As previously
indicated, construction of the H&NW right of way out of Hamilton would conquer
the Niagara escarpment in the late 1860’s and continue to forge southward
towards Lake Erie. The siding at Rymal was laid early in achieving the higher
ground landscape with construction of the diminutive station occurring shortly
thereafter. Passenger service over some eighty-four plus years took place from
September of 1873 until October of 1957. Post passenger duties, the parallel
trackage would serve the local industries, mostly in a delivery capacity. While
no doubt there were items shipped out from Rymal, receiving incoming loads was
the primary function of the siding. Initially, grains (in boxcars) for the
local feed mills and, in later years, construction materials for the local home
improvement warehouse were the primary wares delivered to the location. Despite
the line being severed at the Stone Church Road overpass in 1987, Rymal siding
would remain active until the very end in 1993.
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| CLC 1347 (CLC
1301-1350, Pacific Car & Foundry, 11/1980) is shown adjacent to the long
unused storage silos. With an inside length of 60’ – 6” the PCF bulkhead
flatcar is of uncommon geometry compared to the popular 66’ – 0” car. |
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| TOE 4158 (TOE 4100-4274, Evans-SIECO lot 1816, built
12/1980 - 2/1981), also 60’ – 6” inside length. Note the alternate bulkhead
geometry compared to CLC 1347. |
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| DWC
605660 (DWC 605600 – 605799, CN Transcona 11/1973 – 1/1974) has been emptied of
its payload and is awaiting pick up at the unmistakably marked Rymal siding.
|
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| CN gondola 156261 (CN
156200 – 156399, NSC 12/1965 – 1/1966) has most likely been involved in OCS (on
company service) maintenance of way activity; note what appears to be some type
of culvert remnant at the end of the car. Incredibly, unlike the bulkhead
flatcars noted above, and despite their mandated forty-year life, five of the
original two hundred car build are still extant; most likely also in
OCS/non-interchange service. This particular gondola was stricken from the
roster at the end of 2015. |
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CN 603042 (CN 603025 –
603324, HST 12/1974 – 3/1975) is a 52’-8” bulkhead flatcar most likely shown
loaded with drywall; the heavy black plastic sheeting providing protection from
the elements. Note all the discarded strapping materials on the ground on the
right-hand side of the photo. Despite the available fifty-year life, all the
cars from this series have been removed from service; the industry having moved
to higher capacity equipment.
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