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About Stephen C. Host

I've been into photography since 2001 - but like many others grew up interested in all things railway from an early age. I reside in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and currently use two cameras: Nikon D800, and a Nikon D90 (Backup only). Prior Nikon cameras include D60, D70 and D100, and a F65 for when I dabbled in Film (Kodachrome/Fuji Velvia and Provia). Lenses used tend to be either 70-200 F/2.8, 50mm/1.8, or 16-35 F4 (Until 2016) and a 18-35 F/4-5.6 (2016+). I recently acquired a 80-400 Nikon which I've been playing with with some results I'm happy with, but the jury is out if I am OK with the image quality :) Professionally - I am an Engineer (P. Eng. - Computer) for a large automotive concern. I also freelance as a photographer with the Canadian Press and their affiliates (AP/etc.) since 2009.

Stephen C. Host's Railpictures.ca photo upload statistics

Number of images: 821
Total gold: 6708
Number of comments recieved : 2276
Number of comments posted : 3767
Total views: 899796

Stephen C. Host has the #3 all time image on railpictures.ca!
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$Click to see winning image: Ontario Southland\'s Montreal Locmotive Works RS23 504\'s reverser key is in the forward position, b$

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Stephen C. Host has 2 images in the Time Machine

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Stephen C. Host's 821 photos on Railpictures.ca:

I'll admit quite freely the OBRY Owen Sound Sub is one of my main interests - I grew up just behind the bend north of the diamond at English St and really cemented my interest in trains. But I also squandered opportunity as I began photographing trains while I began my career, so my freedom to just go find something even on a weekday was slim. But I did have a bucket list and this was one of them - the Tuesday/Thursday OBRY Freight run.<br><br>While it's not in CN paint unlike <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32512?>Rob Smith's recent posting</a> I now understand how rare unrebuilt high-nose geeps are and they are very quickly becoming even more difficult to find as NS is ridding themselves of most of theirs and/or rebuilding them with new cabs. You can still find three unchopped geeps on the OSR out of Salford, but CCGX 1000 was off the OBRY sometime in 2009 - replaced with the 4009. 4009 was replaced in 2015, with 4014, which was quickly replaced with 4015 - so not counting CP lease/loan engines, is that it, only four units in a 18 year history (so far?). Also what was the disposition of 1000?<br><br>While the last days of CANDO on the OBRY are coming - young folks who are reading this in 2018 are well advised to go while you can - don't squander opportunity, because the only thing you can't change is what was gone before you started in the hobby. OBRY freight runs are now on Tuesdays and Fridays and is often in Brampton mid morning - arrive early to make sure you get 'em. At the time of this writing you have until June 30. Good luck :)

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Orangeville-Brampt…
Date:	06/2/2005
Location:	Brampton
Province:	Ontario

11 Comments | 14 Favourites

OSR's Woodstock turn is crossing the Thames River in Ingersoll over a bridge built by the Tillsonburg Lake Erie and Pacific around 1910, this was basically the start of the St. Marys subdivision (called SNS Ingersoll North).It would appear CN has since taken ownership of this bridge as the repairs to the bridge were made by CN <a href=http://www.suncalc.net/#/43.0448,-80.8764,19/2018.03.07/16:07 target=_blank> (See CN Signage on Google Street View here) </a> <br><br> On my way to Sarnia I found OSR working, and heading to the CN - I knew right away I had to stick around for the above shot so my Family and I spent an hour waiting for it. This is a rarity and here's why: To shoot a train from this side, in sun, you only have a couple hours around the noon hour to get it - and of course by summer this angle is only doable during *high sun*. Then you need OSR to run to CN to grab cars on the day shift, also somewhat rare, but happens as needed. But this isn't the CAMI job - it may as well be: Woodstock turn, due to a shortage of cars from CN (Sound familiar?) is now running as the CAMI switcher as needed as well as the usual Putnam/Woodstock turn. CAMI was EMPTY when I drove by looking for these guys, not a single autorack in the facility - I wondered if the plant is on shutdown or strike - nope, it's not, crews informed me CN is short delivering cars for loading.<br><br> On Saturday OSR ran the 1000 Woodstock Turn to CAMI to grab a dozen or so racks, spot them at CAMI, then run light power to CP to grab more autoracks and spot them at CAMI in the late afternoon. The CAMI job is basically abolished for now, but this could change very quickly. I didn't follow OSR for too long as I had to get to Sarnia - but don't they make it look good with this motive power? I can't get enough of it. So get this shot while you can - once OSR returns to normal it will be a difficult one to get. <br><br>After the photo and a couple more I treated my family to A&W - the Ingersoll A&W - an excellent and well run franchise for those who visit the area.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	03/03/2018
Location:	Ingersoll
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 20 Favourites

The Breslau bridge over the Grand River has been a <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=22766 target=_blank>popular (Glenn Courtney)</a> | <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=16438 target=_blank> spot (Arnold Mooney) </a> for photographers going back decades. It has also been a point of contention with a slow order going back about a decade or two. GEXR/Metrolinx started fixing the bridge up last year, and after adding some handrails to the east side (leading to the east pier) the handrails are all gone and the slow order is no more - to my and crews delight. You can also see the result of the new construction on the east pier.<br><br>Also, when was the last time GEXR 432/1 was all orange? I can still count on one hand how many times this has happened since G&W paint arrived. Back when winter was a thing, I made sure to get out there and get what I think is the best juxtaposition of G&W's scheme: Blue skies, white snow, and orange locomotives.<br><br>Here's a photo of mine from 2015 of GEXR <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=17812 target=_blank> all yellow </a> with one of our favourite hoggers at the throttle. Compare the piers in this shot.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Goderich-Exeter
Date:	02/06/2018
Location:	Breslau
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 17 Favourites

We knew when these leasers arrived on CN, there'd be a chance some of these rent a wrecks might end up in the lead - usually the wrecks are trailing only but a few slip the cracks in the lead. When they do, you've gotta stand up, for it could be quite rare. GECX 9130, ex UP 9369 leading M394 with 12,000 foot of train and 724 axles, climbing the grade at 18 MPH. With a train this heavy and power so 'tenuous' DI RTC made darn sure 394 had clear signals all the way up the Halton sub and no opposition - holding 385 at Stewarttown. With thanks to <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/author/loose-cannon> Clint-o aka Loose Cannon </a> for the heads up at Paris, I was able to time it for my lunch break. The time is 12:45 PM. Here's to many more.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	02/21/2018
Location:	Speyside
Province:	Ontario

17 Comments | 18 Favourites

<b> End of the line </b> as crews close the gates behind them, what could be the last car loaded in mere days this will be the end of the Resolute Forest Products / formerly Ontario Paper Company plant in Allanburg, ending 103 years of paper making. I didn't know it at the time, but the plant shut down Mid December 2016 for good and has yet to reopen, I was simply in the right place at the right time. I'm also informed, subject to debate, that Trillium provided crews for this operation in the end, but operated using paper company owned equipment. The locomotives (three in total) should still be inside the plant. For some photos in past days of glory, this plant probably shipped upwards of 10 to 20 cars a day out and recieved pulpwood by train (20-30 cars at a time) making this a VERY busy rail customer in the past. In December 2016 - they were shipping two cars a week. More photos such as <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=12825> this </a> and <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28707>This photo by Arnold showing better days.</a>

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Trillium Railway
Date:	12/14/2016
Location:	Allanburg
Province:	Ontario

8 Comments | 15 Favourites

In the alleyway's of Hamilton's North End, Dofasco looms large in the background. A Yard job from Kinnear is pulling up grade to lift their train out of the dip caused by the CNR Grimsby Subdivision underpass which was built in 1900 during construction of this, the TH&B Belt Line. The Belt Line was constructed across an already developed and burgeoning city and as a result, comes very close to homes and businesses and cuts across numerous major thoroughfares<br><br>After a photograph of the <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32110 target=_blank>SOR Earlier this morning</a> and with my free time running out I scoped out a shot on the Belt Line as the light would be really nice heading back to Kinnear - this scene peaked my interest and I lucked out - sometimes CP will lift NSC, set off most of their traffic in Adams Yard and come back with next to nothing. But this day, they doubled onto a lift at NSC which stretched them from Kenilworth to nearly Ottawa St then took off for Kinnear giving me a nice long train at this location. Included in this mix were some BNSF well cars on the tail end. This was my final photo of the morning and I went straight for home with plans in the afternoon.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	01/28/2018
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 9 Favourites

As discussed in my last photo, after shooting <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32055> CN 550 </a> I heard SOR call to head down the N&NW Spur so I set up for a shot I've had in mind for a while. You don't exactly know where the SOR is going to go, for example, they could work the Bunge leads instead, but once I heard "RLK 4001 clear on the approach to Irondale" I knew I made the right choice.<br><br>
Irondale is a curiosity as this location has a long railway history. This location had long ago been a CNR/TH&B interchange point for the Radial and was a stop on the Hamilton Radial Electric Railway. The Hamilton Street Railway also continued to interchange cars here for CNR/TH&B for Firestone until the late 1940's and the name Irondale has stuck to this day as a result. The diamond and signalled crossing is for a CP industrial lead crossing the SOR (CN owned) N&NW spur mainline. For more on Hamilton's interurbans, see this <a href=https://tinyurl.com/ybwtx6y8 target=_blank> Andrew Merrilee's article from approx 1950.</a> <br><br>
After this I went back to see what CP was up to, and they were lifting a loooong cut of cars at NSC - which is usually the last thing they do before heading back to the yard. So I scoped out a shot and found something new to me. Next photo.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Southern Ontario R…
Date:	01/28/2018
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 7 Favourites

The twice weekly freight off the OBRY is switching Streetsville Yard before heading back to the interchange for a northbound lift, then off to Orangeville. <br><br> So, from a news point of view, It's official: CANDO is pulling out of the OBRY - the last Credit Valley Explorer trains (under CANDO) are scheduled for February 10,11 and 17th with the final run on February 24th. All trips are sold out. Freight will end on June 30 if no operator is found, if one is found, expect a transition to occur, CANDO has offered an extension if a new operator is found and more time is required to transition services. It's also expected the Credit Valley Explorer would be re-started by a new operator. Cross your fingers, and get your shots, because nothing is guaranteed in this environment.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Orangeville-Brampt…
Date:	11/5/2013
Location:	Streetsville
Province:	Ontario

10 Comments | 9 Favourites

And the second train on a trainless but beautiful Sunday morning, I was fishing for locals in Hamilton since the mainline was so dead and 550 is a guarantee. I arrived *after* 98 to my mistake, but 550 is like shooting fish in a sunny barrel. The crew of 550 works Hamilton Yard and Cargoflo almost without fail, then heads down the Grimsby to work any customers needing a switch between Hamilton and Nelles Rd - today they had a D3R load out of GE in Winona before working Parkdale Yard (Steel Centre) and heading back to Aldershot around the noon hour. In this photo, after working Hamilton yard and zig-zagging from the hot track to the north the boys are enroute to Winona to work. I did not follow, as I had something else en-route, the SOR called DS for a light down into "the hole" so I scurried to the N&NW spur to set up for a photo.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	01/28/2018
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 11 Favourites

On a beautiful Sunday morning, no trains were coming on the mainline and I had four hours to kill. I decided to go 'fishing' in Hamilton to see what I could find and I was handsomely rewarded, I managed to find CN 550, CP TH31 and a SOR job and just went between all three. Here's the first photo:CP Yard job crossing the SOR at grade by Gage Ave.<br><br>
Track in Hamilton can be confusing, but let me try to help you. This is a CP Kinnear yard job, TH31 crossing at grade with the SOR N&NW Spur, protected by a fully automatic signalling system controlled by SOR Railterm dispatch in Dorval. The train was basically heading in the Northward direction on the Belt line and is arriving to start work. But, this isn't the Belt Line - it's the Beach Branch. If you look behind me you'd see the train crossing Gage Ave twice and the first crossing behind me is where the Beach Branch jct switch is - with the Belt Line continuing beyond Sherman Ave. The track you see here, The Beach Branch continues alongside the SOR mainline for a mile - and a small Interchange yard (Four tracks in total with CP) and former Dofasco tracks (Disconnected) until after Ottawa St - where it joins CP's Adam's Yard (North side yard) and kind of ends somewhere around there. SOR has a small yard on the south side of Adam's yard also used for CP Interchange. All CP track is ex TH&B and CP retains joint access to just about all spurs that touch the CP's Belt Line and Beach Branch - so if you go fishing, you'll find them almost anywhere. Hope this helps - ask questions anytime especially you young kids :)

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian Pacific
Date:	01/28/2018
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

In it's second day of service RLHH 2081 is switching cars in Hamilton Yard in factory fresh paint. Previously as RLK 3873 the GP38 was sent to Quality Rail Services of Madison, IL for rebuild aftersuffering a Main Generator Failure in September 2014. 3873 received a new engine block, a new main generator, and upgraded wiring/controls to -2 standards. With a new coat of G&W Corporate colours, it emerged fromthe Quality shops as GP38-2 RLHH 2081 where upon arrival in Hamilton, Ontario finishing touches were added by RLHH Mechanical forces before seeing service in late November 2016. To see a photo of this unit looked like before shipping out west, see <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=16529> this photo</a> where 3873 was having problems and being towed back to the shop. Note: If using this data, please cite this post as I did significant research into this rebuild, with thanks to GWRR folks for providing this information.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Southern Ontario R…
Date:	11/27/2016
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 8 Favourites

Due to brush cutting for the triple tracking project (which is still ongoing) angles not open for decades before suddenly opened up, and CN Train 554 is rounding the curve westbound of the Oakville subdivision at Bayview with cars for Hamilton in the mid afternoon. This is near the memorial on the east side of the York Rd bridge for those looking to find this angle. It should still be open today but I have not tried again.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	5/5/2013
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 10 Favourites

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	11/4/2012
Location:	Guelph
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 18 Favourites

A familiar spot at Paris, but an unfamiliar angle for some. I tried something different on a VIA, and the damn Spiderman wraps would follow me everywhere. I'm not a fan of them to this day.. oh well. :) 50mm f/1.8, D70

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	12/20/2006
Location:	Paris
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

In response to Doug Page's great 1980's varied CN Consist photos.. including <a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=31929> This one at Copetown</a> which Marcus Stevens said "That’s a lash up I’d kill for today" My response is "Three words: Ontario Southland Railway". Not quite the same, but if you think about it, M420, GP9, RS23.. it's still an almost daily occurance on the OSR and all you have to do is visit Salford or Guelph. <br><br>This is one of the few angles, in the mid to late morning, that actually has a semblance of good light as OSR tends to run backlit for most of their runs to and from Guelph. Check suncalc is all I have to say, and check it good, or hope OSR runs late and you are there for it when the good light is happening. OSR will switch lower yard before continuing north, meaning they go back and forth in this spot giving you lots of opportunity :) <br><br>And on the subject of the new site - railpicures.ca has moved to a new home - and it's very much like moving your house. You moved in to your first or second house a few years ago (or more) and when you move again, you have to take all the accumulated stuff with you and unpack. This is why it took a couple days to get it done , and well, why we're going to have some growing pains. But this house (provider) is bigger, faster, and I hope you like it. We're still hosted in Canada, but our old provider was simply shutting down after being in the business for 8 years, thus why we moved. Once I finish moving all my other sites - I'll work on the search for this one :) 50mm f/1.8, D800

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	01/13/2018
Location:	Guelph
Province:	Ontario

3 Comments | 14 Favourites

There's prototype for everything. Witness this strange move: SOR Conductor Lance Brown eases cut of unpainted steel hoppers across Beach Ave in Hamilton. These cars were lifted from National Steel Car to be put into storage on the former Stelco Bar Mill's tracks in Hamilton's industrial basin which were used for car storage at the time. NSC was a busy place and within a few weeks (or months) these cars were sent in for painting and shipped out.<br><Br>Lots of details here also - notice the white (flashing) signal? These were installed by the TH&B as this lead is used for CP for the TH&B (now CP) Adams yard and these flashing signals are found on most of the CP/TH&B Maintained crossing signals in the area. The track in foreground is the former CN Ore Train lead - Dofasco ore trains would have reversed (heading behind the photographer) to Dofasco to unload ore and making the reverse move back through here, to the Lysaught lead (wye by Dofasco Central Shipping in distance) back onto the Grimsby sub at Parkdale yard destined for the Newmarket sub and the Sherman Mine on the ONR for reloading. The Ore train lead also hosted Dofasco engine movements until 2012 or so once or twice a week - now ended. In the far distance there was a fourth track crossing as part of this circuit - which was a Dofasco only track for internal switching moves - remnants exist but it was a long time ago that you had Dofasco, CN and CP tracks with switchers crossing here dozens of times a day. In contemporary times you can find SOR and CP here a few times a day as it's basically all joint track (both railways retain access) - don't hesitate to visit here when fishing for locals in Hamilton, your chances are usually pretty good.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Southern Ontario R…
Date:	12/18/2012
Location:	Hamilton
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 9 Favourites

As much as I wish i'd have shot this some other way, on the other hand, it's a rather nice scene. In amazing looking shape, UP 9233 with a trailing CSXT SD40-2 round the curve at Paris Junction with the daily NS train to Buffalo, NY. No regrets right? Both of these units are endangered or already retired by now. This was one of those days that we went trackside not knowing what was coming :)

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Union Pacific
Date:	05/09/2006
Location:	Paris
Province:	Ontario

2 Comments | 12 Favourites

En-route with friends to meet up and party in the Sudbury area, I managed to get my crew to agree to stop for a train that somehow (Scanner?) I knew was coming. The trip was a beer drinking trip as usual, and I was the only one that liked trains, but a couple of us were into cameras so we did do the occasional train thing. Corrections always welcome, but this I believe is in Still River and would be a Northbound CN Freight on the CP Parry Sound sub, so I marked it as such after rekindling my memory. Love the motive power.. D70, 50mm f/1.8 fixed.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Canadian National
Date:	03/25/2006
Location:	Still River
Province:	Ontario

Comments | 8 Favourites

Painted in a Budweiser scheme for Superbowl at Ford Field in Detroit in 2006.. it did't last too long - one or two months, then it was repainted. It's interesting that Canada would get in on some Superbowl action, but I guess Windsor was close enough - here's the press release that explains some of this: <a href=http://www.canoe.ca/NFLCanada/SBXL/2005/11/29/pf-1329185.html target=_blank> Here at Canoe.ca </a>. D70, 50mm f/1.8 fixed.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	VIA Rail
Date:	02/24/2006
Location:	Paris
Province:	Ontario

1 Comments | 10 Favourites

<a href=http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=31857 target=_blank>So earlier this morning I bet on two horses out of Stratford</a> and I was headed to Goderich following a GEXR plow extra</a> when I got word from a friend (With great thanks!) OSR was plowing. Three years to the day of something I never thought i'd be able to do again, so I had to find a way to do it. OSR started plowing the St. Thomas subdivision in the morning and the Port Burwell was next after a deadhead back, and I figured they'd take the Port Burwell around noon. Thing is, I only had a half day off and had to get back to work, so I cut off my GEXR chase near Clinton and went straight to Salford. I watched OSR plow the piss out of the Salford cut, then set up for shots at the De Bruyn farm where drifting was particularly heavy. After getting some good action shots there was a problem - a bolt snapped in the OSR's wing system and crew decided to reverse to the Salford shops to try to repair before proceeding to Tillsonburg. My chase was over and I decided to snap one last photo of the overall scene (above) - many of us have posted tonnes of photos of the business end of plows doing their thing, but sometimes it's nice to see the motive power instead<br><br>I had high hopes for some good action this winter and have been scoping things out already - I've made two trips to Stratford and three to Salford already, and came back empty handed more than once, but made up for it in spades on Tuesday. Thankfully, I bet on the right horses.

Name:	Stephen C. Host
Railway:	Ontario Southland
Date:	01/09/2018
Location:	Salford
Province:	Ontario

4 Comments | 22 Favourites

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