The Rural Voice, 2003-12, Page 36ifia(40-151(
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At this special time of the
year, our entire staff wishes
to say Merry Christmas and
sincere thanks to
customers and friends.
Dealers in all types of
Grain & Seed
Bus: (519) 528-2092 / 1-800-582-5669
Fax (519) 528-3542
e-mail: soybean@hurontel.on.ca
P.O. Box 29, 323 Havelock St., Lucknow, Ont. NOG 2H0
EQUIPMENT Built to Last
SNOWBLOWERS
Feed Mixer Wagons
Vertical Mixers
Grain Buggies
Season's Best rWlshes
HELM WELDING LIMITED
LUCKNOW, ONTARIO, CANADA PHONE 519-529-7627
32 THE RURAL VOICE
station windows. After waiting for
the still -elusive train until about
10:00, I was cold and exhausted. I
reluctantly headed back up the
harbour hill to spend the night with
my parents.
I had settled into bed feeling as if
my efforts of the day were all in vain.
Then just after 11:00 the phone rang.
Dad answered the call and shortly
after came to the bedroom door to tell
me that my father-in-law had just
heard the train rumble past their
house. I had mixed feelings. It was
dark and I was exhausted, but the
train was finally coming.
At my moment of indecision,
Dad said that I had better try
to make it down to the
station. Being late, the train crew
might decide just to hook on the
loaded cars and pull out again, never
to return. I took his advice, got
dressed and drove down to the
station.
Things were still dark. and quiet
down at the harbour yard. I parked
the car west of the tracks across from
the lighted station, and waited. At
11:45, I heard the deep rumble of a
diesel engine echoing through the
road overpass.
The train had arrived in Goderich.
Engine No. 3032, a modern 2000
horsepower GP38-2 road switcher
built by General Motors Diesel in
1983, entered the yard in reverse
position, snow packed to its platform.
The yellow CP Rail caboose, No.
34447, was coupled directly to the
engine as no cars would be left at
Goderich this trip. Two crew
members emerged from the cab and
radioed the engineer to ease forward
and lock couplers with the waiting
cars. I clicked off a couple of flash
pictures. The crew checked the
connection and moved back from the
engine. Joined by the conductor and
the engineer, they entered the warmth
of the station, where the conductor
telephoned for a taxi. Because of the
weather and long trip in, they would
stay the night uptown at the Bedford
Hotel.
By this time, a couple of other rail
fans had arrived, including my friend
Gerald Lamb of Colborne Township.
While the crew awaited the taxi, we
found out from them that it had been
a difficult trip because of near white-
out conditions. I also found out that
they had trouble getting an engine