Comments on: Hidden in plain sight, Railserve daily keeps Suncor traffic moving to and from the CN yard in Clarkson. Not easy to photograph thanks to fences basically all the way along the industrial spur between the GO station and refinery. The only level crossing is at Orr road. Luckily a gap in the fence at the Go station allows an opportunity to photograph switching moves at the west end of the yard. A place that so many years ago I was shocked to see a well weathered TH&B switcher working a cut of tank Cars so many years after the TH&B was absorbed by CP. Thankfully the unit was owned by the Ontario Southland, which I didn’t know at the time. As the years passed the OSR contract here was taken over by Railserv, and a pair of former Chessie System GP38′s has been keeping the tank cars here moving. Recently a freshly painted grey and red GP38 has arrived on the property so one of these well weathered Geeps may soon leave.

By: Matthew Whiteley

Matthew Whiteley — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 23:39:17 +0000

Only 4. 2077 and 3803 are stored out of service with major mechanical issues deep inside the plant on a siding near the GATX facility. 3830, which had a problem with the prime mover last year, was returned to LTEX and interchanged to CN and later CSX at the end of November. LTEX sent freshly overhauled 3828 to replace it as the plant needed 2 units for their operations. At the moment, 3828 and 3829 are the only operating units on site.

Although you have to look closely to which one is which as they are identical units in almost every detail except for the last digit of the number

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 23:08:01 +0000

@Matthewwhitely Terry Allen recently sent me a photo of 2 black LTEX GP38-2′s switching Clarkson. He also sent a photo of a red LTEX there. So with the two Aberdeen’s there’s 5 units on the roster switching Suncor now?

I’m in Clarkson now for Christmas. Do they switch on Christmas day?

By: Matthew Whiteley

Matthew Whiteley — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:42:37 +0000

LTEX 3830 was recently returned to LTEX following mechanical issues. A new unit, LTEX 3828 (painted black, identical to 3829) arrived in the past few weeks to replace it.

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 17:45:54 +0000

Thanks for the heads up @matthewwhiteley

By: Matthew Whiteley

Matthew Whiteley — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:51:09 +0000

Another new unit arrived at the plant a few months ago. I believe there are now four GP38s at the plant currently (LTEX 2077 & 3803 – ACWR Green, LTEX 3829 – LTEX Black, LTEX 3830 – LTEX Red).

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 15:23:09 +0000

I don’t think I ever caught CP switching then Petro Canada but lots of CP road freights in the evening, more than CN, like the Starlight and Autoracks to and from Oakville excercising the TH&B 99 Year lease.
Windsor Salt is no longer but IPEX just down the street is quite busy. And noisy too!

By: Marcus Stevens

Marcus Stevens — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 14:24:31 +0000

Yes lots of find memories here. I grew up in Park Royal so bike rides to Clarkson GO station were a must. Lots of memories of CP working the yard here too. Unfortunately not to many photos as I didn’t have a good camera at the time. Miss all the freight action that used to be in the area. Spare periods at Clarkson high school wee spent watching CN switch out Windsor Salt, something that isn’t done anymore either

By: BradKetchen

BradKetchen — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 13:37:34 +0000

Very nice Marcus. My home town and i’ve documentated the Railserve Geeps, Larry’s Truck and Electric, ex Aberdeen and North Carolina nee Chessie as you’ve noted. Interesting about the new unit on site as this and the other matching unit have been working the yard and Suncor for at least a decade. Once in a while you could catch both Sister units switching the Yard. Great that you were able to shoot through the open gate as it is almost always closed unless there was work crews there and the proximity to people waiting for busses and coming and going make it unsecure. I used to shoot CN switch here, first with a couple 1200RS’s, way back in the mid-80′s, perfect as it was 4pm after school!, then CN working interchange from Aldershot to Clarkson until Metrolinx took over and that operation is now after 11pm.