Old Time Trains

Inglewood

The 1880 H&NW building was lost to fire c.1911 and was replaced by a brick structure that lasted until November 22, 1971. Passenger service on the CNR had already been discontinued July 3, 1960. Abandonment of this section of the CNR came on September 20, 1984. Ralph Beaumont Collection

CP Extra 2230 South gets orders at Inglewood, September 1954. R.J.Sandusky

Looking north towards the CNR diamond, freight shed at left beyond station, water tank beyond crossing and partially hidden by trees. Note train order boards removed. July 1962 R.L.Kennedy

Looking south towards station. Switch connects to CNR.
July 1962 R.L.Kennedy

CNR side, looking north. Train order boards removed. March 1964. Al Paterson

CNR side. Closed and looking forlorn amongst the weeds. Elizabeth A. Willmot

Dark signal on CN has nothing to govern as abandoned track rusts in the weeds.
Looking north, May 1980. Station site was behind camera. Eugene Burles

Scenes below taken in May 1980. Eugene Burles

Looking south

Northward home signal on CNR

Looking south

Northward
approach signal.

Dual switch locks interlocking box.

21st Century

Current view looking north. New cement platform for use by Credit Valley Explorer on shortline OBRY.
Gazebo is for trail. June 12, 2006 R.L.Kennedy

Looking north. Abandoned CNR right of way to the right is the Caledon Trailway. June 12, 2006 R.L.Kennedy

If you happened by Inglewood at the right time you would have seen a unique, one-of-a-kind train. Diesel-electric (400HP Caterpillar) railcar D-1 hauling lightweight trailers C-1 and C-2. Rebuilt by CNR in 1951 from CN 15834 a CC&F 1926 oil-electric combination car into streamlined D-1 an all-baggage and express car, along with combination trailer C-1 RPO and 14 seats and coach trailer C-2 with 52 seats. Both of these lightweight 50' trailers were built by NSC in 1926 as CN 15742 and 15739. The advent of the modern RDC precluded any further such modernizations of the old "doodlebugs".

En route from Meaford to Hamilton (144 miles) is D-1, shown here at Georgetown on June 18, 1958.
Robert J. Sandusky

This equipment made its first run on January 4, 1952, continuing until being transferred to Northern Ontario early in 1959.
The service lasted with another self-propelled car and trailer, then with a conventional train, until its last run on July 2, 1960.

Memories

Cliff Beagan, former Bruce Division brakeman.

Everytime I worked the 'Moonlight to Fraxa' on this old line, I felt I had gone back five decades in time and was railroading at the turn of the Century compared to the 'highball' Mactier and Hamilton subs.

Everything was 'slow and laid-back' on this night job. Just puddle along was the norm. I don't recall what the rule book dictated we do (northbound) when crossing the CNR diamond at Inglewood, but we did stop at the red signal about 200 yards to the south of the diamond, proceed slowly to the station, fire a red fusee (hopefully) over to the CNR track from the fireman's side, continue over the diamond at 10 miles per hour, and fire another red fusee as far as we could up the CNR tracks on the other
side of the diamond, and continue on our way. The Operator was on duty when we crossed the diamond southbound and would give us the green signal.