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It's a little nippy out on this cold morning at Bayview Junction, as less-than-a-year-old CN GP40-2W units 9658 and 9657 in charge of train #409 meet eastbound VIA Rail passenger train #70 with FP9 6528 and FPB4 6866 in the lead.You might not know it, but this photo was taken just days after VIA Rail as it currently exists was formed: CN's VIA branding had started in 1976, but VIA officially became a Crown corporation just three days earlier on January 12th, when CN (still a Crown corporation itself) spun off its passenger operations into a new separate entity. Here, the power and most of the train still sport CN colours, but a VIA-painted coach is visible on the head end. Over the next few years, most of the former CN & CP passenger equipment VIA acquired would be repainted into the common blue and yellow scheme (with a few exceptions, such as old equipment retired early on, and a few stragglers like an FPB4 that lasted in zebra stripes until retirement).Checking a 1976 timetable, if my calculations are correct train #70 would have hit Bayview Junction around 9:15-9:25am in the morning, if running on schedule. Being inside riding the steam-heated passenger cars was probably quite nice on days like this!Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection.
Copyright Notice: This image ©Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto coll. all rights reserved.



Caption: It's a little nippy out on this cold morning at Bayview Junction, as less-than-a-year-old CN GP40-2W units 9658 and 9657 in charge of train #409 meet eastbound VIA Rail passenger train #70 with FP9 6528 and FPB4 6866 in the lead.

You might not know it, but this photo was taken just days after VIA Rail as it currently exists was formed: CN's VIA branding had started in 1976, but VIA officially became a Crown corporation just three days earlier on January 12th, when CN (still a Crown corporation itself) spun off its passenger operations into a new separate entity. Here, the power and most of the train still sport CN colours, but a VIA-painted coach is visible on the head end. Over the next few years, most of the former CN & CP passenger equipment VIA acquired would be repainted into the common blue and yellow scheme (with a few exceptions, such as old equipment retired early on, and a few stragglers like an FPB4 that lasted in zebra stripes until retirement).

Checking a 1976 timetable, if my calculations are correct train #70 would have hit Bayview Junction around 9:15-9:25am in the morning, if running on schedule. Being inside riding the steam-heated passenger cars was probably quite nice on days like this!

Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection.

Photographer:
Reg Button photo, Dan Dell'Unto coll. [932] (more) (contact)
Date: 01/15/1977 (search)
Railway: Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks: CN 6528, 6866 / 9658, 9657 (search)
Train Symbol: VIA #77, CN #409 (search)
Subdivision/SNS: Bayview Junction - CN Oakville Sub (search)
City/Town: Burlington (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
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Photo ID: 37849

Map courtesy of Open Street Map

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One Comment
  1. Fabulous Dan, as per usual. To me the trailing livestock car still equipped with friction bearing trucks is equally noteworthy! Similar car;http://www.cnrphotos.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=71792. Note 1931 built.

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