Railpictures.ca - Canadian Railway Photography - photographie ferroviaire Canadienne. » Stephen C. Host http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Sun, 23 Aug 2026 15:44:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Images by headtailgrep http://www.railpictures.ca/2026/%postname?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1 http://www.railpictures.ca/2026/%postname#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2026 01:51:06 +0000 Stephen C. Host
Steel: Before Tariffs, and that big orange oaf, steel was being shipped everywhere out of Hamilton, and pictured are two CN classics shoving a gondola into the former Stelco Bar Mill now known as MANA, and in the background, is the still standing Stelco Blast furnaces. Today, MANA doesn't seem anywhere near as busy. Stelco of course has basically been razed to the ground save for the coke works, but the blast furnaces and half the buildings are gone.<br><br>Oh to do this again. We had it great in 2020. CN had just taken back a few branchlines and industrial railways in Ontario, and they put <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=33879 target=_blank> all kinds of junk into service on the mainline </a> (Tim Stevens), as well on the branchlines - the GMD-1's were part of that <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=38519 target=_blank>junk they re-activated in 2018/9</a> and used only until March/April 2021 - <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=45278 target=_blank>the last in revenue freight service was 1439 on April 22 2021</a>. It was less than four years. (n.b: There was a <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=57197 target=_blank>Campus unit in Winnipeg which may qualify as the last active on CN - but not used in revenue service. Debate in the comments!</a>). Where's CN 7046 these days?
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 4/20/2020
Location: Hamilton
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 16 Favourites
And a new angle that has opened up in Belmont on the OSR is this brand new Tim Hortons. You can bet pretty much every single plow run will stop here for coffees at some point, hopefully not on the way back.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Ontario Southland
Date: 1/26/2026
Location: Belmont
Province: Ontario
4 Comments | 19 Favourites
CP Train 420 passing the grain elevator at Kleinburg on the Mactier Subdicision on a cool winter's day in 2021.<br><br> Back in 2021 a couple of these yellow demonstrators led on the mainline on CP - and in 2019/2020 a different set were testing on CN. It looks like it's paid off, because <a href=https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,6129345 target=_blank>CPKC has decided to order 65 similar units</a>. These won't be the same as the demonstrators pictured here, <a hreff=https://www.trains.com/pro/mechanical/locomotives/cpkc-orders-65-new-emd-sd70ace-t4-locomotives-from-progress-rail/ target=_blank>they will have modifications designed after feedback from demonstration runs</a> including a new energy management system with a 5-7% fuel savings over prior Tier 4 units, and Talos Energy Management system amongst other improvements. In effect, I would say these would be a "dash two" of the SD70ACE-T4 series but Progress seems to have declined to call them anything but what they've always been referred to, which to me is strange. What do you think of the SD70ACE name for these Tier 4's? Comment below. As for the fate of these demonstrators, 7210 is now with Lake State Railway along with 7209, 7211 and 7212. A gaggle of earlier Tier 4 demonstrators from the 2019/2020/2021 era have also been recently scrapped after stints in mexico and elsewhere. Could a CN order be next? There's four demonstrators on CN right now.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Builder/Manufactur…
Date: 2/1/2021
Location: Kleinburg
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 17 Favourites
Framed in the 1930-ish Welland Canal Bridge #17, the all too familiar Alco smoke of S-13 108 is seen as they switch cars at Verbio on this cold winter-like day. It's 2026, and as of today, there is only a single Alco/MLW diesel locomotive in actual service in Ontario - and it's 1859 on the former Trillium's GIO Railway in Welland. Waterloo Central's are all out of service - and some will come back, but for now, if you need your Alco fix GIO is the only place to go if you don't want to cross the border. Cross the border into New York and you'll find an alco paradise on the Falls Road Railroad, Delaware Lackawanna and Western in Batavia, BSOR in Hamburg NY, and NYLE in Gowanda. Go further afield, and the Delaware Lackawanna in Scranton should be your mecca. I've been to them all - worth a visit. Take your pick and get your shots while you still can, Alco/MLW's are falling fast all over North America due to emissions regulations and parts availability. What's your favorite MLW/Alco and why? comment below.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Trillium Railway
Date: 12/14/2016
Location: Welland
Province: Ontario
8 Comments | 20 Favourites
A pair of OSR GP7's are switching in St. Thomas yard and I framed them between the CN yard office and the interesting decorations found on the property. Since this photo was taken, the CN yard offices have all been razed and removed.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Ontario Southland
Date: 3/22/2022
Location: St Thomas
Province: Ontario
4 Comments | 13 Favourites
When this GP9 arrived in Kitchener the local railfans were all hot for what it could go on. It's been decades since a GT GP9 was around Kitchener. The next day we found 542 switching Kitchener yard with the 6420/9449 and hoped that perhaps 540 would take the GP9 set later in the morning. After switching the yard for an hour 542 would park 6420/9440 along the fence line, and swapped to the 4623 set and the plan was to shove out of the yard and follow the GO train out to Guelph, allowing 3 of us to get this shot. 540 would take the 6420 set instead later in the morning. For about two months that 6423 was in the area the foam was very very strong, and now the unit was sent back to mac, and onward to Montreal where it now works. Get your shots, there's very few of these GT GP9's left on the roster.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Grand Trunk
Date: 5/12/2026
Location: Kitchener
Province: Ontario
7 Comments | 20 Favourites
Part 3/3. So on this nice pretty Saturday morning with no plans I went out to capture Train 236 in the snow. After capturing them on the hill on the curve, at a blistering 1 MPH <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=59429 target=_blank>seen here in part 1</a> and after a quick meet with 237 seen in <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=59463 target=_blank>part 2</a> I was delighted that 237 was a fast and short train. After 237 blasted by in about 30 seconds, I was in position hoping, praying, that the locomotive on 236 wouldn't be so far over that I couldn't frame the old brick works (also lumber and coal company) in the shot, and bam, there it was. Click Click and goal achieved. Little did I realize i'd get a full meet sequence at the same time. We recently had some great discussions on this place <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=59382 target=_blank>here on Arnold's recent posting</a> with great info from Mr. Bowman and Terry O'Shell who are both right. Jacob did the research a couple years ago and posted this <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=47110 target=_blank> here in this 1950's shot</a><br><br>And here's some more:<a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=36994 target=_blank>Last run of CPR #21, Bill Thomson</a><br><a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=25072 target=_blank>Last run again, this time in colour. </a>Note this means Bill carried two cameras and switched cameras to get the going away shot in colour.<br><a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=35009 target=_blank>Modern view #1</a><br><a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=33429 target=_blank>Modern view #2</a><br><a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=31841 target=_blank>Steam by Bill Thomson</a><br><a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=16118 target=_blank>CP F units Bill Thomson</a><br>I mean if you really want to go digging into Bill's stuff at Campbellville, <a href=https://www.google.com/search?q=campbellville+thomson+site%3Arailpictures.ca target=_blank> This google search will do it (click images afterwards)</a> but just click someone's name on the site to dig into their profiles.. we lost Bill in 2022 but the gold he's shared with us is all there, and campbellville was one of his, and still is one our favorite spots to go for us locals!<br><br>Note the caboose was removed from the property last year. They tried to sell it with the business that operated in it and I guess that failed to pan out.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: 1/2/2021
Location: Milton
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 15 Favourites
Part 2/3. As you can see <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=59429 target=_blank>in the first photo</a> the lights were off on 236 as they had a meet coming, and quick. After capturing 236 grinding up the hill, I was able to capture 237 coming around the curve behind me, but I turned again and captured this "meet shot" - while not exactly the way I'd like I kinda realize we don't have the luxury of time. But I had another goal in mind, and you'll see next week just how difficult the goal was in part 3/3. The truth is moving meet shots are one of the most difficult to get, and get right, you're basically at the mercy of what the Lord throws at you when it happens and your ability to navigate with your feet, a camera and lens. How many times have you had an opportunity to shoot two moving trains and be in the right place right time? It's rare right?
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: 1/4/2021
Location: Campbellville
Province: Ontario
4 Comments | 18 Favourites
Part 1/3 - After posting <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=43895 target=_blank>this shot in 2021</a> where a lively discussion ensued, I figure during our times of extreme warmth I'll cool everyone off with some January winter action. So pictured we have 246 (236?) grinding up the hill on what <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=59382 target=_blank>Mr. Ron Bowman calls Angel's Rest - the steepest part of the Galt sub grade </a> and the pair of GE's are on their knees. Doing about 1 mile per hour with wheels squealing, this all black locomotive was slowly coming toward me while train 237 had just cleared the junction to the west. I was able to take the time to capture a photo that shows off the grade. Next photo to come later - and believe me it gets much better!.<br><br> Speaking of which, has everyone gone digging to find the comments many folks add to photos long after they are posted? If you click a commenters name it will show you how many comments were made, and Mr. Bowman has graced us with his railroading memories for quite a long time now with over 700 comments posted. Many more folks have done the same and I thank all who continue adding to our discussions - it's not just about the photos, it's about the memories and railroad history too. Keep them coming everyone!<br><br>When clicking a photo make sure you scroll to the bottom to see what was added since your last visit, you never know what you may learn.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: 1/2/2021
Location: Campbellville
Province: Ontario
5 Comments | 16 Favourites
What a difference a few years makes. When I first spent time around here, there was some kind of business jutted in the middle of the Huron Park Spur and the GEXR mainline. <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=11249 target=_blank>Then a layover yard was built.</a> Google has since sprung up, built three buildings, and large condos are now built all around this site. That business located by the tracks was razed and a parking garage was built for exclusive use by Google. Us Kitchener area "locals" anticipated the day it would open for nice vantage points for us non drone photographers. Pictured is the entire train 568 rolling through downtown Kitchener by Google's campus and the GO Park Ave layover facility. The Huron Park spur is at the bottom right.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: BNSF
Date: 2/6/2024
Location: Kitchener
Province: Ontario
5 Comments | 24 Favourites
Approaching Mclaughlin Road near the north end of Brampton, the Credit Valley Express is almost at Snelgrove where they will run-around their train and head north. GP9 4014 was only assigned to the line a few months and was sent away due to mechanical ailments.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Cando
Date: 10/22/2016
Location: Near Snelgrove
Province: Ontario
Comments | 13 Favourites
Signs of the TH&B are abound in Hamilton as a Kinnear to Aberdeen yard transfer rolls by the elevated right of way in the southern part of town near the Hunter St. Station area. This transfer had a crap ton of steel for the Steel Centre on it and surely that solo GP9 was working hard. I enjoy photographing around here but without a drone or major elevation it is a challenging place for photography of trains. I've pulled off a few shots over the years.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian Pacific
Date: 10/21/2007
Location: Hamilton
Province: Ontario
10 Comments | 22 Favourites
Continuing with the CSX/Chessie/C&O in Canada photos that some are posting right now, Here's Train D725 in the final months of operation between Sarnia and Chatham - the right of way is pristine, not a weed in sight. Big trains are operating daily on the 50 miles between Sarnia and Chatham/Blenheim, and the Rail Traffic Controller (RTC) is busy. Soon this will all change: the CSX RTC would go from handling three movements on mainline track per day each way between Blenheim and Sarnia, to basically one each way, but only operating three days a week. Imagine that, having a dispatcher basically in the chair for a Branchline, which is what this line became between 2006 and 2013. The RTC office was closed in October 2013 and the entire line became what it is now, yard limits, and operated out of town "as needed". I'm not counting the yard jobs that operated since they didn't need RTC permission - but there were 4 to 5 daily in 2005 and today, 1 to 2 daily with pretty much nothing operating on Sundays. To listen to the RTC's audio check out <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=25773 target=_blank>This link</a> and a few more I posted here in earlier years<br><br>Note this line is basically still mostly intact. I have heard there may be a washout south of Sombra somewhere. Anyone have any info? Also I've heard the Ridgetown station is about to be demolished. Might be some artefacts going into the dumpster..
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: CSX Transportation
Date: 8/25/2005
Location: St. Clair
Province: Ontario
3 Comments | 19 Favourites
Concrete mileposts that date back to the Erie & Huron Railway, a "new" station name sign as this was the Wallaceburg siding (Bruce - was this a re-located name sign when the station ceased to exist?) and D724 passing it all - in reality, this was the only siding that was actually used to meet trains from time to time and as you can see it was still in use. Most often it was used to run-around, and I did see parked cars in the siding after the big freights stopped operating in '06, but in this era it seems to have been kept clear for operational flexibility. The "new" wallaceburg siding was about 6000 feet in length. <a href=http://steve.hostovsky.com/clearance_nine_north_chatham_wallaceburg.mp3 target=_blank>Here's an audio recording with a clearance to Wallaceburg taking the siding at Wallaceburg.</a> <br><br> Here's something neat: I didn't realize the names "Subdivision No 1" and "Subdivision no 2" went as far back as the Pere Marquette. Check this out! Get a copy before this link is no longer valid folks. https://wx4.org/to/foam/maps/2-Zukas/30/O/1939-04-09PM_Canadian16-Zukas.pdf
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: CSX Transportation
Date: 8/25/2005
Location: Wallaceburg
Province: Ontario
9 Comments | 18 Favourites
One of the OSR Guelph Division engineers Manley Johnson preferred Alco/MLW's. He also preferred this pair. Pictured is Job 2 heading North in the early afternoon, passing a farm located between Corhwin and Arkell on the Guelph Junction Railway. This day the boys will run straight to the CN interchange and north end of Guelph, by the time they arrive in the north end of town, the sun would come out. <br><br> I had missed the BC Rail era - didn't make it out west before they sold to CN. What BC Rail scheme do you guys enjoy the most? What I find the most striking is the Erie Lackawanna did this scheme first. Was it a 1776-1976 thing or something else?
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Ontario Southland
Date: 12/17/2019
Location: Guelph
Province: Ontario
6 Comments | 16 Favourites
With the RERA crew in a celebratory mood, and extra flags flapping, smoke was coaxed out of 3612's 251 block for the photographers waiting for the final departure out of Goodwood on March 29 2026.<br><br> It took three months, and it was only supposed to be a single day of movements back on <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=58053 target=_blank>December 21 2025</a>, but the Railroad Equipment Restoration Association pulled it off. Despite numerous attempts over the winter, extreme cold, snow, and motive power that can be best described as "temperamental", warmer weather coupled with mechanical repairs to 3612 and the movements started actually going off without a hitch. Goodwood, a hamlet that once had a Station and passenger trains, along with a grain elevator and frequent service, was mostly silent for the last few decades. Between December and March, Goodwood became a beehive of activity: Mechanical repairs were conducted on equipment, locomotives were watered, repaired and tested, crews reported for duty and when everything worked, trains operated along the Uxbridge sub between "the dip" (A location 4 miles south of Uxbridge) and Lincolnville all based out of Goodwood. The best part? It was all done with locomotives with prime movers designed in 1944 and 1951, MLW/ALCo's, which as noted in December, are a dying breed in Ontario.<br><br>All of it came to an end on March 29 2026: Pictured the last cut of cars is now ready to go, mechanical modifications to the cars are completed, and the last order of business is to load the train with *everything left* that wasn't already tied down into the coaches. You see, the RERA purchased *everything* that the former YDHR owned, including all sundries: this included old souvenirs, TV's, mechanical equipment, uniforms, stuff in storage, historical artefacts, everything. The RERA was tasked, contractually, with removal of it all and it took a team of about 10-15 people to hand bomb what remained all into these coaches and send it to Saskachewan and North Bay. After the picture you see above the train would stop on the crossing and the last of it would be loaded from waiting trucks and vehicles. Then they'd reverse back to Goodwood to make one final run out of town, blasting the horn, again, to a gaggle of waiting cameras and a few locals observing the end of their tenure on the Uxbridge subdivision.<br><br>What does the future have in store for this line? At the moment, nobody knows for sure, but it would appear GO transit isn't exactly done with the railway and neither is the town. The town is working on a "railway district improvement plan" and their plans show trains calling at the Uxbridge station but with much improved lands surrounding what I would call a GO station platform. The town and Metrolinx are also re-negotiating the lease in 2026. Could GO service happen? Is a 6 car train that far off the mark when it's only a 10 mile run and about 30 minutes from Uxbridge to Linconville at 30 MPH, then they can blast off at the Uxbridge's 50 MPH after stopping at Old Elm. Until the tracks are ripped out, never say never. A train or two to Uxbridge would also help the town re-develop the lands and reach the Province's goals of urban intensification, by right, near transit stations. We'll just have to see what happens from here. In the meantime, the 244's and 251's are silent in Uxbridge and the York Durham's legacy is now gone for good and on to better things.<br><br>Over the next few days and weeks, all this equipment would move over Metrolinx and CN to Mac Yard, and then to North Bay and Kronau, Sackachewan. For updates on the equipment and their plans, visit the RERA Canada website at <a href=http://www.reracanada.ca> www.reracanada.ca </a> where announcements are yet to be made as I type this. I couldn't be happier to see the equipment at least preserved, it took a ton of money and effort to pull this off and folks, please give the RERA a good look. They deserve it.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Preservation
Date: 3/29/2026
Location: Goodwood
Province: Ontario
9 Comments | 27 Favourites
Well, there weren't many places in 2020 where you could find two RS18's working a mainline, and now, it's even harder to find in Ontario, let alone Canada. Pictured is 182 and 181 paired together for the first time in years as they haul autoracks on the CP mainline back when OSR's largest customer CAMI was actually shipping by rail. Where else can you find MLW/Alcos working the mainline in Canada, anywhere? And by mainline i mean a CN or CPKC Class 1 mainline track, or any major mainline like a GO/AMT mainline. Comment below with your knowledge if you have it!
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Ontario Southland
Date: 11/24/2020
Location: Woodstock
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 12 Favourites
The last CSX Train (to date) is reversing across the C&O Drawbridge over the Sydenham River in Wallaceburg complete with it's C&O markings. Not only was this the last CSX Train to Wallaceburg, the C&O Built (Typical of them per Bruce Mercer - cheap cinder block construction) RTC office pictured at left also closed on this day with the line changing to rule 105 territory on the 3'rd. By this time the CSX dispatchers were all consolidated in Jacksonville except for this tiny office, which also housed the Bridgetender's equipment. A clerk would have to come down from Sarnia to operate the bridge, joining the dispatcher for a visit prior to the train's arrival and to ensure the bridge was properly closed and safely secured for trains to pass over. The Region of Chatham-Kent bought the line the next day and has since sold it to a numbered company - the rails are still in place, but it will cost millions to bring the line back to service and 13 years later as I write this, nothing has operated south of Sombra since. The track from Dresden south to Chatham also hasn't seen a train since 2006 and is also still in place. What do you think the future holds for this line? I'd love to see another train and this is NOT the last train to Wallaceburg. Add a comment below to add what you'd like to see happen. <br><br> Bonus: Let's go back into the white C&O cinder block Dispatchers office again.<a href=http://steve.hostovsky.com/clear43.mp3>RTC asks a train to clear track for the next northbound where they clear mile 43.</a> then this happens <a href=http://steve.hostovsky.com/clearance_nine_north_chatham_wallaceburg.mp3>Clearance nine</a><br> Audio recorded July 15 2005, back when the Sarnia division had about 60-80 employees on the payroll and started 8 to 10 crews per day. Now they have about 6-7 employees and run 1 to 2 crews per day. Sigh. <br><br> If you are interested in more recordings, check out <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=23404 target=_blank>This pic at Whitebread</a> and <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=25773 target=_blank>More wallaceburg</a> and you just might find more photos. I've posted more than half of my stuff from this line, but still more to come!
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: CSX Transportation
Date: 10/2/2013
Location: Wallaceburg
Province: Ontario
6 Comments | 18 Favourites
Heritage units? While everyone freaks out about CN's America 250 heritage units the real heritage is at mac yard, toiling away, and you have to be lucky to find it working let alone this far south. CN 7311 is the last CN SW1200 officially on the CN active roster, but there are others: RT110/1394 in yellow at Mac Yard, 7304 in Hamilton, and fairly recently in 2020 one or two at the Hallet Dock company in Duluth as CN bought this dock and assigned DMIR 1250 (ex CP) and 1251 to the dock. 1250 to replace a green NW-2 that's been a fixture at that dock for many decades.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 2/1/2026
Location: Vaughan
Province: Ontario
5 Comments | 16 Favourites
Heritage yard set CN 7600 is pictured rolling by CN's main Toronto administration building, also formerly used as the RTC centre until November 2020. Now basically the bunkhouse/hotel for Port Rob, Sarnia, Belleville or Capreol crews when needed.
Name: Stephen C. Host
Railway: Canadian National
Date: 2/1/2026
Location: Vaughan
Province: Ontario
2 Comments | 15 Favourites
12345…►last
]]> http://www.railpictures.ca/2026/%postname/feed 0