Caption: GO Transit 564 shoves on the rear of train 3959, making their way west on the GEXR Goderich Sub to tie down at mile 3 during their layover. The train will return west to Toronto early in the evening.

GO Transit service to Stratford commenced this past week, with equipment using the Goderich Sub as a pullback during the week to clear the plant at Stratford West prior to departing for Toronto. On weekends, the run is flipped, starting out of Toronto, returning east in the evening.

While today, Stratford is renowned for theatrical performances of the Stratford Festival, it of course relied heavily on the Grand Trunk Railway during the early years. While heading up the branch, the equipment passes the GTR shops (behind the photographer,) as well as the residential neighbourhood along St. David Street. The housing you see here, as well as that on the four streets off to the left/south - McKenzie, Argyle, Stratford, and Nelson Streets - were constructed circa 1909 as part of the GTR's shop expansion, with properties available for GTR shop employees on a rent - to- own basis. Over a century later, the majority of these properties remain as more expansion comes to the local railway scene.