Comments on: Ahh, remember winter? (Eastern Canadians: put down your pitchforks, I know you still have winter, LOL). Winter’s basically done in Southern Ontario (or is it?) and I’m posting this during what seems to be spring weather, despite a full month of winter still before us. Now, there’s a theme to this caption…. you’ll see why in a second. There were countless photos, declarations, and even articles in magazines declaring This train as the last on the Cayuga subdivision, surely if the fabled OSR can’t make a go of it, nobody can, right? Right :) Pictured after a chance encounter and chase on a ‘rare’ Monday GIO run, after pulling around 25 cars to New Sarum from St. Thomas they just finished setting of a half dozen in the siding and will take 20 more cars toward Aylmer and Tillsonburg filling up sidings all along the way. GIO’s really doing their best to deny the naysayers – not only is there new business at Future Transfer (Salt/Potash) the size of their trains have also become impressive after my first encounter in 2022 with a two car train. GIO continues to impress, but changes are coming. According to CN’s three year plan the Cayuga east of Courtland is to be abandoned, which is probably only a mile or two of railway anyway. To me this is a surprise as there’s plenty of open land with highway on one side, railway on the other, ripe for an industrial customer, but on the other hand, it makes sense – they can eliminate the grade crossing and maintenance in Courtland and save money, improving profitability. Also it’s highly like that Norfolk County isn’t on board with the Railway and CN/GIO can just locate customers in more friendly Tillsonburg or elsewhere instead. Either way, CN and GIO would be both in agreement, we’ll just have to wait and see if it gets ripped up :)

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:02:07 +0000

I was reading somewhere that, I think Ontario Branchlines on FB, that Courtland is deemed for …drum roll please….housing. Normally the case innit?

By: homerjay84

homerjay84 — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 22:53:35 +0000

Also I beleive most of the line east of Courtland (Fernlea Side Rd) is already removed.

By: homerjay84

homerjay84 — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 22:50:56 +0000

I would take that three year plan with a grain of salt. The Cayuga has been on there for the last 9 years in some form or another.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:50:03 +0000

Wow, good eye!

Former GMTX 2003, according to Bill Miller, it’s PRSL 2013/PC 7673, to CR, to CSX 1947 to LLPX 2015 to SVRR 2015 to GMTX 2003, patched at MEI (MEI may have re-sold them) then to LDSX 2003.

GMTX 2001 is what’s on ETR now, we can’t believe what’s on rrpicturearchives as GMTX 2003 seems incorrect, but it lists it started as C&O 3873 (GP38). Subject to correction by folks much more knowledgeable than I. Both units were patched or re-sold by MEI before going to LDSX.

By: NiagaraMike11

NiagaraMike11 — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 01:14:00 +0000

looks like an old Penn Railroad Seashore unit, they had two control stands notice the extended windshield area unless its just reflection. Another similar LDS unit like this is to come to Trillium at Welland to replace JCLX 3502