Springtime in Smiths Falls,1995

While scanning some of my Dad's prints for an earlier post on VIA F40s being leased by CP, I decided to scan all the other photos he took at Smiths Falls, ON that day - April 14, 1995. His photos are a time capsule from a period during which rebuilt and unrebuilt MLWs, American lease units and the leased VIA units all arrived on freights in the span of about seven hours. Some of the prints are faded in places, likely before mounting in his photo album. I've included his captions including train nomenclature wherever possible. 

Westbound containers with 1831, HLCX 5010 (ex-VMV/MP 3038/MP 738) arrived 10:25. The consist included a service power car (former boxcar), 14 flats with living accommodation huts, and 22 auto racks, 7 of which were not enclosed (above). Below - Showing a Stolt tank container (TTAX 653503). This train left at 11:05.

1860 North from Brockville to Smiths Falls with 4 cars arrived 11:35.

Eastbound 5737 with PNCX 3026 (ex-UP) with containers, flats, double stacks, spine cars arrived 11:40 (flashing EOT unit!)

5595, VIA 6457  with box cars, hoppers, auto racks, spine cars and flats arrived westbound at 11:15. The units lifted 11 cars from the yard and left with over 100 cars at 12:30. Cut of 11 cars has been added behind the units. Departure is delayed because of expected VIA trains 43 south and 40 north which will meet at Smiths Falls

43 South with 6420, 7 coaches, and 6404 on the rear, is making a stop at Smiths Falls on its way to Brockville and Toronto.

43 South is now in the distance as it takes branchline, Smiths Falls - Brockville. While 43 is in the station, 40 North is on track nearest the station. [I added some detail to the photo]

Eastbound 5679, SOO 6611, 5747 stopped east of the station near the Chambers Street overpass. This train left about 13:20. Behind the three units was a five-unit doublestack, each unit of which had high ends.

4227 eastbound with three cars proceeds to the station about 13:45. It had likely been doing local switching east of Smiths Falls:

Conductor has removed the end-of-train unit and is going to the Smiths Falls yard office in the station. After some switching, 4227 left at 18:50 behind 5919 and 4721 for the Chalk River Sub with about 40 cars.

Running extra...

At Smiths Falls, Belleville and elsewhere, yards are emptying. Local customers are fewer but generally ship more. Run-through freights reduce dwell times and online work. Tracks are lifted and capacity shrinks. Intermodal grows as boxcar numbers shrink. Oh, and did I mention the bulk boom including oil? CN No 305 with oil empties on the head-end enters Belleville on September 19:

The Picton train show did not disappoint. Peter Macdonald, Peter Mumby and Panther Hobbies were stops at this curling rink show. The face of the hobby is changing. Detailed plastic is the new brass, junk cars seem even junkier, slides and prints are virtually absent and the written word is giving way to online sources. As long as Peter Mumby is there, I will buy photo prints! Rolling stock! VIA! GMDL! And CN's London Reclamation Yard? Soon to appear on Peter, Don and George's White River Division blog in my sidebar? 

The Glenora ferry hosted the Canadian Paramedic Memorial Ride. Vehicles and riders from Toronto to Ottawa crossed the Adolphus Reach without pedalling, on their four-day cycle.

It's time to downsize. I'm ready to part with my western Canada scratchbuilt and kitbashed structures. They were fun to build and took me back to the Prairies, at least in HO scale. I believe I can better use the shelf space now.