Caption: Beat the Rush.

CN train 145 "The Roadrailer" beats the evening GO train rush as it rolls through the single track territory of the busy CN Halton Subdivision, minutes before the first scheduled GO train is due in downtown Brampton. Once the GO rush hits full swing, the Rail Traffic Controller must juggle a steady flood of half hourly westbound GO and VIA trains coming from the south track at Bramalea, through the single track between Peel to Brampton East, on to the north for Brampton Station, through the single-tracked Credit River bridge and into the GO commuter compound at Georgetown. All the while trying to manage various eastbound and westbound CN through-freights on the same tracks, the occasional local out switching, and that kooky GEXR 431/432.

The Triple Crown Roadrailer, made up of somewhat boring truck trailers designed to ride on rail bogies, has always warranted precisely one unit. This one unit is often a wildcard from day to day, ranging from a clapped-out rusty GP40-2W, a well-worn secondhand or rebuild SD40, a ho-hum GE -9W, to a brand new SD70M-2. Today it's one of CN's 29 rebuilt SD40u units (or SD40-2Q, or SD40-3, or GF-630a, whatever!) kicking up crossing dust over James St. The lucky Batman sign scribbled on its front pilot must be giving it an extra bit of good luck today.

Hard on his heels is GO #281 "The Bramalea Flip" - the afternoon 7-car GO train that ping-pongs between Bramalea and Toronto Union, which makes its final trip all the way to downtown Brampton to kick off the flood of evening GO trains. In only 3 minutes, the green and white train will zip into view and begin slowing for the station.

Today, the SD40u's have been rebuilt for yard service, half of the James-John St. crossing has been closed, the single-track juggling has been eliminated with double-tracking and platforms on both sides of the tracks, and the afternoon GO train has been temporarily cancelled. But at least the Roadrailer still runs.