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I was working in the Listowell area in March of 1985 and heard on my scanner that there was a plow extra heading south on the CN Newton Sub (later west) to Kincardine. I had time to go to a side road south of town and set up near a crossing and the plow soon appeared. I took my photo just before it passed then WAM, I was bowled over by a sheet of heavy snow and knocked over a fence (I was not injured but it was a shock). I then went to a local restaurant and tidied up my clothing. The resulting photo was average but it brings back memories: CN snowplow 55408 charging across a grade crossing south of Listowel, propelled by a pair of GP9 units.

[Editor's note: CN plow 55408, a wedge plow built by Eastern Car Co (Trenton NS) in 1937, mets its end not too long ago after avoiding the scrapper once. Once it was retired from CN in the 90's (many lines being abandoned or torn up in the southern Ontario area reduced the need for plows) it was sold to Zubicks in London for scrap. In 1995 the Goderich Exeter Railway traded their plow, 55437, to Zubicks for 55408, as it was in better shape. Known by some as their "orange plow" (they also owned sister 55413 painted black), it continued the fight on mother nature for its new owner until recently, when it was cut up for scrap in Goderich during May 2013.]

(Note, geotagged location may not be exact)
Copyright Notice: This image ©Bill Thomson all rights reserved.



Caption: I was working in the Listowell area in March of 1985 and heard on my scanner that there was a plow extra heading south on the CN Newton Sub (later west) to Kincardine. I had time to go to a side road south of town and set up near a crossing and the plow soon appeared. I took my photo just before it passed then WAM, I was bowled over by a sheet of heavy snow and knocked over a fence (I was not injured but it was a shock). I then went to a local restaurant and tidied up my clothing. The resulting photo was average but it brings back memories: CN snowplow 55408 charging across a grade crossing south of Listowel, propelled by a pair of GP9 units.

[Editor's note: CN plow 55408, a wedge plow built by Eastern Car Co (Trenton NS) in 1937, mets its end not too long ago after avoiding the scrapper once. Once it was retired from CN in the 90's (many lines being abandoned or torn up in the southern Ontario area reduced the need for plows) it was sold to Zubicks in London for scrap. In 1995 the Goderich Exeter Railway traded their plow, 55437, to Zubicks for 55408, as it was in better shape. Known by some as their "orange plow" (they also owned sister 55413 painted black), it continued the fight on mother nature for its new owner until recently, when it was cut up for scrap in Goderich during May 2013.]

(Note, geotagged location may not be exact)

Photographer:
Bill Thomson [715] (more) (contact)
Date: 03/00/1985 (search)
Railway: Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks: CN 55408 (search)
Train Symbol: CN Plow Extra (search)
Subdivision/SNS: South of Listowel - CN Kincardine Sub (search)
City/Town: Listowel (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
Share Link: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=13997
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Photo ID: 12977

Map courtesy of Open Street Map

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4 Comments
  1. Amazing that mere months ago GEXR scrapped 55408 and this winter, they are scrambling to try and get a second piece of equipment..

  2. Bill I’d love to know how fast they were going – almost looks like they were doing 50 MPH in this shot.. you can see the speed.

  3. I bet the operators had a good laugh as you got wiped out by the snow.

  4. A great photo. Nice seeing the plow extra operating at track speed and throwing the snow back.

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