Caption: Just beginning it's run, CNR J-7-c Pacific 5299 (built by MLW in July 1920) heads up Owen Sound - Toronto train 172 departing Palmerston at 0810h. Having departed Owens Sound that morning at 0550h and arrived Palmerston at 0800h, the train will lay over for 10 minutes to allow a change of engines up front. Smaller Pacifics and Ten Wheelers worked the Owen Sound Sub, and these would be changed out for the larger Pacific at Palmerston. From here, 5299 will hustle the train to Toronto, arriving at 1110h. In barely 6 months, 5299 will be cut up for scrap in March of 1959.

The switch stand nearest the photographer allowed trains to depart Palmerston yard onto the Fergus Sub mainline (where 5299 is), or while lined for the normal position (as in the photo), allows for trains working in the yard to have headroom up to King Street behind the photographer. Immediately north of this switch, the first track off to the right leads to the coal dock and sand house, while subsequent ones lead to the roundhouse and yard tracks.

5299 was a Spadina-based locomotive working passenger assignments to Hamilton and Palmerston (and likely other runs as well). See 5299 here departing Hamilton in 1958, and approaching the Spadina overpass in Toronto here.

Original Photographer Unknown, Al Chione Duplicate, Jacob Patterson Collection.