Canadian Railroads > 40 yrs ago OTD spending the day in Toronto and Hamilton,ON.

6/21/80 was the last day of an 8-day Great Lakes circle trip that I took with Roger Durfee.  We spent most of the morning around Spadina enginehouse in Toronto.  As I recall, we asked if it would be okay to photograph around the turntable and the CN personnel there were gracious enough to give us permission. It was a very busy place with inbound and outbound power sets moving about and units being spun on the turntable. Top shot of VIA 6536,6616 (ex-CN FP9,F9B) taking a spin on the table.  Next on the turntable were VIA 6761,6858 (ex-CN FPA4,FPB2u).  Bottom shot showing 3 more F units that seemed to be everywhere.

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Top shot of CN 3111 RS18 (built 8-59).  Next was CN 3151 RS18u that was built 8-60 and rebuilt in 1967 for Tempo Service between Toronto and Windsor/Sarnia. Bottom shot of ONR 1521 FP7 (built 10-53).

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Next 2 shots of VIA 6542,6618 (ex-CN FP9,F9B) with an eastbound train coming into the station with 2 ex-Reading Crusader cars in the consist.  Bottom shot of ex-CN Turbo Train 146 out of service and in storage.

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We found a spot on a sweeping curve about 1.5 miles west of the station along the Gardiner Expressway at Dunn Avenue.  We sat on the bank and watched the parade.  Top shot of CN GP40 4017 and VIA F9B 6627 on an eastbound.  CN 4017 was a passenger geared Fast Forty.  Next up was GO 504 (GP40TC).  Bottom shot of a CN freight with a trio of 1200s and a Geep towing another GO unit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/20 20:09 by perklocal.

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The parade continued with eastbound CP 7029 S2 (built 6-45) and a short freight, followed by CN 3154 RS18u and a westbound Tempo train. Right behind the Tempo was VIA 6535 (ex-CN FP9 built 5-58) on Train #83.

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We moved over to the east side of the station and shot VIA 6761,6858 (ex-CN FPA4,FPB2u) backing up toward the platforms. This was one of the power sets that we had shot earlier on the turntable at Spadina.  Middle shot of VIA 6788,6612 (FPA4,F9B) on eastbound Train #44 the "Capitol" accelerating out of the station.  Our next stop was the TH&B enginehouse in Hamilton,ON.  TH&B 54 NW2 (blt.1-48) was idling in the yard.

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 Roster shot of TH&B 77 GP7 (built 7-53 GMD) that was part of a quartet of GP7s (74,75,73,77) sitting by the old coaling tower.  Last shot of TH&B 71 GP7 inside the enginehouse.  This unit was wrecked and burned in a road crossing accident involving a truck at Welland,ON. on 2/12/80.  It was deemed too damaged to repair.  TH&B 71 had the distinction of being the first locomotive built at GMD in London,ON. in September of 1950. 

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Thanks for posting this truly excellent and interesting photo series.
Definitely like each and every one; super like several.
ALLEN

Interesting series, seems like there was a lot of interesting things to see back then. Nice impromptu curve location.
t4p.

Thanks for a very cool and interesting series!

Larry

Super set. Another Akronite Paul Woodring and I were there two days earlier. We just missed you.
Bob

Great variety. What a show! Thanks for sharing.

Love the memories of this trip Rod- and that Dunn curve was sweet. There has to be a fair number of fans that can thank Via/CN for the Spadina access we were all given back then too. Certainly a step back in time to be able to wander that place !

Roger Durfee
Akron, OH

Not sure that the shot of Turbo was showing out of service.  Last run of it was October 31, 1982.  Possible that it was between runs?

An amibitious post of a fine day's work, with a lot to trigger the memory. Particular favourites are the trio of Fs, imaginatively framed, the CP transfer job, and #44 for Ottawa.
Fred

EL833 Wrote:
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> Love the memories of this trip Rod- and that Dunn
> curve was sweet. There has to be a fair number of
> fans that can thank Via/CN for the Spadina access
> we were all given back then too. Certainly a step
> back in time to be able to wander that place !

I lived in Toronto in the mid 70s and visited Spadina on many occasions always checking in and signing a release (???). It seemed that was the best way to manage railfans in a facility; make then check in, and agree to follow safety rules. The railroads would have much better control of visitors than if fans just snuck on to the property.

WP17