Bruce Division

Hamilton Subdivision

R.L.Kennedy

Extra 5368 West on Sixteen Mile Creek bridge Oakville. August 3,1957
Dick George/Paterson-George Collection

Extra THB 102 West, Long Branch. 2/29/56 Al Paterson George-Paterson Col'n

TH&B 106 1948

5460 off Hamilton train, Lambton shop track, July 15,1959. Bob Shaw

Hamilton Subdivision trains operated over a Joint Section of Canadian National trackage (Oakville Subdivision) between Bathurst Street in Toronto and Hamilton Junction, a distance of 37.3 miles. Trackage rights were granted to the CPR May 13, 1896 by CNR predecessor Grand Trunk Railway following efforts by the CPR to establish its own track between Hamilton and Toronto. To ward off this competition GTR allowed CPR to not only run over their tracks between the two end points but also to solicit freight traffic along the line subject to certain conditions mostly to prohibit local traffic. Following construction in 1910 of the Canpa "Cut Off" freight trains to and from Hamilton only operated west of Canpa where a connection was built to the Galt Sub. at Obico to get to Lambton Yard. Prior to that it was necessary to operate on a roundabout route via Parkdale and Bathurst Street involving backup moves. CPR trains and crews continue to exercise these trackage rights.

Starlite with TH&B 72-401-73 westbound near Oakville, June 10,1977. Fred Clark

Three RS-18's and an SW1200RS heading towards the Hamilton Jct. switch leading to Aberdeen Yard.

Randy Masales Collection courtesy of Brian Switzer

Bruce Division (District 3) crews manned a pool to cover freight trains between Lambton (later Toronto Yard) and TH&B Aberdeen and Kinnear yards in Hamilton. They were entitled to two jobs working Obico and the cut off down to Canpa. These were road jobs, paid yard rates and were sought after assignments due to long hours and high pay. They were renamed Industrial Yards in later years. e.g. Obico Industrial Yard etc. Beyond Canpa was handled by the Ham Way Freight assignment.

CPR, TH&B and NYC/PC power operated on freight and passenger trains over the Hamilton Subdivision using CPR crews, between Toronto and Hamilton. Varying arrangements were used over the years.

Way Freight Gallery by Bob Shaw

Hamilton Section
1909 Employee Time Table

Oakville Yard

Passenger Service

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