SSR 703 is doing the honors while both of SSR's steamers are laid up, looking good with a nice paint job and twin plumes belching from it's soup-can spark arrestor.
It's nice to see 4700 back in Oakville Yard even though her paint isn't anywhere near as shiny and new as it was when I shot her at almost the exact same spot close to a year ago (see photo id 206... (more)
After the storm, 4102 waits on the bridge over Royal Windsor Drive for the gates to the Ford plant to be opened. I left the smokestack from the old steam generating plant visible in the right side... (more)
This is the inaugural (revenue) run of the Guelph Junction Express. It did a test run or two beforehand.
1423 pushes empties up the hill to the Ford loading facility on a pleasant summer's eve while a string of autoracks full of new Ford Edges sit in the yard behind.
I liked the way the clouds looked so I zoomed out to include them - and their reflections - in the shot.
Sporting one of the ugliest patch jobs I've seen, CP 4652 was born in 1977 as B&M 310. Sold at some point to Helm it became HATX 506. In 1999 it was traded to CP. Since they've had 9 years to do s... (more)
With only 4 or 5 tracks Oakville's south yard is a fraction of the size of the north yard, but there always seems to be something going on.
Framed by an old farm bridge 8710 and 9755 are hard at work hauling a long mixed freight up the Niagara Escarpment.
At 17:16 - almost 2 hours past schedule - the southbound Northlander hits a rare patch of sunlight as it picks up speed leaving Huntsville.
A wave from above as the Budd cars head to Capreol for servicing after returning from White River.
Fresh out of the paint shop, this has GOT to be the shiniest GP9 in the world right now! A tip of the hat to the folks at NRE in Capreol for the great work!
Olympic painted 8864 leads a westbound alongside, then across Beatty Street on a sunny evening as we wait for VIA 186 to make it's appearance.
Our ride to White River arrives at its destination shortly before sunset. Normal consist for this train is two Budds but a third was added today to accomodate a school class of rugrats going as fa... (more)
Our ride to White River pulls up to the VIA station in downtown Sudbury to load up. Normal consist for this train is two Budds but a third was added today to accomodate a school class of rugrats g... (more)
LTEX 3803 pushing a cut of tankers into the PetroCanada lubricants refinery in Clarkson. 3803 (and sister LTEX 2077) are on lease to Railserve who now have the switching contract at this facility.... (more)
A chain-saw sculptor took advantage of the city works department cutting down a diseased elm providing this unique counterpoint to the goings-on at the Orr Road crossing. Railserve employees prote... (more)
GO 609 heads eastbound into the sunrise with 558 along for moral support as a westbound prepares to depart Oakville Station in the background.
1422 pushes empty autoracks up the grade to the Ford plant in the evening sun.
Caught 435 with a great all-GMD consist today. SD75I 5754, SD60F 5540, SD40-2W 5250 and GMD1u 1422 working at Oakville Yard about a mile back are paused momentarily near Trafalgar Road. Someone as... (more)
GO 541 leads its early morning commuter train out of Oakville Toronto bound approaching Chartwell Rd.
In the early morning rush two GO trains meet just east of Oakville Station. Eastbound 541 is about to cross over from track 3 to track 2 while westbound 526 on track 1 kicks up dust and brake smok... (more)
VIA 95 pulls out of Oakville Station, first stop on its Toronto Union to Niagara Falls journey.
VIA 79 picks up speed as it passes the west end of the Oakville Station parking lot just before sunset.
GO 540 streaks through Oakville Station with an empty train headed for Willowbrook Yard in golden evening light. The evening rush over, its work is complete for another day. Now that the dirt pile... (more)
435 gets the signal to leave Oakville Yard having waited for 556 and a GO train or two to clear out of the way.
Heading into Oakville yard, 556 meets 435 (I think) who is waiting on main 1 for 556 to clear before getting the signal to proceed. You can just see the headlight of a WB GO train cab car peeking ... (more)
Like the weeds, CN 1422 seems to be growing roots in Oakville Yard lately.
The view from the cupola - the best seat in the house! Note to all; we are planning a (first ever) Railfan Day for July 26. Lots of fun stuff planned. Visit www.ydhr.on.ca and click on the railfan... (more)
Golden sunlight peeks through the clouds after an evening storm breaks up, providing flattering light on this classic EMD. These units and crew are soon to be relocated to Guelph Junction as OSR's... (more)
After dropping off 2 cars these veteran SD40-2s have left Guelph Junction (background left - see photo ID #237400) behind in a hurry and a haze of smoke as they approach the Milburough Line crossi... (more)
After lighting up his pipe the conductor slips his work gloves back on in preparation for flipping the derail back into place once the engines have cleared as they head light west out of Guelph Ju... (more)
SOR 5005 and 4057 bracketing raiLink 1757 switch hoppers at the Ontario Power Generation Nanticoke plant as a giant earthmover plays on the mound of coal in the background.
VIA 79 accellerates out of Oakville Station westbound for Windsor.
VIA 95 departs Oakville Station bound for Niagara Falls.
One of GO's new MPIs glides into Oakville Station. I swear these have got to be just about the ugliest things to ever (dis)grace North American rails! Previous award, in my humble opinion, went to... (more)
Basically deserted at this early hour, this westbound will start to earn its keep on the eastbound return trip to Toronto.
The "alternate engineman" gives a wave as GO 529 blasts by on its way east.
4139 and 1422 rescue CN556- which seemed to be having trouble with the 2 geeps assigned to it - from the south yard to bring it up into the north yard. A presumption based on the fact that the tra... (more)
4139 and 1422 rescue CN556- which seemed to be having trouble with the 2 geeps assigned to it - from the south yard and push it up into the north yard. A presumption based on the fact that the tra... (more)
With 1422 on the point today the 12 O'clock switch job pulls a cut of autoparts box cars down the hill from the Ford plant and into Oakville Yard. After dropping the boxes on track 39 they will pa... (more)
"Tri-clops" VIA 6420 leads VIA 75, the first of three evening westbound VIA trains that pass through Oakville before the sun sets. One more (VIA 67 weekdays, 667 Sundays) will pass through around ... (more)
Spidey 2 VIA 6406 leads VIA 83 through Oakville. 83 is the only westbound evening VIA running on the Oakville Sub that does not make a stop at Oakville Station.
1422 leads GP9 7025 down the hill from the Ford plant with a short string of auto parts box cars.
VIA 75 double header westbound through Oakville in evening light.
VIA 95 crosses Chartwell Rd. at the west end of Oakville Yard.
I know there's no logical reason for anyone at CN to ever take the time to give this old war horse a bath, but as good as it does look in the evening sun it would surely look a lot better if they ... (more)
Perhaps the least offensive of the VIA "ad" units, 6403 hauls VIA 75 past Oakville Yard.
This light power move seemed to be referred to as the "12 o'clock". I had heard this before, and neither time was it anywhere near noon or midnight, so I really don't know whats up with that. Spec... (more)
A GMD1 in Oakville Yard can only mean one thing - spring has officially arrived! Pretty much one year to the day from last, 1422 returns to Oakville paired with an equally venerable GP9Rm. Last ti... (more)
Approaching Progreston siding on the CP Hamilton Sub.
Framed by a typical collection of yard-dog geeps a road set consisting of SD40-2W 5245, SD70I 5615 and a newish SD70M-2 gets tied down in Oakville Yard. The crew member is removing an EOTD (FRED) ... (more)
A morning freight cuts through the fields between Tremaine Rd. and No. 1 Sideroad in north Burlington.
Engineer Bruce has stopped OSRX 383 and 644 just inside the PetroCanada gates at Orr Rd. so he can close and lock them, allowing this shot through the barbed-wire top of the adjacent fence.
Ontario Southland Railway makes a lift at Clarkson Yard for the PetroCanada refinery as a westbound GO slows for a stop at Clarkson Station.
OSRX 383 pauses in the evening sun while making a lift from Clarkson Yard.
20 miles into its trip from Toronto to Winsdor, VIA 73 is already an hour late due to track conditions from the previous day's storm.
A short WB CP with SOO and GCFX power proceeds after waiting for a long 6 unit-powered EB CP to clear over to Track 2 from on Track 1 on the CN Oakville Sub. Click on the Locomotive no. for a coup... (more)
A short WB CP with SOO and GCFX power proceeds after waiting for a long 6 unit-powered EB CP to clear over to Track 2 from on Track 1 on the CN Oakville Sub.
Glad I didn't trek up to the CP Galt Sub as I had originally intended today as it seems the CP traffic has been diverted to the CN Oakville Sub. Here a short WB with SOO and GCFX power awaits a 6 ... (more)
After cleaning the first set of switch points on the crossover from Tracks 1 to 2, VIA 70's "Second Engineer" (thanks, Joe for enlightening me on that terminology!) guides his ice-encrusted train ... (more)
Snow from the previous day's blizzard is piled up in the yard, and the switch points as evidenced by the broom stuck in the snow beside the switchstand.
VIA 75 rolls through Oakville enroute from Toronto to Windsor.
556 returning light power to Oakville from Burlington.
4022 moves some MT racks for the Ford plant around Oakville Yard.
CN 339 in unfamiliar territory, detoured over the Oakville Sub due to a derailment near Georgetown this morning.
GO 919 passes through Oakville Yard on a sunny afternoon after a stormy morning.
675 accelerates into the misty sunset having topped the Niagara Escarpment at Copetown.
2547 crosses over from Track 1 to Track 2 at Snake in a brief spot of sunlight on an otherwise dreary day.
556 builds its train in Oakville Yard. Note the case of bottled water chilling on 7039's short hood.
VIA 675 finishes its climb up the Niagara Escarpment, passing under Highway 52 in Copetown as the sun sets.
76 charges eastbound out of the setting sun.
The Credit Valley Explorer leans into the curve coming off the trestle at Forks of the Credit.
Paul would probably much rather be soaking up the sun on the beach depicted on the billboard ad than slogging through snow clearing and throwing switches for the Peddler job. Here the Peddler swit... (more)
After spending the day slogging through snow working the Peddler assignment Paul no doubt is thinking he'd much rather be soaking up the sun on the beach depicted on the billboard. The Peddler is ... (more)
GO 919 WB through Oakville Yard approaching Chartwell Rd.
556 runs through Oakville Station on its way west.
"Triple Three" makes her drop at Oakville in heavy snow prior to continuing her journey west to Aldershot, and eventually Buffalo.
A pair of old soldiers await their next assignment in Oakville Yard.
A pair of geeps working on the west yard leads hustle to get out of the way as CN 431 is back there somewhere waiting to leave.
4200 has RLK 3873 and 1757 temporarily blocked back in the yard with a string of hoppers while CN 4700 and 4107 are also waiting for her to clear so they can pull out of the power track.
CN 4102 poses for a portrait in the late afternoon sun.
No clouds of snow to kick up today, so we'll have to settle for brake smoke. 538 in push mode ramps down for the slow order at the curve leading into Oakville Station.
CP 6027 and 6025 bracketing a pair of NREX leasers kick up freshly fallen snow as they blast through Oakville eastbound on CN trackage on the last day of 2007.
Leaving Oakville Yard on the last day of 2007 all looked well with geeps 7025 and 4018. Approaching track speed 1 and 1/2 miles later 4018 is smoking badly as it hits the Kerr Street crossing.
Dashing through the snow...
Sparkling new 8839 appears to have escaped the previous day's blizzard relatively unscathed as it heads light westbound out of Oakville Yard. Snow must not stick to that shiny new paint very well.... (more)
It's the day after the blizzard, but the weather is still a bit unsettled in geep city. A pair of '9s work on one of the yard leads while a 3-pack more wait their turn on the back lead and a sixth... (more)
Kickin' up powder...
