Posted by Roadwolf Interesting in this photo, it looks like every 3 ties, they have placed a new tie between the ties. It is probably weight restricted and speed restricted, but still a usable line?

It's only used as a wye for turning rail equipment, and sometimes to service a nearby customer.

Posted by Mr. Fuzzy It's only used as a wye for turning rail equipment, and sometimes to service a nearby customer.

From what I understand, the original line went down past the lakeshore and onto the beach. I saw a picture floating around of an old GO locomotive travelling literally meters from the people on the beach. I figure the line used to go across the lift bridge and into Hamilton... any idea why they got rid of it?

Posted by insanedArk From what I understand, the original line went down past the lakeshore and onto the beach. I saw a picture floating around of an old GO locomotive travelling literally meters from the people on the beach. I figure the line used to go across the lift bridge and into Hamilton... any idea why they got rid of it?

Redundancy. The CN Beach Sub ("Beach Branch") was a good Hamilton bypass, CN liked to run dimensional loads and such to bypass Hamilton, but it was an extra line to maintain and pay taxes on. I suppose the odd GO special to Niagara Falls probably used it.

History lesson time: The line was opened by the Hamilton & North-Western Railway around 1877, it originally went from Barrie & Allendale through Tottenham, Beeton, and Georgetown down to Burlington and across the bay to Stoney Creek.

Eventually CN became the operator of this line, along with the nearby Grand Trunk Western and Great Western Ry lines. The section between Burlington and Georgetown became part of the "Halton Sub" mainline with the Toronto bypass plans of the 60's (CN moving many of its Toronto operations to its new large yard in Vaughan, bypassing downtown Toronto).

The section north of Georgetown to Barrie & Allendale was the "Beeton Sub", and most was abandoned in the 70's and 80's. Parts around Barrie remained for local customers and the Barrie-Collingwood Ry operates those today. The South Simcoe RR operates on part of the former Beeton Sub in Tottenham.

The section to the south from Burlington-Stoney Creek was known as the "Beach Sub" or "Beach Branch", and was abandoned in 1981 and ripped it up in 1983. CN already had a line right through Hamilton (Great Western Ry line, now the "Grimsby Sub"). Small spurs still exist at Burlington and Stoney Creek (near Lake Ave N. & Cascade St.).

Makes sense.

Posted by insanedArk I saw a picture floating around of an old GO locomotive travelling literally meters from the people on the beach.

Copyright Transit Toronto (unofficial)

http://transit.tor...ransit-2701-15.jpg

Willowbrook dildo MPI MP40PH-3C

Am I the only one who doesn't like MPI products? Why not go with Bombardier.. Sure they cater more towards European designs, but surely they could come up with something for north american passenger trains.

Posted by Roadwolf Am I the only one who doesn't like MPI products? Why not go with Bombardier.. Sure they cater more towards European designs, but surely they could come up with something for north american passenger trains.

They'd have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, whereas MPI has a proven track record and designs already on the table.

The Willowbrook Wads are growing on me...

(Former Caltrain Maintenance Yard - Diridon Yard - San Jose, CA)

More MPI loco action:

Apparently the guys from the Red & Green show work for VIA Rail:

Posted by Agent Skelly Apparently the guys from the Red & Green show work for VIA Rail: http://farm5.stati...592_43905b354a.jpg

As long as Harold isn't driving the train.

hopper cars being processed for scrap at work (snuck with a cellphone)




_{(edit: made it bigger)}

Cool, was that from a derailment or just because they were getting old?

Organized Chaos

Posted by insanedArk Organized Chaos

Those diamonds and frogs are very interesting.

Posted by Curious_George Cool, was that from a derailment or just because they were getting old?

they didnt look that bad to me!

heres a slag pot carrier in service at Dofasco




_{(edit again: enlarged pic so we all can see it...)}

Outside the John St. roundhouse with a USW protest across the street:

GO F59PH's in Willowbrook Yard

Union Station platform 5 or 6: