Comments on: A Canadian National auxiliary train heads north on the Fergus Sub south of Branchton (just north of Highway 5). In consist trailing the steam engine is CN “Hook” 50012, a 200-ton steam powered wrecking crane built by Industrial Brownhoist in 1928. Where this train came from I could not find out – possibly Hamilton (did they base an auxiliary there?) Toronto or London? This is my only photo of a steam powered auxiliary. While they saw infrequent use, most of the large old steam wrecking cranes on CN & CP ended up being converted to diesel power in the years following the end of steam (and some built new as diesel cranes).

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 16:09:22 +0000

As for wrecking cranes on the Meaford Sub., I’m pretty sure they made a few trips on the subdivision over the years. And when and if they did, the largest permissible wrecker would have been 160 tons (see the Meaford Subdivision Footnotes in the attached CN Central Region Timetable #6 from June 28, 1953).

https://www.traingeek.ca/files/19530628-northern-ontario-ett-6.pdf

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:55:42 +0000

Here is the same CNR logo as originally applied to freight units …

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=5589

http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=5638

By: TMike

TMike — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 01:49:15 +0000

As usual you guys have the answers. I will have to try to stump you on something else..I never saw one of these cranes in action. I lived by the Meaford sub. Dunno if one ever went up there.

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Thu, 28 May 2020 18:19:38 +0000

Here is the photo (by Doug Wingfield) that I referred to in my previous comment, showing a variation of the CN logo on a wrecking crane at Hamilton;
https://www.railpictures.net/photo/358008/

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Sat, 23 May 2020 17:20:22 +0000

The white maple leaf, red CNR and no circle logo applied to CN 50012 is most likely a Car Department applied version of the then popular Canadian National Railways/Maple Leaf logo. I have a photo of CN 50397 when it was assigned to the Hamilton auxiliary with the same logo but with the colours reversed … a red maple leaf, white CNR, and white circle. Over the decades I was around CN’s cranes I saw quite the variety of ‘official’ paint schemes and logos as well as a multitude of local auxiliary adaptations. It’s too bad there are very few operating examples of these monsters left to view.

By: TMike

TMike — Sat, 23 May 2020 02:27:36 +0000

The “leaf” on the side of the crane— Is that something the crew may have created themselves? White with red CNR. I dont think I have seen that before on any equipment.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:25:48 +0000

This is why I love this hobby. Great find Paul!

By: poshell

poshell — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 23:13:12 +0000

Bill, my records indicate that CN 50012 was assigned to the Hamilton auxiliary in the 1950′s. The stencil on the mid section of the main boom in your photo reads HAMILTON. The last printed record I have shows it assigned to CN’s Atlantic Region Moncton auxiliary in July of 1960. Not sure where it ended up after that.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 15:45:40 +0000

Very nice.

By: Mike Lockwood

Mike Lockwood — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 01:13:57 +0000

Now that is a great shot, Bill! Even if edited, very difficult to get that exposure correct what with the snow and backlit sun… not to mention the not so common subject matter.