Trackside Treasure Ninth Anniversary

Canada's Sesquicentennial year 2017 has not brought with it the patriotic fervor and unbridled optimism that the 1967 Centennial year did. In fact, Canadian media and populace alike have done much better at saying 'Canada 150' than they have 'Sesquicentennial'. I certainly did not overdo it here on Trackside Treasure, though I did publish this 150 list for Canada Day! Another much smaller, though no less meaningful anniversary is Trackside Treasure's ninth. Nine years is a long time in cyberspace. I reckon nine cyber-years equal about 126 real-time years. Attention spans are short these days...hey, was that a bird flying by? Now what was I saying?

Oh yes, I suppose it's easy to just sit on a beach with one's toes in the sand cranking out blog posts all day. Or living in some dusty drawing room surrounded by a world-class research library cranking out blog posts all day. Or in the case of Trackside Treasure, sitting on my sofa with a lukewarm coffee, keeping one eye on CNN, wondering whether it's time to cut the lawn again, arguing with my wife and cranking out blog posts all day. But no man is an island (though some are peninsulas - and once in a while you come across one who is a total and complete isthmus!).

I'm surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (I'm not quite dead yet!) who check in to Trackside Treasure (but they don't check out) read, look at photos, enjoy my folksy approach and tolerate my (somewhat-frequent) overuse of parenthetical statements. (I don't think it's that bad, actually.) Not to mention the additionally addictive alliteration (made an assonance of myself just then, didn't I?) They comment, they suggest, they send emails. They do everything but write this stuff. But it all helps. Then there are my sterling blog partners who share my sidebar and I hope you peruse their blogs periodically as I do: Chris, Dave, George, Marc, Steve, John, Bernard, Edd, Michael et Matthieu. My fellow bloggers have pride-of-place and I thank them for their plethoric published posts and prized partnerships.

I'd like to thank my family, but they just left me with a parting fond farewell which I will herein paraphrase: "Enough of your train crap!" I can't tell you how many times I sweetly ask my kids whether they have read up about Subject X on Trackside Treasure, and they equally sweetly reply, "No." I truly think they're just saying that, then rush to check my latest post on their tiny, pocket-borne mobile device while I continue to bang away on my aging laptop, and scanning 4x6 prints. So, thanks to all of you for truly making this another great year here on Trackside Treasure!

People say to me all the time, "Eric, how do you find the time?" Easy. I don't exercise and I call in sick. A lot. Seriously (if that's still possible at this point) I truly enjoy blogging and I see no end in sight! Plus, I have to keep this bad boy on life support at least until the tenth anniversary next year! Speaking of anniversary years...actually speaking of dogs, I once had a dog. His name was Segue....

Of course this laboriously long-winded post is going somewhere. The ninth anniversary, CANADA 150-themed contest is in here someplace. But first, I want to talk about Canadian railway books. I just finished two. One I created but haven't read cover-to-cover, and the other I didn't create but just read cover-to-cover. Of course the former is Trackside with VIA: Research & Recollections which I released in April of this year. It was my winter project, released five years since my previous three books on VIA Rail. If you haven't picked up your copy yet - this VIAphile bible is available from me directly or you can pick up a copy at George's Trains, Central Hobbies, or with your next Rapido Trains order.

The latter book to which I refer is Steven Manders' The First Spike. A bookend volume to Pierre Berton's The Last Spike? No, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the railways and other early transportation links of the Kingston area. Steven has done a wonderful job weaving together the myriad threads of the Kingston & Pembroke, Bay of Quinte, Brockville & Westport and other early local railways. More remarkably, Steven actually left his cozy confines to go out and uncover the ruins, re-discover the roadbeds, metal-detect the artifacts, map the routes on foot, by water and even airborne of which he writes.

                                              

The result is equal parts transportation history, geographic exploration and education, social history and personal memoir. Presented in a professional yet conversational tone, wish historic artwork and Steven's own colourful photographs. The result is an engaging exploration of things past in my home region. In his enthusiasm, there is some unedited repetition here and there, but this is due to the sheer volume of facts, photos and writing contained in the book. Professionally-printed by Friesens of Altona, this two-pound tome is available at Kingston's Novel Idea bookstore or from Steven himself. Steven is actively promoting his book at community events and he and his wife Merna deserve special mention for transporting the 6,000-pound book shipment home! I highly recommend The First Spike - at a fair price of under $40.

                                    

Now on to the contest. Speaking of contests and speaking of books, this year the prize for the anniversary contest is a complimentary copy of my latest Trackside with VIA: Research & Recollections.  If you already have a copy, choose a copy of any one of my previous three books (there, another copy out of the basement!) And if you have all of them, thank you! I'll find something else to send you.

Since you've read this far (hey, Canada took 150 years to get where it is today, so this feels almost as long!) you'll be happy to know there are actually three contests this year. To win the prize, you must successfully complete ALL THREE. The first correct response received via email or comment on this post makes you the winner. The three contests are:

1. Photo challenge

2. Multiple choice challenge 

3. Word scramble challenge. 

Now, GO!

1. Photo challenge! What do these two photos have in common?

2. Multiple choice challenge! Increasingly obscure questions - the correct answers in sequence will form a significant word!

When was Canadian National Railways formed?
A) 1910
B) 1912
C) 1919 to 1923
D) 1914

In what year was Canadian Pacific Railway's last spike was driven home?
A)1885
B)1886
C)1895
D)1985

What was the overall length of a CLC-built CPR D-10 steam locomotive?
A) 26'7"
B) 83'11 "
C )32'1 "
N )55'1"

The Toronto Terminals Railway was incorporated on July 13 of what year?
A) 1906
B) 1926
C) 1936
D) 1946

How many stops did CN train No 690/691 make between North Battleford and Edmonton in 1968?
A) 7
B) 11
C) 16
D) 24

How many Trackside Treasure posts are currently only in draft form?
A) 49
B) 159
C) 169
D) 432

3. Word scramble challenge! Solve both these Jumbles:

and this one, too! Fun!

Thanks for participating. Hope you had fun! 

Good luck! 

Thanks for being aboard Trackside Treasure!

-Eric

Legal Disclaimer: Not valid in St Pierre et Miquelon, northern South Dakota or southern North Dakota. Riding any type of powersports vehicle can be a dangerous activity and is done at your own risk. Do not read while sleeping. Do not ride your bicycle or operate light equipment after reading. Contents may be hot. !Muy muy caliente! May cause irritation to the digestive system or even the thinking system. To reduce the risk of personal injury, do not open door while appliance is spinning. You must meet minimum height requirement to ride this ride. This is not a competition, only an exhibition. So please, no wagering.

Kingston-Toronto Return Trip, July 2017 Pt 2

In Part 1 of this trip to Toronto, I was under the trainshed at Toronto Union Station. Why? With some time on my hands, I had gone to the GO Transit ticket counter and purchased a round trip ticket to Oshawa. Not a bad bargain for $10 each way and over two hours of entertrainment! Ensconced in cab car 351 going, the 1343 departure was underpopulated and understandably quiet. The large GO maintenance facility just west of Oshawa is taking shape:

CN 2880 was leading a westbound train of all auto racks west of Oshawa. Perhaps CN No 271 or 371, just as the GO line split from the CN. Video here.

It's not until you disembark at Oshawa that you realize what a long tangent track runs west of there. In the distance is Gerdau (former LASCO) Steel. CN is at left, GO is at right at CN Oshawa North:

An inbound GO consist approaches as signals wink in the afternoon humidity. I railfanned from the station until time to catch a westbound GO train back to Toronto Union thence home to Kingston on VIA No 48:

GO units 615 and 648 both brought eastbound consists to Oshawa during my time there. VIA No 44 also made a station stop: 6456-3451-3356Canada 150-3300R-3332R. I ascended the many, many flights of stairs to get this view from the over-track walkway:

Looking east, CN's tracks pass under the CP (now seldom used to serve the GM plant) while CN 7274-4768 drilled the yard, at right:

Another light from the west: it's CN 8852 eastbound with CN No 306 just approaching the walkway. The DP unit was 8946:

Passing under the CP:

GO consists and a double-decker congregate:

This former DuPont facility in Whitby used to host SCLAIR covered hoppers:

This is an onboard view of the Rouge River bridge at Rouge Hill made famous by Mark Sampson's Ebay photo of the Corridor Canadian, hauled by back-to-back LRC locomotives, taken here. The paddlers and rock-skippers below have no idea of the historical significance of this location in our collective voyage of discoVIAery:

Back at Toronto Union - GO 561. One never knows when the last F59PH wheel will roll in GO service:

The Toronto Railway Museum's latest exhibit: GO single level coach 104 in Condo Canyon. The free sample at Steam Whistle Brewery slaked my thirst before I slyly shilly-shallied around, surreptitiously aligning the GO commuter shelter to block the wooden steps leading up to the car's doors!

Another view of the business end:

Back at the trainshed, GO 324 and VIA 903 co-mingle, reminding me of David P Morgan's piece debating whether locomotives talk to each other or not, in such situations:

VIA No 48's consist was 910C-3463-3329C-3335-3303R-3305R-912, with a few-minute-late arrival back in the Limestone City.

Some more videos taken this day:

• Oshawa switchers
• Four GO Transit trains at once!
• St Mary's Cement eastbound

Running extra...

Coming somewhat soon - Trackside Treasure's ninth anniversary. That's 487 posts posted so far, with 49 posts still in draft form. Yes, there will be a contest. Yes, there will be a prize. Yes, the contest will be challenging. Fun fact - the overall length of a CPR D-10 steam locomotive, built here in Kingston at Canadian Locomotive Company was 55 feet, 1 inch. Just sayin'.

Another new book! Kingston's Steven Manders has just released The First Spike which covers Kingston and area's early railway heritage. Watch for an upcoming review and more information.

Turn-overs, do-overs and roll-overs. I'll use one in a sentence and two in photos....'This team has produced more turn-overs than Pepperidge Farm! Rapido Trains Inc. retro ad, reminding us of early Model Railroader ad content:

 Too fast on the 'Highway 38' off-ramp at Highway 401 in Kingston. Just happened:

Keep the greasy side down, the shiny side up, and we'll see you next time here on Trackside Treasure

Kingston-Toronto Return Trip, July 2017 Pt 1

Wending my wearily waking way* to Toronto on July 21 aboard VIA No 651, I was ensconced in a CANADA 150 P42-led HEP2 consist. Breakfast was a VIA Smart Menu Sense bagel with two Kraft cream cheese, and coffee. A knife would have been handy, but a plastic stir stick smeared the spread somewhat smoothly, surprisingly. Several stations sported CANADA 150 signage such as Cobourg with its classic roofline factory across CP's mainline. Commuters had already clambered capriciously aboard. (* When booking such sunrise Kingston departures, when my reply as to departure time is 0532, the booking agent, whether male or female, young or old, unerringly utters, 'Oh.')

An early arrival at 0807 gave me just enough time to hot-foot it up to the main Union Station concourse, past the VIA Business Class lounge, past the Ontario Travel booth, past the UP Express concourse, along and up the several flights of stairs to the CN Tower Skywalk, through the Skywalk and out to my precipitous photographic perch to catch the departure of VIA No 97/Amtrak No 64 for New York City:

Amtrak P42DC 112 led Amtfleet cars 25044-25115-25105-82813-48767. Video capture of 112:

Following faithfully if forlotnly behind Amtrak was VIA No 651's passengerless consist (916-4009-4103-4101-4118) to Toronto's TMC as GO Transit trains trundled about in their usual weekday workmanlike way:

Up On The Housetop, Up On The Roof, Under The Boardwalk, Paved Paradise Put Up a Parking Lot were all songs running through my head under the trainshed. This portion is still reminiscent of smoke and steam skyward steam days, though other parts of the renovated trainshed are appearlingly airy and ably accessible for passenger train photography.

Believe your own publicity:

Nice to see original cab car GO 256 leading a consist westward through the trainshed. Most are now in trailing mode, positioned posteriorly in a ploddingly pedestrian placement:

Metrolinx cars in the same consist, following flashily towards the flared flat-top facade of the CN Tower. Loitering not appreciated here but photography possible!

Next track over was VIA consist behind CANADA 150 VIA 904 leading 34xxR-3350 Canada 150-33xx-3301R:

A Canadian classic caravansary encompassed by commercial colossi considers its kaleidoscopic colourfully-clad monocoque Corridor comeuppance below:

Fun with selective-colour in-camera photo-editing!

Now...as to why I was up under the trainshed before evening departure time, please stay tuned for Part 2! Meanwhile, some short videos taken this day:

• Napanee by morning
• Belleville bridged
• St Mary's Cement at Bowmanville
• Amtrak departing
• GO 256 departing
• GO 641 departing

Running extra...

CP's CANADA 150 train has begun its west-to-east, east-to-west and not-quite-transcontinental touring, travelling from Toronto to Montreal somewhere around August 12. Not wanting to garishly equip the whole business car fleet consist in patriotic paint, CP has pragmatically painted only the performance car and Spirit of Tomorrow post-it-note car in festive festoons.

Yearning for years of pre-LRC yore, wallowing hot-like in nostalgia, this photo appeared on my Facebook feed. An eastbound sunnily silver, blue & yellow Corridor Canadian soaring skyward on Port Hope's CN trestle in the early 1980's. Grand Trunk stonecarving at its finest meets Schenectady stylings. Bridge & Building meets burbly.

Well, son of a bee! Who knew there was a bee garden prodigiously planted behind Ripley's Aquarium just east of the Base of the CN Tower. Local trainwatching wasps, Hogtown hornets or even black & yellow bee-units can top up their tanks at this nectarish nosh, this flowery filling station, this rainbow-hued restaurant, this drone diner, this kaleidoscopic kafeteria. Believe it or not!

ZCAX Covered Gondolas

The Zinc Corporation of America operated a unique fleet of shorty gondola cars in the series ZCAX 89100-89183, rebuilt in 1976 by Midwest Freight Car. I would often observe these cars on CN's Kingston Subdivision (see 1995-2003 observations below). Second-last reporting marks alphabetically, just ahead of ZVBX! ZCAX 89122 was at Belleville on CN No 303 at Belleville on April 3, 1999 (top photo).

These cars were 2200 (or 2420) cu ft, with 9'8" external height to car sides and up to 13'8" external height overall, including cover. Originally SP 333500-334399 42'-6" IL 2420cf covered gondolas built by Gunderson Brothers Engineering Co. (GBEC) 3-65 as SP class G-100-7. Rebuilt with smooth sheet metal replacing original corrugated sides, and cover added for zinc service. One home point for these cars was Bartlesville, OK - historical site of three different zinc smelters, including one that changed hands in 1987 from Engelhard to Zinc Corporation of America, and served by M-K-T and AT&SF!

Initially, these were on CN train No 395, a manifest that originated in Montreal Taschereau Yard, bypassed Toronto's MacMillan Yard thence interchanging directly with UP in Chicago. It's possible these loads originated in New Brunswick - or Quebec. It looks like the ZCAX cars were replaced by newer 52-foot MHFX grey covered gondolas.

An online auction site photo of ZCAX 89139 in January, 1990 passing Bayview Junction:

Link: Top view of ZCAX 89133 and its cover.

My Kingston observations: date, car reporting marks, CN train on and remarks:

Dec 19/93 ZCAX xxxxx on tailend of westbound
Dec 13/95 ZCAX 89137
Feb 15/97 ZCAX 89178
Jun 12/97 ZCAX 89154 and 2 others to UP interchange at Yard Centre, IL
Dec 6/97 ZCAX 89154 and 2 others on No 395
Feb 28/98 ZCAX 89107 Dest Bartlesville, OK empty on No 395
May 15/98 ZCAX 89101, 89155 on No 395
Apr 3/99 ZCAX 89122 on No 303 (photo above)
Sep 19/99 ZCAX 89180 on No 303
Mar 24/00 ZCAX 89111
Jul 15/03 ZCAX 89124, 89161
Dec 6/07 MHFX 5683 and 1 other, No 369
Feb 18/08 10 covered grey gondolas
Jul 19/08 MHFX 5769, 5753 and 8 others
Nov 26/08 MHFX 5638, 5717, 5753
Apr 24/10 MHFX 5752-5632
Jan 15/12 MWCX 202294 and 4 black covered gondolas
Jan 29/12 MHFX 5301 and 2 grey covered gondolas
Jan 25/12 MHFX 5250, 5266 on No 368
Apr 6/12 MHFX 5280 and 4 grey covered gondolas on No 368

Thanks to Doug Stark for additional information on these unique cars.

Running extra...

CNTL and OOCL take it to Highway 401:

A trip to Toronto this week aboard VIA Nos 651 and 48 began with breakfast - coffee, bagel and two cream cheese. Passed on the banana bread.

 And a view of Geddes Station in Belleville:

Upon arrival in Toronto, it was time for No 651's consist to GO to the Toronto Maintenance Centre. Watch for an upcoming post!

Summertime at the Station, July 2017

Still basking in the afterglow of CANADA 150 that was July 1 - the lineups and rain on Parliament Hill, the following festive fireworks, the patient protests, the patriotic pride, the ribald revelry - it was time to head to Kingston station on July 3, 2017. VIA No 50/60 was in the station, with CANADA 150 wrapped 6436 leading. The eight-car J-train consist comprised eight cars and three wrapped locomotives: 6436-3463-3316C-913-3458-3329C-3335-3303R-3305R-912. (C = CANADA 150; R=Renaissance scheme). Watch the video here! 

As it departed eastbound at 0915, past that most unsightly arrowed sign (above), it met westbound VIA No 43: 6449-3470-3363-3304R at the John Counter Blvd crossing (video capture below):

A few minutes later, Belleville-Kingston turn CN No 518 approached, heading for the south service track at Queens and some switching. At a veritable crawl, engines 4785-4713 led twelve cars into town, meeting wrapped VIA 905-3471-3334-3309R-3362R as No 61.

Moving east of the station to Queens...entering the Queens south service track, the two locomotives uncoupled five TrailerTrain flatcars with steel I-beams for KIMCO (Kingston Iron and Metal Co.) which is located between Counter Street and Lappan's Lane. This was formerly CN's Aluminum Spur, serving the large Alcan works and Kingston's team track. The road sign says it all:

Tiptoeing around the wye, the units paused near some coincidentally celebratory Canada Day non-coniferous maple tree coverage:

The empty CSXT bulkhead flat car in track KL05, surrounded by previous inanimate I-beam arrivals, awaited its extraction:

The two 89-foot PTTX bulkhead flat cars were bracketed by three shorter OTTX TrailerTrain idler flat cars, and due to tank car loads for Invista on the Cataraqui Spur on the train, two loaded covered hoppers on either end in case of possible longitudinal load shifting:

The last buffer car and empty bulkhead flat are pushed into the former lead to Alcan, track KL02. The friendly conductor kept a close eye on the train and passing vehicular traffic to the Kingston Area Recycling Centre. I did my best to remain vigilant and out of the way. Then the loads were spotted; photo (below) taken from the road crossing. Flange squeal caused at least one passing motorist to wonder aloud if that noise was essentially healthy. I replied as long as it stayed on the tracks...

Leader CN 4785 sits just over the crossing as the cars are coupled and air cut in for the move back to the train. The next switching would take place on the Cataraqui Spur.

Moving west three days later at Milltown, about 40 miles to the west near Shannonville, CN No 149 crossed the Salmon River bridge behind CN 5432-2573-2630 (video captures):

 Feeling reflective:

 Feeling olde Grand Trunkish:

Moving east then south to the Cataraqui Spur...Logan Cadue caught CN No 518 with the same power as above in two photos (below). One major difference! On the way to Kingston this July 12, they slipped in to the Millhaven Spur and lifted OBRY 1000. This Geep has languished at Millhaven for some years, and I last photographed it there in May, 2015, prior to that in action in spring, 2012. The train is nearing the Sir John A MacDonald Boulevard overpass with train in tow:

Switching the Front Road Invista plant, later heading to Belleville:

 Running extra...

It's always great to be a part of Edd Fuller's The Trackside Photographer. And to relive the late glory days of Manitoba grain elevators. Only one train - a VIA Rail one (actually Number 1) in this July 13 post.

My latest book Trackside with VIA - Research and Recollections (116 copies sold and counting!) is featured among Charles Cooper's Railway Pages What's New in Publications. Charles' site is a wealth of really useful information! Thanks, Charles!

Graphics guru and loyal Trackside Treasure reader Randy O'Brien kindly shared his rendition of the Paradiso, Pepperoni & Pacific's 44-tonner paint scheme. Check out the pizza wheels, and hey, the number 11 is actually made from...

Thanks, Randy!