Comments on: Back in the day when locomotives were nowhere near as powerful as todays, it took quite the effort to climb up the grade from Hamilton toward Guelph Jct. CP 8740 (RS-18) with CP 8446 (RS-3) and an unidentified F unit are seen working hard in this view taken near the Mill St underpass just south of Waterdown proper.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 14:58:10 +0000

I remember that, in the early to mid 2000′s you’d look at the 2 or 3 car ham turn and wonder what the train was doing…. but then you’d catch them running really late, lifting loaded autos from Galt for Hamilton around 0800 and realize… that’s it.. it’s all for Toyota.

By: RonaldB

RonaldB — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 05:20:59 +0000

The “Ham Turn” moniker came into use after the jobs were assigned around 1990. They became assigned to protect Toyota traffic destined for the Hamilton gateway. Before that, all freight going down the Goderich Sub were manned from the unassigned freight pool at Quebec Street. If the crew was to return to London, were were ordered for an “Aberdeen Turn”. Sometimes we would take a train to Hamilton & then run back to Guelph Jct and thence to Toronto. In that case were were called for “extra east via Hamilton”. Up until about 1990, all trains on the Goderich & Galt Sub west of mile 15 were London crews. Toronto crews did not run to Hamilton via Guelph Jct. If we had to go to Hamilton from Toronto or London, we used the Goderich Sub.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:19:37 +0000

Thanks, Ronald.
Usually I referred to trains I knew doing that route as the “Ham turn”.
I was unaware of the status of this train.

By: RonaldB

RonaldB — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 04:57:56 +0000

This will be the “Aberdeen Turn”. It was run out of the Quebec St. east freight pool around 1800 most days. If the crew booked rest in Hamilton, the train would head back to London in the morning. It was long haul if you doubled out of Hamilton. You could be on continuous duty from 1800 one night until noon or later the next day.