Comments on: This unusual conversion of a 40 foot boxcar was seen in GO Transit’s Willowbrook Yard on several occasions in the early 1990′s. By then it could have been retired, like GO’s stored APCU’s, APU’s and GP40M-2′s. It is painted to resemble one end of GO Transit 2+level coach, with windows, etc. IIRC someone told me it had been used for teaching conductors GO train door control operation. If so, one feature it lacks is an openable window in the conductor’s original upper-level location.

By: jp4pix

jp4pix — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 17:06:01 +0000

Thank you to all those who favorited and commented on this image.
My caption called this car unusual, but it’s probably unique. Doing it up like this cost some resources (especially if the doors were power-operated like the real thing?)
Its purpose before emergency response training is a bit of a mystery.
If it was converted before or early in GO bilevel production, it might have prototyped the paint scheme or conductor door operation. Without ventilation, the inside would get uncomfortably hot in summer.

By: MrDan

MrDan — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 08:41:41 +0000

The 2019 CTG is incorrect. Google Earth aerial imagery shows the car present on its side until at least 2009. Sometime between 2009-2013 it was removed from the property and disposed of. They have another 40′ boxcar there next to a tank, the former CN 545911 (another one of the ex-GO 40′ers).

By: Eric May

Eric May — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 01:32:49 +0000

From what I recall the engineers compartment blocked off one side of the entrance doors. You could talk to the engineer while they ran the train. Imagine that in today’s paranoid times.

By: Matthew Whiteley

Matthew Whiteley — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 21:47:22 +0000

In the 2019 Canadian Trackside Guide, it shows that 561747 is still at the Oakville Fire Dept. Training Center

By: MrDan

MrDan — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 11:58:30 +0000

I remember reading somewhere those were platform clearance testing cars, but could be wrong.

That car, CN 561747, was the only one painted up as a GO bilevel, and only on one side (with a white roof and white ends) the other side remained in CN paint. It eventually ended up at an Oakville fire department training facility on its side. It appears to be gone from there now (likely scrapped).

GO had a few of those 40′ boxcars with modified doorways in the main door. Three others lingered into the late 2000′s on a back track at Willowbrook Yard until being scrapped.

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:47:50 +0000

I remember this car being at Willowbrook in the 80/90′s but never saw it ever used by anyone. I know that we never used it for crew training when I worked the GO trains.

@jp4pix..good eye there mister. The single level cab (class lights and horn are a give away) did have all the doors functioning. To be honest I can’t remember the configuration for the engineers side.

By: jp4pix

jp4pix — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 14:28:23 +0000

The end-doors of a pair of GO’s original single level coaches can be seen on the left. For the cab car, these doors appear to open into the engineer’s compartment – perhaps these doors adjacent to the cab were disabled, at least for station stops ?

By: awmooney

awmooney — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 14:17:25 +0000

Never seen the likes of it. A very interesting capture and I do thank you for posting this.