Caption: A short CN freight made up of piggyback traffic with GP40-2L(W) units 9585 and 9649 in the lead heads westbound on the Oakville Sub near Mimico East, about to pass under the busy Queen Elizabeth Way where it climbs up and over CN's main rail corridor from the west into downtown Toronto. A track gang is busy working on replacing sections of rail on the #4 main track, and the freight is on the #1 main - there were four mainlines numbered #1-4 from the north, plus a long service track and runaround track on the north side for local freights switching customers. Apartment buildings, the "green canopy" and housing in the background are from the Swansea and High Park neighbourhoods on the other side of the Humber River.

Back in the day there were still many online rail customers in the Swansea-Mimico area here, many involved in the food industry. On the left (out of frame) is the sprawling Ontario Food Terminal, that had at least ten rail sidings running into the property for delivering fresh produce and other perishables in reefers and insulated boxcars. Visible in the middle is a large warehouse belonging to the Oshawa Group (IGA, Food City, Towers, etc - note some of the trailers), which also had a pair of rail sidings to their building. In the far distance where the line curves towards Toronto, one can see part of the Stelco Swansea Works, also served by rail (established here in 1882 as the Dominion Bolt & Nut Co, near where the old Humber Belt Line spur ran). The famed Mr. Christie's plant was also a rail customer in the immediate area, although not visible here (behind the photographer on the other side of the QEW). Following years of closings and redevelopments, only the Ontario Food Terminal remains a going concern (and devoid of any rail service). Most of the rail traffic here today are GO and VIA trains, and one would be risking life and limb pulling over on this part of the busy Gardiner Expressway* trying to get this angle today!

Larry Moss photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide

(* Note: This part of the QEW was downloaded from the province to the city in 1997 and re-designated part of the Gardiner Expressway)