Comments on: Canadian Pacific S3 switcher 6538, still painted in faded maroon & grey block paint, works the Toronto Harbour Commission trackage at Rees St. Yard, located along Queen’s Quay at Rees St. Timetables indicate this is the “Central Harbour Terminals” area. By that time, GP7u, GP9u and SW1200RSu units were being rebuilt by CP to replace the old Alco/MLW switcher fleet. CP S3 6538, built by MLW in 1955, was retired in 1985 and sold to Sidbec-Feruni in Quebec, becoming their 0409. It appears to have become Boston Railway Terminal 0409 (and eventually scrapped). Rees Street yard was a small stub-ended yard along the THC trackage to serve the various industries along the Toronto harbourfront. East of the yard, the line had streetrunning and street-side running portions all the way to the lead coming from Don Yard. West of Rees Street, the line continued on a private right-of-way and curved north at Bathurst Street, past the old Loblaws warehouse to the main rail corridor (CN accessed the line there, and CP had their “Wharf Lead” from Parkdale Yard that connected to it). As time when on and waterfront industry declined, traffic dwindled, and in the mid-1980′s the THC Queen’s Quay trackage from Bathurst Street to near Yonge was removed, leaving the eastern trackage to serve Redpath and some other remaining industry. Michael Tedesco photo, Dan Dell’Unto collection slide.

By: Dave_k

Dave_k — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:17:47 +0000

I used to work summers down that way. Both CN and CP were down on a regular basis working into pier 4 and Direct Winters trucking and Canada Malting down the west end of the harbour.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 03:41:11 +0000

Yeah, 6539 was the Kimberly-Clark switcher at a plant up north after its CP career. Originally they had another one, but its engine clunked out and they got 6539 as a replacement. It was later donated to Schreiber and put on display. It had been another of the regular units that ran out of John Street roundhouse.

By: awmooney

awmooney — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:47:16 +0000

I could have sworn I had seen this unit, but no, it was 6539 I saw at Schreiber. )