Comments on: Rounding the curve at Washago is what I would consider now the ‘old style’ freight; with lots of power up front, as in 5 GP-40-2L wide nose, a caboose, and a long string of boxcars. Power is CN 9426, 9619, 9654, 9447, 9605 and 4521. The roof of the station can be seen behind the first three box.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:38:06 +0000

@Dave..I worked lots of those KO jobs, including the one that went over to the CPR to Leaside via Oriole on the Bala Sub.
Most of the freight work ran out of Sarnia, London and Belleville. Apparently it was because Toronto South used to have most of the passenger trains so when CN covered both, they gave the freight work to the other terminals and of course when the passenger trains were gone Toronto never got back the work.
Actually Toronto South had lots of freight work after the demise of 730/731 and at one time we had 7 hoggers and 4 vans in the chain gang. There were 3 trains a day out of Oshawa, 275, 273, 271, plus inbound empties on 332, 276 and other. We also had the Ecorail to Montreal. Numerous “stack trains” to Buffalo and 145 to Buffalo with a stop at BIT. We had 338/339 and a Pt Rob turn, plus 570. Plus we had so many rescues of trains that died out on the road and the odd Sarnia and Belleville job. Toronto South used to be crazy busy.

By: Dave Brook

Dave Brook — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 22:46:55 +0000

Yes, North End had all the good jobs. 221-217-219, 311, 313, 309, 471 and they stuck me on KO11 while training by accident. South End freight was ugly in Toronto; freight pool had 730, 415 and the Paris slag jobs as the only good runs; anything Sarnia was based in Sarnia, Windsor was London, and everything except 392-292 was based in Belleville and you needed 400 years seniority to hold those. How I can remember that but not where my car keys are is something of a mystery.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 02:26:53 +0000

Yes sir…it did not happen very often but once in awhile.We could say no if we did not want to go. I only went once to North Bay on 129 and came back on the TEE train on xmas day. #1 and 2 to and from Sudbury and 718 to Utoff. When i became a hogger they kept bugging me to work to Caperol or back.. i told them to stuff it lol

By: Dave Brook

Dave Brook — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 01:24:08 +0000

Phil.. so things go to a point where south end crews got to work the odd north end job? I was a “C” man, so the only way I saw anything just on the south side was if the world fell apart.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 22:03:22 +0000

@railway guy: Speaking of the steamboats on the Muskoka lakes; I remember when we had a place on Miller island (a few minutes up the west side from the Steamer Docks) as a kid I used to watch them sale past with big black clouds of smoke ….finally I was able to get permission to use the rowboat (I was about 12) I went all the way down to the south end of the island to watch the steamboats go by. Good childhood memories. I think they plied the lake from Gravenhurst to Bracebridge back then.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 17:06:36 +0000

Awww Snake, thanks. I am touched. I guess you know all about being lowly…LOL

By: Snake2

Snake2 — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 16:57:15 +0000

@Cap’tn Hall…just “lowly” would be a fair description.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 16:50:47 +0000

@railwayguy. LOL now you have made me smile. I was not the engineer back then, just a lowly brakeman. Normally north end tail end crews work #1 and #2 from Toronto to Sudbury and return. The crew office asked if I wanted to work #1 to Sudbury and #2 back. Me being a railfan said “hell ya”. I took #1 to Sudbury that afternoon, stayed overnight and brought #2 south for Toronto. Before we got to Washago my conductor told me we had to make two stops to detrain passengers. One in the coach and another in the sleeping car. I looked after the sleeping car. After the passenger got off i gave the head end a highball to go. LOL well wouldn’t ya know it, the conductor got off the train at the station and did not tell me he was doing that. I heard him call the engineers and tell them to stop and come back to pick him up.
So as per the rule I had to be on the last car when backing up to control the movement. Well of course that car was a Budd Park car. So there I was in that classic car backing up with all the passengers around. Of course they were wondering why we were reversing and I told them we forgot the conductor. Well when the train stopped and the conductor got onboard I got a big round of applause.
A memory I had almost forgotten . You may just have been that guy getting off at Washago!
Thanks for that Railwayguy

By: railwayguy

railwayguy — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 16:08:11 +0000

ngineered4u, I am smiling ! You may have been the engineer on VIA 1 the day I disembarked at Washago (the only 1). Two stops, one for me and embarking coach passengers and second stop for a few travelling in sleeping car. Gave me time to take a number of pictures and set up for one of the dome-lounge-observation Park car. Always fun to watch #1 stopping in Washago, and looking toward the day can take ride on #1 again.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:56:13 +0000

Yes sir Washago has changed alot. I remember being the brakeman on #1 and stopping there to detrain passengers. The train was so big we had to make two stops!
And of course Washago was the junction with the Newmarket and Bala Subs. Now the track is all gone in the Newmarket all the way to Barrie