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Caption: Back when downtown Toronto often saw CN freights running by, we find this long manifest freight (#338? #422?) sitting at Scott Street Interlocking Tower in the Union Station Rail Corridor awaiting permission from one of the tower TMD's to proceed east to the Bala Sub, in the late afternoon around 14:30 hrs. CN SD75I 5648 leads CEFX SD40-2 7122 (ex-BNSF), CN SD60F 5530, and IC SD40-2 6258 on the head end of the long train stretching through the corridor (I counted over 110 cars when they did proceed - wouldn't want that rolling through during rush hour tying up all the GO trains).
In the foreground are some of the many well-groomed tracks the Toronto Terminals Railway maintains in the USRC around Union Station (except for the two weedy Oakville-Kingston Sub connectors). In the background is the LCBO's 1950's-built downtown warehouse and headquarters (which still had a rail spur running into it from the Toronto Harbour Commission harbourfront trackage, but disused), Redpath Sugar which still received rail service at the time (shown before Tate & Lyle took down the large side lettering for their own). On the right with all the Canada Post trucks is the Toronto Star's 1 Yonge St. complex, which used to have a spur into a printing building where newspapers were shipped out for express trains to handle back in the day.
Aside from the odd local, CN freights passing through downtown are a thing of the past after Metrolinx bought the southern portion of the Bala Sub. A number of other condos have been squeezed in around here partially blocking some of the views, and a recent proposal for a new GO Transit bus terminal development would see some of the open space in the corridor east of Union decked over for a park (as has also been proposed to the west).
Other views from the 15th floor:
Ontario Northland's Northlander departing over Yonge Street: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=6975
A VIA "J-Train" departing the train shed:http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=12173
A CN local just passing by:http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=5136
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Now there’s a model RR set photo if I ever saw one.
) Really different.
Nice!
Interesting shot. The whole physical plant has been completely rebuilt between Cherry and Scott street. The freights now cross over almost in front of Scott St instead of Cherry St. They have added many new switches and improved the plant. Gone are the days of winter where you would see section men with fire trying to melt the snow in the switch point. I had the “privilege” of having to wait at Cherry, Scott and John Streets for traffic to clear. Ya gotta love railroading
Ex CP steam locomotives 136 and 1057 spent some time stored behind the LCBO warehouse in the early 80′s prior to being moved to Tottenham.
Dan, wonder how far back the tail end was, maybe Exhibition GO station, for sure Bathurst St bridge. Thanks for posting, John