Caption: The 80's in Toronto was a transitional period regarding the presence of rail activity downtown, as both CN(VIA) and CP pulled out of their respective John Street and Spadina servicing facilities as local industrial traffic dried up, and passenger servicing was consolidated to more modern facilities out of the downtown core.

CP GP9u 1534, a relatively recent rebuild done by Angus Shops just a few years earlier (ex-8538), handles a transfer with a string of piggyback flatcars and old wooden van 436994 on the tail end, heading westbound through the Toronto Terminals Railway trackage by John Street interlocking.

The base of the CN Tower is on the right with an updated CN railway mural (no more Tempo and Turbo Trains the old version had). The CP John Street yard tracks in the background that once teamed with maroon and stainless steel passenger cars now only see old boxcars, OCS (On Company Service) work equipment, and piggyback and container flatcars stored. John Street would soon be closed in 1986, and the roundhouse proper donated to the City of Toronto.

The harbourfront skyline is relatively uncluttered here: the usual buildings are present including the Victory Soya Mills elevators, the Postal Building (real estate developers Bramalea Ltd & Trizec would buy it in the early 90's, but redevelopment fell through due to the recession. It eventually became home of the Air Canada Centre), the Toronto Star office tower at 1 Yonge St., and the Hilton Harbourcastle hotel.

The two smokestacks on the right were for the nearby Central Heating Plant the provided steam heat to downtown buildings including John Street Roundhouse, Union Station, and the Royal York Hotel. It would be demolished in 1990, around the time when the land around John St. was cleared for future redevelopment. As part of the project, the former yard area was excavated and part of the old York Street viaduct under the yard was demolished, shortening the viaduct to stretching just under Union Station's train shed.

Richard Sanborn photo, Dan Dell'Unto collection slide (with thanks to Kevin Reed for passing this one on)