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Caption: Canadian National 4-8-4 6258 rests among other steam engines at the Mimico roundhouse in 1956. One of CN's large fleet of Northerns, 6258 was built by MLW as part of the U2h-class in 1944, making it just 12 years old when this photo was taken. CN was ordering brand new GP9's and RS10/18's at this time, and the end of steam was not far off: 6258 would be scrapped 5 years later in 1961.
Located in the town of Mimico (now an inner suburb of Toronto) and just to the south of the busy Oakville Sub, the Mimico roundhouse would be demolished in the 60's, the turntable removed and the pit filled in. Presumably this occurred when CN moved its locomotive servicing to the new Toronto (MacMillan) Yard and its more modern diesel repair facility. Today VIA and GO Transit have large servicing facilities in Mimico, but CN's presence here is but a shadow of its former self: a small freight yard to serve the few remaining local customers that use rail.
[Historical Editor's Note: VIA has a turntable here at their Toronto Maintenance Centre, but it's located in a spot northwest of where the Mimico Roundhouse's turntable would have been. It is unknown if this was a brand new turntable, or if the old Mimico turntable was available and reused in a new pit.]
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![Canadian National 4-8-4 6258 rests among other steam engines at the Mimico roundhouse in 1956. One of CN's large fleet of Northerns, 6258 was built by MLW as part of the U2h-class in 1944, making it just 12 years old when this photo was taken. CN was ordering brand new GP9's and RS10/18's at this time, and the end of steam was not far off: 6258 would be scrapped 5 years later in 1961.Located in the town of Mimico (now an inner suburb of Toronto) and just to the south of the busy Oakville Sub, the Mimico roundhouse would be demolished in the 60's, the turntable removed and the pit filled in. Presumably this occurred when CN moved its locomotive servicing to the new Toronto (MacMillan) Yard and its more modern diesel repair facility. Today VIA and GO Transit have large servicing facilities in Mimico, but CN's presence here is but a shadow of its former self: a small freight yard to serve the few remaining local customers that use rail.[Historical Editor's Note: VIA has a turntable here at their Toronto Maintenance Centre, but it's located in a spot northwest of where the Mimico Roundhouse's turntable would have been. It is unknown if this was a brand new turntable, or if the old Mimico turntable was available and reused in a new pit.]](http://www.railpictures.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/CN-6258-etc739-edited-despec-cc2-1280x852.jpg "Canadian National 4-8-4 6258 rests among other steam engines at the Mimico roundhouse in 1956. One of CN's large fleet of Northerns, 6258 was built by MLW as part of the U2h-class in 1944, making it just 12 years old when this photo was taken. CN was ordering brand new GP9's and RS10/18's at this time, and the end of steam was not far off: 6258 would be scrapped 5 years later in 1961.Located in the town of Mimico (now an inner suburb of Toronto) and just to the south of the busy Oakville Sub, the Mimico roundhouse would be demolished in the 60's, the turntable removed and the pit filled in. Presumably this occurred when CN moved its locomotive servicing to the new Toronto (MacMillan) Yard and its more modern diesel repair facility. Today VIA and GO Transit have large servicing facilities in Mimico, but CN's presence here is but a shadow of its former self: a small freight yard to serve the few remaining local customers that use rail.[Historical Editor's Note: VIA has a turntable here at their Toronto Maintenance Centre, but it's located in a spot northwest of where the Mimico Roundhouse's turntable would have been. It is unknown if this was a brand new turntable, or if the old Mimico turntable was available and reused in a new pit.]")
My wife’s grand parents lived in Mimico and her Grandfather worked for CN. Unfortunately I only met the old gentleman once before be passed on. I recall seeing CN freight yards still in Mimico during the late 1060′s and early 70′s while riding the GO Train to Toronto from Port Credit. Thanks Bill for getting these wonderful pictures and sharing them on here.
Nice! Nothing like some big Canadian steam. Mimico is a whole different place today compared to what it was back then.
The turntable currently at Mimico is a brand-new one built for the VIA facility. It is long enough – barely – to fit one P42 locomotive.