Railpictures.ca - Jason Noe Photo: I remember coming home from school and getting a phone call from a friend saying that I needed to get down to the station immediately. My first thought was that there were possibly some CN detours over the Guelph Subdivision, however he informed me that the old CN boxcars across from the station were being prepared to be scrapped on site that afternoon. A short drive later and the scene was as expected, with big equipment from London-based John Zubick making quick work of each boxcar. For as long as I was a kid, those boxcars had been a part of the railway scene in Kitchener and were used as storage by local CN maintenance of way workers and carmen. While taking in the scene as each boxcar was systematically sheared open by the equipment and turned into pieces, one such memory comes to mind. As the excavator dug deep into one of the boxcars it removed an almost pristine wooden CNR railway crossing sign still attached to its post that had been long stored inside. Within seconds…chomp, chomp chomp. Even after three decades, remembering that still stings a little. Here, CN 519983 meets its fate across from the Kitchener station. While this one had the CN noodle, several of the other boxcars scrapped that day had their original CN maple leaf logos. | Railpictures.ca – Canadian Railway Photography

I remember coming home from school and getting a phone call from a friend saying that I needed to get down to the station immediately. My first thought was that there were possibly some CN detours over the Guelph Subdivision, however he informed me that the old CN boxcars across from the station were being prepared to be scrapped on site that afternoon.

A short drive later and the scene was as expected, with big equipment from London-based John Zubick making quick work of each boxcar. For as long as I was a kid, those boxcars had been a part of the railway scene in Kitchener and were used as storage by local CN maintenance of way workers and carmen. While taking in the scene as each boxcar was systematically sheared open by the equipment and turned into pieces, one such memory comes to mind. As the excavator dug deep into one of the boxcars it removed an almost pristine wooden CNR railway crossing sign still attached to its post that had been long stored inside. Within seconds…chomp, chomp chomp. Even after three decades, remembering that still stings a little.

Here, CN 519983 meets its fate across from the Kitchener station. While this one had the CN noodle, several of the other boxcars scrapped that day had their original CN maple leaf logos.

Caption: I remember coming home from school and getting a phone call from a friend saying that I needed to get down to the station immediately. My first thought was that there were possibly some CN detours over the Guelph Subdivision, however he informed me that the old CN boxcars across from the station were being prepared to be scrapped on site that afternoon.
A short drive later and the scene was as expected, with big equipment from London-based John Zubick making quick work of each boxcar. For as long as I was a kid, those boxcars had been a part of the railway scene in Kitchener and were used as storage by local CN maintenance of way workers and carmen. While taking in the scene as each boxcar was systematically sheared open by the equipment and turned into pieces, one such memory comes to mind. As the excavator dug deep into one of the boxcars it removed an almost pristine wooden CNR railway crossing sign still attached to its post that had been long stored inside. Within seconds…chomp, chomp chomp. Even after three decades, remembering that still stings a little.
Here, CN 519983 meets its fate across from the Kitchener station. While this one had the CN noodle, several of the other boxcars scrapped that day had their original CN maple leaf logos.

Photographer:	Jason Noe [1119] (more) (contact)
Date:	December 21, 1995 (search)
Railway:	Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks:	CN 519983 (search)
Train Symbol:	Not Provided
Subdivision/SNS:	CN Guelph Subdivision (search)
City/Town:	Kitchener (search)
Province:	Ontario (search)
Share Link:	http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=58288

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Photo ID: 56958

Map courtesy of Open Street Map

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10 Comments

Ian Malenfant-Picard

January 29, 2026 at 12:21 am

Well that’s a rather sad end… I love these old boxcars, it seems like these days companies are ashamed to put their logos on them!
awmooney

January 29, 2026 at 8:09 am

Holy (s)crap !!! Ugly scene, Jason; but a very interesting photo. I often think of all the name signs and artifacts that would still be with us if they only could have found their way to my garage. )
Driver8666

January 29, 2026 at 11:41 am

Does that say Built 8/44?
Klaucker

January 29, 2026 at 5:57 pm

Must have been like watching a murder….too bad about the wooden cross buck…would be a great bar ornament
Todd Steinman

January 30, 2026 at 6:57 am

Geez….im torn here too…sad day, but great little photo of something that I consider to be a rare occurence, at Kitchener no less!
Stephen C. Host

January 30, 2026 at 1:28 pm

There was an old boxcar used for similar in Chatham until 2020 or later, according to satellite views the boxcar is now gone.

It was a 40 footer with a ladder and roof mounted handbrake similar to the one Paul O’Shell posted earlier this week.
Noe

January 30, 2026 at 4:31 pm

Appreciate all the comments on the photo gents.

- Yes, Driver8666 it does appear to say built 8/44 on the side of the boxcar.
Driver8666

January 31, 2026 at 3:42 am

I was wondering if I needed to get my prescription changed for my glasses. I just got them. Lol.

Have to get used to progressive lenses.
Paul O'Shell

January 31, 2026 at 12:12 pm

The car in Chatham was CN 551752 an Engineering Department Tool & Material storage car, built November 1957. It was sitting on a track panel for years. I snapped it from a moving VIA #76 on April 12, 2022.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197431498@N07/55069101786/in/photolist-2rUgxob
Paul O'Shell

January 31, 2026 at 5:07 pm

CN 551752
Series CN 551558-CN 551893
50′ 6″ double door boxcar steel reinforced ends
CC&F built November 1957
http://nakina.net/photos/cn5/cn551862.jpg

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