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Railpictures.ca - Canadian Railway Photography - photographie ferroviaire Canadienne. » awmooney http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:06:08 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Images by awmooney http://www.railpictures.ca/2026/%postname?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=31 http://www.railpictures.ca/2026/%postname#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:22:34 +0000 awmooney

It has been long enough already that most of us have forgotten about the once popular Circus Train that made stops all over North America. And many of todays fans weren't even old enough to hold a camera since it last made Niagara back in 1994.
I posted a Circus Train shot here approaching the South Siding Switch, Chippawa, a long time back with telephoto, I switched cameras; then backpeddled like mad in order to capture the train using wide angle. Back then, my tele and wide angle meant using two different cameras; unlike todays easy digital.
Interesting shot, though, of a train and location long forgotten.
Due to the poor weather, Reg Button was the only other photographer with me in this afternoon of scurrying.
But it all paid off, as this is the last Circus Train I have ever seen.
The track in the foreground is still in place as the South Siding Switch for the twice weekly local out of Welland that comes down to service business at Chippawa. Track to downtown Niagara Falls was removed by 2001.
Niagara Falls has grown its tourist industry to the extent I don't even think the former Minolta tower is visible from this location, having now been crowded out by hotels.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/31/1994
Location:	Niagara Falls
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 7 Favourites

I forget the reasons, but occasionally we would see GO power substituting for VIA here and there. Sometimes just the locomotives, sometimes a trainset, as seen here.
I suspect VIA was power short. Could be due to issues with the LRCs that were relatively new and supposed to carry the load for the passenger service.
In this shot, cab leading, the rear unit is 510; and this is the old Inksetter Rd bridge before it went under structural changes to support increasing road traffic.
I marked my notes as this being VIA #73. Perhaps someone has other information regarding GO on VIA.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	GO Transit
Date:	05/21/1984
Location:	Copetown
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 22 Favourites

Looking down the former Stevensville line (CP), now a spur; as the CP passenger Budds take on a commuter or two before heading over the International bridge. Gloomy morning, very similar to the future of this train.

Name:	A..W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	04/01/1979
Location:	Fort Erie
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 17 Favourites

The Mamiya 645 film camera has caught CBNS 5004 and HATX 910 bringing a coal train from Sydney Mines on this beautiful late summer afternoon. I have to admit luck was riding with me, as I had just showed up to grab a photo of the now closed (1990) North Sydney station when I heard a horn not too far off. What are the odds? At the time I had no idea that Sydney Mines was going to shut down in a scant two months and business would quickly wind down. After the closure, all activity along the line pretty much petered out and even with support from the province the CBNS finally threw in the towel, running the last train out of Sydney at the end of 2014. This marked the end of 135 years of railroad activity serving the Sydney area. The only activity now for CBNS in Cape Breton is at Port Tupper and Port Hawkesbury down on the south end by the Strait of Canso.
However the rusted tracks are still in place, and with tracks there is always hope, faint as it may be.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Cape Breton and No…
Date:	09/15/2001
Location:	North Sydney
Province:	Nova Scotia

6 Comments | 21 Favourites

Crisp fall day along the CN Oakville sub near a location now known as 'Snake'. CP 5528 leads an unknown MLW in the image shot from what I refer to as the 'Cemetery Bridge', just east of the Bayview's Laking Gardens where all the fans hang out.
Don't know for sure, so I just assume this train is the 'Starlite" heading for Hamilton's Aberdeen yard.
Note the old brick company chimney in the background. And a relic of the past, that triangular 'Junction 1 mile' sign on the left. Back in those days there were a number of them around, but now, all gone. Not even in anyone's collections that I know of.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/00/1975
Location:	Burlington (Alders…
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 20 Favourites

The "Host" made me do it. (Secret shooting angles in Niagara disclosed)
I wasn't going to bother posting this shot, as I am rather far from the tracks; but it IS an interesting location if you want to fire up the telephoto lens. Here, I elected to post a pic of the whole train.
This is the CN Executive / Special train on its way to Niagara with all the heavyweights on board for a tour and a wine tasting.
That it the St. Catharines Hospital in the background, and I shot this image from old Hwy 8.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/20/2026
Location:	St. Catharines
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 17 Favourites

I posted an image of Upsala's CP station to railpictures.ca taken in 1975, about 10 years ago. Now I find a shot from 1974; and figured enough time has gone by for an update.
Discussion was the original station was dismantled or just moved by truck to the Founders Museum and Prairie Village near Thunder Bay. The agreement was drawn up; but according to the site 'Canada-rail' the station caught fire and was destroyed before it could be moved. The site further goes on to state that CP supplied structural plans and the building at the museum is but an exact replica. Anyway, we do know the original is long gone from the little hamlet of Upsala............

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	09/00/1974
Location:	Upsala
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 13 Favourites

Well, since there very well could be a deluge of CN Executive Train P007 images to RP, I guess I will get mine in there too.
This image is of the trial run on Friday, July 17th. The difference between this and the official run is the second unit is 2996 rather than the ultra-clean 3412 trailing the 3309 in consist on Monday.
Looks good. A tip of the cap to the lad who clued us in this train was going to roll down thru Niagara. I'm sure all us locals know just who I am referring to. :o) A big THANKS.
The Grimsby sub has very few very open areas to capture a train of this length, unless you are on an overpass.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/17/2026
Location:	Beamsville
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 18 Favourites

As much as I tried, sometimes I just could not get away from work soon enough. Gotta get to Bayview. From Stoney Creek it felt like a panic attack when I got stuck in traffic on the Burlington Skyway.
On this day, barely made it. Train was already on the move out of Hamilton; usually around 1530 or so. I dashed ("roared" is more like it) into the RBG bus parking and scurried down the hill. Just in time!!
CN 9166, 9195, 4572 with the Nanticoke Steel Train #725 is caught rolling under the old York Blvd bridge.
Phew!! Those F units were not going to be leading this train much longer, and my opportunities to get trackside for this were very limited. Today, I won.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	08/09/1986
Location:	Hamilton Jct
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 22 Favourites

Anyone who has spent time trying to shoot westbound trains in the morning along Niagara knows how much of a pain in the patooie the sun can be. This shot is no exception.
Looks to be around 1100 hrs; westbound CN 9554, 5065 not far from the big Jordan bridge as it passes by the former CN station; now sold and will be moved a hundred yards or so, if that, across Jordan's parallel main street to become a private home, which it still is all these 50 years later. And still sports the great name sign !!

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	10/00/1975
Location:	Jordan
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 18 Favourites

Pandrol-Jackson inspection vehicle stopped on the track to the yard in Burlington. The unit is on the bridge over Brant St. This company was taken over by Harsco Track Technologies in 1999.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Maintenance of Way
Date:	04/11/1989
Location:	Burlington (Freema…
Province:	Ontario

6 Comments | 16 Favourites

Here's a view of the Belleville CN station as it looked 50 years ago this week.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	07/12/1976
Location:	Belleville
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 13 Favourites

Hanging around catching the morning trains over the Caledonia bridge is an entertaining experience, up to a point. When I saw what I consider "the same old" coming out onto the bridge, I elected to go artsy-fartsy.
Something different. I guess it's okay. CN 8958 and 5712 heading to Garnet from Sarnia.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	05/19/2023
Location:	Caledonia
Province:	Ontario

9 Comments | 16 Favourites

Geez. Rainy dull day at Niagara Falls. I guess you could say, 'it figures' since I am out to catch a CP detour over the CN Grimsby. Work in the TH&B Hunter Street tunnel in Hamilton necessitated this unusual activity. Behind the CP 5825 up front is HATX 514 and CP 5862 and a rather long train. Gordy Rivers is the hogger. Nice guy that he is, he killed the ditch lights for this shot. The train is waiting for permission to cross the bridge to the USA.
I posted this image mostly for the local fans to appreciate how the area around the NF station has changed over the years.

Name:	A.W.l Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	10/31/1994
Location:	Niagara Falls
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 25 Favourites

Here's a view looking down from the CCSL (Canada Crushed Stone Ltd) conveyor building (before it was demolished in 1986) and shows the old Steetley Quarry operations off the south side of the CN Dundas sub at mile 4. What is interesting in this photo is the operation had access to the CN on the left, as well the old Dundas Branch (H&D) of the TH&B which I recall running along Hatt St in the downtown.
Never was able to catch a TH&B move this far on the line. Best I could do was a lonely old TH&B boxcar shown. It is interesting there was actually a connection between CN and the TH&B in Dundas, if only thru some industrial trackage.
All this is gone. A modern subdivision of pricy homes has taken its place.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Industrial
Date:	11/28/1979
Location:	Dundas
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 22 Favourites

Many years ago happened upon this old CP Service car parked on a siding at Alliston. Inscription ID was 411250 and a 'W78' sloppily added, and "Cook, Diner and Sleeper" below 'Service Car' on the sides. Perhaps one of the sleuths on this site can come up with origin and demise of this old coach. Thanks!

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	06/15/1979
Location:	Alliston
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 15 Favourites

When wandering out to St. Thomas (for lunch) and back, I usually do not see much of anything. It was a surprise to hear a horn in the distance as I left the restaurant, and got ahead of this eastbound train at New Sarum, as it came up to Belmont Rd (Hwy 74). The former GTW GP9R is now in GIO dress, as I suppose most fans around Southern Ontario know.
The line is the St. Thomas, Alymer and Tillsonburg Rwy, a division of GIO. Image taken at mile 113.56, Cayuga Spur. (so reads the info on the silver box!)

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	GIO Rail
Date:	07/06/2026
Location:	New Sarum
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 17 Favourites

To clarify the location of the old CN Crew Hostel which I offered up the other day, here is a view of the eastern most part of CN Fort Erie trackage, taken 10 years before the Hostel closed. It can be seen on the right; and the old MCRR/TH&B station on the left, with a Conrail transfer behind CR 5439 and 5441 just coming into Canada. The USA is seen in the far background. Lots to look at here. In the background also, on the right, a yellowish rail car is parked on a stub. This was a Boeing car; one was spotted here on occasion due to the Fleet Aircraft company located nearby.
It is a rather gloomy day, and although this is not a factor, I scribbled in my notes that Mount St. Helens had blown up the previous day. Just a historical note.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Conrail
Date:	05/19/1980
Location:	Fort Erie
Province:	Ontario

11 Comments | 25 Favourites

Here is a view of the old CN crew hostel in Fort Erie, which was located on the south side of the tracks near the Central Av bridge. Closed up and slated for demolition. It is a shame a place like this could not be repurposed.

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	02/00/1990
Location:	Fort Erie
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 18 Favourites

For those who have followed Railpictures.ca for a number of years will recall I posted a couple of images of the last run to Gallagher Paper (recyclers) on Pine St in Thorold. The company had gone bankrupt and CN sent a couple of switchers to retrieve the last rolling stock at the plant, which amounted to 3 boxcars. The move is seen leaving Pine St spur for the very last time, as it rolls past the Thorold Supermarket; a nice 'prop' for identification. It wasn't easy pacing a train even though it was only doing about 10 MPH.
CN gave up this and adjacent track in the area to the fledgling PCHR (Port Colborne Harbour Rwy) soon after, but with no business left on the Pine St spur, I don't believe they ever ran anything down this stretch of track.
I believe the Pine St line has been paved over or taken up in the past few years. Haven't been along there to check. Anyone?

Name:	A.W. Mooney
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	08/09/1999
Location:	Thorold
Province:	Ontario

5 Comments | 26 Favourites

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