|
Caption: A string of CPR block lettered boxcars make up the headend of an eastbound timetable freight at Port Hope. Dropping downgrade in the foreground is the former CN Lakefield Sub, which ran Port Hope - Millbrook - Peterborough - Lakefield. Construction would begin under the Port Hope, Lindsay, & Beaverton Railway in 1855, with the line abandoned in sections beginning almost a century later. The Port Hope - Millbrook section was lifted first in 1951, with Millbrook to Peterborough following in 1964. The Peterborough to Lakefield section, constructed under the Midland Railway circa 1870, would be abandoned in 1989. The section of track seen here, was the remaining 1.8 mile Port Hope Town Spur, serving a handful of customers.
Scan and editing by Jacob Patterson.
|
Another fabulous bit of history John. Something I noticed, the crossing protection ahead of where you’re standing, looks to be one of those “danger bell” devices. We only had one I recall when I was working for the CPR, it was on the Goderich Sub north of Guelph Jct. Essentially, it was a crossbuck with a bell & an illuminated box with the word “DANGER” on the glass. The light would flash as the bell rang when a train was on the circuit.
Great scene, John.
Ron, would you know when that crossing protection on the Goderich Sub was removed from service?
Jacob, I’m not sure exactly, but when CP held their ‘family days” celebration at Quebec Street in the summer of 1981, the signal dept had one of those signals in their display. I think it was the one from the Goderich Sub. I worked the summer of 1977 on the Guelph Jct Roadswitcher, we went to Guelph every weeknight and I think it might even have been gone then. It was still there in 1975, but not sure after that.