Comments on: A small group of bystanders has gathered to watch rail cars of coal being unloaded from the car ferry Ashtabula. A common site in the small cottage town on the shores of Lake Erie. Coal arrived from the US to be used at CP facilities across Ontario. The 888 a D10 style locomotive would switch out the loads while the Port Burwell way freight would take the cars north. A lengthy process being that only a dozen cars could be taken at a time to Ostrander where the train would be marshaled together, because of the grades out of Port Burwell.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Sun, 24 May 2020 19:45:09 +0000

I’m thinking this may be a R.J.(Bob) Sandusky shot, given the same date on the one on the Old Time Trains page.

By: mercer

mercer — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 20:12:35 +0000

While much of the coal might be for CPR’s own use, the remainder would have been for home heating. There were no natural gas lines in the 50s, so if you didn’t use oil or wood, you had a coal stove and/or furnace. I know – my parents first home had one ! Resembled a sheet metal octopus in the center of the basement.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 23:03:23 +0000

Good background and history here on Rays site. the ferry sunk in 1958 so this was in the final days. Thanks for sharing!

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/CPR_London/history_Woodstock.htm

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 22:53:13 +0000

Ostrander.. that’s a long way to go to double a train, was there a siding there at the time then?

By: Cdntrainphotog

Cdntrainphotog — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 22:30:23 +0000

They sure brought in a lot of coal back then.
Nice pictuure; thanks for posting it.

By: Jacob Patterson

Jacob Patterson — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 18:26:47 +0000

Now this is cool. Great shot Darrell.