The Rural Voice, 2003-12, Page 39soil in the pit, had changed little
since my days on the farm. I parked
the car south of the tracks near the
old maple tree which still stood much
as it had in the 1960s. 1 walked over
and stomped upon the wooden planks
of the grade crossing to check out the
track.
Silence covered the land as 1
looked across the snowy hills
northeast to the old farm buildings
now belonging to another family. I
moved into the old hedge to stand
amongst the pines and get some
protection from the wind.
After what seemed a long wait,
a train whistle broke the
silence. The whistle rose out
of McGaw and echoed off the
hardwood bush in the distance: two
longs, a short and a long blast for the
highway crossing at McGaw. The
echoes rang across the valley as the
engine rumbled closer. Looking
down the track toward Sharpes
Creek, I saw the train's headlights
emerge over Feagan's hill, move
down the hill to Sharpes Creek
bridge, and then start the slow incline
up to Shapit. The overgrowth of
Scotch pines restricted my view of
the train, as the line curved slightly
up toward the crossing. I moved
south of the track to get a clear view
of the train crossing into Shapit.
Engine No. 3032 emerged from the
pine trees, its whistle blowing —
frame 1; it crossed the sideroad —
frame 2; entered the abandoned pit
— frame 3; moved alongside our
farm — frame 4; and headed into the
next pine hedge toward the Maitland
River — frame 5.
I slowly walked back to the car,
then drove cautiously toward my in-
laws' home near Blyth, where my
wait had started some 22 hours
earlier. Arriving in their yard about
11:00, I walked down the short lane
to the crossing. A stately spruce
hedge provided a backdrop for the
train's last passage. The engine's
lights soon peered through the
opening in the highway overpass.
The train quietly moved into
position in front of the hedge, as
snowflakes gently drifted downward.
A couple more shots at the lane
crossing, and Blyth mileboard, then
one final shot as the caboose rode
two rusty rails over the crest of the
hill toward Blyth and into history.°
John R. Hardy
It
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Tel.: (519) 371-1561
1-800-361-0127
e-mail: ovid@bmts.com
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Happy Holidays! _
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Wishing you all the best
Wishing you best
of the Season, with
thanks for your friendship
Et support throughout
the year!
Wayne Cook
®PARKER (519) 236-7390
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DECEMBER 2003 35