Caption: NO LONGER A "DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH" It's becoming increasingly difficult these days to recognize areas that were once familiar and popular places to photograph for railfans. The former C&O Subdivision # 2 is no exception. Already having the diamond removed across the Canadian Pacific's Windsor Sub., the sad news was received three weeks ago that the diamond was just removed across the former Canadian National (now VIA) Chatham Subdivision. Here, train 73 led by 919 approaches what once was a busy main line for the CSX.
In the foreground is the former main, intact for now. And just to my left would have stood the engine house - now just an empty cement base surrounded by overgrown weeds and bushes. In the distance, you can see a leg of the interchange track for CN..it too having been dismantled from their main corridor. To my right (out of sight) is the southern wye, which is still in place for now since CN services the Thompsons Elevators at Blenheim.
To see what this area used to look like, you can see it in Earl Minnis' recent photo.
Also, you can see it from the "Chessie" point of view in Geoff Elliot's photo posted from 2014.
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Nice. Neat catch with the recent track changes.