January 1st, 2004
Steve, Laura, and I went trackside to see who was working on New Year's Day. For a holiday, the tracks were pretty busy and in under 2 hours we caught 3 trains.
Guelph Junction, Ontario
(map) Technically Campbellville, Guelph Junction is the junction of the Guelph Junction Railway -- currently serviced by OSR -- the CP Hamilton sub, and the CP Galt sub. It is between Milton and Galt on the CP Galt sub.
Scotch Block, Ontario
(map) Scotch Block is an excellent photography location at mp 30.0 CN Halton sub, between Milton and Georgetown.
January 3rd, 2004
Steve, Laura and I headed to Ingersoll to railfan. We met Walter there first thing in the morning and Chris joined us in the afternoon... it was a real party!
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
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VIA 6415 pulls 4 LRC coaches out of Ingersoll station, its electric speaker based bell ringing.
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A lengthly freight heads East through Ingersoll station.
Zorra, Ontario
(map) Just outside of Ingersoll is Zorra Station. It contains a large Lafarge plant and the CP Galt sub.
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
Zorra, Ontario
(map) Just outside of Ingersoll is Zorra Station. It contains a large Lafarge plant and the CP Galt sub.
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3 SD40-2s drag an intermodal eastbound through Zorra township.
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
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If they're making that much noise they're probably a Via going through at 80 miles an hour...
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A CN unit leads a WC unit on a rather quick freight West through the station at dusk.
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Via 6428 and 6426 lead 12 Budd coaches through the station heading West, not wasting any time.
January 11th, 2004
We were going to go to a hobby shop in Burlington... We never did make it though. We caught 432 on the siding with 2 depressed-centre flatcars, and 85, the International, meeting there. The car we were in needed to be boosted. We changed cars and headed to Guelph Junction to see if there was anything there... there was. We caught 6 trains including a CWR unit train, in the span of about 2 hours, and there were more coming when we finally called it a day.
Guelph, Ontario
(map) The city of Guelph is my home town and is just East of Kitchener-Waterloo on the GEXR Guelph sub, and the Ontario Southland Railway/Guelph Junction Railway track, the other end of which is at Guelph Junction.
Guelph Junction, Ontario
(map) Technically Campbellville, Guelph Junction is the junction of the Guelph Junction Railway -- currently serviced by OSR -- the CP Hamilton sub, and the CP Galt sub. It is between Milton and Galt on the CP Galt sub.
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3 SD40-2s pull entirely too many cars up the escarpment. Coming around the corner to the East the train was hardly moving and even at the top of the hill right at the Junction the roar of the engines was earth-shaking.
January 17th, 2004
Steve, Chris, Paul, and I headed to Guelph Junction, Milton, Oakville, Burlington West, back to Guelph Junction, and then home in a great circle route of train tracks and hobby shops. The second stop at Guelph Junction yielded an SD90/43MAC doubling the escarpment grade.
Milton, Ontario
(map) This is where the CN Halton and the CP Galt subs cross eachother, though there is no junction.
Oakville, Ontario
(map) Oakville has a large Ford plant and is the site of the Oakville sub.
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A local autoparts train heads through a grade crossing.
Aldershot, Ontario
(map) This is the region between the (abandonned) Burlington West train station and Bayview Junction.
Burlington West, Ontario
(map) This is between Burlington and Aldershot on the CN Oakville sub, where the CN Halton sub merges in.
Guelph Junction, Ontario
(map) Technically Campbellville, Guelph Junction is the junction of the Guelph Junction Railway -- currently serviced by OSR -- the CP Hamilton sub, and the CP Galt sub. It is between Milton and Galt on the CP Galt sub.
January 18th, 2004
We were just going to go catch 153 at Puslinch and come home...
Puslinch, Ontario
(map) This community straddles highway 401 from West of Guelph Junction to Killean on the CP Galt sub.
Milton, Ontario
(map) This is where the CN Halton and the CP Galt subs cross eachother, though there is no junction.
Oakville, Ontario
(map) Oakville has a large Ford plant and is the site of the Oakville sub.
Burlington West, Ontario
(map) This is between Burlington and Aldershot on the CN Oakville sub, where the CN Halton sub merges in.
January 24th, 2004
Steve and I headed up to Ingersoll for the day. We caught 26 trains, though missed photographing a couple of them. The Telus engine came through unannounced at a healthy 80 miles per hour and we missed the Illinois Central Operation Lifesaver unit while chasing a CP train on the St. Thomas sub. We saw 4 CP trains and all of them were powered by 2 GP9s.
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
Beachville, Ontario
(map) Beachville is between Woodstock and Ingersoll on the CP St. Thomas sub.
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
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Two light engines enter downtown Ingersoll on their way to work at Cami.
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A Via passenger train flies past this slow freight train heading Westbound.
Beachville, Ontario
(map) Beachville is between Woodstock and Ingersoll on the CP St. Thomas sub.
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Steve sits back in his drivers seat as I shoot 142-2 through the window on Beachville road.
Woodstock, Ontario
(map) The CP Galt and CN Dundas subs meet here, as do highways 401 and 403. It is a busy place.
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142-2 crosses Carew diamond.
Ingersoll, Ontario
(map) The CN Dundas, the CP St. Thomas, and the OSR Port Burwell subs are very active through Ingersoll, with the CP Galt sub just to the North in Zorra.
Woodstock, Ontario
(map) The CP Galt and CN Dundas subs meet here, as do highways 401 and 403. It is a busy place.
January 31st, 2004
CN 383 on the ground at Bayview Junction. Via detouring the Guelph sub. 682 impacting snow drift (damage) at St. Mary's. 431 failed at Kitchener. And that's just what I was around for.
Bayview Junction, Ontario
(map) This is where the CN Oakville, CN Grimsby, and CN Dundas subdivisions meet at a great big wye, beside which is the CP Hamilton sub. This location encompasses CN Bayview Junction, Hamilton West, and Hamilton Junction.
Puslinch, Ontario
(map) This community straddles highway 401 from West of Guelph Junction to Killean on the CP Galt sub.
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Ham turn crosses Victoria road while we use Chris' high beams for lighting.
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TURG 206 - track grinding train - crosses Victoria road after sunset.
Guelph, Ontario
(map) The city of Guelph is my home town and is just East of Kitchener-Waterloo on the GEXR Guelph sub, and the Ontario Southland Railway/Guelph Junction Railway track, the other end of which is at Guelph Junction.
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VIA #76 detouring on the Guelph sub heads through Guelph station.
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VIA #79 was easily the slowest I've ever seen moving up to Guelph station and pausing there for several minutes while waiting for a clearance.
