Welcome Visitor. First time here? Like what you see? Bookmark us for when you are bored, and check out 'top shots' and 'fantastic (editors choice)' in the menu above, you won't be dissapointed. Join our community! click here to sign up for an account today. Sick of this message? Get rid of it by logging-in here.



While primarily a passenger carrier, freight was an important source of revenue in the early days of the LPS, particularly coal which was brought across Lake Erie from Ashtabula, Ohio and then conveyed to London on the LPS where it was widely used as fuel in steam locomotives and as home heating fuel.  As diesel locomotives replaced steam and as natural and gas and electricity replaced coal, freight traffic declined in relative importance.  Freight trains were, for the most part, hauled by locomotives such as L1 pictured here in London but now preserved at the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas.  Having said that, the writer recalls riding a single LPS car from London to St. Thomas not long before passenger service ended.  A loaded box car in London was urgently needed in St. Thomas.  Rather than wait for the next freight run, the passenger car paused in London, coupled to the box car and off we went.  With the added weight, performance was a bit sluggish and arrival in St. Thomas was a few minutes late.  But I had ridden on an electric interurban railway mixed passenger and freight train. Priceless!
Copyright Notice: This image ©Julian Bernard all rights reserved.



Caption: While primarily a passenger carrier, freight was an important source of revenue in the early days of the LPS, particularly coal which was brought across Lake Erie from Ashtabula, Ohio and then conveyed to London on the LPS where it was widely used as fuel in steam locomotives and as home heating fuel. As diesel locomotives replaced steam as natural gas and electricity replaced coal, freight traffic declined in relative importance. Freight trains were, for the most part, hauled by locomotives such as L1 pictured here in London but now preserved at the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas. Having said that, the writer recalls riding a single LPS car from London to St. Thomas not long before passenger service ended. A loaded box car in London was urgently needed in St. Thomas. Rather than wait for the next freight run, the passenger car paused in London, coupled to the box car and off we went. With the added weight, performance was a bit sluggish and arrival in St. Thomas was a few minutes late. But I had ridden on an electric interurban railway mixed passenger and freight train. Priceless!

Photographer:
Julian Bernard [23] (more) (contact)
Date: 06/20/1954 (search)
Railway: London and Port Stanley (search)
Reporting Marks: LPS L1 (search)
Train Symbol: Not Provided
Subdivision/SNS: London (search)
City/Town: London (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
Share Link: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=9561
Click here to Log-in or Register and add your vote.

12 Favourites
Photographers like Gold.Log-in or Register to show appreciation
View count: 3906 Views

Share this image on Facebook, Twitter or email using the icons below
Photo ID: 8609

Map courtesy of Open Street Map

Full size | Suncalc
Note: Read why maps changed. Suncalc.net for reference only.

All comments must be positive in nature and abide by site rules. Anything else may be removed without warning.

One Comment
  1. Hi Julian, great picture and very enjoyable caption. It looks to me that 2nd motor is L&PS L2, which today graces the entrance to HCRR Rockwood Museum. I too rode on a L&PS interurban Mixed Train. I took 8mm movie film footage on Sat Aug 14, 1956 of morning L&PS 2-car train from London ( interurbans 8 & 14 ) shoving L&PS box car 302 around the curve and up the siding to the St Thomas NYC (ex-MCRR/Canada Southern ) depot. Apparently the box car was being parked there for express to be transferred to/from NYC passenger trains. Am having this footage transferred to a computer stick for future posting hopefully on HCCR Museum web site. Thanks for sharing and keep well. John Freyseng

Railpictures.ca © 2006-2023 all rights reserved. Photographs are copyright of the photographer and used with permission
Terms and conditions | About us