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 GEXR #3393, aEMD SD40-2 locomotive, in Goderich-Exeter Railway colors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Headquarters | Stratford, Ontario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reporting mark | GEXR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Southwestern Ontario | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates of operation | 1992–Present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Canadian National Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 77 miles (124 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Goderich-Exeter Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TheGoderich–Exeter Railway (reporting markGEXR) is ashort linefreightrailway that operates 77 miles (124 km)[1] oftrack inSouthwestern Ontario, Canada. Created in 1992,[1] it was the first short line railway in Canada to be purchased from aclass I railway, in this caseCanadian National Railway (CN). It took over operation of further CN trackage in 1998. As of 2004, the railway had 44 employees. Its headquarters are inStratford, Ontario, and owned byshort-line railroadholding companyGenesee & Wyoming.[2]
The Goderich–Exeter Railway was created in 1992[1] by its owner,RailTex (subsequently purchased byRailAmerica in 2000, andGenesee & Wyoming in late 2012), to operate overCanadian National Railway's Goderich Subdivision, 46 miles (74 km) of track betweenStratford andGoderich, Ontario; and its Exeter Subdivision, 24 miles (39 km) of track betweenCentralia, Ontario and Clinton Jct. that was acquired from CN. The railway started operation on April 3, 1992. On November 15, 1998, the Goderich–Exeter Railway took over operation of CN's Guelph Subdivision, which runs over 89 miles (143 km) between Silver Junction (inGeorgetown) andLondon, Ontario.
The railway had expressed an interest in acquiring the former CN branchline from Stratford toOwen Sound, but was unable to do so as a result of changes to Ontario labour law which made the acquisition uneconomic.[3]
On February 1, 2021, train 581 ran away down the hill inGoderich, Ontario. They hit a pickup truck, semi truck and a shed. Some cars and the locomotives derailed as a result.
The railway handles around 25,000 carloads of freight annually, consisting mainly of automobile parts,salt andfertilizer,wheat,grains,soy meal andrice. From Stratford the line serves the east west corridor of Huron and Perth Counties serving Mitchell, Dublin, Seaforth, Clinton, and Goderich. There is also a spur line running south from Clinton, serving, Brucefield, Hensall, Exeter, and Centralia.[2][5]
Traffic on the Goderich Subdivision mainly consists of agricultural products and salt from theSifto Canadasalt mines in Goderich, and construction equipment produced by aVolvo Motor Graders plant in Goderich (closed 2010). It also connects with theport facility at thePort of Goderich.
As of 29 August 2020, GEXR operates on theGuelph Junction Railway.
The Goderich–Exeter Railwayinterchanges with CN in Stratford yard.
As of 2017, the railway owned 13locomotives, which were acquired used. Its first four locomotives, purchased between 1992 and 1994, were given names ofShakespearean characters (#177 was named "Titania", #178 "Paulina", #179 "Portia", and #180 "Falstaff"), as Stratford is the home of theCanadian Shakespearean Festival. Units 178, 179, and 180 have since been sold to other railways. GEXR was acquired byGenesee & Wyoming in 2012. The railway also leases a few locomotives. All of its locomotives were made byGeneral Motors Electro-Motive Division and includeEMD GP38s,EMD GP35s,EMD GP40s, andEMD SD40-2s. As of March 2017, some of its locomotives are owned by subsidiaries ofGenesee & Wyoming.
List of GEXR's active units on home rails (as of December 2024)
EMD GP38-2 RLHH 2111, nee SOU 5058 (High Nose) - working GEXR 581
EMD GP38-2 HESR 3510, nee UP 2108 - working GEXR 581
EMD GP35 2500, built in March 1965 Nee QRGY 2500 - stationed in Goderich, purchased by GiO Rail for rebuild (scrap condition)
EMG GP9 RLK 4001, nee SP 3708 - stationed in Goderich, purchased by GiO rail for rebuild (scrap condition)
After a 21-year lease to GEXR, CN took over GEXR's yards and the Guelph Subdivision on Nov. 15, 2018. Metrolinx assumed ownership and responsibility for the Guelph Sub from Georgetown to Kitchener. However, GEXR still runs on the Goderich and Exeter Sub.
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