Retro Rewind #32 CN Kitchener Local Ride GP9RM On Weedy Waterloo Spur To Elmira Ontario August 1995
OCS Train Videos
6,036 views
This is a video filmed on August 9, 1995 of a cab ride onboard the CN 15:30 Kitchener Job as it journeys on the weedy Waterloo Spur from Kitchener, Ontario to the town of Elmira. Powering the assignment was a CN GP9RM with engineer Dennis Fleet at the throttle, conductor Bill Pinder and brakeman Brad Toomath. In the video the job has just entered the Waterloo Spur in Kitchener as it approaches Weber Street and heads north to Elmira with a short train. The local traverses downtown Waterloo and Waterloo Park. At that time, the nearby CP Waterloo Subdivision was previously abandoned into Waterloo during 1993, and both railways crossed the intersection of Caroline and Erb streets side by side. However, in this video some of the former CP trackage was still visible on the other side of the crossing near Waterloo Park. The video continues as the CN local travels through the industrial area of north Waterloo and then past the farmers market and into the village of St. Jacobs.
Here the train passes the future Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway’s (WSJR) first piece of passenger equipment they had acquired. At this point, WSJR’s planned excursion service was still almost two years away from commencing operations on the spur during the summer of 1997. More than 30 years later, today the car still calls the Waterloo Spur home, now in the employ of the Waterloo Central Railway. It is former CN track geometry car #15000 and was built by CC&F in 1923 as sleeper car #1570- “Jellicoe.” In July 1973, CN had converted it into a track geometry car.
Eventually, the train reaches the end of the line in Elmira where the crew would get to work, running around their train before switching the industries, including Sulco, Nutrite and Uniroyal Chemical.
This footage was captured by former CN employee, railfan, videographer, photographer and model railroader Al Wendt and is copyrighted and used with permission.
11 Comments
Downtown Waterloo’s waterloo square had both a hobby shop (downstairs) run by a crabby old couple (when just me and my brother browsing but ever so nice with a parent around) and a record store on main level I used to frequent with any change I saved up.
I remember the smell of Seagram’s and further south towards Kitchener I recall the smell of a brewery too- one of the big brands, calling or okeefe or lab at molson….anyone know? Was a big brewers retail there bouts too.
When I was about 8 or 9 one summer evening mom was driving and we were at a red light on Caroline street and waiting right next to us for the green was a CPR sw-1200rs in maroon and grey idling amid the car traffic.
Station at 09:18 still there with a CN PSC caboose as a bonus😊
Retro Rewind #32 CN Kitchener Local Ride GP9RM On Weedy Waterloo Spur To Elmira Ontario August 1995
OCS Train Videos
6,036 views
This is a video filmed on August 9, 1995 of a cab ride onboard the CN 15:30 Kitchener Job as it journeys on the weedy Waterloo Spur from Kitchener, Ontario to the town of Elmira. Powering the assignment was a CN GP9RM with engineer Dennis Fleet at the throttle, conductor Bill Pinder and brakeman Brad Toomath. In the video the job has just entered the Waterloo Spur in Kitchener as it approaches Weber Street and heads north to Elmira with a short train. The local traverses downtown Waterloo and Waterloo Park. At that time, the nearby CP Waterloo Subdivision was previously abandoned into Waterloo during 1993, and both railways crossed the intersection of Caroline and Erb streets side by side. However, in this video some of the former CP trackage was still visible on the other side of the crossing near Waterloo Park. The video continues as the CN local travels through the industrial area of north Waterloo and then past the farmers market and into the village of St. Jacobs.
Here the train passes the future Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway’s (WSJR) first piece of passenger equipment they had acquired. At this point, WSJR’s planned excursion service was still almost two years away from commencing operations on the spur during the summer of 1997. More than 30 years later, today the car still calls the Waterloo Spur home, now in the employ of the Waterloo Central Railway. It is former CN track geometry car #15000 and was built by CC&F in 1923 as sleeper car #1570- “Jellicoe.” In July 1973, CN had converted it into a track geometry car.
Eventually, the train reaches the end of the line in Elmira where the crew would get to work, running around their train before switching the industries, including Sulco, Nutrite and Uniroyal Chemical.
This footage was captured by former CN employee, railfan, videographer, photographer and model railroader Al Wendt and is copyrighted and used with permission.