09-15-2014, 08:14 AM
Charlie,Wayne and myself lucked out on our rail-fanning adventure last Thursday when Wayne spotted train 431's headlights in the distance as we crossed Victoria Ave.,the street I grew up on in Hamilton.Knowing the area I pulled a quick turn onto Shaw St. and headed to Emerald St. which has a pedestrian overpass bridge crossing the mainline---we arrived just in time as the train was crossing Wentworth St. which is where Charlie snapped his photo.When I was a youngster,a long time ago when steam was still plentiful on the CNR, I would stand on this bridge as the steamers passed under the bridge and the smoke from the locomotives would envelop us---a long time before carcinogens were a concern---now you know why I have railroading in my blood