Canada

Andrew's picture gallery

During January 2001 I visited London, Ontario (where the Class 66 locos are built). Compared to the UK, the trains there are big. I went to Canada again in June 2004, touring the country by train.

January 2001

CN class K-3-b number 5588, formerly Grand Trunk Railway class P6 number 213.

This pacific locomotive was built in 1911, and is now 'stuffed and mounted' in Riverside Drive, Windsor, and carries the name Spirit of Windsor. If you ever visit Windsor, it may be useful to know that the station is a long way from the city centre. I didn't... It was about -7°C when I took this - maybe nothing special to the locals, but jolly cold for me! The buildings seen over the river are in Detroit.

GY-418e number 7260 alongside the river in Windsor, with Detroit in the background. Originally build by General Motors in 1956 this locomotive was remanufactured at Pointe St-Charles main shops in Montreal in 1990. It is approved for operation in the USA, and is equiped for remote control operation.

Behind the locomtive is GP9 slug 253. This was converted from a cut-down General Motors GP9 in 1990. 253 has no engine, and takes power for its traction motors from the locomotive.

I caught the 09:55 departure from London to Windsor on 9 January. This set off from London about half an hour late, and was about an hour late into Windsor. A freight train in front of us was apparently having problems.

There is quite a difference in height between the loco and the three carriages.

Another view of the locomotive about to run round. 6424 is a 3000hp B-B built by General Motors Diesel Divison in 1987, and is one of ten examples of the GPA-30b class. There were three orders for these GPA-30 passenger locos between 1986 and 1989, totalling 59 locos

6426 departs London for Toronto at 15:48 on 8 January 2001

An Amtrak train bound for Chicago leaves London, 10am Tuesday 9 January 2001. The picture doesn't really capture the size of the thing. The station doesn't have raised platforms like the UK, just a tarmaced area next to the line, so the train really towers above passengers. There is a second platform, but that was under deep snow. The loco, number 519, is a GE B32-8WH of 1991.

A disused passenger station on the CP line in London. Freight still comes through here. 8 January 2001

This GP9 is one of three switchers (shunters) belonging to a private contractor that are used at the Canadian Pacific Railway's Vaughan Intermodal Terminal near Toronto. Vaughan is the largest container freight yard in Canada, and sees trains up to 10 000 feet long! Seen here on 10 January 2001

GMD type SW1200RS B-B switcher of 1956. Formely a CN loco, it now belongs to a contractor, and is also used at Vaughan. 10 January 2001.

GMD type SW9 of 1952, formerly belonging to Century Locomotive Parts, and previously a CN loco, but now belonging to a contractor and working at Vaughan yard. 10 January 2001.

EMD SD40 or SD40-2(?) 6046 of 1952 at MacMillan Locomotive Reliability Centre, near Toronto.

EM GY-418f 7276 at MacMillan Locomotive Reliability Centre, near Toronto. Originally build by General Motors this B-B locomotive was remanufactured by AMF Technotransport in 1993. 258

GP9 slug 258 was converted from a cut-down General Motors GP9 no 4411 (ex-1735) in 1990. It has no engine, and takes the power for its traction motors from the locomotive. It is equiped for remote control operation, and approved for use in the USA.

I found the details of the trains in the book Canadian Trackside Guide 1996, published by Bytown Railway Society Inc of Ottawa.

June 2004

Another trip, this time right across Canada on The Canadian.

Lugagge for VIA's The Canadian Toronto - Vancouver service being loaded (or unloaded) at Jasper station. 2004-06-21.

The VIA train from Victoria waits at Courtenay before heading back south. The railway on Vancouver Island is very scenic, but only has one daily passenger train each way. 2004-06-23.

Victoria station, at the south end of the Vancouver Island line. 2004-06-23