On the second-last day of scheduled service the southbound Northlander is greeted at Utterson by several people, including a couple of guys from Germany and these two school kids taking the long w... (more)
The engineer flashes a peace sign as 698 passes a sign protestiing the divestment of Ontario Northland assets and the termination of the Northlander train service nine days from today.
4132 hauls a longer than normal 595 back to Huntsville past the Newmarket Sub Mile 144 marker. In addition to the usual two chemical tankers from Longford Mills there were about 20 gons and ballas... (more)
Engineman Wayne gives the usual greeting as he flies over the Old Muskoka Road crossing on Labor Day, 2012.
3&1/2 weeks until the plug gets pulled on the Northlander train service, unless a miracle happens in the meantime. Gotta get my shots while I still can! 1809 leads 697 into Huntsville Stati... (more)
James has managed to glom a ride in the left seat of 1800 and leans out to give me a big wave as they pass the Mile 144 marker on the CN Newmarket Sub, just south of Huntsville. Sadly, we will no ... (more)
ON 697 arrives at Huntsville Station 10 minutes off the advertised, but before they get to their next stop at South River they'll be back on schedule.
A lucky break in the clouds illuminates ONR 1802 as it passes a meadow of wildflowers alongside Aspdin Road at the CN Newmarket Sub Mile 144 marker. Northlander train service is scheduled to be di... (more)
In the midst of thunderstorms old Number 2 sits simmering on the turntable outside the train shed. Greg has just turned on the air compressor to pump up some air for the brakes. Upon attaining eno... (more)
698 flies around the bend at Utterson with 1809 up front. I'm standing across from where the station used to be, and the remnants of the passing track roadbed are still evident.
698 flies around the bend at Utterson with 1809 up front.
Alex our brakeman, one of the student employees, brought in an 8mm lens that just happened to hook up to my camera, so I had a bit of fun with it between runs. Here I have old #2 poised to run aro... (more)
698 rolls through Martins on a hot summer day.
A daylight CN 450 heads south through Allensville at Mile 138 of the Newmarket Sub.
Classic ONR 1805 is back on the rails and doing Northlander duties after a lenghty absence.
Today's Northlander thunders past some of the MofW equipment used to replace "pretty much all of the ties in the siding" here at Martins, Mile 141 CN Newmarket Sub according to the workers I spoke... (more)
1800 leads the Northlander by the location of a long-closed crossing at the back corner of one of my woodlots. The Stephenson Road 8 crossing was closed due to multiple fatal occurrences, mostly i... (more)
Slowing for the station stop 1809 leads the Northlander across the Muskoka River in Huntsville. The bridge work that has been going on since late winter is finally complete. The bridge was jacked ... (more)
CN 450 with 2520 and 5621 doin' it elephant-style approaches North Lancelot Road at Mile 140 CN Newmarket Sub. Check out 2520 peeling paint job, a plague with so many CN units. 450 has been le... (more)
698 swoops down around the bend at Martins on a beautiful spring afternoon. In this view you can see the spur going off the back track and up the grade to the Panolam plant at the far left.
698 leans into just another curve on the twisty Newmarket Sub led by a sparkling clean 1809.
Zoom-pan of GO 218 leading an evening rush commuter-hauler westbound out of Oakville Station.
Doin' the wave! Engineman Sykes waves out his window at the photographer while an attractive young lady on a tractor waves at the train from the other side of the tracks. Nice to see 1809 back on ... (more)
A bit nicer day than when I shot this train yesterday! 595 normally runs south to Washago/Longford Mills on Tuesday... (more)
Late-season snow falls as 595 eases up to the south switch at Martins after a rare double meet that saw ONR 697 take the main northbound while this train plus CN 480 - a track geometry test train ... (more)
4132 is making good time with 25 empties in tow as CN 595 heads south through Allensville bound for Washago/Longford Mills.
A grimy 1809 leads its train past the swamp just north of Falkenburg.
Wishful Thinking! The sign on 1809's front railing says "Ontario Northland NOT for sale!". Today's 697 with 1802 in charge also bore the signs. A noble sentiment, and one that I wholehearte... (more)
ONR 698 southbound approaching South Lancelot Road in Allensville.
With 1809 reflecting off the small pond on the east side of the tracks just south of Martins, this photographer can't help but reflect upon the imminent demise of passenger service on this line. L... (more)
A school bus waits at the Old Muskoka Road crossing for the passage of 698, whose arrival fortuitously coincides with the sun deciding to peek though a hole in the clouds.
698 leans into the big curve at the site of the former whistle-stop and siding in Utterson.
An early morning freight (CN 370 running 8 hours late - info thanks to Brendan Frisina) coming off the Dundas Sub and onto the Oakville Sub at Bayview Junction crosses over the municipal boundary ... (more)
Southbound at Mile 144 of the CN Newmarket Sub on a chilly spring afternoon.
About all that's left of the whistle-stop at Utterson is a couple of orphaned hydro poles with empty meter sockets and the dirt path where the siding used to be. One has to wonder how long it will... (more)
Cue The Doors... This is the End
The Ontario Government announced earlier that it will be divesting Ontario Northland assets and cancelling the Northlander train service. This could spel... (more)
1809 leads 698 southbound approaching South Lancelot Road on an 80 degree spring afternoon.
Caught this guy approaching Mississauga Road while waiting for 422, which I'd caught earlier at Bayview, to come by.
One of the many freights that travel this end of the CN Oakville Sub, 422 slows to do some work at Aldershot before heading to Mac Yard. The soil base in this area below the Niagara Escarpment is ... (more)
With old man winter getting the boot by an early spring (at least for now) we've entered the "dead zone" where the remaining snow is the same dirty brown as the leafless deciduous trees. Once agai... (more)
A mis-matched pair of IC locomotives along with a CN SD75I lead today's 422 through CN Snake and into Aldershot, where they'll do a bit of work before continuing on to Mac Yard.
Backlit by the dawning sky a pair of geeps head back to the yard after picking up some loaded autoracks at the Ford plant.
Silhouetted by the rising sun a pair of geeps head up to the Ford loading facility to pick up some loaded autoracks..
The crews of 595 and a snow removal team join forces to free a frozen switch at the south end of Martins Siding.
CN 450 heads south through Allensville at Mile 138 of the CN Newmarket Sub as light power. He will be meeting ON 697 at Falkenburg in about 15 minutes.
The days are getting longer, at least when the sun decides to come out! 698 crosses Old Muskoka Road in Allensville on a beautiful late winter afternoon. The railway line through these parts was c... (more)
ON 698 Extra, a Military Special transporting troops back from excercises in the frozen northland, passes through Allensville on a clear and frosty morining.
697 with 1809 leading, heading north alongside Stephenson Road 7 at Mile 138 of the CN Newmarket Sub.
Cutting across the southern tip of Siding Lake just shy of Martins on a sunny but brisk Sunday morning.
A zoom-pan of 698 scurrying south on a dismal day.
A row of small clouds seems to parallel the rail line as 697 makes its way north into Huntsville.
A week to the day that I caught two RMR domes heading north for repaint at the ONR North Bay Shops I catch two others headed back south in their spiffy brand new paint. Those guys sure do a great ... (more)
Domes on the Northlander! Unfortunately not a harbinger of a future ONR service, the Rocky Mountaineer domes came across Canada on VIA 2 to Toronto a few days ago and are bein... (more)
There is a train back there... somewhere!1800 kicks up some of the snow that has accumulated over the past 36 hours, approaching the Domtar Road crossing at the south end of Martin's... (more)
698's northbound counterpart 697 broke trail through here about 4 hours ago, but the accumulation of snow in the meantime alowed for a continuous wake being thrown all down the line, with decent b... (more)
The Weather Network called for 5 centimetres of snow today. That's a couple of inches by my reckoning. Hasn't let up yet, I wonder how many times that they really meant...
With 1809 (now minus its Christmas Train decor) leading, 698 races south along beside Siding Lake at Martins. With the temperature at -28C (~-18.5F) when I woke up this morning I felt confident en... (more)
A Classic Beauty in a typical Muskoka winter scene. 1805 leads the Northlander across North Lancelot Road a mile south of Martins. Unfortunately the passage of CN 450 and 451 during the nig... (more)
Q190 heads south through Washago behind a brace of '70M's.
1809 hits some small drifts as it crosses Old Muskoka Road heading north on the second day of the new year.
697 crosses the freshly-sanded Domtar Road at Martins.
4132 hauls a short train past Siding Lake approaching Martins. Check out the lean on some of those code line poles in the background!
CN 595 - the Huntsville roadswitcher - has been hauled by 4132 the past couple of months since 4136 was sent packing. Although 4136 was a reliable old girl the crews prefer this unit as "it pulls ... (more)
A day after getting a few inches of fresh snow 1809 leads the northbound Northlander across Scotia Road near Emsdale.
A day after getting a few inches of fresh snow the sun comes out as 1809 leads the northbound Northlander through the scenic wintery landscape between Novar and Emsdale.
On Boxing Day 697 crosses Siding Lake approaching Martins, with 1809 - still in fresh paint and Christmas Train decor - leading.
On Boxing Day 697 approaches the Domtar Road crossing at Martins, with 1809 - still in fresh paint and Christmas Train decor - leading.
Zoom-Pan of 1800 leading 698 south through Allensville, approaching the Old Muskoka Road crossing.
1805 leads the Northlander southbound through the snow, passing a piece of MofW equipment that has been parked on the back track here for the past week or two. Pan shot @ 1/20th.
Sunshine, fluffy clouds, white snow and a recently washed 1805 on the point of 697. What more could a Northlander Nut ask for?
The wam rays of the low sun contrast with the cool shadows creeping across the field from the treeline as 1800 leads 698 south through Allensville.
Early Morning; Waitin' on a Train Snowflakes cling to cold steel rails waiting on the passing of CN 595 to whisk them off, as the sunrise kisses the far shore of Siding Lake.
This way to the Northland! The single chevron and the word "Northland" form an arrow pointing to, well you guessed it! Newly painted 1809 flies north on the CN Newmarket Sub passing Siding ... (more)
Oh, the difference a couple of days makes! Two days (and a few hundred yards down the track) after catching 1809 and her bright new paint job at Martins I get her again passing Siding Lake, on a g... (more)
1809's new paint needs a bit of a wash but it's still pretty shiny! Note the yellow ribbon on the back of the long hood.
Still the best! Although Ontario Northland has come up with an attractive new paint scheme for their recent repaints, 1805's classic scheme is still number one in my, and a ton of other railfan's ... (more)
Last night's very late 450 heads south through Utterson with the same power set Dan Tweedle caught at Hamilton West a few days ago. Unfortunately for me, the SD40u wasn't leadind this train.
The Northlander drops down along the shore of Lake Vernon at Mile 144 of the CN Newmarket Sub.
The closest I'll get to a pumpkin this Halloween Day is this reflection of 1802's nose in the pond just south of Martin's Siding. 1802 itself bears one of the lighter of the myriad shades of yello... (more)
A pair of Quebec-Gatineau GP38s at work in the Huron Central Sault Ste. Marie yard. At first I thought the walking dude was a railroad employee that forgot his Hi-Vis vest as he was hanging around... (more)
The first bunch of day-trippers begin to filter out of their coaches and explore the park as CN 105 in its regal new paint shines in the sun.
AC 502 began life in 1913 as a Pullman Coach. It was converted to a Boarding Car in 1978 and then to this Agawa Canyon Park Souvenir Car in 1991. Last year it was looking pretty shabby, especially... (more)
I shot this old GMD1 (which I believe I saw not too very long ago over 500 miles away in Oakville) from the vestibule of our coach on CN 631 as we pulled out of Steelton on our way up to Canyon.
The returning Agawa Canyon Tour Train passes a scenic spot alongside Hwy 17 south of Heydon just north of the Soo.
The last time I was here I shot this train with a few ratty GP40 widecabs for power. While I admit this train is much nicer looking I was deeply disappointed to see that only one of the locos had ... (more)
It was good to see action on the HCRY line after it was supposed to be shut down last year or earlier this year. Bundles of new ties are spotted all along the line from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie... (more)
Lookin' Good! After catching 1809 with her new paint job heading up 697 at Martins, I scurried ahead of it and caught it coming across the Muskoka River just north of Huntsville Station. By... (more)
Lookin' Good! Returning from its first trip south of North Bay since coming out of the shops with its new paint, 1809 approaches the Domtar Road crossing at Martins in the unrelenting rain.... (more)
"697, mileboard to Huntsville, no restrictions"
