Down Ontario way, as well as other points east, the motive power got more varied but the stripes remained the same. This HR616 number 2107 is at Belleville Station on a sunny winter day in 1986. My three years teaching in Trenton were outstanding not only because of the job (I really loved it) but because it was in the center of Railway Country Canada and a short trip in any direction would find me plenty of action – CN, CP and VIA. I had a fine spot in an old orchard near Brighton. I could park the Camaro, lay in the tall grass, and watch the train’s role by on the CN corridor. Sometimes I was even inclined to get up and take a picture.
The ‘Draper Taper’ wasn’t a huge success given the number of units that were produced. The concept was good, although far from new. Workers could still access the engines ‘inside’ out of the weather and the crew could still see back along the train due to the tapered long hood. Still, it must have been as noisy as all get out in there and no telling how hot it got when the outside temperature hit the high 30’s. Ouch!
