Comments on: I can’t help it, but when I look over this photo, an old time song which begins with “Hail, hail, the Gangs all Here” goes through my head. There must be 30 bodies out there busy at trackwork right at the junction. It is a wonder they do not trip over each other. How times have changed. CN 1256 and 1318 power the work train.

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 21:07:57 +0000

Yeah, I know what you mean about today’s work sites! Back in the day on the extra gangs, you wouldn’t be standing around idle for long before one of the foremen hollered at you to ‘Hey, help out over there’. Love those relatively new Engineering work trucks at the right of the frame. No hi-rails back then. Such a great shot.

By: Noe

Noe — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:30:41 +0000

What a great scene. Nice one Arnold!

By: awmooney

awmooney — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:48:20 +0000

Oh I realize they know their job, Paul. But to the untrained eye, this reminds me of the ever so frequent roadside municipal gang in which 12 are drinking coffee and the 13th is digging the hole. )

By: Paul O'Shell

Paul O'Shell — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:31:57 +0000

Great catch Arnold!
That is a Great Lakes Region turnout replacement gang. While it looks congested and somewhat disorganized, I know that each of the men on the ground knew their task and were able to carry out these huge projects with a very productive precision.

By: Dave Brook

Dave Brook — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:59:53 +0000

I can only imagine the RTC curled up in the fetal position, trying to deal with that much track being taken away.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:52:07 +0000

Thanks, Ronald.
I wasn’t thinking when I wrote this caption, obviously.
It IS a Hamilton-bound train as you state, but looking at a couple of follow-up shots here (slides) the train was stopped when I shot this.

By: RonaldB

RonaldB — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 04:09:49 +0000

Another great bit of history preserved, thanks Arnold.I notice in this shot they seem to be removing the old “helper track”.

Are those two “pups” on the work train, or just passing by, hauling empty piggyback cars over to Hamilton?