Caption: On a day not quite spring, eastbound train #52, with CP 4202, 5022 and 6700 rolls past the old Zorra station. The track on the left veers off to the current La farge cement plant, and off to the right (out of sight) the line to St. Marys existed; now only a spur to a gravel operation.
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What was the fate of the Station? To think it had only been 10 years since the end of passenger services on the Galt sub..
The line to Lafarge was part of the original St. Marys sub was it not?
I don’t know the fate of the station but I would think it was just ‘torn down’, and am guessing maybe 1983-84 era. Would be great if someone could clue us in.
The line to Lafarge was indeed part of the old St.Marys line that ran south toward Ingersoll.
The station was supposed to be sold to a known railfan, who was going to move it off the propoerty.
One day without notice, a large hole was dug nearby and the thing was bulldozed into the hole. Sad too because it had some nice light fixtures inside and a neat old brown and cream enameled oil stove.
Both the line to the left and the part behind the engines were refered to as the St. Mary’s Sub. The line to the left used to go all the way to Ingersoll which was referred to by the railway as “Ingersoll North”, on the north side of the CN mainline. The CP St. Thomas Sub was on the south side of the CN, they were not connected directly, although they were a long time (maybe 100 yrs ago?) ago.
The St. Mary’s Sub originated at the Ingersoll Cheese company, about 4.5 miles form Zorra. At Zorra, the Ingersoll North track formed part of a wye by using a switch into the Canada Cement Plant.
Once and a while a mainline train running from Toronto to London would have a hot car for Ingersoll North. I recall as a young brakeman, having to ride the side of one such car over all the road crossings that whole way. Boy, were my arms sore by the time we reached the place where the car was going.
The line on the other side, behind the station goes to Federal White Cement, who make decoartive white cement in bulk and bag form. The line did go all the way to St. Mary’s until roughly the mid 1990s.
Ronald, very interesting – thanks for the anecdoated. Until recently (and maybe still today) some rail and a tresle still existed at the cheese factory. I never did get to see the St. Marys sub in action.
Ronald: YES!! Great story, and since putting up this image to RP.ca, I had heard the same story but refrained from asking that “certain railfan” if there was truth to the tale, but it certainly appears to be what actually happened. So somewhere very close, perhaps dropped into the basement (if there was one) the structure was bulldozed, but I am quite sure it was buried just to the west of the original site. As in close close enough a hole to topple into. As of today (June 18/14) I have just come off a months’ road trip, otherwise I would have told you how much I appreciate your comments much earlier. And thanks to HTG for covering for me.
6700 (and 6701) was the regular yard power at Quebec Street for years.
Folks – I’ve taken the time to re-edit this photo for Arnold It looks much better. We’ve learned a lot over these last few years, eh Arnie.
Awh yes, thank you Mr. Steve. This was always a favourite image of mine no matter how poor the quality was. It was the subject!! Looks great now, and along with Mr. B’s commentary, nothing more is needed to complete the gist, except it was awfully shameful of those who ordered this building be destroyed.