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Caption: En route to Englehart from Cartier, I passed a turnoff to Westree while on 560 heading east. Knowing the CN went by there, I thought I should check for a shack by the track, or rather, a station. So I turned around and headed in. Route 560A proved to be nothing but dirt and ruts, certainly nothing that resembled a highway but more a logging road at best. And I wasn't really prepared for this "community". First thing I saw after the 10 KM drive in was a dilapidated dive of a general store,carport on the side with empty beer cases piled higher than the roof. (The government dairy must make very infrequent stops here). The 15 or so scattered 'houses' were a depressing sight, and thru the main dirt intersection I went towards the tracks. And my gawrsh!! There is the station !! Not much, but it had a name on it. No sooner I had taken a photo than I heard a northbound train coming around the lake. Growth was right up to the tracks so I really had nowhere to go. The resulting photo was taken with the train barreling down on me around 50-60 mph and I jumped back as soon as I shot this. There was a second unit, CR 6000 and a string of school bus cabs that you can just make out in the photo. A rather large Duchabani Lake (on the right) had a handful of decent looking cottages on it; otherwise this place, 18 miles south of Gogama, was a write-off. Looking around, I decided the only "industry" in this place was fishing and drinking beer. And I left. Since I am a sucker for out of the way dumps like this, I did revisit a couple of years later and a lot of homes, as well as the 'station', had been leveled. So this shot is a part of history. In case there are any residents of Westree (ha ha ha) on RP.ca., the opinions expressed are soley those of the photographer.
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This is interesting Arnold.
Good to hear, Kevin. So if you get up that way, be sure to drop in. They could use the tourists.
I don’t think I’ll be visiting Westree any time soon thanks to your detailed description; it doesn’t sound very exciting!
Every time I went through there, I would wonder why anyone would live there. Same with Felix (east of here) or Elsas and Oba (west) … Different way of life I guess.
Train is westbound. Track speed is 40mph for the tight ‘S’ curves, which the train is still in. Head end is just out of the 40.
Thanks for comment. All the years in and out of Parry Sound I kept referring to trains as North or South when, well, they ARE east or west. As far as speed goes, when daring yourself somewhat to get this sort of shot, it felt like he was going 90.
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You are correct about Parry Sound. From Toronto to Capreol all trains are timetable North/South. From Capreol on, they become timetable West/East.
Those are pretty hefty tires on those school buses…
S of a B !!!! Looking closer; they do looked like ribbed tires for mining vehicles or the like. I didn’t keep notes, and my recollection, admitted rather crusty, was of a string of bus frames with separate cabs. Thank you, Smith; always good to know you are breathing down my neck.
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Wow! You were really out in the bush that time. A very cool picture too. I wonder if the ground up there is full of minerals. I shall ask. The residents are likely refugees from the insanity of the GTA.
I played chicken about three times trying to get a shot of a train. I was thinking shit that was close! One time the VIA I was shooting barelling out of Kitchener blew the horn at me and I got at a safe distance just in the right time without being killed or badly injured. The other times, the train was unexpectedly on the close track! Stupid!
Oh the lengths us foamers go to to get a shot!!!
Kevin: The incident as a foamer I remember so vividly was over 20 years ago and it was totally unintended. For those who know James Bay Jct road just south of Parry Sound, there is a sharp curve right next to a driveway of a house that crosses both CN and CP transcon lines. The homeowner there has one dangerous driveway. I was standing there on the side his house is on and I am 15-20 ft from the track. I’m looking over to my car on the road and was just going to start walking. VIA southbound came around that curve so fast and so silently it literally scared the crap out of me. Never forgot it, never will. I was safely back from the track but it was so-o-o unexpected. Again, I am not sure of the track speed there, but because it came around from behind a large rock cut, I heard nothing until it was on top of me. I cannot consider any close calls in the 40 years I have been doing this nutty hobby. Maybe it is that I am just forgetful.
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