Good stuff on NYC

[cdnbeehive]

Here's another example of why you shouldn't always listen to other people when it comes to hunting. I had tried the NYC line out of Ottawa a couple of years ago. Some info I had come across showed the poles on the west side of the line. This was confirmed to be the case elsewhere along the line by an NYC fanatic who lives in Cornwall. I tried hunting several sections of this line to no avail... and the line is a royal pain in the behind to hunt,especially in the summer. So now beings the twist to the story... While researching some air photos in the west end of Ottawa, I come across a large series of pictures. Being curious, I flip through them and find they cover other rural area of Ottawa. Next thing you know, I am staring at pics of the NYC with poles clearly on the EAST side. What happened? Well, about 1/2 a mile south of Hawthorne the pole line switched sides. Now armed with this new info, I returned today to the previous hunt from hell spot. Immediately upon entering the woods I spot a green Dominion. Definitely on the right path now.

Let's just say that there is definitely glass on this line. The poles were dropped or fell over, complete with glass and iron wiring. Several poles still had side pins on them- in fact, I think this line was entirely wired with side pins. The glass is always still tied to the wires which are on the ground. The track was abandoned in a similar way, ties were pushed aside and left to rot. There are many old octagonal date nails still in the ties. Today I nabbed a 1923 and a 1925 nail.

Back to the glass. Here's what I found:

Dominion 145's, RDP, green and straw
Diamond 154, straw, SB
Brookfield 152
GNW 145's
a NECAN CD145, MLOD in blue Aqua

The NECAN 145 was a surprise. The line went up in 1898, and the thought of finding glass that would be considered older is certainly not IMPOSSIBLE (ie: linesman replacing broken insulators with whatever he had on-hand), but it may lend creedence to the concept of these being manufactured at a fairly late date, possibly by Hamilton Glass.

Anyways, something to think about in next year's hunts. I think the season is winding down for this one.

Chris

[trainman]

GREAT work Chris,any pictures

[cdnbeehive]

No pics, I was honestly not expecting much.

The CNR plan of the Alex Sub shows a portion of the NYC at Hawthorne with the pole line on the west side, and having 2 wires. It is just south of there that the line switched sides. The railway plan was from 1954, so in the final days of the NYC, there were probably just 2 wires left out of a possible 6 or more. At one pole site I found the remains of 6 insulators, but never found rotted crossarms, only side pins. I think the crossarm was a shortie with 4 wires, and 2 more circuits were placed on side pins. The crossarms probably came down years before the line was taken up, with only the side pin circuits remaining. From what I have read, the GNW was the company that installed the line.

Chris

[Barrett]

Good stuff, Chris! I have never turned up too many of those unembossed 145s. They are generally a pretty tough piece to find, especially in good shape.
Take care, and keep looking!