October 3rd, 2003
We made an absolutely insane drive from Guelph to Montreal to Ottawa and back over two days. On our way through Toronto, a freight train passed over us and paced us through heavy traffic for a little under an hour. I took the opportunity to take a small number of pictures while Laura drove.
Oshawa, Ontario
(map) Oshawa is home to the GO subdivision, the CN Kingston sub, the CP Belleville sub, and numerous large railroad-using industries.
October 5th, 2003
St. Thomas Central Railway's Essex Terminal Number 9 0-6-0 switcher ran an excursion from Hespeler to Guelph and back three times. The first one I slept through, the second one I chased, and the third one I volunteered on.
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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ETR 9 approaches the highway 24 crossing, still out of sight. The crossing's bells are triggered far too early and many drivers do not believe them.
Hespeler, Ontario
(map) Hespeler is between the cities of Cambridge and Guelph and is home to the Fergus subdivision, a once-busy freight line from Brantford to Palmerston and beyond, now extending only from Cambridge to Guelph.
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The STCR excursion enters the impromptu Mill store station.
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.
Hespeler, Ontario
(map) Hespeler is between the cities of Cambridge and Guelph and is home to the Fergus subdivision, a once-busy freight line from Brantford to Palmerston and beyond, now extending only from Cambridge to Guelph.
October 6th, 2003
St. Thomas Central Railway's Essex Terminal Number 9 0-6-0 wrapped up three days in Guelph with a one-way excursion to Kitchener.
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.
Breslau, Ontario
(map) This is a small town between Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo on the GEXR Guelph Sub.
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
(map) Kitchener-Waterloo is on the the GEXR Guelph sub between Guelph and Stratford. The GEXR Elmira spur heads North to service Elmira and the CP Waterloo sub out of Cambridge joins the GEXR Huron Park spur for interchange traffic here.
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.
October 19th, 2003
Chris, Steve, and I went on a general railfanning tour for a couple of hours in the afternoon.
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.
Scotch Block, Ontario
(map) Scotch Block is an excellent photography location at mp 30.0 CN Halton sub, between Milton and Georgetown.
October 21st, 2003
Steve called. GEXR 431 was approaching Guelph and a track-side inspection by a foreman revealed there was a dimensional load on board. Scramble! We met up at CN Guelph Junction.
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.
October 22nd, 2003
GEXR 580 went on the ground at the London/Edinburgh grade crossing on the ex-Fergus sub.
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GEXR pulls the front 12-wheel truck of the derailed KRL 300302 up onto the tracks.
October 23rd, 2003
On October 21st, a dimensional load came to town. On October 22nd, it derailed. On the 23rd, Pacific Northern Rail showed up to fix the tracks.
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One worker hammers in track spikes as another prepares the air-hose for a jackhammer.
October 24th, 2003
Laura went to a horse back riding lesson in Moffat, so I headed South and spent an hour at Guelph Junction, leaving just before CP 9144 came through. Grumble.
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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CP 8234 and 8221 lead a three car long Ham turn West across First Line.
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OSRX 181 and 504 head home to the engine house.
