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Caption: C&O GP39 3906 leads an eastbound freight across the Welland Canal and past the CASO Welland Station approaching WX Tower, the junction between the main CASO Sub, the NYC Fort Erie Branch, and the crossing with the CN Welland Sub, where Steve Host recently captured the ONR film train. The Townline Tunnel opening in 1973 as part of the Welland Canal relocation project shifted traffic from this line, as well as CN’s Cayuga Sub, into one tunnel beneath the canal further south. Today, everything is gone from this scene except for the south main which the C&O freight is on. It remains as the CP Welland Industrial spur, operated by Trillium. West of the canal, a portion of the Vesuvius spur utilizes a short stretch of former Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Railway right of way. The NS&T Welland Sub ran north - south from Substation Junction in Thorold - Port Colborne crossing the CASO mainline at their junction with the TH&B Welland Sub just beyond the bridge seen above. TH&B trains to Niagara Falls or Fort Erie would also utilize parent company NYC's lines east from Welland to access the USA.
Note at left the cars of pipes from the Page-Hersey facility just south of the tracks. The company became a division of Stelco around 1970, later renamed Stelpipe while merging with Welland Tube during the mid 1980s. Lakeside Steel would take over in the 2000s, and by 2012 the plant would see its final owner, Energex Tube. Energex would be served by Trillium until closure in 2014. More details with Arnold's linked image above.
The uncommon GP39 is one of only twenty three built by EMD between 1969 - 1970. C&O took delivery of twenty units (3900 - 3919) while the other three went to smaller roads. This unit would become CSX 4286 by the late 1980s, eventually being rebuilt to road slug CSX 2380 in 2008. It remains in service as of 2019.
Scenes of WX Tower and area:
CASO WX Tower looking west, located just north of Steve's shot, Mike P. McIlwaine photo.
Looking west from the tower towards Welland station and the canal, Mike P. McIlwaine photo.
West of the canal, an NYC Mikado leading a westbound TH&B freight off the CASO onto TH&B's Welland Sub to Hamilton. Note NS&T Welland Sub diamonds. From New York Central System Historical Society.
Original Photographer Unknown, Jacob Patterson Collection Negative.
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*Note, geotagged location should be on the opposite side of King Street.
Looks like the amtrak was due soon with those folks on the platform. Crazy how much of that is all gone eh. It’s ugly now.
Could even be Penn Central passengers if prior to May 1971. No date available for the negative, but could be anytime from 1969 – 1972.
Sure looks to be a pair of GP39′s, which would probably make it the 3906-3901.
During the week of Jun 24, 1971, I saw 3906-3901 mixed with other power, making 2 or 3 trips St Thomas to the Niagara frontier.
So the photo has to be a day or so either side of the 24th
( in fact, on the 24th itself, I saw a total of 4 different GP39s that day, on 3 trains).
They were extremely rare on the Canadian Division until late 1970, then as the U25B’s were fading, the 38s and 39s began showing up more regularly.
The vehicle in the corner looks like a 71 Comet as 72 had the bigger bumpers.