Comments on: Heading south on the MacTier Sub, a freight train powered by steam generator equipped RS10 8557 approaches the north siding switch at Beeton. (Note the “beaver” crest on the nose, the large combined fuel/water tank, and the exhaust vents on the short hood–spotting features for a dual service road switcher.) In this pre-scanner era, we don’t positively know the train number but a 1963 employee timetable suggests that it is No. 86, a daily scheduled train whose schedule began at Medonte and, according to the timetable, was supposed to be overtaken by No. 12, The Canadian, at Midhurst–30 miles to the north–at 3:25 PM. In the early 1960s, the timetable provided 4 northward second class schedules for dispatcher use (Numbers 901, 953, 955, and 965), 2 southward second class schedules (Nos. 948 and 954), and 5 southward fourth class schedules in a 24 hour period (Nos. 80, 82, 84, 86, and 88). Additional northbound trains would operate as “Extras” or Sections of a schedule. Operation by timetable and train order was a beautiful thing–provided everyone had an accurate watch, properly calculated the times they had to be in the clear, and as long as nothing went wrong!

By: mattwatson

mattwatson — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 11:59:57 +0000

Wonderful photo and writeup Doug.

Doug Page — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:24:03 +0000

A typo crept in…The third northbound second class train should be 955 (not 952)!

mile27 — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 23:52:02 +0000

Wonderful scene from simpler times.