Trackside at Elfrida...

[doctorwayne]

...with lots of photos.
I was in Elfrida the other day, and, hotel beds being as they are, was up early for a change. After a quick breakfast, I strolled down to the depot, camera in-hand, to see if there was any train action to be found. As I walked, I heard a train blowing for the crossing at Indian Line, and by the time I had reached the tracks, the morning passenger accommodation was already at the station.


I knew that the loco had to cut-off in order to take on water for the stiff climb to South Cayuga, so I waited at the crossing to get a photo or two. While the engine crew were busy at the tank, passengers boarded and detrained, and baggage handlers loaded luggage and LCL, along with the usual milk cans for the creamery in Dunnville.


After backing to the waiting train, the air was pumped up, brake test completed, and the 34 whistled-off as her hogger eased back on the throttle. As one of the few scheduled trains on the line, she had rights to South Cayuga, and the 34 wasted no time getting her train up to speed - that re-build certainly was worth the expense. In-tow were two cars of iced Lake Erie fish and the usual, for this train, wooden combine.


As the silence returned, the birds filled the air with their chattering. I knew that it was going to be another scorcher, though, and they'd not be so boisterous in a few hours. As I walked to the station, I heard another whistle - the sound carries deceptively far when it's so humid - but it certainly sound close. I hustled past the station, as I could hear the train on the bridge over Chippawa Creek, just west of town.
I made it almost as far as the town's grain elevator, and decided to set-up there for a photo - wow, and not a moment too soon:




With two locos, it had to be interchange traffic off the TH&B at Port Maitland, along with local cars from GERN and Lowbanks. Sure enough, two cars of flux right at the head-end, followed by two other home road cars, either from GERN or a shipper out of Hamilton.








...and a couple loads of Anthracite, probably for coal dealers along the line:




This train isn't slowing (locos with larger tenders don't always stop at Elfrida for water) so that short passenger train must already have left South Cayuga, leaving the track beyond Elfrida clear.









...steel plate out of Hamilton, probably for Dominion Bridge:




...a load of soft coal, either for another dealer or perhaps an industrial customer:




...and finally, the caboose:


I hadn't expected so much action so quickly, but I should have time to check in with the operator to see what's up next. "Once 727 East" (the Extra train that had just passed) "clears South C'yuga, yer lookin' at a way freight, westbound. She'll be doin' some work here in town, so I hope yuh got plenty o' film." "How long before he gets here?" I asked. "Oh, don'tcha worry none - the tower at C'yuga Junction will wire me when he oh-esses him." (O.S. is a notation made "On Sheet" to show that a particular train has passed a certain point. The operator will also telegraph the next station farther west, so any eastbound trains can be held there until a line through Elfrida is clear. Most days, trains aren't that frequent, so it's merely a formality required by the rulebook.) "Pull up a chair and help yerself to a coffee - it'll be at least an hour."

Well, so much for that early flurry of activity - the next train will probably not be out of town before three o'clock if there's switching to be done here. It's certainly not as busy as I'd been told, and that was the main reason I'd come to town in the first place. Too early for lunch, and by noon the train will probably just be rolling in. Hmmph!

The wire, which had been going pretty much non-stop since I had arrived, clicked to life again."Well, yer in luck, sonny! The wayfreight's clear o' C'yuga an' movin' pretty smartly. She oughta be here in about twenny minutes."

continued...

[doctorwayne]

I had not even made it to the water tower when the loco, another Grand Valley Consolidation, rolled out of the tunnel.


The brake shoes on the cars were smoking slightly (the run from South Cayuga to Elfrida is all downhill (the locals joke about that one), so once the train is moving and all on the downgrade, a brake application is made, then the hogger plays the throttle against the train brakes, keeping the slack stretched.
I'd been told that the train was mostly empties, either for GERN (this line's largest shipper) or for interchange with the TH&B.

First up was an empty stock car:


...followed by a couple of loads...




...empty covered hoppers for GERN...




...an empty ice service reefer, destined for Hoffentoth's main ice house in Lowbanks:


...and empty interchange cars for the TH&B:










I was surprised to see the Northshore's own caboose carrying the markers, as it's usually on the tri-weekly coal trains that move after all of the day's other traffic has finished.


Well, I still had plenty of time before lunch, and the switching probably won't take too long, so I figured I'd stick around. The first move was to spot that stock car at the pens directly across from the water tower. Here she is backing along the passing main:


With the handbrake set on the stock car, the loco moved west to gain access to the industrial area:


The first task was to pick up a couple more empties from local industries...


...then back, with them in-tow, to pick up this empty reefer at the cannery.


Carefully pushing the two empties out onto the main...


...and with the empty reefer in-tow, they couple on to the car now at the front of the train:


...and grab two cars, a load of firebrick for the stoveworks and a carload of jars for the cannery:


The firebrick is dropped at the stovework's dock, with the carload of jars now in the spot formerly occupied by the reefer.
Meanwhile, the loco, having dropped the two empty boxcars west of the far switch, backs along the passing main, picks up the now-loaded stock car, then pulls ahead on the main to push her train until it couples with the two empties.


After pulling the train back into the clear, she hustles up the passing main, and couples the loaded stock car onto the front of her train. After a brake test, she whistles-off and heads west. After checking with the operator, I head for town and a bite to eat. The next train due, in about an hour, will be an eastbound through freight.

continued...

[doctorwayne]

I'm just finishing my second piece of pie when I hear a distant whistle. Drat, it's only been 45 minutes. I amble back over to the station, and find Mogul 37 rolling to a stop on the main:


As a through freight, she's not required to stop for water unless it's needed. I call up to the fireman, "What's up?" He grabs the hose to water the cab deck, then shouts down, "They've put us in the hole for a westbound, and we'll probably be here for a while. She's comin' down from Mount Forest and has got the Junction (South Cayuga) tied up whilst she gits turnt aroun' t' come west."
I'm none too pleased by this turn of events, and it's starting to seem as if that pie's a bit unhappy, too.
After trudging back to the water tower, I figure I have time to climb the hill there for a bird's eye view of town, and get this shot while losing my balance:


This is a little better, but a bit out-of-focus:


I think it's time to head back to trackside, and I get there just in time to catch another Grand Valley Consolidation, this time the "Lucky 26":


She's followed by seemingly empty hoppers, although I can tell be they way they "clump" over the crossing that they're not empty:














I barely have time to get into position before the hogger on 37 has his charge in motion:
















Gosh, I'm out of film (lucky viewers ) and I'm just noticing now how hot it's become. Time to call it a day, I think. Thanks for looking, if you've managed to make it this far.

EDIT: Recently, I was talking to Barney Secord and he solved the mystery of those "empty" hoppers. This photo is one of his:


Evidently, it's limestone from the quarry at Shallow Lake, destined for the blast furnaces at Hamilton.


Wayne

[Gary S]

Great stuff docWayne. Barney's photo is really good, and I also like the Erie Northshore caboose.

[doctorwayne]

Thanks, Gary. Folks were asking for a run past from tompm, and I thought I'd leap into the breach until he gets an opportunity to do a proper one.

Wayne

[bdw9535]

Wayne,

Great pics and nicely done, that had to involve quite a bit of time?

Bruce

[cn nutbar]

Another classic to add to the library ---great job Doctor Wayne

[doctorwayne]

Wayne,

Great pics and nicely done, that had to involve quite a bit of time?

Bruce

Thanks Bruce. Yeah, it took a lot more time than it should have. The first batch of pictures had quite a few that were badly out-of-focus, so I decided to re-shoot them. Unfortunately, some of the rolling stock had been returned to its boxes, so I was running back and forth between the layout and the pictures on the monitor trying to get the right order using the right cars. As I replaced the old photos with the new, I was re-numbering the new ones so that everything would remain in the proper order within the file. That way, I could keep them in order going into photobucket, making the placement of them here a simple matter. As I was composing the thread, I came across a re-shot photo that had the order of the cars mixed-up so it was back to the layout again, at the same time screwing-up the order of those photos which had already been placed in photobucket. I also ended up with two different photos of the same cars in the limestone train, and didn't discover it until I had posted the thread. Some of those pictures aren't very good, as this camera seems ultra sensitive to the slightest vibration. I took over a dozen shots for that last Barney Secord photo before I accidentally discovered the "delay" function for the shutter - otherwise, even using a tripod, pressing the shutter made every shot look like it was seen through Barney's inebriated and bloodshot eyes. There are still some shaky-looking shots included, but I just attribute them to that second piece of pie and the heat of that long day.
I knew that the thread was too long when it couldn't be posted in one, or even two shots, and I've heard that folks on dial-up have placed me on a "hit list", and it's not the top 40.

Another classic to add to the library ---great job Doctor Wayne

Thanks, Ed. I should've had you here with your camera - probably could have gotten better photos and in less time.

Wayne

[Ralph]

What a great day to watch local railroad action despite the heat! Terrific stuff Wayne! I liked getting the background information from some of the company guys about what was going on. It's good that they're so friendly with rail fans. Always nice to see EG&E equipment but the Eire Northshore loco and caboose were a treat too! Thanks for all of the pics! Barney's shot at the end is a real beaut and shows off that great river and bridge scene! What were ya using that day...a Brownie?

Ralph

[Steamtrains]

Holy smokes...!!! That's a lot of traffic moving through there....

Great "tale"....And I'm "awed" by the detailing on your cars....Fantastic..!!

[modelsof1900]

Great pictures, Doc!
I would like to own or to use such a scenery documenting my models also in their natrural area.

[cn nutbar]

Great pictures, Doc!
I would like to own or to use such a scenery documenting my models also in their natrural area.

Bernhard---I am very fortunate to have had many photo sessions on Doctor Wayne's beautiful layout---my favourite pictures from my collection have been taken on his layout---I'm very lucky to have such a talented friend