You may have noticed the long line of black tanker train cars just sitting on the tracks off Big Bay Point Road at Bayview Drive.
The tankers are brand new, never-been-used, completely empty and have been parked there for weeks.
"They are making money for the city of Barrie," said Dave Friary, Barrie's director of roads, park and fleet. "We're paid not only every time they're moved but we're also paid for daily storage. As long as they sit there we're paid a fee for them sitting there."
In partnership with Cando Rail Services, the city is storing about 143 of the tanker cars for a manufacturer in Alberta and charging for the space to park the cars.
Because of new safety regulations with rail cars, especially tanker cars, Friary says the manufacturer is making the tankers as fast as possible and needs a place to store them.
"It should bring in about $700,000," explains Friary. "Our car storage revenue last year was $62,000. It's quite a bit more money for sure."
Friary says the Barrie Collingwood Railway has always been subsidized by tax dollars but this quarter in 2016 was the first time it's actually been in the black.
The city knows the revenue is not sustainable because eventually the tanker cars will be sold but is looking for future customers.
Friary was bracing for a flood of inquiries from the public about the tanker cars but that didn't happen.
He says he has only fielded questions from two reporters, adding the city tried to tuck the tankers away.
"They're not unsightly," said Friary. "We've made a conscious effort to only store them in industrial areas and we've attempted to make them as inconspicuous as possible."
