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Just Pure Railfanning
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Author:  Great Western [ Tue Oct 24, 2023 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Just Pure Railfanning
Couldn't help it. Came across this 11x14-inch photo on my "stuff" today. It was given to me many years ago by a friend, and came from another good friend and first-class steam locomotive photographer, the late Dick George.
There was always something about this scene that turned my crank. It was taken in Toronto in 1943, possibly on train no. 6.
I think anyone would be proud as punch to be in the hogger's seat on a Canadian National Railways Hudson with that 100 mph + capacity just itching to get loose in the 80-inch drivers. The picture shows some of the nice details.
In my defense for posting this here, there is a preservation connection. The nicest thing is that No. 5703 is still around and at the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas, Ontario. She has been well looked after over the years, and has operational potential.
Anyway, I just felt a need to share this view of a high class locomotive looking down to earth and just another working loco on a busy railroad. The hogger looks like he has a few runs under his belt and should get her across the road on time.

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Author:  Great Western [ Tue Oct 24, 2023 9:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Pure Railfanning
Here is some railway preservation, and over 150 years of history to boot.
I rediscovered this spike bar buried away in my shed. It is lettered GWR, which is the Great Western Railway (of Canada). It is a little harder to read, but between the two "GWRs" it is stamped "ENG DEP."
CNR No. 5703 ran on the Toronto/Niagara Falls to Windsor/Sarnia passenger routes in its life. That was built in the 1850s by the Great Western. The GWR was merged into the Grand Trunk in 1882. That line is still the main line of CN and Via, so the folks at the GWR had an inkling of what they were doing when they built the lines!
The provenance of the spike bar was it came from a distant cousin, now departed. At least two generations of his family were railroaders, spanning the GWR, GTR, and CNR. He gave me several railway items and photos, probably 40 years ago. Included in the gift was a scoop shovel, also clearly marked for GWR. The family railroaded out of the small junction community called Harrisburg, west of the GWR's headquarters at Hamilton. Harrisburg was also, when the line was opened in 1854, one of the first railway junctions in Canada, where the branch line to Galt took off from the mainline. There is little railway presence there now, save for the old right of way cuts, and the clinker pile from the engine shed.
The bar and shovel, although simple artifacts, represent some of the earliest history in Canadian railroading!

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Author:  QJdriver [ Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Pure Railfanning
One thing hasn't changed since the beautiful photo of #5703 was taken --- Locomotive Engineers are royalty, and those who would speak to these lords of the high iron must stand up straight and look towards the heavens even to make eye contact with them... and this is as it should be.
Author:  Great Western [ Thu Oct 26, 2023 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Pure Railfanning
When we were kids and they streaked by on the Dundas Sub. and gave us a little wave, we felt very, very special indeed!
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