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Caption: Royalty at West Toronto! A special Canadian National Royal Train carrying Princess Margaret heads northbound on CN's Brampton Sub (later known as the Weston Sub) through West Toronto, enroute to Stratford Ontario.
Leading the charge is a set of gleaming, spotless A-B-A General Motors Diesel F-units with FP9 leader 6537, less than a year old at the time (built at GMD's London ON plant that year in 1958). Note the white MU hoses and painted wheel edges - a classy steam-era touch. The last two of the 11 green, yellow and black coaches are special Canadian Government coaches (normally used for the Governor General).
The train is heading north towards the West Toronto "diamond" interlocking near Dupont Street, passing by the platforms of CPR's West Toronto Station (demolished by CP in 1982 despite efforts to preserve it). A group of typical industries that defined "The Junction" for decades are present in the background, most still remaining: (left to right) the red building behind the power is Viceroy Rubber (now a storage building), the Toronto Hydro-Election Junction Substation is to its right (built 1911, still in use), behind that are the white and grey buildings of Glidden Paints (demolished a number of years ago and being redeveloped). The Wallace Avenue pedestrian bridge that dates from 1907 can also be seen spanning the tracks in the background (listed as a heritage property by the city).
More classic West Toronto railway action:
CNR Northerns doubleheading on a freight: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=19407
Winter steam by the diamonds and interlocking tower: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=16093
CPR steam doubleheading northbound at the station: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=14058
CP CLC-built "Train Master" in transfer service: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=15874
NYC/PC run-through freight power on CP: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=15002
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Wow what a great shot! I have never seen F units so clean.
Maybe its just my imagination but it looks like the right side of the F unit is flying a royal standard where the flags normally are placed?
That is definitely the royal standard.
Thanks for the confirmation Stephen. Just wanted to be sure it was not my imagination.
It’s not behind steam, but the color scheme is the finest presented by CNR.
A great capture Sir! What a handsome paint scheme!
Wrt the date, I suspect it would have been July 2x, 1958. I have a dining car menu from her Royal Train which left Vancouver July 26 enroute to Banff.
Great picture Bill ! Wonderful to see GM FP9 A-B-A units in the classy green, black and gold with matching passenger cars. And most informative and interesting caption information. The Wallace Ave footbridge still a good photo location for GO train, VIA and UPX action, but alas, the CP West Toronto Station platform you are standing on is long gone. Another Royal train conveyed Queen Elizabeth and her husband past the same spot on Thur Jun 28, 1973, some 15 years later, on their way to stops/visits at Kitchener and London, behind CN FP9’s 65434-6625-6520 in black-white with scheme. On the 1973 train Her Majesty’s Royal Standard was flying above the engineer’s window and an extra flag on the fireman’s side, and the consist was not quite all black & white as ONR’s Business Car 400 (Silver) was included. Thank you for sharing !
I have a.movie of my late father taken at the old center in Hamilton of this train coming from Niagara Falls.Impressive to say the least.