Caption: 2008 for GO Transit was the beginning of the end of the F59PH fleet: as new MP40PH-3C units from MPI started to come online, old F59's started to populate the deadlines around Willowbrook Yard. Some were just stored out of service, while others had pushed their last bilevel. Units from the first order (520-535, built 1988) were the first to go: stored here are 531, 541 and 556 elephant style, the pair 532 and 520 back-to-back at the bumper, and 524, 533 and 521 shoved out of the way at the far end. It was very rare to see a unit facing west, but GO turned one or two units to serve as shop switchers around Willowbrook in their later years (a back-to-back pair even made it out in revenue service). Two employees work on the closest units under blue flag protection, perhaps assessing 533's condition for potential sale. 541 and 556 would return back to work for a year or two, but the rest sold between March-May 2009 as the deadlines grew more. Unit 563, still active, is pictured in the background getting ready to take out a PM rush hour train.

Other neat things in this photo are the low building behind the sound barrier wall belonging to Canadian Foundry Supplies (now demolished, they had their own siding that received hoppers into at least 2007). In the distance on the right is GO's Mimico station, and all the condos in the distance along the Lake Shore repopulated the old motel strip. If you eye-spy a bit, you can pick out the water tower for Mr. Christie's Lakeshore Bakery (still active, later demolished), and the blue load-test unit built from an EMD dynamic brake hatch. And on this day, brand new MP40's 600, 626 and 614 were sitting at the west end of the shops (out of view) newly delivered and awaiting preparations for service.