Railways played a vital role (and still do) in Canada. There are images here not only from our large national railways but also from the many short lines that also play a vital role in our transportation network.
A pair of CN SD75’s haul a freight towards London, ON on a late summer afternoon.
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The Huron Central railway is a former CPR track that services the north shore of Lake Huron from Sudbury to Sault Ste. Marie. Here the local pulls a string of boxcars over well-used tracks to the paper mill in Espanola.
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Georgetown Run
A late afternoon run through Georgetown headed by CP 5106 (SD40-3).
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CP 8800 (ES44AC) heads a container train through Copelend forest on a snowy morning.
CP 8960 (ES44AC) is pumping out the heat on a scorching day while hauling a load of steel coils out of Campbellville Junction.
It’s a dull March day when a trio of CN GP38-2s return to Toronto empty after dropping a load in Hamilton.
On a sunny summer day, three CN ES44DCs pull a Westbound freight through Guelph Junction.
A CN container train headed by 3183 (ET44AC) pulls south along the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe.
Barrie Collingwood Railway 1001 “The Spirit of Collingwood” hauls the twice weekly load through the industrial area of Barrie. 1001 is a GP9 built in 1958 and still doing the twice weekly run on this short line.
One thing about chasing the Barrie Collingwood line is that the trains move slowly enough to catch up to them after they have passed which sets up many good photo ops.
A pair of Ontario Southland Railway GP7’s pull the morning freight through the frozen farmland of southern Ontario.
Ontario Southland 1594 (GP9) along with 6508 (FP9) pull the Saturday morning freight through Ingersoll.
Away from the big city and mainline railways, many crossings are nothing more than a wooden post with signage. Here an Ontario Southland FP9 follows behind 1594 (GP9).
Ottawa Valley 2112 (GP38-2) is at rest for the evening in North Bay’s yard.
A coal run headed by UP 7002 (AC44CW) runs east with a full load just outside of North Platte.
Built near the end of the steam era, #6 was the last Shay to operate on the Western Maryland. She now runs tourist trains on the Cass Scenic Railway.
The non-business side of Shay #4 waits to depart at Cass, WV.
The business side of the Shays was typically on the right. Driving was achieved through a number of vertical cylinders turning a drive shaft with gears that turned the drive wheels. Not fast, but powerful and could tackle less than perfect track.