Caption: Word on the street was GEXR was running an export special one January 2007 weekend, a hot movement on a cold day, so it was decided to head downtown to try to catch it. Being a weekend in winter, downtown was somewhat dull and lifeless, so we tried our luck elsewhere along the line. At one of my favourite "Signature Spots" to visit, VIA #84 showed up on-time with P42DC 911 cruising into downtown Brampton with 4 LRC cars in tow, passing the switch where the Dixie Cup Spur branched off the Halton Sub at Mile 16.01. The rear LRC is just clearing the short Fletcher's Creek bridge, located between Chris Gibson Park and Fairglen Park, and the train will soon be slowing for the diamond and its station stop.

A light coating of snow covers the Dixie Cup Spur, which was still a going concern at the time (switch still in place, Georgia-Pacific still receiving cars) but not for much longer. This was just before grading began for adding a third track in the foreground, and the Dixie Cup Spur switch was removed and never put back (everything eventually ripped out). It had been the final westernmost siding in Brampton, and required local freights originating from the east to venture through downtown Brampton, including adding extra traffic to the single-track Peel-Brampton East section, in order to service G-P. I always admired that nicely groomed tall hedge by the tracks on the right, and the old rickety-looking wooden powerline poles along this stretch were a nice touch (later all upgraded).

As hindsight would have it, I should have stayed here, as by the time I hiked over to Chinguacousy Rd. overpass via some of the local side streets, the aforementioned GEXR train just sped by - with the usual GEXR 4-axle power but just a single unlettered green Class 66 for Freightliner in the UK. Expecting more units, it was not that big of a loss, and more CN freights plus VIA #85 provided enough entertainment to make the afternoon eventful before it got too cold and snowy to stay out any longer.