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Caption: I have to admit that visually I appreciate this old image – a lot of clutter and yet so many interesting and simple lines. I’ve always enjoyed the honesty of B&W photography on a fully manual 35mm camera.
If I recall correctly this image was captured in the summer of '76 - not long after the CN Tower first opened. Built in December 1956, GP9 #4521 was rebuilt as GP9RM in '85 and renumbered to #7007.
I grew up in Toronto but departed 30 years ago. After some stops along the way I eventually settled in Florida. My amazing daughter, Claire, finished high school two years ago and asked if she could head north to Toronto to study photography at Ryerson. It was a blast for me to revisit and explore my hometown! Obviously, so much of the city is different since I snapped this photo nearly 44 years ago.
Would anyone care to identify some of the changes? Perhaps a Time Machine Challenge candidate??
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Bridge over Spadina is removed and replaced. North Bathurst Freight yard is now a GO rush hour storage yard. Freight shed ( where i had to climb a boxcar and put on a handbrake before they hired me) long gone and now is 277 Front St and offices and hotel. Spadina roundhouse is gone and replaced with condos. A tunnel leading to the Oakville and Weston Subs now occupies where the freight shed is. The Telegram newspaper is no more but the building still remains.
The entire interlocking plant has been reconfigured and rebuilt.
One of the few things still left and operating is the interlocking towers and John, Scott and Cherry Streets. The oldest operating in North America I think. But sadly their days are also numbered.
Great picture!
Oh. So what you’re saying Phil is that it is basically the same? Lol. Nice write up, Sir. I hope it brought back some good memories!
Here is a similar view from 2015.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlwestrailfan/21501010479/
LOL@Peter…yes.Not much has changed at all
Excellent detective work, Mr. Berry – thank you for sharing that link. I was just discussing my image with Claire. I had to admit that I was disorientated while showing her my “old stomping grounds”.
Even the old Toronto Telegraph building, last home to the Globe & Mail, was sold off and demolished for condos.
Slight correction for Phil, the Skydome was built where Spadina Roundhouse was, but a lot of the property around it including the coachyards became condos.
Thank you for the additional information MrDan. For those that might be interested in the transformation of this area, here’s my posting with a good view of the Globe and Mail building. http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=19862