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Caption: Located on the border of Thorold and Niagara Falls, two chemical plants exist having been born to make explosives for the war. This facility, Oxy Vinyls has had a number of names, and a number of locomotives over the years. A couple years ago it was another former Stelco unit 6089 in black and this year it's 6084 in a two tone (roof is black) green. Why Green? that's because the painter offered to do it for no extra cost and they agreed. (Must have had some extra paint on hand). This is a one off paint scheme basically.
Here's a photo of this engine being delivered in 1958 by Doug Page who shared with us here. Keith Maccauley, who has a great collection of Stelco photographs, posted this amazing view in '87. I photographed this thing a few times in Hamilton, one in 2008 in the same paint Mr. Page shot it in and again after the US Steel takeover and paint in '14 . The throaty naturally aspirated, and spark arrestor free stack makes this thing sound good as they move around. I've warned this before, and for anyone looking to make the visit, beware as the employees at this facility are basically curmudgeons. They can't stand the sight of a camera, and asked me to leave. I said no, I'll just stay right here for a bit, as this is public property. Just don't step off public property and you will be fine. I had a nice 1 minute encounter with this thing then took off. I'm not willing to risk a visit from the Niagara Region Police if I don't have to.
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Nice image !!! Yes, they are often a snarly bunch.
A very nice and evenly illuminated photo, I love it when all the particulars can be easily seen.
The one particular has caught my eye, is there a reason for the cab number being 6084 and the number board just 84? Thanks Steve.
They are very touchy about cameras, strange amount of security for plastic pellets?????
That usually means they are up to something and don’t want scrutiny!
Anyone know if the black one is still on property or not?
Also yeah these guys are real jerks. Never seen a happy looking one yet.
The black one (6089) has since left the property
Larry, that’s why I love winter photography on blue sky days. The white snow really makes things pop. Further, I wanted this thing without green foliage in the background.
6089 went back to Sarnia and was assigned in October to Esso Plant 3, but in my recent visit it left, It’s probably at one of the plants in the Sarnia area. I’ve even seen/pictured it at Nova Corunna last year too. I’ll be there in a couple weeks and will see if I can find it.
Oxy Vinyls seems to make pellets but they also make vinyl resins. There’s a plant behind them called Solvay (Cytek) that makes phosphene products. Chemical plants are just touchy – Sarnia’s no different. I’m used to it now.
As for the numbering – LDS is correct with the numbering of these units. Stelco may have had them delivered as 84/89, but internally, and starting in the 1960′s at least, they renumbered everything and according to internal paperwork over decades these two were 6089/6084. Most other Stelco locomotives had similar numbers, some in the 70xx series. But they didn’t show it externally.
They may have given internal numbers as Stelco grew to ensure there was no overlap as a two digit numbering system would fill up quickly. That’s my guess – I’d have to talk to the Steel City model railway club folks..
Basically they reflect their true number from Stelco. I have the paperwork to prove all this too. Given that they never had to leave the plant except *possibly* for major repairs, they never needed to be re-numbered. None of them did. I don’t think these things had reporting marks either.
Nice catch, Stephen.
6089 is in Sarnia at the roundhouse as of this weekend.