Canadian Railroads > MLW Monday, Mactier ON. 1972

Mactier ON. is a tiny community in cottage country north of Toronto.  Its' sole reason for existence is as a crew change point between Toronto ON., and Sudbury and Cartier ON.

On a sunny spring afternoon in 1972, an eastbound freight behind two CP C-424's and an RS-18 accelerates toward Toronto while a westbound behind an FA-2 and an FB is being re-crewed. With many hoppers and tank cars, I wonder if this freight was going to terminate at Sudbury ON., the location of several huge nickel mines.

The main line crews changed at Cartier, another remote community west of Sudbury.

Note the "CPR dwellings" visible above the train in the first image.  Throughout northern Ontario, CP supplied housing for staff and officers required to live in remote communities.

Both are interesting but the FA's are a jaw dropper. Any idea what would be in all those tank cars? Reminds me of the recent Crude Oil trains.

Checking the map, I see this is downtown MacTier. I must have driven right past here, following the CN and never saw this town. Interesting area, like to go back and finish exploring.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/15 15:28 by TCnR.

I'm thinking the tank cars are for Sulphuric acid, a lot of that stuff originated from Sudbury, by product of the "Nickel Belt".  During my brief stint with the TH&B, we would handle "acid trains" from CP Rail to Welland.  Doug

I worked in the Sudbury area in the early 70's, those tank cars had diesel fuel for company use at places like Chapleau, White River, Cartier etc.
Also lots of empty sulfuric acid cars heading back to Inco & Falconbridge.at Sudbury.

The Fa units were used quite a bit back then as sets, lots of times on OCS ( On Company Service) trains. 

Mike Bannon
St Catharines, ON

SWEET!!