Comments on: VIA’s (formerly CN) Spadina Coachyard in Downtown Toronto is pictured in March of 1984. The tracks are teaming with passenger equipment, including VIA LRC consists with locomotives 6916 and 6921, an Ontario Northland TEE train for the Northlander, Tempo cars, cars from the blue and yellow fleet, a steam generator car, and old heavyweights including some baggage cars still painted in CN colours. All of this was switched by a fleet of CN S13 units, five of which are visible. They also shuttled entire consists to and from nearby Union Station. By this time in the mid-80′s all of the former CN steam-era facilities and yards at Spadina were on borrowed time. Soon VIA would move operations to nearby Mimico (the new Toronto Maintenance Centre and yards), and the downtown railway lands would be cleared in preparation for construction of the new Skydome (Rogers Centre) where the old Spadina roundhouse was. Most of the former coachyard property would lay empty until development years later, into mostly condos.

By: dhaisell

dhaisell — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 01:57:29 +0000

Heavyweights and LRCs side by side. Makes for an unusual sight!

By: ngineered4u

ngineered4u — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 03:10:54 +0000

Man this brings back memories. I hired on at CN in 1981 and the coach yard was considered the “retirement home” for the old times. This was a great place to work. Love the S13 on the “loop” track that went around the CP roundhouse and this is how the turned the “Peg”(Super Continental) as the old guys called it. I love the ex Milwaukee ( round vestibule doors) pictured here. Awesome pic.

By: Terry Brennan

Terry Brennan — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:18:57 +0000

Looks like the International #181 back on the top left corner of the photo. Amtrak F40 five Amfleet and three Tempo attached to the rear for set off in Sarnia before heading to Chicago.