Horse Tales

This is a scene worth modeling. When was the last time you saw a horse in the back of a pickup truck. There was a time when anything was possible. WW2 Radio Facebook.

When I found this photo it reminded me of a CN pension coffee get together when the gang talked about handling livestock along the line.

Ron mentioned working the CN London-Windsor wayfreight in the early 1970's. Next to the engine and caboose the only car they arrived with in Windsor was a CN baggage car which had a few show or race horses inside destined for Michigan. The car was setoff in the Windsor yard. The NS grabbed the car loading it onto the ferry for a ride across the river.

Ron also mentioned one time while working wayfreight #511 (London to Clinton Jct.) on a weekend, they arrived with a loaded stock car in Hensall.  The farmers waiting for the car asked if the car could be spotted on the main street crossing so they could just unload it there. Well he mentioned it was a scene to see, cattle jumping down out of the car with no ramp and be herded down main street out of town.

In London, Ontario on the south side of the yard is a stock pen which at times had some cattle and such inside. On occasions we would see livestock crossing the street heading to Silverwoods park. Not far from the pens was Cuddy Farms (chicken and turkey slaughter house and processing plant...think they serviced McDonalds at one time) were pens could be found next to the rail yard and of course they also got out and ran through the yard from time to time. I recall a story about an engineman who thought he had a good idea. He caught one of the chickens and put it inside his car till after his shift. Don't need to tell you how his interior looked after having a scared chicken in there for a few hours....George Dutka