The fact that the province could have bought the OBRY and preserved the line for future passenger service but instead chose to let it rot away is criminal
I agree whole heartedly. I also thought that would be the future of the line from Streetsville. I thought that I had read that the CPR had sold the rail line but not the right-of-way so that one day they could sell it to GO Transit originally and now its master Metrolinx.
This always seemed to be a good spot for if I ever went railfanning in Toronto (Although we do have a lot of diamonds in Chicago). This hurts just as much as when CSX tore up the diamonds in Baldwin, FL.
Sad to see this iconic line go. I remember that one vid of a train breaking a knuckle right over the diamond. Fun fact: OBRY 1000, one of their GP9s was in storage here, haven't seen it since 2019, so it was most likely scrapped sadly.
Most likely a cost saving move even if a third track or track maintenance it all happens but who knows it could come back if a big business comes onto the area
Awesome video man, absolutely perfect narration and summary of the history of this historic location and the historic OBRY branch line! Been meaning to do a film myself of the Diamond now gone but ya beat me too it 😆. Think I’ll still post a lil something tho, did a film of the entire line through Brampton in May which I’m still meaning to get my lazy arse around to editing up & posting
Little correction. Cando, the original operator on the line, ceased its operations on the line in 2018. After that, a new contractor, Trillium Railway, took over operations until the line closed in December 2021. Also, Brampton never really decided to "keep" the trackage, the Region of Peel bought the line from Orangeville in July of 2022, and they have been planning to decommission it and turn it into a trail ever since. A few crossings have already been ripped out (Mayfield road and Bovaird).
@EricArmstrong-vo6dp At one point the diamond went from 50 mph down to 35 mph then the diamond was rebuilt and the speed for freight was 50 mph back in 2013 when I retired
Sucks to see that diamond go. Though it does give me a better appreciation for the diamond in Fort Collins. Still, it sucks that the Brampton diamond is gone, and it's a good thing you got the sound of the diamond while you could, you never know when one day, it could all be gone.
-It wasnt used from the shortline -it was a speed restriction -a 3rd track wouldve needed a costly replacement and reengineering of the diamond to a 3/1 aswell as use up Railjoints I think it just went under as it wasnt needed , drew negative and was in the way of an expansion(atleast in 1:1)
The speed restriction was only in palce due to the VIA incident. As for the expansion, still nothing has happened and the plan has been out for years (I should've mentioned the plan was a thing for years but no action has taken place). Notably this spot (and another iconic spot) being altered pretty much removes a good spot and thus many probably wont venture to this part of the subdivision.
@@GamingRailfanner at most any VIA thing would have accelerated the removal of the diamond, as soon as OBRY shut down the diamond was going to be removed as it was an unnecessary maintenance expense (and ground water issues in the area made it more expensive than average) The City of Brampton is/was currently having a bidding process for the evaluation and design to turn the former OBRY railbed into a railtrail (tender could be found on the cities website) Metrolinx just acquired land west of Mount Pleasant to put in a flyover to remove the conflicts of CN freights crossing over north/south. Thus progress continues on upgrading the line for better more frequent passenger service and at some point that will include Metrolinx paying CN to add a 3rd track through that small section of double track.
What's the situation with the Doncaster diamond? That's pretty much the only diamond left on CN's mainline within the GTA. Would CN be willing to work with Metrolinx to remove that diamond? Tunnel the RH line underneath the York sub. Would it lead to any service improvements on the Richmond Hill line? I know the Bala sub is also part of CN's mainline.
Likely not as detours and other stuff happens, besides as of now the Richmond Hill line doesn't have enough service to justify a grade separation. Im not saying its a 0% chance of change, its just very unlikely.
