CN 451 slips into the sleeping town of Huntsville about an hour before sunrise, with icy fog lifting off the frozen surface of Hunter's Bay in the background.
VIA Rail's "Revelstoke Park" carries the markers for VIA 2 as it departs Washago on an early June morning in 2013. Aside from the old coaling tower there is still a lot of history to be found in t... (more)
VIA 2 pulls into Washago for a station stop before continuing on its way to Toronto, on a warm June day in 2013.
Nice to catch a spartan-cab GE leading for a change, but the cowl-body that's trailing is no slouch either. I really love the mean looks of both these old beasts!
Two Dash 8 variants lead today's 451 north at Martins. Nice to catch a spartan-cab GE leading for a change!
Seeing Double: A broadside view of CN 5521 and its reflection as it leads 451 north at Martins, en route to North Bay.
Early Morning at the Beaver Pond Today's 451 was a bit of a treat with a clean-looking SD60F running solo, seen here reflecting off the beaver pond just shy of the south switch at Martins S... (more)
CN 595 departs Martins after working the Panolam plant there, with tanks for Stepan Chemicals 50-odd miles south at Longford Mills.
A normally nocturnal 450 leans into the big bend at Utterson. Almost didn't bother heading out for this one due to the overcast skies, but it looked a bit lighter south of me so I raced down to Ut... (more)
595 approaches Longford Mills where it will set out these four tankers of Ethylene Oxide at the Stepan Chemicals plant and lift four empties to return to Huntsville for pickup on tonight's 450. Th... (more)
Having run down the Newmarket Sub from Huntsville, 595 prepares to set out the empty CWR set at the front of its train on the Bala Sub siding at Washago before continuing on south to Longford Mill... (more)
CN 595 hits the Southwood Road crossing at Severn Bridge on its way to Washago and Longford Mills.
After a meet with CN 105 and tending to a sticky brake at Sparrow Lake CN 318 is on the move again heading slowly down the Bala Sub at Washago, with ex-BNSF 850 (nee ATSF 850) and IC 1028 leading ... (more)
On a hot summer day in 2008 passengers on VIA's westbound "Canadian" enjoy a stroll while the train takes on fuel and a new crew in Capreol, Ontario.
CN 595 at Mile 138 of the Newmarket Sub with 3 tankers for Stepan Chemicals in Longford Mills. When I heard it coming from Martins I headed down here hoping to catch a nice reflection in the swamp... (more)
Springtime in the Great White North. Today's 451 consist included GP9Rm 4110, a replacement for 4132 which is the normal local power. 4132 has been spotted in the Kingston/Belleville area.
New Territory: Five or six years ago the future of CN's Newmarket Sub north of Washago looked dim with the company having announced its intentions of ceasing operations. Although we were sa... (more)
RLK 1755 and 1808 sit on a connector track at the Barrie-Collingwood Railway yard at Utopia sporting brand-new Cando Contracting reporting marks. Cando also operates the Barrie-Collingwood Railway... (more)
It's starting to look a bit like spring as a southbound CP manifest thunders by the Line 8 crossing just east of Carley.
Ex-RLK 1755 and 1808 sit on a connector track at the Barrie-Collingwood Railway yard at Utopia sporting brand-new Cando Contracting reporting marks. Cando also operates the Barrie-Collingwood Rail... (more)
Early on a frigid spring morning CN 451 passes the mileboard to Huntsville with GEXR 3030 in the mix for a bit of extra color. The freshly painted GP40-2L(W) is heading for the Ontario Northland's... (more)
CN 451 makes its way up out of the Big East River valley and begins the climb into the Almaguin Highlands region of Ontario's "Near North".
Did I sleep through a nuclear war or something, cuz this feels like a nuclear winter - never ending! CN 451 stops in front of a derail stand to set out some cars for Huntsville Yard at the dawning... (more)
A view from the beaver pond, looking up at 451 approaching the south switch at Martins. Eight and a half hours later I would catch 2222 again, this time heading south on Railroad: Canadian National RailwayLocomotive: GE ES44DCLocation: Martins, Ontario, CanadaLocomotive #: CN 2222Train ID: CN 451Photo Date: March 15, 2014
A snowmobiler taking advantage of (hopefully) one of winter's last gasps pauses a little close to the tracks for the passage of CN 450 on Old Muskoka Road in Allensville. Just 8&1/2 hours earlier ... (more)
Huntsville Station at sunset on a much warmer day than today. CN 4132 sits at the ready with a single cylindrical hopper, for delivery to the KWH Pipe facility when work resumes the next day.
CN 451 crosses the Little East river just north of Novar.
CN 451 with SD70M-2 8928 leading a nicely painted Dash 8 CSXT 7743 hits the Domtar Road crossing at the south end of Martins on a snowy first day of March. Not being familiar with CSX at all I wou... (more)
CN 595 waits beneath the frost-covered trees for its crew to clear the switch points at the south end of Martins Siding so they can get back on their way south after a meet with CN 451.
CN 451 passes the Newmarket Sub mile 146 marker at the south end of Huntsville Yard with 35 cars and a lone BCOL unit in charge. After setting out a single boxcar here they will continue on to Nor... (more)
CN 451 setting out one car in Huntsville Yard with a lone BCOL unit in charge. I love this paint scheme, but the dirt really shows up on it.
CN 451 glides across the Siding Lake causeway approaching Martins just after sunrise, with work ahead at Huntsville before continuing on to North Bay.
Moment of Impact: ON 698 bears down on the Old Muskoka Road crossing in Allensville, blasting the snow bank left by the road plow earlier in the day. Click Railroad: Ontario NorthlandLocomotive: GMD GP38-2Location: Allensville, Ontario, CanadaLocomotive #: ONR 1809Train ID: ONR 698Photo Date: January 19, 2012
ON 698 bears down on the Old Muskoka Road crossing in Allensville, kicking up accumulated snow along the right of way.
The day after catching this train blasting through snow on its northbound journey from Toronto I catch it again heading south, encountering more snow at the South Lancelot Road crossing in Allensv... (more)
A quick flashback a couple of years to when the Northlander still plied the rails sees 697 passing Siding Lake on a typical winter day in Muskoka, with the skies beginning to clear after a morning... (more)
After waiting for the passage of 451, CN 595 waits some more while the south switch at Martins is chopped free of ice.
595 negotiates the curve approaching the Aspdin Road crossing at the north end of Martins Siding with the single boxcar that 451 dropped at Huntsville Yard the previous day.
Air Guitar! With one hand gripping the handrail and the other on his radio he does kinda look like he's playing air guitar don't ya think? 451's conductor rides the trailing unit to keep ey... (more)
The conductor resets the derail at the north end of HV61 after 451 set a boxcar out there. The power will now return to its train which it left south of town to avoid fouling crossings, before con... (more)
CN 451 approaches the Newmarket Sub's mileboard to Huntsville, where it will set out one car before carrying on its way.
Darwin Candidates? Just practicing, the power is returning from setting out 1 empty boxcar in Huntsville Yard and hooking back up to its train. You can see the conductor on the ground in th... (more)
With several cars to set out at Huntsville 451 had parked its train south of town so as not to block any grade crossings such as the one at Yonge Street visible in the center of the frame. After d... (more)
451 approaches Mile 138 of the CN Newmarket Sub with a nice GTW 4927 GP38-2 for a bit of color variation. Only 6400 horses today, but this relatively long train was still moving at a pretty good c... (more)
Smokin' 60! After meeting 451 at Martins 3 miles north 450 heads down the Newmarket Sub at Mile 138, with SD60 5451 in second position spewing out a vapor trail on a frigid morning. Trailin... (more)
CN 4132 sits idling in front of Huntsville Station, awaiting the beginning of the day's duties.
CN 451 blasts through the Aspdin Road crossing on yet another snowy day in Muskoka.
CN 4132 sits idling in front of Huntsville Station awaiting the beginning of the day's duties, framed by snow drooping from the eaves above and the unused, unplowed platform below. The sign on the... (more)
Zoom-pan of CN 595, engine 4132 running long hood forward as a light power move. She is approaching CN Newmarket Sub Mile Marker 138 on return from Longford Mills, with freshly-fallen flurries (ho... (more)
CN 451 passes a small hobby farm in the southern part of Allensville.
CN 451 hits a snowplow ridge on the Old Muskoka Road crossing in Allensville.
A late-running 450 approaching Parkersville at sunrise. Fortunately they had to make a lift in Huntsville, or they would have passed by here in the dark.
4132 kicks up a light drifting of snow crossing Old Muskoka Road in Allensville. Only a few inches had fallen overnight, and 450 had taken care of most of that a couple of hours previously. Luckil... (more)
Just another snowy day in Muskoka.
CN 595 heads south to a meet with CN 451 at Falkenburg, on its way to Longford Mills on a blustery day.
On a cold winter morning about 1/2 hour before dawn, CN 451 draws by the Newmarket Sub's Mile 144 marker with CN 5708 lighting the road ahead.
A rare daylight 450 crosses North Lancelot Road a mile south of Martins on a cool, clear winter day.
A rare daylight 450 hits the Newmarket Sub Mile 140 marker a mile south of Martins on a brisk January day.
Steam under the moon? Well, sort of! Appearing more like a steam locomotive than a diesel, a fresh-from-the-box looking SD60 heads up 451 as they scream through Martins just before s... (more)
A CN 595 crew member is hard at work clearing switch points after another overnight dumping of snow.
Tools of the Trade Snow brooms stand at the ready while in the background 4132 brings a cut of cars down the ramp from the Panolam plant. Looks like CN has splurged and bought a new one! :D
4132 is framed by the Domtar Road crossing signals as 595 prepares to work the Panolam plant at Martins. Two days of rain followed by a warm sunny one have combined to get rid of most of the accum... (more)
450 crosses the Old Muskoka Road and an adjacent snowmobile trail with handrail damage sustained the previous day in a collision with a downed tree.
CN 451 passes by the Lake Vernon shore at Mile 144 of the CN Newmarket Sub in the Blue Hour before dawn. Since there was no 451 ordered yesterday, today's train is a fair bit longer than n... (more)
On a day that was supposed to be sunny, there's only a hint of fading afternoon light showing in the southern sky as CN 595 slows to lift some cars from the Panolam plant at Martins before continu... (more)
With the tracks mostly cleared by the passage of CN 451 a couple of hours earlier 450's journey has been quite a bit easier since their meet at Novar. The damage to 2642's handrails, the result of... (more)
Got a big thumbs-up from 451's engineer today as he blasted the Domtar Road crossing at the south end of Martins siding. With 6 - 8" of fresh snow since the last train passed by yesterday, today's... (more)
Winter is a blast! With 6 - 8" of fresh snow since the last train passed by yesterday, today's 451 has his work cut out for him but was maintaining track speed as it blasted up to Martins. ... (more)
CN 451 sets out loads at Huntsville along with GP9 4132, the power for the local roadswitcher returning from regular maintenance at Mac Yard in Vaughan (Toronto area). Dying on hours the crew will... (more)
After sustaining handrail damage on the lead unit in a collision with a downed tree about 30 miles south of here CN 451 sets out loads at Huntsville along with GP9 4132, the power for the local ro... (more)
A long day... CN 451 with 2642 and BCOL 4513 (plus the local geep dead-in-tow returning to Huntsville) passes a sign with some rather obvious advise as the snow starts up once more. The sig... (more)
A pair of Dash-9s bring CN 451 down through the S-curve at Mile 144 of the Newmarket Sub on the shore of frozen Lake Vernon just south of Huntsville on a brisk -30 (-35C) morning.
595 blasts by Siding Lake on its return from Longford Mills with 6 tankers from Stepan Chemicals.
CN 595 heading south to Martins to switch the Panolam plant.
CN 595 leans into the curve approaching the Aspdin Road crossing at the north end of Martins Siding on a sunny and surprisingly mild (~25F) winter day.
Taking advantage of one of the very few sunny days to be had in these parts for the past few months, I headed out to catch a late-running 451 as it passed the Mile 144 CN Newmarket Sub marker on t... (more)
CN 451 flies north up the Newmarket Sub as the sky slowly brightens after another long cold night.
On Saturday Evening this locomotive and it's coaches will be all lit up to deliver kids to see Santa at Fairy Lake Station at the other end of the line. Today we came in to clear the line in prepa... (more)
In the fall of 2011 only one of the ex Rio Grande Ski Train F40s CN acquired to run their Agawa Canyon Tour Train had been repainted, the remaining two still in the bumble-bee yellow and black sch... (more)
451 crosses Domtar Road about to hit the south switch at Martins, behind a pair of SD60Fs.
Just another snowy day in Muskoka as 451 rounds Siding Lake approaching the south switch at Martins behind a pair of SD60Fs.
CN 595 trudges through continuing snow squalls returning from Longford Mills, with work at Martins before heading back to Huntsville Yard.
Aspdin Road on the left looks rather barren at this point in time as CN 451 speeds by on a cold December day. With snow squalls raging around the area, pretty well everyone who had to get into tow... (more)
CN 595 flies south across the Old Muskoka Road in Allensville on its twice-weekly journey from Huntsville to Longford Mills, roughly a 120 mile round trip.
A really tight squeeze! CN A45131-08 (running as L45131-08) inches its dimensional load through the bridge over the Muskoka River at the north end of Huntsville, with a MofW crew kee... (more)
CN A45131-08 (running as L45131-08) screams past Mile 145 of the CN Newmarket Sub with traffic for Ontario Northland in North Bay, including a dimensional load a few cars back, that being a transf... (more)
Ontario Northland's 2013 Christmas Train delights the crowd at North Bay Station on a chilly December evening.
Logging railways through the woods were inexpensive and impermanent by nature. Narrow gauge, light rail, widely spaced ties and more often than not, cobbled equipment was the norm in the latter 18... (more)
After a whistle salute to those waiting below, the Canadian version of the CP Holiday Train pauses briefly over the Seguin River in Parry Sound before making it's stop at Parry Sound Statio... (more)
The Portage Flyer about to pull in to Rotary Village Station at the western end of the line, returning from Fairy Lake on a warm day in July.
