L562 // Vale, Port Colborne - a photo on Flickriver

            CN L562 out of Port Robinson delivers one tank car to Vale Canada in Port Colborne, ON on a gorgeous cloud-covered Sunday afternoon.
Following a failed trip down the Humberstone Spur the prior weekend (see previous post for details on that), L562 successfully made it all the way to the sole customer occupying this line these days. The section of track on which the switch for Vale sits was part of the former CN Dunnville Sub, running south from Fort Erie and curving west just south of town, continuing through Port Colborne and beyond, at one time reaching Brantford. The vast majority of this trackage has been torn out, save for a mile in Fort Erie, renamed the Fort Erie Spur where L539 serves a lumber yard three days a week; partitions in Port Colborne on both sides of the Welland Canal, the east side controlled by CN to serve Vale, and the west side operated by former Trillium now GIO Railway to serve ADM and store cars; and lastly the stretch from Caledonia to Brantford was absorbed into the already existent Hagersville Sub, which originally ran between Hamilton and Naticoke.
The switch for Vale exists on what was considered the Macey Spur at one time, following the decommissioning and removal of the Dunnville Sub, however it is to my knowledge all considered the Humberstone at this point, as the trackage which once connected both sides of the canal was removed in 1997 via bridge deletion. I was surprised to learn that this location was once served by CP via trackage rights, dating back to the days of the Dunnville Sub. However once it was torn out, CN assumed the responsibility of serving the customer, whose previous name was INCO for several decades. While it is my understanding the current track configuration was not always how it was, it works quite well for today's usage. The shot of CN delivering a car here is far more desirable in my opinion, as it gets them closest to the plant itself. In the background, a small GE critter can be seen, used to tote cars in and out of the plant, with the unloading site on the south end. When cars are released, the small centercab switcher will shove the outbound car onto the far track in the foreground. L562's crew will pull past the switch, shove back onto the car, pull south into the plant, then shove back out to the road, eliminating the need to run around outside the plant. This way the crew is already facing north with their power for the return trip. A runaround does in fact exist along the street behind the point of view here, but as far as I know CN never has to use it.
Evidently even under previous ownership, Vale has been a once monthly served customer for years and years. The fact that CN is still willing to cater to them in an age dominated by PSR practices astonishes me, not to mention two large six axle engines delivering one tank car looks goofy enough as is. (This is coming from someone who shoots a lot of CSX switching which typically uses four axle units. NS on the other hand likes to mix it up.) Nevertheless, as one of four remaining industries served by CN in the Niagara region, it's definitely a welcome presence. Should you ever find yourself in town for L562, GIO Rail, or neither, try the fish. It's very fresh and always cooked well wherever you go around the Port.
   

Taken on: November 26, 2023

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Sets appears in: • Industry Shenanigans • CN Stamford Sub/Niagara Shenanigans

Groups appears in: • Trains Of Niagara • Customer Service Rail Photos

Camera: Panasonic DMC-G7, f/5.1, 1/500 sec, 80mm, ISO 1600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-G7
Aperture:	f/5.1
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	80mm
ISO:	1600
Exposure Bias:	+0.33 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	High gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.2.2
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