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Caption: CNR K5a Hudson 5704 lays it on as she tackles the hill on the climb out of Bayview for Dundas, heading westbound up the Dundas Sub just after clearing Hamilton West in the background. Her train of five passenger cars is likely one of the many Sarnia or Windsor-bound passenger trains originating from Toronto's Union Station, and shouldn't pose much of a challenge on the grades for 5704. Visible in the background at Hamilton West (the north end of the wye formed with Bayview and Hamilton Junctions) are section houses, the Dundas Sub that curves off to the left to Bayview Junction, the "cowpath" that runs off to the right to Hamilton Junction, and CP's Goderich Sub (present-day Hamilton Sub) on the top of the embankment on the right. No doubt the foliage is a little less grown-in here than present day!
Unlike CP who amassed a fleet of Hudsons, CN only purchased five (K5a class units 5700-5704), built by MLW in 1930 and assigned to passenger service in Southern Ontario. At the end of the steam era a few years later, two units (5702 and 5703) were saved from the scrapper's torch and preserved (see Bill Thomson's photos here and here).
Original photographer unknown (Al Chione duplicate slide), Dan Dell'Unto collection (with some editing/colour correction).
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Haven’t seen this angle before. Nice! Thanks for this.
I saw both preserved 5400′s last summer. But are in outstanding preserved condition. Beautiful paint scheme, too.
Neat angle, didn’t recognize it at first!
There’s no 403 bridge which would start at around the third coach no? Very cool.
This might be the Toronto / London train called the “Forest City”. These locos were regulars on it and the consist looks about the right size.
Correct Steve, Highway 403 didn’t exist yet, so no bridges!
Awesome.
I rate 8/8.
Well, there’s an instant classic!! It doesn’t get better than this!!
The green and black paint on a steam loco is classic. What a shame more weren’t held for posterity.
How did railways keep the rights of way so clear (grass) for 100 years?
In the last 50 one could argue climate change is a hoax by comparison.
Great, great picture ! Judging from the springtime late afternoon sun light, this would be train #75, The Forest City, which was for many years was powered by a “5700”. Train 75, and its east bound early morning counterpart #82 , were very popular with London-Toronto business travellers and commuters, and always had a parlour car, but no diner. Today VIA has similar London-Toronto run with Business Class car (meal included). To answer Steve Host’s question, it used to be called MofW – maintenance of way by railway MofW employees was continually being carried out on not just the track and roadbed, but along the full right—of-way. Today CN is much more interested in operating ratio, so no subdivision MofW section gangs, no track gangs (great summer time student jobs in both), no MofW at all – just let everything grow wild ! Got nuthin’ to do with climate change. John