Comments on: Norfolk Southern and Norfolk & Western before that, and Wabash before that, all enjoyed the perks of serving certain customers along the CN Cayuga, Paynes and Chatham Subdivisions. While we were living in Chatham, I tried to find out when NS would be switching the elevator at Thamesville ( in 2017 known as AGRIS Co-op). The work was always done by westbound train 27 who would cut off the rest of his train east of Highway 2 and then perform a series of run arounds in order to accomplish the switch. After having pulled and respotted the customer, the power is about to tie back onto the outbound cars and then shove further east to put his train back together. The classic CN Thamesville station, although obscured by the movement, is still standing in this image. I never saw NS switch the other facility ( seen here to the left of the engines ) so obviously CN did that chore.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 12:38:01 +0000

Thought that’s what you meant, just wanted to be sure. It’s quite fun watching them go in and out of that facility – the grade is rather something.

By: mercer

mercer — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 12:20:57 +0000

Yes, west of 21.

By: jknott86

jknott86 — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:22:17 +0000

Hey Bruce, just to clarify, NS switched the facility on the west side of 21?

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Tue, 02 May 2017 01:04:46 +0000

A great shot! Rare to see photos of them working en-route.

Marcus the Joint Section was a very generous agreement that in 1890 the Presidents of the Grand Trunk and the Wabash agreed to allow full and joint access to freight and passengers. From what I’ve read the two presidents were quite friendly to each other.

NS had full rights to any and all traffic on the Cayuga and Chatham subs right until the very end. NS continued to switch elevators west of St Thomas until the end in 2004…

But when NS switched to the Stamford/Grimsby/Dundas/Talbot routes the new agreement did not allow joint switching access on those lines – only the Cayuga and Chatham subs remained to have said rights.

But in lieu of NS running over Trillium, Trillium had interchange rights with NS and CN at St. Thomas – and CP in Tillsonburg -
not many Shortlines in Canada have access to three Class 1′s! Elevators on ST&E used the NS routing regularly, as did the Frame plant in St Thomas (switched by CN) with hummer frames – examples of use of the NS interchange in St Thomas.

With the end of the Joint Section agreement these rights are now gone. Closest NS interchange is now Fort Erie.

By: Marcus Stevens

Marcus Stevens — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 19:44:58 +0000

Great photo Bruce! Didn’t realize they ever had the right to switch other customers along CN.