Throwback Thursday - Back to Basics.

GEXR 177 prepares to lead the charge up the hill towards the ex-CN Goderich yard.  The combination of a steep grade and a heavy cut of loaded cars from the Sifto salt mine makes this one of the toughest railway climbs in all of Canada.  This action was captured on July 30, 1999

By Peter Mumby.

Beginning operations on April 03, 1992, the Goderich Exeter Railway (GEXR) was the first Canadian shortline to be spun off from a major railway (CN, in this case).  The Goderich Subdivision, running between Stratford and Goderich, was its principal route.  The Exeter Subdivision extended from Clinton Junction to Centralia.  At start-up, motive power consisted of four GP9 locomotives, all built in 1960 by GMD for the Quebec Cartier Railway.  These units were numbered 177-180.  With headquarters in Stratford, the home of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, owner Railtex also chose appropriate names for these diesels, specifically Titania, Paulina, Portia, and Falstaff. 

Originally, all interchange with CN occurred at the Stratford yard.  Starting on Nov. 15, 1998, GEXR leased the entire Guelph Subdivision (London to Georgetown) with trackage rights into Toronto Yard.  Ownership changes took place in 2000 (Rail America) and 2012 (Genesee & Wyoming Inc).  The final day of GEXR operation on the Guelph Subdivision was November 16, 2018.  With CN declining to renew the lease, GEXR has shrunk back to its Goderich and Exeter roots.

In this photo, one of the original units, GP9 177, is in the lead.  Next up is GEXR 4161, a GP7 road slug mated to GP35m mother 3834 (previously appearing as 66).  The trailing unit is sister Railtex locomotive 2127, a GP7u.