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Caption: Since this location came up in the recent April Fool's posts, I figured no time like the present to make good on a promise and share this one. The OSR Cayuga Clipper is eastbound on the Cayuga Spur, approaching the Plowman's Line crossing just west of Courtland on the western edge of Norfolk County - a place that those of you who know me probably get tired of hearing me talk about. The two hoppers pictured would be set off there, and they would make a lift too before heading back west.
Questions are many about the future of the Cayuga and subsequently, the future of rail in Norfolk. The six or so miles of the in-service portion of the Cayuga that runs on Norfolk soil to Courtland is the last vestige of rail in the County, a place that at over time had eight different lines traversing the landscape: Brantford, Norfolk & Port Burwell Railway; Great Western Railway; Hamilton & Lake Erie Railway; Lake Erie and Northern Railway; Michigan Central Railroad; Port Dover and Lake Huron Railway; South Norfolk Railway; and the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway. Some of the preceding names changed over time of course. To see a map, the County has a heritage railway map on their website. On a somewhat personal and historical note, the South Norfolk Railway, which ran from Simcoe to Port Rowan, passed through the sandy fields of the farm that has been in my family for over a century now, and I have an original crossing sign from it hanging in my parents' basement in Simcoe that we rescued out of the barn a number of years ago. That particular railway ceased operations in 1965. If any of you are sitting on some classic shots from the area, I sure would love to see them. They seem to be hard to come by, though there are a couple gems on this site already.
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Nice shot!
Very nice picture James, and thank you for keeping your pledge. Your narrative is very informative and interesting and most interesting to hear about the family farm. Never did ride the CN mixed trains from Simcoe to Port Rowan or Port Dover, but did ride the LE&N interurban cars to Port Dover (twice), and the UCRS TH&B-NYC diesel excursion Hamilton-Brantford-Waterford-Welland-
Hamilton trip. Thank you.
Thank you both.
Wickedly decent.
OSR has given notice and they will no longer be running on any portion of the Cayuga after April 30/2020 (unless you count within St Thomas proper, for CN interchange traffic).
Thanks Larry!
On a side note it would appear that OSR will no longer be operating the Guelph Junction once their lease expires.
Dave and everyone: all possibly true but OSR just put their name on the list for the GJR RFP. It may still stay OSR.
And the fat lady hasn’t sung on the Cayuga just yet. (Osr did give notice but CN may yet play ball)….. get your shots just in case if you must. James must this is special to him. He did well too i may add!!
The fat lady is in the corner eating a plate of pasteis de nata at the moment…