Comments on: Passengers on this edition of the “Maple Leaf” got some rare mileage. The train is eastbound here (compass SE), heading to Niagara Falls. It has just crossed Ottawa Street North; it is interesting to compare this view with how it looks today – not surprisingly, there were more tracks and sidings in ’81. Short baggage cars like 1370 were often used on early consists of the Amtrak/VIA “Maple Leaf” and on some late editions of the “Niagara Rainbow”. They were originally US Army kitchen cars; the harsh lighting here highlights some plated-over windows beside the Amtrak arrow. If anyone remembers why the train was detouring over the N&NW spur, I would love to know.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 03:49:31 +0000

I have a lot of regrets not getting that Dofasco move but no one back then knew when it ran…. I would have waited for it…

But it does sound like it was mostly in darkness…

The only thing I ever got was a Dofasco engine parked at central shipping once… asked security if I could go closer, their answer was no, so I shot it from Brampton St. At least I have something, after all you have to be there

and now Stelco has ZERO locomotives, two of them were shipped out last week… they have nothing left.

By: homerjay84

homerjay84 — Sun, 02 May 2021 23:35:40 +0000

Correct, at some point it became a Saturday only move. At the time (2007-2010) I worked in Dofasco.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I would work in the whole Central shipping, tube mill, Galv area (I worked the waste truck).

The cars placed in the stub yard wouldn’t move all week then be in the Shipping Building by 10 am Saturdays.

My guess is the inbound move was morning and the out was sometime late Saturday as there would be a new bunch of cars on the Stubs by Tuesday….

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sun, 02 May 2021 18:10:49 +0000

I’d love to see it!!

IIRC Dofasco regularly sent locomotives over to Central Shipping until around 2012 or so… then it stopped.

Not to say it can’t happen again.. but I think everyone is using either CN Steel Centre or Railcare now…

By: homerjay84

homerjay84 — Sun, 02 May 2021 14:20:31 +0000

Stephen, the Dofasco Main Line was quite a line. You are correct in the length of it. In fact if you go down Kenilworth Ave and look east by the Dofasco pipe rack you can still see some of the Dofasco mainline in place (but the crossing lights are now on the ROW).

When it was removed Dofasco obtained trackage rights on the CN to get over to central shipping as it was the only part of the plant that still needed rail service other then the bayfront.

I have a 48 page PDF file of what the Dofasco map looked like in the 50′s, quite extensive.

By: Jacob Patterson

Jacob Patterson — Sat, 01 May 2021 21:38:24 +0000

Based on some Reg Button slides I’ve seen from 1981, this detour should be for a derailment at Ottawa Street on the Grimsby.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sat, 01 May 2021 17:15:33 +0000

This is cool. You can see switch for diamond that led to Adams yard where cp used it to cross cn to access dofasco behind the photographer.

The tracks at right would be the dofasco mainline, now removed and trucks. Some of the mainline is still in the weeds in places and of course just a bit east is a dofasco yard and mainline still in place and not in use.

The dofasco mainline stretched from near gage ave to central shipping once upon a time I am told.