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Caption: Forty years ago yesterday as of this posting there were still mainline freights passing thru Blenheim, Ontario. I know from my notes that this long freight had C&0 3044, 3568, 3046, 5753 and 5708 up front for power eastbound, but this is before the days I had a programmable scanner. Available to me only was the old under-dash Patrolman, which involved individual crystals at $5.95 a pop from some outfit in Oakville, and I did not have the money back then to buy crystals for areas outside of the Hamilton/Burlington area. So, I did not get transmissions nor a train number. C&0 station agent talks to on-train employees as they slow down to set off some cars in this old time rather up-front and personal scene. The building in the background is K.C. Fertilizers Ltd. The image, scanned from a negative of some substandard film I bought back then, was shot using a Miranda Sensorex RE. A junker of a 35MM camera in my case...............
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Arnold…did the crystal outfit in Oakville have a receptionist with a strong Irish accent??
I can’t remember now. Heck, I cannot even recall the name of the outfit. I think it is still in business in one form or another.
As a newcomer to the area, I absolutely love this shot! It really captures the end of the CSX in and around here now. The tracks are still in place at Blenheim though, and that little wooden ‘walkway’ still exists to this very day.
I believe that from Chatham, CN still serves the now-known-as Thompson’s silos here very occasionally. As for the rest of the CSX…well…the line is intact, and most crossings have only been paved over. As for the old interchange with the CP…it’s been blocked off by mounds of dirt and debris both north and south.
First time seeing this image, good capture Arn !
The ‘agent’ is Jack McKellar (I recognize the sweater). I believe that’s Don Hubert in the cupola.
But if this guy, obviously a derivative of train 42, had 5 units and a ‘ large train ‘ the head end would already be well past the east end switch for any setoff in the yard.
I do see phosphate rock hoppers and a nitrogen tank over on track 2. But of course we don’t know if those are inbound or outbound for CIL Courtright.
Could be this train just set those off..??
Thanks for putting names to the employees. Helps complete the image.
Seems there was a time it was almost a status symbol to have one of those sweaters. Now? Who cares? I found them drafty at best.