Bala Weekend

J.Walder/J.Riddell Collection

The Bala Weekend, Train No. 771, gets smartly underway from West Toronto Station behind a well polished 1271 on July 30, 1954. This train left the Union Station at 5:15 p.m. Friday and returned as No. 774, arriving at the Union Station at 9:15 p.m. Sunday. Running north these weekend specials terminated at the division point of Mactier which is 12 miles north of Bala.

Five years later: #317, engine 1271, July 17, 1959. Same engine, same train, same location, but change is happening. The old heavyweight coaches have been replaced by modern lightweight coaches, but only half as many. People are driving to their cottages. Bob Shaw

West Toronto Depot, looking southeast, Galt Sub. at crossover to MacTier Sub. connection. Bob Shaw