Highlighted data in pale green is intended to show the location of present day operations.
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The old CN Humberstone Subdivision ran from CN Welland Junction in Dain City, south to Port Colborne and 'wyed' in with the CN Dunnville Subdivision on the east side of the Welland Canal.
This was the main line connecting Fort Erie and Welland and beyond to Niagara Falls or to St. Catharines and west towards Hamilton.
After 1972, the remaining part of the trackage out of Dain City, south to the new Canal bypass was renamed the CN Dain Spur. The CN Dain Spur was a dead end line to the south which really didn't go very far. It ended in the bush about mid point between the bypass and Forks Road West in Dain City.
The CN Dain Spur, which was still existent from the Dain City Intermodal Yard, was pulled out south of Forks Road West during 1994-1995. I was told that for several years the Dain City yard used the CN Dain Spur for storage purposes.
I was told one they that they hit a vehicle while backing across Forks Road. A bumper was put in on the north side of Forks Road West.
The remnants of the CN Humberstone Spur south of the Canal bypass was removed down to the old mileage of roughly 1.3. From there, south, the original CN Humberstone Subdivision stayed in it's original location down to the Jct. of the CN Dunnville Subdivision.
 Mile 0.0 Looking West (1999) |
 Mile 0.20 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.20 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking North (1999) |
 Mile 2.0 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 2.0 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking South (2001) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking North (2001) |
 Mile 3.4 Looking South (2001) |
 Mile 3.4 Looking North (2001) |
 Mile 3.5 Looking South (1991) |
 Mile 4.25 Looking South (2001) |
 Mile 4.25 Looking North (2001) |
 Mile 4.5 Looking South (1997) |
 Mile 4.5 Looking North (1997) |
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Rule 105 Territory - Not to exceed 15 mph on entire trackage.
Mile 0.0 (Nickel) : Mitchell Street, Port Colborne : CN Nickel used to be located on the CN Macey Spur and possibly the CN Dunnville Subdivision, in Port Colborne. I remember seeing the CN Nickel sign on the north side of the tracks. Sure wish I took a photo of it. Occasionally 564 drops by here MAYBE once a month. Sometimes less often.
INCO is CN sole business for the existence of the INCO Humberstone Subdivision and CN Macey Spur.
Mile 1.8 (Humberstone) : Second Concession, Port Colborne : The CN Humberstone used to br located at the south end of the former siding on the CN Humberstone Subdivision in Port Colborne.
Mile 4.9 (Yager West) : Hwy 140, Port Colborne : At CN Yager West was once the connecting track to the CN Stamford Subdivision and the former trackage of the CN Cayuga Subdivision. The connecting track was removed during March of 1997. There is a single aspect signal light there, under the west side of the Hwy 140 overpass. The connecting track hadn't been used since the late 1970's when CN closed operations down in Fort Erie. Operations were then moved to Niagara Falls from Fort Erie. CP & TH&B used to use this segment to go to Port Colborne.
Mile 5.9 (Yager) : Yager Road, Welland : CN Yager is the connection to the CN Stamford Subdivision. There is an interlocking signal here for both the INCO Humberstone and CN Stamford Subdivisions. CN Yager is a great place to watch
trains on the CN Stamford Subdivision. You can also watch trains on CP Brookfield Siding and CP Hamilton Subdivision down below.
When the Welland Canal bypass was constructed, the original CN Humberstone Subdivision had to be abandoned (It became the CN Dain Spur within Dain City).
The availability of a line to the north was required. CN chose to run a line from CN Yager, on the CN Stamford Subdivision, south to Port Colborne to join in roughly a little north of Main Street.
On this new line, a siding was built between 2nd and 3rd concession in Port Colborne. This siding was made about one mile in length. It was rarely used, except for storage of rail cars. for Shaw Pipe or Welland Pipe.
When this new line was built, its' purpose was to supply rail service to INCO and a few other steel works businesses on the east side of the Welland Canal and Maple Leaf Mills (ADM Milling now), the Government
Grain Elevator (Goderich Grain Elevator now), and Robin Hood Multi-foods on the West side of the Canal. Casco either didn't exist until a later date, or they didn't exist until the late 1970's or early 1980's. I really don't know. But I think they have been around for many decades.
Bridge 20, which is now gone, was used to cross to the west side of the Welland Canal.
In 1991, remember seeing the odd CN local in Port Colborne on the CN Humberstone Subdivision, but never took photographs. ARRRGGGHHHHHHH... What was I thinking at the time! I recall the train crossing Welland Street with a caboose on the rear heading back to CN Yager.
Now that Bridge 20 was removed in 1997, the only purpose left for the now INCO Humberstone Subdivision is to service INCO. INCO receives about one car every month, IF that happens! It is somewhat an unprofitable line.
This line is now owned by INCO since late 2000 or early 2001. TH&B and CP had running rights on the line. TH&B and CP called this line the CP Port Colborne Subdivision.
The running rights from the present CP Hamilton Subdivision, via the CN Cayuga and CN Stamford Subdivision. The CP train originated from the CP/TH&B yard at mile 20.4 of the present CP Hamilton Subdivision.
CP and the TH&B serviced INCO on the old CN Dunnville Subdivision (CN Macey Spur). Possibly 1988, as sources at CP Welland yard have told me.
The CN Humberstone connecting track ran between CN Yager West and CN Yager East. It was pulled out of service many years ago, but the CTC switch at CN Yager East was removed during mid March of 1997. The track was
removed shortly afterwards between CN Yager West and CN Yager East. This segment crossed Miller Road east of Welland. I believe the only reason this part of the line was removed because CN moved their yard to Niagara Falls.
As I have understood, INCO in Port Colborne purchased the CN Humberstone Spur in 2000 and CN continued to deliver the occasional car to INCO and Trillium Rail maintained the rail.
Since then, the City of Port Colborne purchased the line from INCO and Trillium is contracted to maintain the line. CN still brings railcars to INCO.
Mile 0.0 Looking West (1999) |
 Mile 0.0 Looking West (2004) |
 Mile 0.05 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.05 Looking West (2004) |
 Mile 0.10 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 0.10 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.10 Looking South (2006) |
Mile 0.20 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 0.20 Looking North (2006) |
 Mile 0.20 Looking North (2003) |
Mile 0.20 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.20 Looking South (2004) |
 Mile 0.30 Looking South (1996) |
Mile 0.48 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking North (2004) |
Mile 0.48 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking South (2004) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking South (2006) |
 Mile 0.48 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 0.75 Looking South (2003) |
Mile 1.09 Looking North (1999) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking North (2004) |
Mile 1.09 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking East (2003) |
 Mile 1.09 Looking East (2006) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking North (2004) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking South (1999) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking South (2006) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking South (2004) |
 Mile 1.79 Looking East (2003) |
 Mile 1.8 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.0 Looking North (1999) |
 Mile 2.0 Looking South (1999) |
 Mile 2.0 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.2 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.3 Looking North (1996) |
 Mile 2.5 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking North (1996) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 2.8 Looking South (1996) |
 Mile 3.13 Looking North (1999) |
 Mile 3.13 Looking South (2003) |
 Mile 3.13 Looking East (2003) |
 Mile 4.0 Looking North (1999) |
 Mile 4.0 Looking South (1999) |
 Mile 4.63 Looking Northeast (2003) |
 Mile 4.63 Looking Southwest (2003) |
 Mile 4.63 Looking West (1999) |
 Mile 4.63 Looking Southwest (1997) |
 Mile 4.63 Looking Southwest (2004) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking East (2002) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking East (2004) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking East (1999) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking West (2002) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking West (2006) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking West (2004) |
 Mile 4.9 Looking West (2003) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking West (2002) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking West (1997) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking West (1997) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking West (2004) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking East (2003) |
 Mile 5.22 Looking East (1997) |
 Mile 5.6 Looking East (2003) |
 Mile 5.8 Looking East (2004) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (1998) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (2004) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (2006) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (1998) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (1999) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking North (2003) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking North (2004) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking North (2006) |
 Mile 5.9 Looking South (2002) |
 Mile 0.0 - Conn. Trk Looking West (2002) |
 Mile 0.0 - Conn. Trk Looking East (1997) |
 Mile 0.84 - Conn. Trk Looking West (1997) |
 Mile 0.84 - Conn. Trk Looking West (1996) |
 Mile 0.84 - Conn. Trk Looking East (1996) |
 Mile 1.21 - Conn. Trk Looking West (1997) |
 Mile 1.21 - Conn. Trk Looking East (1997) |
 Team Track Looking South (2005) |
 Team Track Looking North (2005) |
 INCO Lead Looking South (2001) |
