Canadian Railroads > East Of Hamilton Ont.

Hello I am new here and this is my first post...
What traffic is east and south of Hamilton to Photograph. I am not familiar with the territory and would like to know whats running.
Which includes the steel mills.
Fill me in as I don't have a clue but would like to explore this area.
I'm not interested in the past only what is being used today.
Thanks

Don't know much about what happens at the steel mills, but I was just in that area scouting the CN Grimsby Sub. It seemed that CN ran three westbounds in the morning -- Nos. 338, 422, and 331 -- on the days I was there. I didn't see any Port Robinson/Fort Erie-bound freight in the daytime at all, so I'm guessing it runs evening/overnight for the most part. VIA runs two trains each way per day this time of year, one pair being the Amtrak-equipped continuation of the Maple Leaf between New York and Toronto. In the warmer months you've also got GO Transit service now on the weekends between Toronto and Niagara Falls, but that just ended for the season two weekends ago.

I found much of the Grimsby Sub to be devoid of photographic interest. Most of it is flat with grade crossings surrounding by low-level commercial development. The westbound shot at the Welland Canal bridge is very tight and the east end is inaccessible. There might be a river bridge or two worth shooting west of St. Catharine's, and the St. Catharine's depot is a renowned photo location, but beyond that it looks pretty mundane east of Hamilton.

As for CP between Hamilton and Fort Erie (actually Brookfield, where they get onto CN), I'm not sure what their schedule is, but if they have one, it doesn't seem to be all that reliable. The plus side for them is that their ex-TH&B line is unsignalled for the most part, so all moves are authorized over the radio with track clearances. There is no passenger service on this line other than the GO commuters between Hamilton and Hamilton Junction. I have not explored this line much and thus can't comment on its photogeneity, but there is a good eastbound shot east of Welland of trains coming out of the tunnel under the Welland Canal that can be done from a public bridge. You'll have to park off the roadway at one end of the bridge or the other and then walk out onto the span, because the shoulder is narrow.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/09 20:39 by toledopatch.