Comments on: No trip down to Blenheim for 514 yesterday, which was a bit of a letdown. But nonetheless, this is still one of my favourite railfanning excursions to make. Here, during a break in the downpours, 514 is lifting empties and setting off fertilizer loads at Agris in Thamesville.

By: mercer

mercer — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:15:56 +0000

Jakob, if you click on my name it will take you to my collection of photos on RP.CA
Scroll around and you’ll find several shots at this elevator from the mid 1980s.
N&W, NS didn’t keep smaller power around for this purpose, but further back in Wabash days, yes there were certain locations where small power was in use ( although I’m fairly certain it may not have been specifically for this customer).

By: Jakob Mueller

Jakob Mueller — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 21:48:01 +0000

Oh I see! I meant the spur into the elevator.

Everything I’ve seen of NS traffic ~30 years ago had large road engines – a lot of C30-7s, with some SD40-2s and others. I’m wondering if they kept any smaller power around (like a GP38 or something) for local work, or if an otherwise-through freight actually did the switching.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:50:10 +0000

Yes I know.

You just threw me off by calling it a spur.

By: Jakob Mueller

Jakob Mueller — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:45:47 +0000

Yes, and back in the “day”, Wabash/N&W/NS had trackage rights from Windsor to Glencoe. When the Cayuga sub was removed, NS trains bypassed St. Thomas and ran on the Dundas and Grimsby subs.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:42:28 +0000

This is the Chatham Sub

By: Jakob Mueller

Jakob Mueller — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:38:19 +0000

Did NS run a local, or did a road freight do the switching? A C30-7 seems a bit big for that spur.

By: mercer

mercer — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 16:59:44 +0000

Nice, and to think 30 years ago I used to catch NS switching here….