the Lake Erie & Northern. The trees have formed a decent canopy but the LE&N tracks are down there.

• 1312 Simcoe - CN Cayuga Sub Overpass
  

My final stop in Simcoe was the former Simcoe Junction location. This is where, a long time ago, the Canadian National and Wabash's Cayuga Subdivision passed over the Canadian National's Otterville Subdivision. However the Otterville Subdivision was abandoned in 1935 from this point north to Otterville. From Simcoe Junction to Port Dover then became the Simcoe Subdivision. The bridge was replaced by fill. If you look closely the eastern concrete bridge abutments are visible in the photograph.

• 1403 Simcoe - Simcoe Junction
  

That evening, after Missy's walk, I turned the scanner on. Not long before sunset I heard a soutbound announce the Boyle mile board. It was such a nice evening I drove to River Road to see the train.

• 1834 Fenwick - CP 254 south - CP 8926-CP 8548-CP 5677
  

That shiny new ES44AC made the rest of the locomotive consist look rather bad.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Today, for a late lunch, I drove to Waterford with a singular goal in mind: to photograph what remains of Waterford Junction. At this location a trio of railways all converged:

1. Lake Erie & Northern (electrified)
2. Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo
3. Canada Southern/Michigan Central/New York Central/Penn Central/Conrail

The following is a 360° panorama constructed from 50 individual photographs taken from the Lake Erie & Northern bridge. The photograph starts at the left facing north and progresses full circle back to north again. A second version of the panorama is also included that is annotated with the three railways' locations.

• 1434 Waterford - Waterford Junction
  

NOTE: You can download the full resolution image of each version of the panorama by clicking the “download” button at the left above the photograph after clicking the thumbnails.

After spinning around in circles taking photographs I headed back to work.

Trackside Log for Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Today I decided to create another 360º panorama view of a former crossing between two railways. I took the camera and tripod to view what remains of Dunnville Diamond.

• 1820 Dunnville - Dunnville Diamond
  

This photograph starts facing north at the left of the photograph. This is the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Dunnville Subdivision (now operated by Canadian Pacific). Next is the abandoned Canadian National Dunnville Subdivision facing east which has been obliterated by the Bick's Pickle plant. Facing south is the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Dunnville Subdivision again followed by the Canadian National Dunnville Subdivision right of way facing west. That brings us back to facing north where we started.

As an aside, the Bick's Pickle plant and the associated pickle tank farm in Delhi are scheduled to close in November this year. More information can be found in the Hamilton Spectator's article about the closure.

Trackside Log for Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Today promised to be hot and oppressive. By 0900 it was already above 20°C and hazy. I still decided to take along my cameras, just in case. When I passed by the Southern Ontario Railway's yard in Garnet I discovered that the power for train 596 had changed rather significantly since the last time I'd looked.

• 0920 Garnet, Ontario - SOR 596 south - CEFX 2014-CEFX 2019-RLK 4095
  

After lunch I had an appointment in Caledonia. Since I have to drive through Hagersville to get there I decided to make a quick stop afterward to photograph what remains of the former crossing of the Canadian National Hagersville Subdivision (now Southern Ontario Railway) and the now abandoned Michigan Central/New York Central Canadian Main Line.

• 1408 Hagersville - Hagersville Diamond
  
  
  

After finishing work I passed by the Southern Ontario Railway again to attempt another photograph. I found the train parked at Garnet once again but this time facing north.

• 1653 Garnet - SOR 597 north - RLK 4095-CEFX 2019-CEFX 2014
  

It was quite hot so I was happy to get back into my vehicle and head home.

Trackside Log for Saturday, April 23, 2011

Today was my family's Easter supper gathering in Binbrook. The original forecast was for rain but the skies cleared up at about noon. I took the opportunity to take my camera and tripod to E&O Crossing and Wabash Crossing at Attercliffe Station en route to Binbrook. The goal was to photograph what remains of both junctions in 360° to assemble large panoramic photographs.

The first, Wabash Crossing, is the former diamond between the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo's Dunnville Subdivision and the Wabash and Canadian National's Cayuga Subdivision. Only the Dunnville Subdivision remains here and is now used by Canadian Pacific to access Port Maitland.

• 1458 Attercliffe Station - Wabash Crossing
  
  
  

The second, E&O Crossing, is the former diamond between the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo's Dunnville Subdivision and the Michigan Central's Canada Division Main Line. No tracks remain at this location.

• 1509 Attercliffe Station - E&O Crossing
  
  
  

Bruce Mercer photographed E&O tower here years earlier when everything was intact.

• E&O tower
  

These photographs were each created by stitching together 31 individual photographs. They are slightly more than 360° in scope.