Summertime in Brockville

On August 29, a visit to Brockville station netted a few interesting trains; it was a question of quality not necessarily quantity! Mornings are usually full of CN freights, but not this day. Upon arrival at the station at 0830, CN 4808-4792 crossed over from the south yard with a single tank car into the north yard. The two units returned with what looked like a setout from a road freight plus some empties for an east lift:
-GATX 57855 tank car with ethers for Rohmax in Morrisburg
-WACX 15019 phosphoric acid tank car
-FURX 863318 and 863317 Greenfield ethanol covered hoppers for Johnstown ethanol facility
-TILX 636626 and 636334 tank cars also for Greenfield
-CNLX 7618 and 7206 covered hoppers
-CNA 415801 and 412351 boxcars carrying aluminum ingots
-HPJX 52341 and 52221 short-bulkhead flatcars
-CN 618052, 618164 and 618099 flatcars
-FURX 863314 Greenfield ethanol covered hopper
-PROX 43120 tank car for Evonik/Invista in Maitland
-BR 50284 and HS 61629 empty Cornwall boxcars for the CP
-SHPX 450348 empty covered hopper for Ingredion/Casco in Cardinal
-EVOX (ex-DUPX) 17024 hydrogen peroxide tank car also for Maitland

These Helm-Pacific short-bulkhead flat cars from HPJX 52200-52399 were built by National Steel Car. A private car fleet, they are replacing the CN 618000-series cars that handle the Brockville aluminum traffic from Arvida QC to Brockville for transshipment for furtherance by truck to New York state.

Speaking of which, here's CN 618164! The CN Brockville Metals Distribution Centre formed a handy and relevant backdrop for these photos, taken to the east of Brockville's VIA station.

The two CN covered hoppers bore "BROCK" lettering in square, orange decals applied beneath the reporting marks. The following week they were spotted at the Axens alumina facility on California Avenue. Special thanks to Chris De Vries for providing additional information (see his comment on this post).

Two non-stop VIA trains scooted west before my McDonald's coffee got cold by 0900:
-VIA No 53: 6448-3452-3321Ren-3348Ren
-VIA No 43: 910-3601-3351-3318-3314
Then appearing from Ottawa is VIA No 51: 918-3458-3337-3366-3311. Weeds where once the Leaky Roof Railway trod:

An eastbound, likely CN No 368 was eastbound at 0940 with engines 2680-5535. While CN trains 368 and 369 usually handle Brockville lifts and set-outs, it would soon be 376's turn. Business Class passengers boarded as the new triple-track signals beckoned:

An eastbound VIA J-train comprising No 50 to Montreal via Ottawa, and No 52 via the Kingston Sub pulled in. Quickly, the second crew disembarked from newly-refurbished Business Class car 3475 and headed up to VIA 6459 to make the cut.

Finally, something different from the legions of LRC cars (OK, the few LRC cars completed by IRSI in Moncton stand out too, but this one is really SOMETHING!)

A grim, grizzled VIA veteran made the cut while his mate had already ascended to the cab. This is not just any look-alike F40. This is the unit that was never built! 

The unit formerly known as 6403, VIA was concerned that the actual locomotive would achieve some sort of notoriety after being featured on the reverse of the new polymer $10 bill. So, they changed the number! Of course! But 6459 was never ordered by VIA Rail nor built by GMDL. It is a fictional unit! I noticed something that proved its non-identity:

One more view of the vivacious 3475 as the train is about to depart eastward. I couldn't resist a flashback to an earlier era, when Brockville was a flashpoint of VIA activity! Trains were joined, trains were separated. This actually spawned ideas for three future posts...Then and Now - VIA on the Kingston Sub, VIA Splits Trains, and VIA Paint Schemes. 

Feast your eyes on these accompanying shots of passenger train switching activity in Brockville, as found in an Ebay auction slide. A natty white-shoed club car denizen and hat-wearing crewman on the platform replaced in 2013 by a railfan and more weeds!

A westbound intermodal, likely CN No 149 dashed west at 1010 behind 5603-5698. CN No 532 has been switching out of sight in Brockville's yard for two hours, conducting their business in French, including conversation with the CN Montreal dispatcher. Their train soon headed east, where its slow progress would stab the soon-to-depart CN No 376 east of Maitland while VIA No 57 approached. No 532's consist:
-AGR 77190, 6326, 77764 and 78903 boxcars for Prescott's Kriska warehouse
-EVOX 17021, DUPX 27007, PROX 43120, EVOX 17024 and GATX 57855 tank cars for Evonik/Invista in Maitland

Speaking of which, here's the power from No 376: 8889 and 2187. Their train safely ensconced to the west, they pulled east to cross over and set out three tank cars:
-ACFX 71210 feed for Morrisburg town spur
-PROX 42151 and GATX 24829 for Invista.

Inspired by Adam Walker, here's the signal bungalow at Perth, showing us the Kingston Sub mileage:

Reversing west, the conductor employed immaculate radio communication with the hogger.

A former BNSF unit now at home on CN rails, 2187:

Emerging from the yard to the station, No 376's power lifted some empty flat cars that No 532 switched onto track KF62, totalling 263 tons and 382 feet:

-HPJX 52341 and 52221
-CN 618052, 618164, 618099 and 618015.

With that, there were other matters to attend to in the City of the Thousand Islands...but I shall return.

Running extra...

Mark Perry of Winnipeg posted a photo showing the demolition of the NM Paterson & Sons grain elevator in Marquette, Manitoba (see right sidebar for Mark's 365 Project).

I stood at almost the same spot in 1984, when the elevator was still handling grain along CP's Carberry Sub:

And another one's gone and another one's gone, another one bites the dust.