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Caption: On April 4, 1995, the Canadian Transportation Agency had issued Order No. 1995-R-122, which officially gave CN permission to abandon all operations of the entirety of the Newton Subdivision from Stratford (mileage 1.17) to Palmerston at mileage 36.62. The order also included 1.41 miles of the mostly previously removed Kincardine Subdivision as well as a segment of the Owen Sound Subdivision from Palmerston (mileage 0.00) to Owen Sound (mileage 71.43) which encompassed a total distance of 108.29 miles. In short, CN was given permission to abandon and remove the last remaining pieces of the historic Bruce branchline’s from the once dominant railway city of Stratford, Ontario.
This trackage lay in place for almost a full year until it was determined by CN that the heavy rails between Harriston and Listowel were required on other parts of their system vs. being scrapped. So in turn at end of March 1996 a lengthy empty rail train had reportedly arrived in the Stratford yard.
With all signs pointed to the rail train being destined for Palmerston on the following Monday I had basically begged my dad to call in sick for me to school so I would be able to photograph it. At that time there was no internet, no cell phones or texting so all breaking railway news was basically conveyed through phone calls or updates from the train crews themselves. As much as I wanted to tell my dad that this was a sure thing so he could make the call, there was a chance it wasn’t even going to happen that day. Thankfully, early that morning he made the decision to call my high school and mark me down as sick. With the final approval, a friend and I then drove to Stratford where all the unknowns would be answered. Not long after arrival, CN GP9RM’s 4140 and 4115 departed the yard at Newton Junction hauling the complete rail train eventually destined for Palmerston.
Under an overcast sky as the last remnants of winter gave way to spring, two foremen protecting are seen prepared to protect the aging crossing with CN 4140 and 4115 slowly approaching Perth County Road 119, just north of Straford on the Newton Subdivision. From here, the same road had paralleled the line for several miles north towards the small towns which CN had served for decades with the rusty rails traversing through Ontario’s farmland to legendary Palmerston.
A solid thank you dad as the chase would begin.
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Wow….a trip down memory lane. Although sad, but the time this happened I had moved away about 8 years earlier. Still great memories for two reasons..
First, I was born in Palmerston. Well, no hospital in Palmerston so it was Listowel. But, my folks had an apartment on William Street, above the (then) CIBC bank on Main Street where my Dad worked. They say I knew when supper was, as the 6pm freight would blow its horn (this is pure legend…unless someone can confirm the schedule lol).
Secondly, to the right of the train was s bus facility, where my Mom first got licensed to drive school bus. So many a memory within this area, as we moved there in August 1985 and moved away in May 1988.
Of note, although no longer there I presume…is that somewhere past the airport heading north…is a heavily forested area along 119 on the right hand side. At one point, an old CN van was stored in the area and was visible from the highway. Might have been a hunting cabin….or…something?
Glad your Dad let you do this….because as we know that with time, these memories and photos become all the more sentimental. Well done.
Thanks for the comment Todd and for your memories as well.
That’s neat about the bus facility on the right. The building appears to still be there, although more modern when I checked on Google Maps to get a current view of the area. That’s interesting about the old CN van too.
Historic.