Comments on: Nice to see a friendly wave from a Stelpipe (Welland Tube) employee as he brings old Stelpipe #7 out from behind the gates at the plant on Rusholme Rd in Welland. The pipe will eventually end up being transferred over to the CN Southern Yard to be picked up by either CN or CP. Hard to catch a move here. Most of the time the switcher is shut down or inside the plant. Currently in this location is Martech, Inc. The Stelpipe operation is long gone, but I haven’t information as to what year they left.

By: mercer

mercer — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 16:05:14 +0000

Yes, and that would only be high school !

By: awmooney

awmooney — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 16:00:56 +0000

Well, we know what it would represent if YOU were running that unit.

By: mercer

mercer — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 15:55:16 +0000

…probably the number of groundhogs they ran over

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 02:23:16 +0000

As I type this the number of stars on the right side of the plow, which are very similar to the favorite stars on this site…. are the same at 10.

I can only guess to the meaning in 1996.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 00:08:44 +0000

Thanks, Doc; for your input on the closing date.
Mark: I recall the blade plant next door there. There used to be another plant of this type in Stevensville and it closed down as well. So then I see the CP bringing in blades from Iowa, I think it was.
Buy Canadian? What gives? No wonder I do not understand what goes on in the world…….. (

By: Mark MacCauley

Mark MacCauley — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:49:40 +0000

That a great shot Arnold, I always love seeing the Stelco history, especially outside of Hamilton! I also didn’t realize they were still making pipe there that late to be honest.

Worth mentioning that from around 2013 to 2015 they made wind turbine blades here in the larger, northern-most building. If I recall correctly, the last few times I’ve driven past the facility there’s been a “For Lease” sign in front of that larger building.

By: DoctaPinklaces

DoctaPinklaces — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:09:32 +0000

Think they closed around 2003.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:28:05 +0000

I realized my comment talking about current day pipe loads might be confusing for people unfamiliar with the area, when read alongside your caption that talks about the now long gone Stelpipe facility.

To clarify for everyone’s benefit: the facility on the west side of Rusholme Road was formerly Stelpipe (as pictured above) and is now Martech as Arnold mentioned, but on the east side of the road is still Welded Tube, so pipe cars are still coming and going in this area from the facility on the east side of the road. Those are the ones I referred to.

Sorry for the double comment, just didn’t want to create confusion.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:16:58 +0000

Thanks for the comments! I know you are getting to be extremely knowledgeable about all the goings on in Niagara. )

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:14:46 +0000

Very cool shot, Arnold. That enthusiastic wave is a nice touch. This is indeed quite a hard move to catch nowadays. I’ve only ever seen this unit outside and on the move once. And Welded Tube’s unit I have never once seen in action.

Not sure how it worked back in the 90s but nowadays all of the pipe is picked up by CN (by 562) out of Southern Yard in those DWC pipe cars. Interestingly, I did see some of those cars in CP’s yard in Moose Jaw last August so at some point along the way west at least some of them get interchanged.