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1957-built GP9 4101 hustles train 987, the Guelph commuter, homeward bound on a bright, late summer evening.  Based on the sun angle and time of year it appears to be around 1700h.  While the train is travelling on the CN Weston Sub, the two foreground tracks are the CP Galt Sub leading from West Toronto to Union Station.  A few years later this train will be renumbered 161, likely after the start of GO Transit service to Georgetown in April, 1974 as the consist was shortened at this time.  Lots to see in this image from the heavyweight green and gold clerestory roof cars (the second with a yellow CN noodle in the corner – how common was this?) mixed with steam generator equipment and what appears to be a lightweight CC&F black and white coach.  Looking across the city the all black 56-floor Toronto Dominion Centre, completed 1966, can be seen at far left on the corner of Wellington and Bay Streets, with the Royal York Hotel just to the right (south) on Front Street.  The spire from St. Mary’s Parish can be seen just in front (west) of the hotel, smokestacks from numerous industries dot the landscape, and the red and yellow “Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce” sign atop the Maple Leaf Mills/Monarch Flour silos tops off the scene on the distant waterfront.A great bit of industry is present at centre in CN’s Parkdale auto yard which is packed with auto carrier boxcars of various types ranging from old 40-footers to the larger CC&F double deck fleet (built 1956 and 1959, totaling 150) with 75 cars at 75 feet in length, and the other 75 at 57 feet.  Labelled “AUTOMOBILE DOUBLE DECK TRANSPORTER,” most of the cars seen still sport their as delivered CNR maple leaf scheme.  As CN’s Car-Go-Rail service diminished in popularity some cars were modified for specific runs (some in Newfoundland, some in Churchill,  seen as recent as 2016!)  Almost half of these cars would go on to Amtrak Auto Train service in 1973, and all remaining cars were retired by 1992.  Note the auto loading ramp a couple tracks above the 4101.*  Today this site is home to a Riverview Produce warehouse, New Choice Excavating & All Type Disposal, as well as condo towers along Dufferin Street.The square tower of the Gladstone Hotel can be seen directly above the lightweight black and white coach on the corner of Queen Street and Gladstone Avenue, right across the street from both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Parkdale stations.  Opening in 1889, the hotel originally had an ornate cupola on its tower which was removed during the 1940s.  2004 – 2005 saw the Gladstone undergo a major restoration including its 1903 Victorian elevator, one of the last hand operated ones in Toronto.  Just to the left of the Gladstone another waterfront industry can be seen, Victory Mills Ltd.CN 4101 would be renumbered in 1984 to 4361 (the whole 4100 – 4133 batch renumbered to 4360 – 4393), and later rebuilt in 1991 to 4137.  The unit would be retired in 2000 and sold to the Trans Gabon Railway in Gabon, Africa becoming BB 602.  Current status unknown.A trio of the 40-foot auto boxes sat in Guelph for a number of years alongside an old loading ramp.  These were rumoured to be the last of this type of auto boxcar remaining on CN property, and as such the Guelph Historical Railway Association made attempts to acquire one, CN 740310, built 1948.  About the same time, CN was removing any remaining equipment from the property due to the impending lease to the GEXR in November 1998.  These cars were slated for scrap, however the GHRA had been successful in its requests and the car was to be spared.  Unfortunately, word did not reach the scrap crews in time.  In lieu of this car the GHRA was donated CNR 60337, a 1950 heavy weight baggage car retired from the Hornepayne auxiliary.*Information courtesy of Eric Gagnon.Ken B. McCutcheon Photo, Jacob Patterson Collection Slide.
Copyright Notice: This image ©Ken B. McCutcheon Photo, Jacob Patterson Collection all rights reserved.



Caption: 1957-built GP9 4101 hustles train 987, the Guelph commuter, homeward bound on a bright, late summer evening. Based on the sun angle and time of year it appears to be around 1700h. While the train is travelling on the CN Weston Sub, the two foreground tracks are the CP Galt Sub leading from West Toronto to Union Station. A few years later this train will be renumbered 161, likely after the start of GO Transit service to Georgetown in April, 1974 as the consist was shortened at this time. Lots to see in this image from the heavyweight green and gold clerestory roof cars (the second with a yellow CN noodle in the corner – how common was this?) mixed with steam generator equipment and what appears to be a lightweight CC&F black and white coach. Looking across the city the all black 56-floor Toronto Dominion Centre, completed 1966, can be seen at far left on the corner of Wellington and Bay Streets, with the Royal York Hotel just to the right (south) on Front Street. The spire from St. Mary’s Parish can be seen just in front (west) of the hotel, smokestacks from numerous industries dot the landscape, and the red and yellow “Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce” sign atop the Maple Leaf Mills/Monarch Flour silos tops off the scene on the distant waterfront.

A great bit of industry is present at centre in CN’s Parkdale auto yard which is packed with auto carrier boxcars of various types ranging from old 40-footers to the larger CC&F double deck fleet (built 1956 and 1959, totaling 150) with 75 cars at 75 feet in length, and the other 75 at 57 feet. Labelled “AUTOMOBILE DOUBLE DECK TRANSPORTER,” most of the cars seen still sport their as delivered CNR maple leaf scheme. As CN’s Car-Go-Rail service diminished in popularity some cars were modified for specific runs (some in Newfoundland, some in Churchill, seen as recent as 2016!) Almost half of these cars would go on to Amtrak Auto Train service in 1973, and all remaining cars were retired by 1992. Note the auto loading ramp a couple tracks above the 4101.* Today this site is home to a Riverview Produce warehouse, New Choice Excavating & All Type Disposal, as well as condo towers along Dufferin Street.

The square tower of the Gladstone Hotel can be seen directly above the lightweight black and white coach on the corner of Queen Street and Gladstone Avenue, right across the street from both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Parkdale stations. Opening in 1889, the hotel originally had an ornate cupola on its tower which was removed during the 1940s. 2004 – 2005 saw the Gladstone undergo a major restoration including its 1903 Victorian elevator, one of the last hand operated ones in Toronto. Just to the left of the Gladstone another waterfront industry can be seen, Victory Mills Ltd.

CN 4101 would be renumbered in 1984 to 4361 (the whole 4100 – 4133 batch renumbered to 4360 – 4393), and later rebuilt in 1991 to 4137. The unit would be retired in 2000 and sold to the Trans Gabon Railway in Gabon, Africa becoming BB 602. Current status unknown.

A trio of the 40-foot auto boxes sat in Guelph for a number of years alongside an old loading ramp. These were rumoured to be the last of this type of auto boxcar remaining on CN property, and as such the Guelph Historical Railway Association made attempts to acquire one, CN 740310, built 1948. About the same time, CN was removing any remaining equipment from the property due to the impending lease to the GEXR in November 1998. These cars were slated for scrap, however the GHRA had been successful in its requests and the car was to be spared. Unfortunately, word did not reach the scrap crews in time. In lieu of this car the GHRA was donated CNR 60337, a 1950 heavy weight baggage car retired from the Hornepayne auxiliary.

*Information courtesy of Eric Gagnon.

Ken B. McCutcheon Photo, Jacob Patterson Collection Slide.

Photographer:
Ken B. McCutcheon Photo, Jacob Patterson Collection [515] (more) (contact)
Date: 09/11/1970 (search)
Railway: Canadian National (search)
Reporting Marks: CN 4101 (search)
Train Symbol: 987 (search)
Subdivision/SNS: Weston Sub. (search)
City/Town: Parkdale (search)
Province: Ontario (search)
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Photo ID: 44251

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2 Comments
  1. What a cool and excellent photograph. Wow!

  2. CN operated its Car-Go-Rail service in Toronto out of Parkdale Yard here, and according to track diagrams there were at least three sidings dedicated to that service (likely all set up for end ramp loading, as shown on one track). That would explain all the automobile boxcars present at this location.

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