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Alberta Investment Management Corp. Announced July 2022 their acquisition of 100% ownership
of Cando Rail & Terminals from
Renamed April 2021. Formerly, Cando Rail Services (renamed 2013).
Sarnia Terminal for storage and transloading. 90 acres originally bought Spring 2021. Recently (2023) expaned from 85 cars to 550 cars on
26 tracks.
CCGX 1204 Lithium-battery-electric designed for IYO
(In Yard Operations).
Early History CANDO, based in Brandon, Manitoba, began business in 1978
dismantling trackage. First noticed in Ontario when it dismantled the CNR Beachburg
Subdivision which ran through Algonquin Provincial Park.
One of two units used on CANDO work trains was a GP9 originally built for the Quebec North Shore & Labrador as their number 157. It was later one of five units bought in 1981 by Metro Canada Ltd. of Kingston for a still-born commuter train operation between Vancouver and Coquitlam, British Columbia. These units were stored for some time at the CPR's John Street shop before going to the ONR at North Bay and eventually sold off to Andrew Merrilees Ltd. (Dealer). Acquired in August 2001, it became CCGX 1000, later going to Barrie-Collingwood Ry. and eventually wound up operating on the Orangeville-Brampton Ry. Note: When QNS&L disposed of most of their GP's beginning in 1970, many went to a new leasing outfit (said to be some CPR officials) named Canadian Bellequip Ltd. which in turn leased them to the C.P.R. A few months later they were all sold to Precision National Corp. a U.S. locomotive leasing company.
SHORTLINES
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Aerials views July 2, 2005 David Graham
Coco Paving
Millhaven
1004 (ex CP 1209
nee 8118) Acq. 2004
GMD A1498 9/1958.
East Edmonton 7/27/2010 Steve Arnot
Note: 1004 transferred 3/2015 to Millhaven ON to switch Coco Paving.
KoSa Canada
Formerly, Celanese Canada Inc.
A large chemical factory in Millhaven, ON near Kingston,
Mile 186.6 CN Kingston Sub. on CN
Millhaven Spur. (link).
It was a contract switching operation with a 260 car yard.
Plant closed April 2000 and demolished 2013.
78 an SW8m ex-Lehigh Valley 271 still with
Andrew Merrilees Ltd. logo on cab.
Switching Celanese on December 21, 1997 Eric Gagnon
1002 (sold 1/2010) National Research Council, Uplands, Ottawa 1/27/2010 Ian McCord
KoSa Canada, Two switchers are used here: CCGX 1002
and CCGX 1003 an SW1200 ex-PRR 7921.
April 30, 2004 Chris Blaschuk
 1003_1002 |
 Car mover |
Ontario Hydro
Bath
Ontario Hydro's Lennox Generating Station at Bath, Ont.
in early 1998 became a contract operation handling unit oil trains.
Photos wanted
STEELCARE
Hamilton
STEELCARE Plant 6, a new steel rail-truck transfer facility
in CPR's former
TH&B Aberdeen Yard in Hamilton is another contract
switching operation using a Car Mover.
United States
Georgia-Pacific paper mill, Highway 82, Crossett, Arkansas
Formerly, 1962, Crossett Lumber established 1899.
Note: First contract in USA using locomotives.
GMTX 309 (ex GATX 309, ex CP 1447 nee KCC 121) EMD MP15AC 776128-2 12/1978
East St.Louis, IL 3/30/2019
GMTX 386 MP15AC ex UPY 1438 nee
SP 2709 EMD 756064-8 8/1975
East St.Louis, IL 5/01/2019
SHORTLINES
ANY 4004-4006 (ex CNR 4113, 4120) at Lac la Biche, AB. October 24,2001.
Tim Green
Owned and operated by CANDO, this 202 mile long line between Boyle and Fort Mc.Murray in northern Alberta was acquired in October 2000 from Canadian National for dismantlingof its mostly 85 lb. rail. CANDO then decided to try operating it instead. It had been operated by Lakeland & Waterways (Rail America) which gave it up due to low traffic volume. Acquired by RaiLink from CN it was once part of the Northern Alberta Railways and was originally built as the Alberta & Great Waterways. Three upgraded GP's are used, including 4005 (ex CN 4103) to haul pipe north for pipelines and petroleum coke southbound from the oil sands.
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Article about the Alpac log trains.
Note: Athabasca Northern was sold in December 2007 back to Canadian National for $25 Million!
CCGX 1000 Pride of Barrie & Collingwood still
lettered for Barrie-Collingwood Ry.
Snowplow pilot from its QNS&L days comes in handy!
Shown at Snelgrove on OBRY, March 2000.
Bryan Passifiume
This new shortline began January 26,1998 following acquisition of the CNR's trackage between Barrie and Collingwood by the Town of Collingwood and the City of Barrie seeking to preserve rail service to their industries. It included 31 miles of track between the two points as well as 5 small spurs in and around Barrie where the largest amount of freight is handled. Customers include, in Collingwood; Pilkington Libbey-Owens-Ford (automobile glass), Canadian Mist (distillers) and Nacan (starch). In Barrie, Tarpin Lumber, Bemis Manufacturing (formerly Moldex) and Comet Chemicals. Closing of the Molson brewery soon after the takeover by CANDO cost them 25% of their traffic.
Due to the abandonment of the CNR between Orillia and
Toronto, the line was isolated from the CNR system and a new interchange
with the CPR's MacTier Sub. (Mile 58.0) was established at Utopia, Mile
7.5 Meaford Spur.
NOTE: Due to the very small amount of traffic on the Collingwood
portion it was eventually abandoned.
The last run was made with CCGX 1001 on 7/14/2011.
 CCGX 1001 GP9 (ex B & O 6594) Barrie, September 1998. Gordon Strathdee |
 CCGX 1001 BCRY Spirit of Collingwood. |
Mile 12 Meaford Sub. |
CCGX 1755 GP10 and 1808 GP18 ex RLK Southern Ontario
5/25/2013.
Neither unit put into service. 2015 sent to CEMR Winnipeg.
Serious track work is underway on the Pine Falls Sub, as evidenced by ballast hoppers. 5/31/2017
CEMR 4000 at dusk. Curt Wakeman
CEMR 4002 GP9 (ex CN 4026 acq.1999) Curt Wakeman
This shortline in Manitoba consists of the former CNR Pine Falls Sub. 67.5 miles between Winnipeg and Pine Falls as well as the former CNR Carman Sub. 50.5 miles between Winnipeg and Graysville. It is owned and operated by CANDO effective May 2, 1999 (Pine Falls) and June 6, 1999 (Carman). Running rights over CNR trackage is utilized to get between the two Subdivisions.
Traffic on the Carman Subdivision includes grain, fertilizer and lumber. Pine Falls Sub. customers includes Pine Falls Paper in Pine Falls, Manitoba Hydro in East Selkirk (100 car unit coal trains off BN), Agrico (grain) in Libau and Griffin Wheel in Winnipeg. Two upgraded GP9's and 15 employees handle about 10,000 carloads annually.
Another branch line Central Manitoba is trying to acquire is the CPR Winnipeg Beach Sub. running 58 miles from Winnipeg through Selkirk (Mile 21.0) and Winnipeg Beach (M. 47.1 to Gimli at mile 56.5. Customers include Mandak Metal and other steel industries in Selkirk, and a distillery in Gimli. It has been delayed by legal matters concerning existing labour agreements.
The latest happenings were announced in December 2002 with CANDO buying or leasing 32 acres of the CPR North Transcona Yard. Here they will relocate their operation from the CNR Symington Yard, building a shop and office (13,000 square feet, $75,000). A 1000 foot connecting track has been built between the CN Pine Falls Sub. and CPR Keewatin Sub. at Norcran. CEMR will take control of a short track between the mainline and North Transcona. A transload centre will also be built here. CEMR now serves the Imperial Oil refinery in Bird's Hill for CPR traffic taking it to North Transcona for furtherance.
OBRY 1000 southbound with usual biweekly freight passing
site of former CPR Brampton station.
June 2006 Dan Dell'Unto
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Brampton Diamond
Another new Ontario shortline was created through municipal efforts by the Town of Orangeville and key industries to preserve freight service through the Orangeville Railway Development Corp. a body of the Town of Orangeville and Orangeville-Brampton Rail Access Group for industries, came together to create the Orangeville-Brampton Ry. which in turn was contracted to CANDO for operation under their Barrie-Collingwood Railway.
Customers include OBRAG members Clorox of Canada (Glad brand garbage bags) 35.6%, Poly One Canada (Geon) 33.4 %, and Symplastics Ltd.5.5%, Performance packaging 4.4%, all handling plastic pellets, Holmes Agro in Fraxa 3.3%, and Vulsay Industries in Brampton, blending and packaging of liquids, 17.8%. Non-members include Brampton Brick in Brampton. Note: Traffic figures (see above %) are as of August 2001.
Orangeville Industrial spurs in the north end have always been owned by the Town. One 3,130 feet long since November 1, 1964, to serve Greening-Donald Wire, United Extrusions and Carlew Chemicals; and one since May 1,1979 to serve Martin Brower (Mc.Donald's), and Canada Wire. This latter plant became a truck trailer manufacturer, Manac, that does not use rail. An extension served Johnson Controls.
OBRY consists of 34 miles of the former CPR Owen Sound Subdivision (originally Orangeville Sub.) between mile 2.4 (near Streetsville) and Orangeville, Mile 36.7. The sale finally took place September 29, 2000 after six years of determined effort by Orangeville and incredible patience on the part of Canadian Pacific's St.Lawrence & Hudson subsidiary which existed at that time.
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CCGX 1000 re-lettered |
OBRY train at Orangeville |
Above four photographs: Walter E. Pfefferle
Aerial view Orangeville
July 2007
Passenger train in front of new station.
CCGX 4009 (ex CN 4127:2nd) GMD A1688 6/1959, at Mile 7.8 Brampton 3/03/2012
CCGX 4014 (ex CN 4001:2nd) GMD A1303 11/1957 Orangeville 8/10/2016
Note: CANDO ended their contract to operate OBRY. Operation
taken over by Trillium Ry. July 1, 2018.
Passenger service abruptly ended early 2018 and coaches quickly sold
off prior to new operator take over.
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