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Caption: A nice sunny day on Christmas break had many railpictures.ca contributors out to photograph the CN and CP locals in beautiful north-end Hamilton today. The CN 07:00 job had the triple-set with GMD1us 1444 and 1408, and GTW GP38-2 5849, so that's what I was after this morning. The "700" is seen about to hit the CP diamond, just west of Gage Avenue North. The CP local was working Adams Yard already, and radio communication between the two railroads provided us with their game plan for the day. Too bad CN had foreman working on the N&NW spur. The 07:00 job was only able to work Parkland Terminal before getting held up from working the CP interchange and switching Stelco. What seemed like a simple work plan turned in to a long day for the crew.
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They did the interchange before they did Parkland. CN drops cars for CP in the Beach/Kenilworth area, which is why they were there for 20 minutes or so before heading on to Parkland. Looked like an empty Bulkhead from Empire Steel and a handful of scrap gons yesterday.
I thought the interchange was west of Ottawa Street. Thanks for clarifying.
You’re right – that’s interchange too. West of Ottawa between Ottawa and Gage is where CP drops cars for CN.
CP dropped some cars there for CN earlier that morning – similar looking scrap gons to what CN had dropped for them – old mill gons including some haggard multimark CP ones.
You’re far more familiar with the area than I am! I appreciate your detailed photo comments, it helps me try to make sense of it all. I should spend more time around there. It’s in my own backyard and I rarely go down there. Thanks again!
Haha yeah a lot of first-hand anecdotal observation from countless hours spent around there, that’s for sure. Friendly crew members I’ve met from both railways have helped answer lingering questions over time too, which is certainly most appreciated.
It’s a lot of fun around there that’s for sure. Lots of interesting locations and moves with seemingly countless customers (and just think what it would’ve been like in years past; hard to fathom) and the endless pursuit of the right time of year/day for the right light or even the right railway at each of them. Even yesterday I learned of a new customer that I wasn’t aware of- just when you think you’ve got it figured out there’s a new surprise!
The craziest part of the Hamilton railways of the past is how much short haul happened… such as a th&b or cn move from hilton works of scrap (a mile) to thenrod mill or a move from a canning plant on strathearne to stelco….
Plus in plant switching which was also a very commom service before railways wanted out of that business and charged through the roof for it as they do today.
Hamilton is still awesome for any fan tho.
The foreman delay got us some amazing light at stelco though. .