Bayview Junction Photos

RobertInOntario

Active Member
OK, here are a few pics from our (my youngest son & I) visit to Bayview Junction around noon on June 9.

We had no trouble at all finding the footbridge/viewing area and I was surprised at the number of people "camped out" on the bridge with lawn chairs, cameras, walkie talkies, etc. Almost immediately a CN freight train appeared and, in the first hour, we'd seen at least 6 CN freight trains.

It felt like we were watching some large, massive, large-scale layout -- in fact, we were! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

For examaple, it was great seeing a loco (by itself) waiting until a freight train passed through, then watching the loco shunt back and forth. In the end, we saw some 9 trains. All were CN freight trains except for one VIA train. It averaged one train every 6 or 7 minutes.

It was also neat watching a train in the distance, on the other side of the harbor, snaking its way toward us. The picturesque setting (Royal Botanical Gardens) certainly adds to the appeal of this setting -- much better than an industrial area!

Two locos seemed very unusual -- almost like they had "hammer-head" tops! The locos were numbered 2685 & 2686. The very last pic shows one of these locos, which appeared unusual to me. Does anyone know what kind this is?

Here are the pics -- enjoy!
 

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this setting -- much better than an industrial area!

Two locos seemed very unusual -- almost like they had "hammer-head" tops! The locos were numbered 2685 & 2686. The very last pic shows one of these locos, which appeared unusual to me. Does anyone know what kind this is?

Here are the pics -- enjoy!

Cool pics! Thanks for sharing..

Looks like a GE C44-9W... I may be wrong though
 

wickman

Member
Must have been something , I've never seen anyone set up lawn chairs to view the trains going by. Where is Bayview Junction anyway.
Speaking of waiting for trains to go by back in 1979 when I worked the ACR extra gang the closer we got to Agawa Canyon the more often we had to clear the rail in time for the tour train and other freights to pass.:wave:
 

Triplex

Active Member
Yes, the "hammerheads" are C44-9Ws. They're the most common modern diesel. All GEs of the past 20 years or so have radiators similar to those.
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Must have been something , I've never seen anyone set up lawn chairs to view the trains going by. Where is Bayview Junction anyway.

More-or-less on the border between Hamilton and Burlington, and, oddly enough, within view of Burlington Bay/Hamilton Harbour. :rolleyes: :mrgreen:
Check here for more info:
Possible Bayview...

Rob, nice to hear that you and your son had a good outing. :thumb: :thumb:

Wayne
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Thanks for your feedback!

It seemed strange re the C44-9Ws as I don't think I'd ever seen them until yesterday. :confused: At any rate, it sure was a good day and my family & I might return there for father's day! :smile:

As noted, BJ is on the Burlington/Hamilton border. You exit from the 403 at Hwy 6 N ... after going North a short distance to Plains Rd. W. you turn right and look for the first Royal Botanical Gardens parking lot. BJ is about a 5-minute (or less drive) from the 403.

I snapped about 70 pics yesterday! but have weeded them down to the "6 best."

Rob
 
You were lucky to see so many trains and take so many pictures. The one time I was at BJ, several years ago, traffic was somewhat slow (although we did see several trains in the couple of hours or so we were there. It is a great place, and I want to get back one of these days.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Lynn: Bayview is where the CN line from Toronto splits between Niagara Falls and Windsor lines. There's also a leg for Niagara Falls to Windsor, and I think CPR gets involved in there as well.
In 1960 I took a CN passenger train from Windsor to Toronto. In order to serve Hamilton, they passed Bayview and then backed into Hamilton station.
 
The hammerhead is the back-end of a General Electric C44-9W. This is a 16-cylinder4,400 hp locomotive that is manufactured by GE. The GM equivalent is the SD90. CN has stuck with DC locomotives whereas most North American roads are going to AC locos as they have better traction.

CP Rail is exclusively the AC version - the AC4400 which more clearly describes the horsepower - 4,400. CP has a major shortage of motive power. So, they are quickly getting GE's newest version which meets EPA emissions standards and saves tons of fuel - the 12-cyliner ES44AC. Unfortunately, CP has decided that they aren't going to put the gold CP beaver logo on the sides of their locos any more. For the moment, it's quite easy to tell the AC4400 apart from the ES44AC as the ES44AC doesn't have the beaver logo. However, as each AC4400, SD40, GP38 and GP9 goes into the shops for overhaul, the beaver logo gets painted over.

It's easy to tell the motive power on CP locos when they are standing still as the model is painted in smaller letters undeneath the cab window.

Hope you have your Canadian Trackside Guide when railfanning as this can tell you what the loco is, when it was manufactured and by whom.

Sounds as if you're having lots of fun!

Bob M.
 

RobertInOntario

Active Member
The hammerhead is the back-end of a General Electric C44-9W. This is a 16-cylinder4,400 hp locomotive that is manufactured by GE. The GM equivalent is the SD90 ... Sounds as if you're having lots of fun!
Bob M.

Thanks, Bob -- again, very helpful info, especially regarding the C44-9W. I'll have to get a Canadian Trackside Guide then.

Yes, we're having a lot fun with this and now the whole family & I are planning to go back there for Father's Day :mrgreen::mrgreen: next weekend!

Take care,
Rob
 

galt904

Member
I think there was a CN/CP yahoo group outing at Bayview this past weekend. 24 hr event, that's probably why there was lots of people camped out...
 

Triplex

Active Member
The hammerhead is the back-end of a General Electric C44-9W. This is a 16-cylinder4,400 hp locomotive that is manufactured by GE. The GM equivalent is the SD90.
Actually, the equivalents are:
EMD..........GE
SD70M......C44-9W
SD70MAC..AC4400CW
SD90MAC..AC6000CW
SD70M-2...ES44DC
SD70ACe...ES44AC
 
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