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My dad had gone to Copetown this day to photograph trains on the Dundas Subdivision that were passing the empty space where normally the Inksetter Road bridge would be. At the time, the bridge was undergoing a complete overhaul and the road was closed at each end, making Copetown an even quieter spot for road traffic while the construction was happening. That day he shot the usual trains as would have been seen at the time, including NS 327 and NS 328, however there was one he photographed I wish I had been there for. It was a westbound Southern Ontario Railway (SOR) train with RLK 1200 and RLK 1752 heading-up the grade with cars for either Brantford or Paris from Hamilton. He does have photo of them returning as light power some-time after, so I imagine they set the cars off in Brantford and headed back east. This was the only time I had ever seen photos of SOR taking an actual train up the grade from Hamilton on the Dundas Subdivision; however it might have happened prior and maybe others on this site have even seen it.  Also, if anyone has any additional information on this move it would be appreciated and I also wish I had the exact date.
Copyright Notice: This image ©Carl Noe (Collection of Jason Noe) all rights reserved.



Caption: My dad had gone to Copetown this day to photograph trains on the Dundas Subdivision that were passing the empty space where normally the Inksetter Road bridge would be. At the time, the bridge was undergoing a complete overhaul and the road was closed at each end, making Copetown an even quieter spot for road traffic while the construction was happening. That day he shot the usual trains as would have been seen at the time, including NS 327 and NS 328, however there was one he photographed I wish I had been there for. It was a westbound Southern Ontario Railway (SOR) train with RLK 1200 and RLK 1752 heading-up the grade with cars for either Brantford or Paris from Hamilton. He does have photo of them returning as light power some-time after, so I imagine they set the cars off in Brantford and headed back east. This was the only time I had ever seen photos of SOR taking an actual train up the grade from Hamilton on the Dundas Subdivision; however it might have happened prior and maybe others on this site have even seen it. Also, if anyone has any additional information on this move it would be appreciated and I also wish I had the exact date.

Photographer:
Carl Noe (Collection of Jason Noe) [916] (more) (contact)
Date: Fall 1998 (search)
Railway: Southern Ontario Railway (search)
Reporting Marks: RLK 1200 (Southern Ontario Railway) (search)
Train Symbol: Not Provided
Subdivision/SNS: CN Dundas Subdivision/CN Guelph Subdivision (search)
City/Town: Copetown (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
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7 Comments
  1. Very neat shot Jason/Carl. Ironic, as just a few weeks ago I was discussing with a friend the surprising lack of shots I’ve seen of SOR on the Dundas Sub, especially since it was somewhat common when SOR was serving Ingenia towards the end of SOR in Hamilton. I also think it’s significant to see 1200 (particularly on the main line) since I don’t think I operated very long out of Hamilton.

  2. This is amazing – Curious if this was a one time move or a regular occurrence before the steel train started.

    I have photographs of transfers on the Cowpath in the mid 2000′s – light power moves. Which is surprising as the steel train ran 6 days a week. After it stopped the transfers continued – they were rare but I don’t know how often they ran or if the Steel Train would have handled any of the transfers in the day.

    the steel train started around 2000 though so in 1998 the arrangement must have been different.

    In the Ingenia days (2015-2018) what I was told is CN forbade running freight between Hamilton and Brantford, they were motive power transfers only, but that required 598 to switch cars in Brantford yard and CN had to deliver cars there – which did not work out due to time constraints. In the final years the cars would originate in Hamilton yard then travel to/from Brantford on the 598 so they could go straight down the branch with no switching and go straight back to Hamilton saving time. All motive power transfers seemed to occur on the Ingenia runs during this period also.

    After Ingenia stopped SOR ran light power transfers a few times a year, and did a surprising number of them leading up to the end of the lease.

    All the power transfers were likely due the home shop in Hamilton for the entire RLHH.

    But I have no idea what the mixed freight would have been in 1998 :) Hence the surprise. One thing I do recall is in this time SOR switched the Brantford yard (and Brantford end of the Hagersville) and the 10 mile burford spur – that was all given back to CN as condition for the steel train IMHO in 2000.

  3. Yep, that’s a weird one. I saw a ballast train with all CP hoppers come up from Hamilton once but the Procor tank car is unusual. I would assume that’s cars for Nanticoke, so why were they set off in Hamilton for SOR to take to Brantford? Odd.

  4. What was the CN Steel train Stephen? Where did it run? I know the old TH&B/CP steel train swap out with CN on Hagersville and Waterford subs, The former on the not connected now to Hamilton and the latter no longer… Interesting thread. Love the slug in the lead.

  5. It was a joint CN/SOR venture similar to the CP/TH&B steel train in the 80′s – for the same customer except this ran 2000-2010.

    http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=8992

    IMHO SOR/CN supplied 50% each motive power for this run why some CN power was assigned to SOR in that period. Sometimes the CN power was used on locals too. It ran via the cowpath to Brantford, run-around in the yard, then down the Hagersville, 6 days a week.

    RLHH 598/599 was the train symbol. 598 ran at night (sometimes arriving around 0800) and 599 was generally a mid to late afternoon departure.

  6. Thanks for all the comments everyone and history of SOR previous operations Steve.

  7. I only know some of the history from 2000 onward… prior to that.. no idea.. since it was only 2-3 years… I think you’re solving some of it here but still many questions.

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