Railpictures.ca - Marcus W Stevens Photo: The small CN yard in Guelph was one important to the old Fergus subdivision. Sadly the 1980’s claimed most of the line that once ran south to Galt and Harrisburg and north to Fergus and Palmerston. When passenger service over the line ended, what freight remained wasn’t enough to keep the line alive and the yard in Guelph slowly deteriorated. What remains today is the lightly used spur south to Preston and the vital section of track used to connect to the shared Guelph North spurs in the cities north end as well as an important connection to the city owned Guelph Junction Railway currently operated by GW’s Goderich Exeter Railway. In the later years of GEXR’s operations over the Guelph subdivision the yard in Guelph was finally revived in order to serve the north end spurs properly. Today CN has taken back freight operations over the Guelph subdivision and almost daily switches out the yard in Guelph. This mainly cloudy day the CN crew is seen during a very brief break in the clouds checking out cars before heading to the cut of cars on the left side and taking them back to Kitchener. CN GP38 4725 has seen many years of service which is illustrated by its many scars and fading paint. | Railpictures.ca – Canadian Railway Photography

The small CN yard in Guelph was one important to the old Fergus subdivision. Sadly the 1980’s claimed most of the line that once ran south to Galt and Harrisburg and north to Fergus and Palmerston. When passenger service over the line ended, what freight remained wasn’t enough to keep the line alive and the yard in Guelph slowly deteriorated. What remains today is the lightly used spur south to Preston and the vital section of track used to connect to the shared Guelph North spurs in the cities north end as well as an important connection to the city owned Guelph Junction Railway currently operated by GW’s Goderich Exeter Railway. In the later years of GEXR’s operations over the Guelph subdivision the yard in Guelph was finally revived in order to serve the north end spurs properly. Today CN has taken back freight operations over the Guelph subdivision and almost daily switches out the yard in Guelph. This mainly cloudy day the CN crew is seen during a very brief break in the clouds checking out cars before heading to the cut of cars on the left side and taking them back to Kitchener. CN GP38 4725 has seen many years of service which is illustrated by its many scars and fading paint.

Caption: The small CN yard in Guelph was one important to the old Fergus subdivision. Sadly the 1980’s claimed most of the line that once ran south to Galt and Harrisburg and north to Fergus and Palmerston. When passenger service over the line ended, what freight remained wasn’t enough to keep the line alive and the yard in Guelph slowly deteriorated. What remains today is the lightly used spur south to Preston and the vital section of track used to connect to the shared Guelph North spurs in the cities north end as well as an important connection to the city owned Guelph Junction Railway currently operated by GW’s Goderich Exeter Railway. In the later years of GEXR’s operations over the Guelph subdivision the yard in Guelph was finally revived in order to serve the north end spurs properly. Today CN has taken back freight operations over the Guelph subdivision and almost daily switches out the yard in Guelph. This mainly cloudy day the CN crew is seen during a very brief break in the clouds checking out cars before heading to the cut of cars on the left side and taking them back to Kitchener. CN GP38 4725 has seen many years of service which is illustrated by its many scars and fading paint.

Photographer:	Marcus W Stevens [1069] (more) (contact)
Date:	09/18/2023 (search)
Railway:	Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks:	CN 4725 (search)
Train Symbol:	Not Provided
Subdivision/SNS:	Fergus spur (search)
City/Town:	Guelph (search)
Province:	Ontario (search)
Share Link:	http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=52928

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10 Comments

Noe

September 20, 2023 at 2:56 pm

Nice angle Marcus.
It’s called XV Yard. This isn’t the Fergus Spur.
Marcus Stevens

September 20, 2023 at 3:09 pm

Correct not the Fergus spur anymore, I couldn’t recall the current name for it but it all once was.
Jacob Patterson

September 20, 2023 at 7:38 pm

Guelph North Spur. Fergus Spur is south to Galt. Nice composition.
Marcus Stevens

September 20, 2023 at 11:08 pm

Thanks for the update I was trying to remember where the north spur began as the old Fergus subdivision originally extended north out of town.
Stephen C. Host

September 21, 2023 at 9:57 am

XV yard was used at times by GEXR depending on the conductor, but they preferred to use the Clarke Transport yard instead. Once Metrolinx took over that yard GEXR moved support for Guelph to XV, and CN continues this trend. CN put in a ton of money on the ‘north’ side of the yard with new switches and ballast and has yet to do the same on the ‘south’ end.

Much of the ash pit ballast has been covered with proper rock now.. but before that work was done basically nothing had changed in the yard since the 1930′s except a couple tracks removed (such as the 6th and shortest yard track to right of tanks in this pic which is now removed)

Let’s not forget the welded rail installed on the Guelph N spur in 2019… it’s got a lot of attention
Marcus Stevens

September 21, 2023 at 10:52 am

Thanks for the update Steve, I noticed what seems to be a removed switch on the left side as well unless this was for the ash pit you mentioned or some long removed industry.
Jacob Patterson

September 21, 2023 at 1:28 pm

Going off of Steve comment, the track to the right of the tanks was XV5. XV6 was to the north of the Fergus sub (left in your shot) into Knight Lumber. It would be the removed switch you are referring to and can be seen here: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=6234

Facing the other direction behind you, there was a siding that ended just west of Alma Street (as seen in Tim Ball’s shot here: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=3240). This track once crossed the road and connected to XV6, and was used to spot hoppers beneath the coaling tower, as can be seen in this Bill Thomson shot: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=28836
Stephen C. Host

September 21, 2023 at 7:31 pm

That would be the short track XV5 which was removed. Under GEXR it was out of service but still in place in later years. I don’t know when it was last used. It was very short.

I don’t know about an ash pit but the ballast in XV yard as well as the yard tracks in XW yard behind Guelph Twine had basically dirt and coal ballast. Lots of litlte coal bits some bigger pieces. I’m led to believe it’s all from the ash pits of dumped steam locomotive ash. Of course with all the rock dumped in XV yard it’s not as easy to find or see anymore.
RLK2211

September 21, 2023 at 8:27 pm

Pretty cool low angle shot here Marcus.

Sorry guys, there wasn’t ever an XV06, the track in question that went into the Knight Lumber property was XV08, which hadn’t seen service for many years. Parts from that switch was used to build the split rail derail at the bottom of the Guelph North Spur…that protects the Guelph Sub from any unforeseen events.

Any of the tracks on the west side of Alma St are part of the XW Zone.
Marcus Stevens

September 21, 2023 at 8:36 pm

That everyone for even more clarity on this yard.

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