|
Caption: I’ll admit, northbound shots along the OBRY have always been hard to do unless it is a gloomy day. I say this because for the past many years when CANDO ran the line they would usually start off just after dawn and be done early in the afternoon. Being that they were usually running south just after sunrise, southbound shots have always been just perfect when it was sunny because the sun is completely behind us and lighting up the clouds perfectly but for the northbound journey, almost all shots would have been backlight if it was sunny because the train would usually be running north in late morning and at that time the sun would still be shining from the south.
Resonantly CANDO has made the business decision to leave the OBRY permanently and a new railway ‘Trillium’ took over this 36 mile spur saving it from falling into disuse. It appears that Trilliums schedule is a bit different from CANDO’s. While I don’t know forsure, it appears that Trillium switches out the industries in Orangeville before running south unlike CANDO therefore they run south later in the morning. This day however they crossed the Halton at exactly 1:00 in the afternoon on the southbound journey so being that it was partly cloudy with a little bit of sunlight I though I should take advantage and try to grab a northbound shot because by the time they return it will be mid afternoon and the sun will be on the north.
Here we see GMTX 333 with a larger load than usual heading northbound to Orangeville after interchanging with CP. They are approaching Sandalwood Pkwy with exactly 9 cars trailing and it is exactly 4:01pm. Trilliums sw1500 also appears to travel a lot slower than CANDOs previous gp9rm’s as well.
|
What’s that hopper car in the bush there?
That is the siding for ITP / Armacell, just south of Sandlewood. Good for 4 hoppers.
Steve Bradley, may I ask how often the train stopped at ITP during your era? Catching some switching there has been on my bucket list for some time now but it appears they are an infrequent shipper. Was it usually monthly, bi-monthly? heard you guys stopped there on 6/29 but I had already gone home by then because as I said above, on bright sunny days like 6/29 northbound shots in the morning are completely backlight.
Thank you also for all your hard work during your era on the OBRY. It gave me amazing childhood memories to carry on forever. Hope you enjoyed the train as much as I did!
Service averaged about twice a month. Because switch points face north, loads went in on the n/b run and empties came out n/b and were taken to Orangeville, then south on the next operating day.
Lots of good times on the OBRY, but happy now on the high-nosed Geep on the BCRY.
GMTX 333 is a MP15AC.
Thanks for this. I plan to bike up to Streetsville for noon Friday. Anyone want to join?
The reason I photographed the OBRY so infrequently these last 15 years is work engagements on weekdays. I need a weekend run to get me out for it
Thanks for the correction Rob
Brad, I doubt I’ll be able to make it up to Streetsville on Friday as I’m from Brampton and don’t have a car yet so have to rely on transit service for the most part but I may try to catch them in Brampton again depending on if I feel up to it. I got quite a bit of sun yesterday because I got downtown at around 10, didn’t see the go south until 1:03pm and then I headed down to this crossing to shoot them northbound and had to wait until after 4pm so by then was I tired and burnt after all this. But I feel it was worth it to be able to go home with a non-backlight sunny northbound shot in my lens.
ah Graydon.. I’ve got to bike up from the lake. All up hill in notch 8.
Another time mate.
Steve Bradley, I have another quick question in mind for you. Do you ever recall switching the Brampton Brick Company which is maybe a mile north of ITP just before Wanless dr? They’re siding is still there but has been disused for sometime and it’s switch has been taken out too. I was just curious if you ever recall doing them during your era before they quit using rail.
I pulled the last flatcar of bricks out of Brampton Brick in 2002. They found it was much more efficient as well as faster, to load a container and then take it to CN BIT, than to rely on CP doing single carloads.