Caption: This is a rare photo for me, because in the few months that I followed the CSX Sarnia to Chatham turn this was the only time I arrived to find power actually sitting in Chatham already waiting for a D724 to Blenheim. Usually the power would be carried in the morning by D725 for a 1400 order time. Parked in the small yard that was located where the "roundhouse" (as they called it) was - it was a four stall engine house and between the roundhouse and this track was the mainline. Across a bridge in the distance was the station area and CP diamond, behind me is the CN diamond. After quickly exploring Chatham I went to the station where the clerk invited me in to cool off - it was *hot*.
This was the place that time truly forgot - and Chatham truly manifested it - not only did CSX call out of here twice a week, there were three vehicles parked at the "roundhouse" for what? I don't know, but there were friendly CSX employees everywhere and now you'd be lucky to find two or three folks on duty up in Sarnia per shift. CP also had a yard job a few times a week out of Chatham, plus a very busy mainline, and not to mention CN's locals and pair of mainline trains at the time. A far cry from what goes on now. Add to it the copious amounts of visible MOW equipment that i'm sure Paul O'shell will enjoy (all of it had Chessie markings too, and still does to this day many of which you can still find in Sarnia). Here is Geoff Elliott's shot from the same day as this was when I met him with his crew :)
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Very cool Steve
Thanks for the nod Stephen. That once Chessie piece of MoW equipment SM 2147 (Spike Master 2147) is a Nordberg Model A spike driver with field side tie-end nippers. It can be operated on one or both sides (rail gang or tie gang), using one or two operators. On this unit the spikes were ‘pushed’ into the tie as opposed to being ‘hammered’ in, as with newer model Nordco spikers. I can see the cast oval badge plate/serial number tag at the center of the cross beam in front of the operators seat. Oh to be able to get the build data from it!
Looks to be a Burro crane boom and other ‘stuff’ on the material idler in front of the spiker.
Man.. I should go back to 2005 and get another picture for you. Or i’ll look around and see if it’s still in Sarnia. There’s a number of Chessie era MOW stuff still there. I’ll have n eye next visit (this weekend).
It would be nice to be able to go back in time and capture all those missed photo opportunities! Any MoW images you are able to capture will be very much appreciated.