Comments on: I came across this SD40 on my 1993 visit to Vancouver. It seemed an odd place to park a locomotive. A nearby McDonald’s could account for CN 5070 being here. The building was still there in 2019 street views This is the stub of track extending west from CN’s Vancouver Yard; in the past it served industries along the south side of False Creek and onto Granville Island. The lands surrounding False Creek have been extensively redeveloped; most of the industry has gone.

By: jp4pix

jp4pix — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 01:45:02 +0000

Further research with older Vancouver maps showed that the westward connection to the industries on the south side of False Creek was from the parallel Great Northern Rwy yard a bit further south. This spot was always very close to end of track west of CN’s yard.
False Creek originally extended (shallowly?) about a mile east of Main Street.
It appears that this location, CN’s Vancouver Yard, Pacific Central Station and tracks, and the roads and buildings between are built on the filled-in end of False Creek.

By: jp4pix

jp4pix — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 14:19:24 +0000

To clarify, the grey building behind CN 5070 was still there as of 2019 (some or all of the building mapped as a shelter for the homeless). McD on Main Street is also still there.
When I was last in this area in mid-2018, I only recall intermodal cars in CN’s downtown yard, likely holding there pending movement to the Burrard Inlet Vancouver container port, or awaiting an eastbound train.
CN still had a grade crossing at west end of the yard, but the stub seems more useful for letting the engines of inbound trains escape than for switching cars.

By: Stephen C. Host

Stephen C. Host — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 01:09:25 +0000

Interesting that much of this track is still in place – mind you this small section is blocked off now.. but the pullback is still in service for a few cars.