Comments on: The joys of this hobby… My intention was to have a leisurely day following GEXR 581 to Goderich. After arriving good and early in Stratford, and watching crows walk on RLK 4095 for over an hour, I threw in the towel shortly after 09:00 and headed for Salford. Is the crew for GEXR 581 not on duty at 08:00 anymore? Anyway, I got to Salford in time to watch the Woodstock turn’s crew fire up Ontario Southland’s RS18s 181 and 182, so chasing them became plan B. I’m sure the crew thought I was an idiot by the end of their day (if not well before), after I spent all day fighting clouds in an attempt to get a few semi-decent photos. Earlier in the day Mr. Bishop informed me that CP 7017 was leading CP 235, and I had kept that in the back of my mind. Now late-afternoon, I found out CP 235 was still at Wolverton so I decided to wait for it. Of course CP T69 scooped 235 while they were at Wolverton, and then worked Coakley, so 235 was at Wolverton for almost 2 hrs. After starting off as a mostly cloudy day, the intended targets not going as planned, the late-day unexpected photo op. ends up being the photo of the day. The lengthy CP 235 finally showed slowly rounding the curve at Coakley, approaching Woodstock, in nice evening light. Gotta love it.

By: NiagaraMike11

NiagaraMike11 — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:49:22 +0000

Really nice shot!

By: rsmith

rsmith — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 01:22:55 +0000

Thank you Mr. Mooney. Lucky too, a week later and CP now has a long string of autoracks stored in the siding.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:35:07 +0000

Just a marvelous image, Mr. Smith !

By: rsmith

rsmith — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:53:49 +0000

Thanks. Good to know. Thank you Mr. Noe.

By: Noe

Noe — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 22:47:10 +0000

Nice shot Rob.

Yes it seems this summer that Monday-Tuesday are better bets for GEXR to run as well as Saturday’s. On Thursday and Friday’s, the Stratford guys tend to cover the GJR out of Guelph Jct.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:11:04 +0000

Wow nuts. Two summers ago 7 days a week….

I got them on July 10 (Saturday) this year while having a family gathering in Bayfield, 23 cars coming off the branch too.

By: rsmith

rsmith — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 15:00:16 +0000

Thanks Steve, news to me. I’ve since been informed that in the summer GEXR runs even less, maybe only 1-2 days per week.

By: Joseph Bishop

Joseph Bishop — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 00:16:48 +0000

Yup, this rocks.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 23:58:34 +0000

Rob, I’m informed GEXR runs as required out of Stratford, no longer 7 days a week.

They are about a 3-4 day a week operation from what I can tell and timing is basically the same as it was otherwise. Just have to get them on a day they run and have a crew.

By: mberry

mberry — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 15:19:15 +0000

7017 looks fresher than most of the 7000′s.