Caption: A pair of MLW-built FPA4's lead by CN 6763 rest along the platforms at Ottawa Station on a sunny afternoon, as their head-end crew walks away from the power after finishing their run (probably on a Toronto-Ottawa train). Further back, an attendant can be seen handling baggage out of the trailing baggage car. On the left, one of CN's little MLW switchers (probably an S4 in the 8030-series) handles the consist of the train in the adjacent track.
Less than a decade old, this "new" Ottawa station off Trembley Road was the result of a move to relocate Ottawa's main Union Station from its previous downtown location (along the Rideau Canal and opposite Chateau Laurier) to a new one further away. A new building was built and opened in August 1966, and the old station downtown was closed and the trackage along the Rideau Canal accessing it were removed, all part of an early urban renewal effort aimed at relocating the trains out of the downtown Ottawa area.
Built in 1959, CN FPA4 6763 spent only a few years in its original yellow and green livery before being repainted into the sharp zebra stripe livery under the new corporate "CN" image of the early 1960's, which it wore until being repainted in VIA colours sometime around 1977. After the FPA4/FPB4 fleet was retired from VIA in the late 80's, 6763 and seven other VIA FA/FB's were purchased by the Windsor & Hantsport for parts in 1995. All ended up being resold, and 6763 under several owners made its way to the Danbury Railroad Museum, but is presently stored in old faded VIA colours in the deadline on the Delaware Lackawanna Railway in Scranton PA (the museum has two other FPA4/FPB4 units restored in the CN 1960's livery).
Original photographer unknown, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide (processing date stamped July-1973, but believed to be a Summer 1972 image developed late)
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I can hear the beat of those prime movers. I was lucky enough to hire on before these beauties were scrapped
The bridge in the background is Belfast Road – the train is facing west, suggesting the FPA-4s just arrived from Montreal.