Comments on: During the brief time of 401/402 operating Sarnia – Garnet, a very shot 402 scoots over the Grand River at Paris. http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:26:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Stephen C. Host http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=58828#comment-68049 Stephen C. Host Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:18:56 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC_0124_02.jpg#comment-68049 A401/2 and 501/2 are the exact same train. Like the 0600 Hamilton and 0700 Hamilton before it, 431/2 and L533. Just a symbol change. Of course the 581 switch was a whole other matter. Not only was the switch from Sarnia -> Garnet less car handling, fewer men too, 581 a 3 man crew and 502 a 2 man crew, lots of cost savings. They also don't need Paris to store cars anymore and in theory, could probably rip the yard out if they really needed to. If PSR has their way that's exactly what they will do. Save time, crews, and get rid of some track, eventually. RLHH did Garnet to Paris/Brantford and back with only a 2 man crew plus they worked on the way. I believe they had a longer clock than the CN crews due to a different union agreement - also was before the rest rule changes as well. A401/2 and 501/2 are the exact same train. Like the 0600 Hamilton and 0700 Hamilton before it, 431/2 and L533. Just a symbol change.

Of course the 581 switch was a whole other matter.

Not only was the switch from Sarnia -> Garnet less car handling, fewer men too, 581 a 3 man crew and 502 a 2 man crew, lots of cost savings. They also don’t need Paris to store cars anymore and in theory, could probably rip the yard out if they really needed to. If PSR has their way that’s exactly what they will do.

Save time, crews, and get rid of some track, eventually.

RLHH did Garnet to Paris/Brantford and back with only a 2 man crew plus they worked on the way. I believe they had a longer clock than the CN crews due to a different union agreement – also was before the rest rule changes as well.

]]> By: Joseph Bishop http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=58828#comment-68046 Joseph Bishop Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:13:31 +0000 http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC_0124_02.jpg#comment-68046 This was the early days of CN changing from using L581 from Brantford to go to Paris to collect cars and then run Paris to Garnet and back. CN had a hard time doing the Brantford-Paris-Garnet-Paris-Brantford in one night. There was definitely some teething problems and missed connections for a while. They eliminated that run in favour of A401/402 which were then reprofiled to the L501/502. Less car handling as they used to have to make the 509-434-581 connection at Paris. This was the early days of CN changing from using L581 from Brantford to go to Paris to collect cars and then run Paris to Garnet and back. CN had a hard time doing the Brantford-Paris-Garnet-Paris-Brantford in one night.

There was definitely some teething problems and missed connections for a while.

They eliminated that run in favour of A401/402 which were then reprofiled to the L501/502.

Less car handling as they used to have to make the 509-434-581 connection at Paris.

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