A good time to be in Smiths Falls is between 1:00 and 1:45 when VIA's Toronto southbound comes off of VIA's Smiths Falls sub and VIA's Ottawa northbound comes off of CP Rail's Brockville sub. They both meet at Smiths Falls as there are no passing sidings on the Brockville or Smiths Falls subs. Looks like you got to the station just in time. There's usually some CP Rail freights coming in from Montreal or Toronto (CP Rail's Winchester or Belleville subs or on the Chalk River sub.
The signal mast at the east end of the station controls movement onto the Brockville sub and eastbound onto the Winchester sub (to Montreal). A good way to tell whether there are trains approaching is to look at the signal aspects. Lots of signal masts controlling tracks #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5.
And then there's the action in the yard. #6613 is one of those ex-Soo Lines SD40-2's which has been in Smiths Falls for a couple of years now. #3031 and #3042 are two GP38s that have been mu'd together for a long, long time. There's still a couple of GP9s on the east side of the yard. There's a noticeable difference in pulling power as #3031 does the work of the two GP38s. Which is why the GP9s are hardly ever used for switching in the yard anymore.
Good pics!
Bob M.
