Summertime at Smiths Falls, August 1983

A yearning to see CP put me on the road to Smiths Falls on August 3, 1983. My parents were travelling to Manitoba aboard VIA Rail, the only year I wasn't. Work was getting in the way. But at least there was no need to ask to borrow the car! Upon arrival at 1225, CP 5771-6012-5983 was setting out a Railbox boxcar in the yard. The train's van was CP 434445.

Emerging from the east, stripey CP 5672 led MLW's 4713-4503-8734, departing at 1320 with van 434419 on the tail-end. Feast your eyes on those multimarks in the yard. (You won't hear them referred to as 'Pac-Man' here on Trackside Treasure. Oops, I just did!)

Pulling in from 'Brockvegas' was  VIA 6775 with Club de la Garnision-5545-3225 at 1411.This train departed for Ottawa via that unique CP-CN connection at 1411, while emitting characteristic MLW smoke. It would be another three years before 6775 and 6758 would receive their snazzy blue VIA nose logos.

Coming in off the Chalk River Sub at 1610 was this eastbound pulled by CP 5918-5948. That station sign always let you know exactly where your photos were taken!

Last but least, the roadswitcher to Brockville with CP 8045 was switching at the east end of the yard.

With the afternoon drawing to a close, it was time to head back down Highway 15 to Kingston.

Running extra...

Two chance encounters with CN No 518, the Belleville-Kingston turn  revealed a 'hostler's choice' of motive power. Backing the eight-car train down to Invista was CN 4902, ex-GMTX 2254, nicely cleaned up with some new paint and thankfully non-brushpainted cab numbers. On the head-end was GTW 6425 on Monday, trailing on Wedneday. The train was crossing Centennial Boulevard behind Frontenac Mall, site of an earlier switcher stopped back in January, 1986 with high-nose CN 4487 and a crew gone into the mall for something to eat!

Kingston Railfair - October 22 - will mark the first time I'll have attended a train show in 2.5 years. The March, 2020 Kingston Rail-O-Rama was one of the very first casualties of the pandemic. Who knows what or who I'll find? That's a big 10-4 (those are also the hours of the show).