As the clouds depart ONR 1734 South departs Timmins on the crisp cool morning on route to Englehart Ontario

CN W900 with ONT 560 emerges into a bucolic scene on the CN Newmarket sub North of Huntsville being powered by ONR 1806-1801 as CN pleaded for assistance to free the Newmarket sub from winters clench as 4 days of heavy snow and strong winds combined with no train traffic what so ever completely snowed in the line between Washago and North Bay. I found myself up here thanks to CN running a W908 Jordan spreader along the line to tidy up the ROW and much to my surprise I heard ONR 1806 S getting a clearance onto the Newmarket departing North Bay. What a fantastic way to end 2022 and ring in the new year.

Rising tall above ONR's Temagami Subdivision in the "Town That Silver Built", the Right-of-Way Mine headframe pays silent vigil as a trio of EMD's scream through Cobalt, Ont., with Englehart-bound tonnage in tow.

If you should ever find yourself in Cobalt, a visit to the Miner's Tavern is a must; the mysteries of this once-prosperous mining town, and the proud heritage that lies within, can be felt around every corner in the lore-filled barroom.

Merry Christmas and Happy F-Units on Friday to those on Flickr. Here is a rebuilt Caterpillar prime mover equipped F on Ontario Northland's Cochrane to Kapuskasing turn job. I retired a pair of cheap winter boots on this trip. I splurged at the Canadian Tire store in Kap this day and got a top-notch pair that served me faithfully until recently when the rubber soles developed some cracks. Maybe a return trip is warranted to get some new boots!

F-Cat 2001 leads Kapuskasing to Cochrane freight 514 into Smooth Rock Falls where the crew will spend time switching the paper mill here.

Crossing the Frederick House River. An order to EMD for SD75s prompted a trip to get Ontario Northland's SD40-2s before their demise. Here is Kidd Creek to Englehart train 308. Our fears for the SD40s was unwarranted as most of them are still running on the ONR. One has even been repainted in a heritage scheme.

ONR works over the diamond switching the yard in Noranda, Quebec

ONT 2104 leads train 308 through the rock cut at Boston Creek Ontario.

This has been a shot that I have always wanted and was more than happy to have been able to get during this trip.

I'll die with the black flies picking my bones in North Ontario-io, in North Ontario... Is the only thing that comes to mind when I look at my Northern Ontrario pictures from last summer.

Built in 1974 for the Ontario Nortland, SD40-2 1735 Still looks amazing at 47 years of age. She was assigned pretty much all of summer 2021 on Ditcher №1, seen here tied-down for the night at Kapuskasing.

Here's the song in question, be aware ; It's catchy!

youtu.be/f389hIxZAOc?t=30

The Englehart to Noranda turn makes their way east on the 60-mile-long Kirkland Lake Subdivision. This job runs to serve the large copper mine at Noranda, Quebec.

F-Cat 2001 leads Kapuskasing to Cochrane freight 514 at Moonbeam. ONR had 3 rebuilt FP7s that contained Caterpillar 3516 prime movers rated at 2050hp. They were off the roster in 2004.

This was once CNR trackage that ONR took over in 1993. Originally part of CNR's former National Transcontinental main line across northern Quebec and Ontario. It is now a stubbed branch west of Hearst, ending at Calstock.

Ontario Northland Railway 1802 shoves back into the gated compound at Robin Hood Flour in Port Colborne Ontario.

This ONR train is certainly out of place in this image as it is quite far from its home rails.

The ONR trainset has been rented by the producers of the Crave TV show "The Handmaids Tale" and it will be used in filming over the course of a few days before heading back North.

This rare miles run had many a railfan out chasing.

ONR sb rolls out of Englehart with a great consist over the river bridge.

ONR Plough extra on the CN Newmarket sub through Melissa, Ontario.

ONR 211 kicking up the snow into the lowering sun at their backs

Heritage SD40-2 #1730 leads train 214 through the South end of the siding at Thornloe, Ontario.

ONR Ditcher 1

Not long after departing the terminal at Englehart, train 211, the turn job to Noranda, Quebec, passes the south end of the siding at Jardine. The ONR is still littered with dead signal appliances from when this line was protected by ABS.

ONR train 308 south at Ramore

ONR 1730 leads 113 North past the old mine in Cobalt, Ontario.

SD40-2 #1734 leads 113 North past the old mine in Cobalt, ON.

The first rays of golden morning light illuminate the tall trees at Novar, Ont., as test train P300 dashes along CN's Newmarket Subdivision towards Huntsville and ultimately Toronto's Union Station.

Ontario Northland Railway GP38-2 - SD40-2 combination pull freight from Noranda back to Englehart.

ONT 1603 awaits its final run after being delivered to the end of the York-Durham Heritage Railway line along the GO yard. This unit is on lease to YDHR after several mechanical issues with their aging Alco fleet.

ONT 1741, ONT 1740 and ONT 2103 rest in the yard at Englehart awaiting their trip North.

Recently the ONR has purchased a bunch of second hand power and these two SD40's quickly entered into service still bearing marks of their past. Ex NS for 1741 and ex KCS for 1740.

in the middle of a snow flurry, ONR 113 makes a quick stop in Cobalt to grab a gondola from the Coleman siding with a beautiful GMD SD40-2 in the lead.

ONR 1730 arriving into the outskirts of Noranda, QC hits into a sudden downpour of rain

ONR 214 at Temagami

ONR 214 to North Bay

ONT 1802 shoves a pair of Trillium units around the wye at Feeder.

Englehart to North Bay train 214 does track speed through New Liskeard Ontario on its way Southbound towards headquarters. A deactivated GRS mast and cantilever still stand which once stood guard over a switch for a since removed siding.

ONR 214

ONT 1733 / ONT 2101

ONR Temagami Sub

New Liskeard ON.

Of the ONR

ONR 1740 with the ghosting of its former life from the KCS and CP rail can be seen through the paint.

Built in 1976 as KCS 672 later being sold to the CP rail as 5417 then to NREX and now in the northland on ONR providing much needed horsepower still going strong in her old age.

The ONR movie train special trundles down the Trillium tracks near Thorold on their way to Port Colborne for filming of the Handmaids Tale.

The Sun makes a short appearance in Rouyn-Noranda just in time with the departure of ONR train 514, passing the classic search lights that protect the CN diamond.

One of ONR's SD70M's that they acquired from the NS is pictured leading ONR 214 south at New Liskaerd.

After dropping cars at Porquis Jct ONR train 308 heads back home for Englehart with a tiny train in tow.

Kapuskasing to Cochrane train 514 crossing the Poplar Rapids River behind Cat-repowered FP7 2001. This is former CN track that ONR took over in 1993.

Fresh snow is falling from the bridge over the Ground Hog River as Kapuskasing to Cochrane train 514 rolls along. This was once CNR trackage that ONR took over in 1993. Originally part of CNR's former National Transcontinental main line across northern Quebec and Ontario.

ONR SD40-2 #1734 leads the train to Cochran as it is seen passing over the viaduct just outside Monteith, ON .

ONR 2104 heads South out of Engelhart, ON, with train 214.

ONR train 308 with a pair of SD40-2s heads east from Kidd towards Porquis Jct and eventually to Englehart, Ontario.

After working Kidd, ONR 308 heads south towards Englehart.

ONR "Northlander" prepares to leave Toronto Union Station in July 1982, with GMD FP7 #1984 in the lead.

ONR 1730 splits a pair of defunct searchlights North of Temagami as it leads train 113 toward Engelhart.

(SEE & HEAR)---ONR, Ontario Northlad Railway SD40-2 #1731 leads a northbound at mp99 Gillies Lake, Colemen, Ontario. September 22, 1996. Jack D Kuiphoff photo & video

You can see this scene live in my Youtube link.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym-m9eNJ7-g

fb, 1/06/2017, AR

ONR 2105 leads 414 back to Englehart after staying an extra night in Cochrane.

Usually this train heads to Cochrane and returns the next day but a CN train running late caused a snowball effect and delayed almost all of the ONRs operations.