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Caption: CN L542 seen blasting off at a blistering 10 MPH on the old Fergus sub heading for Guelph, passing one of the old factories that dot the landscape. On the other side of the factory was the former Grand River Railway Hesleper Sub (CP) that is now removed. Wonder if this place had rail service? As for the train, while it may look unremarkable to the average 'fan on this site, this was a very rare occurrence according to local historians - a CN GP40 running on the Fergus? Almost unheard of for this end of it. I can think of a few occasions in the GEXR days when either a leased CN GP40 set off or lifted cars in Guelph (432) on the Fergus or GEXR 3030 was assigned to 582, but apparently CN didn't send the big power on this branch before the GEXR takeover in '98, and since the takeover this was apparently the first time.. comment below folks who may have a rebuttal or evidence to this effect! tx.
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Nice shot Steve.
It would have been incredibly rare to see a CN GP40-2(W) on this section of the line prior to the GEXR takeover in 1998, as CN 580 was typically assigned SW’s or GP9′s and other 4-axle MLW’s even prior to that.
Some history of this end of the Fergus Subdivision from the March 1986 Branchline CTC Decisions Section;
“CN has received permission to abandon a portion of its Fergus Subdivision between Lynden Junction (Mile 1.00) at the Dundas Subdivision connection in Lynden and Galt at Mile 13.88. No carload traffic on the line has been offered on the line since January 1979. The Fergus Subdivision originally ran from Lynden Junction to Palmerston (Mile 72.80.) On July 25, 1983, the CTC had authorized CN to abandon the portion of the Fergus Subdivision between Fergus (Mile 47.0) and Palmerston. A little more than a year later, on August 7, 1984, the railway was given permission to relocation a section of the line between Mile 13.88 and Mile 16.8 to permit the city of Cambridge to implement specific improvements to its downtown core, including a Mill Creek development plan.”
Thank you – 13.88 to 16.8 was abandonment?
I dare not say GP40′s didn’t run the Fergus because I have a feeling just about anything may have ended up on the Oil Trains up the bruce branches until 1974 which ran the Fergus North from Guelph… but south of there… would need someone who recalls that era to comment
Either way it was news to me when you guys told me, 3030 did make a brief appearance on that job one winter.. but GEXR didn’t assign the 40′s to that job very often as their horsepower was either needed more on the mainline.. would weight have anything to do with it? Considering how much 80lb 100+ year old rails are on that line at present..
Here’s 3030′s brief appearance on 582, dragging a dead 2236 to Preston: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=32009