Throwback Thursday - Traffic Variety

GN 139604 was occupying the GE Railcar spur at the CP yard in Havelock, Ontario on July 28, 1995.

By Peter Mumby.

The rails of CP’s Havelock and Nephton Subdivisions were largely populated by covered hopper cars.  Incoming grain loads bound for Peterborough’s Quaker Oats plant, as well as outbound product from the mines at Nephton and Blue Mountain, travelled in covered hoppers.  The same was true of the roofing granules shipped from the 3M facility east of Havelock, although the sameness was periodically interrupted by loads of traprock occupying open hoppers.  However, the major reason for any traffic variety during the mid 1990s was the existence of the GE Railcar operation at the Havelock yard.  Minor repairs were made to trucks, couplers, brakes, and safety appliances at this location so a steady assortment of box cars and other car types could be seen entering and leaving this open air facility.