Comments on: Alco and MLW switchers were typical local and yard power for the steam and early diesel eras, CN and CP both purchased many of the little 660- (S3) and 1000-horsepower (S2, S4) units in the 40′s and 50′s to replace their smaller steam power. Here, CN S2 8135 sports the brand new “CN” noodle logo and branding, sitting in Danforth Yard with wooden caboose 78429(?) bearing the old “Serves All Canada” wafer logo. Visible in the yard behind is a long cut of “GS” drop-bottom gondolas, perhaps for aggregate service to/from the nearby aggregate industries that were located in the Scarborough area. Also visible is a 40′ double door automobile boxcar, and an outside-braced wooden boxcar. CN’s Danforth Yard was once a large freight yard in Scarborough (east end Toronto), at the top of a grade that required pushers in the steam era. It declined in importance after the steam-era due to opening of CN’s new modern Toronto (MacMillan) Yard in the mid-60′s, and the gradual decline of local rail customers. In its later years it served as home for CN’s maintenance of way department and their work equipment. The yard was removed and site redeveloped into housing sometime in the late 90′s. Upon retirement in 1975, CN 8135 was donated to the Canadian Railway Historical Association, Toronto & York Division (CRHA T&Y) and repainted/restored in its original paint and number as CN 7988, and put on display at the CRHA’s harbourfront museum near Queen’s Quay and Bathurst in Toronto. When the museum was moved out in the late 80′s, all equipment was removed and eventually dispersed or disposed of. 7988 apparently had condemned wheels, and was scrapped. Original photographer unknown, Dan Dell’Unto collection negative (large-format scanned with a DSLR).

Comments on: Alco and MLW switchers were typical local and yard power for the steam and early diesel eras, CN and CP both purchased many of the little 660- (S3) and 1000-horsepower (S2, S4) units in the 40′s and 50′s to replace their smaller steam power. Here, CN S2 8135 sports the brand new “CN” noodle logo and branding, sitting in Danforth Yard with wooden caboose 78429(?) bearing the old “Serves All Canada” wafer logo. Visible in the yard behind is a long cut of “GS” drop-bottom gondolas, perhaps for aggregate service to/from the nearby aggregate industries that were located in the Scarborough area. Also visible is a 40′ double door automobile boxcar, and an outside-braced wooden boxcar. CN’s Danforth Yard was once a large freight yard in Scarborough (east end Toronto), at the top of a grade that required pushers in the steam era. It declined in importance after the steam-era due to opening of CN’s new modern Toronto (MacMillan) Yard in the mid-60′s, and the gradual decline of local rail customers. In its later years it served as home for CN’s maintenance of way department and their work equipment. The yard was removed and site redeveloped into housing sometime in the late 90′s. Upon retirement in 1975, CN 8135 was donated to the Canadian Railway Historical Association, Toronto & York Division (CRHA T&Y) and repainted/restored in its original paint and number as CN 7988, and put on display at the CRHA’s harbourfront museum near Queen’s Quay and Bathurst in Toronto. When the museum was moved out in the late 80′s, all equipment was removed and eventually dispersed or disposed of. 7988 apparently had condemned wheels, and was scrapped. Original photographer unknown, Dan Dell’Unto collection negative (large-format scanned with a DSLR). http://www.railpictures.ca The BEST Canadian photos on the Internet, eh? Tue, 26 May 2026 21:05:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1