Old Time Trains

King Street

6545 shoving towards King Street Shed on shed lead crossing Front Street West at Spadina Avenue. Movement would be controlled by yardman with backup air hose on van leading backwards.
View looking northeast c.1970 Terry Link View in opposite direction click link below.
Note steam locomotive bell, standard on all crossing shanties.

View of this area more than 40 years earlier showing TTC streetcar tracks crossing the Shed Lead above.
Also, shows extension of TTC tracks south across Shed Lead over new Spadina Avenue bridge and the new subway (for the CNR High Line on the Viaduct project) to a deadend at Fleet Street (Lakeshore Blvd.W.)

King Street looking east. Canadian Pacific Express building on Simcoe Street combines with freight shed and offices at 62 Simcoe Street. Green trucks are Cartage (LCL) pickup and delivery vehicles. This work was contracted to CPX by CPR. Express Company vehicles were painted red.

The site is now occupied by Roy Thomson Hall a concert hall which opened in 1982.

TTC 4333 is a Queen car off its route destined to Sunnyside. Note small metal flip-up sign on dashboard SHORT TURN. Out of view at left is the famous Royal Alexandra Theatre. (below)

TTC 4106 King car destined Coxwell and Danforth. Looking west at same location. 1964
Chuckman's Photos

Note advertisement painted on building at left for Canadian Pacific Express Travellers Cheques.

King Street-based crews switched the main Simcoe Street LCL shed, CP Express shed, also team tracks, along with the Peter Street Crane, Paper Shed, horse and auto platforms. The engine was supplied from John Street. Transfer runs were made to Parkdale and Lambton, but these crews were not based at King Street. A short steep track from Tecumseh Street up to Front Street was controlled by an electric staff block system. This track ran parallel to the south side of Front Street against a high retaining wall. These sheds replaced earlier structures at John Street right next to the old roundhouse beside the coach yard. Construction of the "High Level" grade separation project caused the removal of these sheds as well as requiring a new roundhouse at John Street. The street address was 69 Simcoe Street and referred to as simply Simcoe Street, although yard crews called it King Street shed. King Street operated from 1914 until 1977 with the main shed and CP Express being demolished in August. The last structure in use was the paper shed on the northwest side of Peter Street and Wellington Avenue West and it remained in use until 1985-6 although not for newsprint paper. Tecumseh Street Tower.

One team at the new team track. Race horses and automobiles were also handled here. Peter Street looking south west. Steele-Briggs Seed Co. building on Spadina had a private siding and shipped seeds all over for many decades.

These short trailers were loaded two per modified flat car handled LCL Cartage. Painted dark green same as trucks they were contracted to Canadian Pacific Express whose similar trailers and trucks were painted red. Peter Street ramp. 1950's Jim Parker

John Street level crossing looking north from Wellington Street West towards King Street West.
Dark shadow in foreground is caused by overhead portion of shed building.

South side of King Street shed. Looking east from John Street along
Wellington Street West towards Simcoe Street. 1988

By this time the shed had seen better days and the end was not far off.
The crossing watchman's shanty was saved and restored.



	King Street 6545 shoving towards King Street Shed on shed lead crossing Front Street West at Spadina Avenue. Movement would be controlled by yardman with backup air hose on van leading backwards. View looking northeast c.1970 Terry Link View in opposite direction click link below. Note steam locomotive bell, standard on all crossing shanties. View of this area more than 40 years earlier showing TTC streetcar tracks crossing the Shed Lead above. Also, shows extension of TTC tracks south across Shed Lead over new Spadina Avenue bridge and the new subway (for the CNR High Line on the Viaduct project) to a deadend at Fleet Street (Lakeshore Blvd.W.) King Street looking east. Canadian Pacific Express building on Simcoe Street combines with freight shed and offices at 62 Simcoe Street. Green trucks are Cartage (LCL) pickup and delivery vehicles. This work was contracted to CPX by CPR. Express Company vehicles were painted red. The site is now occupied by Roy Thomson Hall a concert hall which opened in 1982. TTC 4333 is a Queen car off its route destined to Sunnyside. Note small metal flip-up sign on dashboard SHORT TURN. Out of view at left is the famous Royal Alexandra Theatre. (below) TTC 4106 King car destined Coxwell and Danforth. Looking west at same location. 1964 Chuckman's Photos Note advertisement painted on building at left for Canadian Pacific Express Travellers Cheques. King Street-based crews switched the main Simcoe Street LCL shed, CP Express shed, also team tracks, along with the Peter Street Crane, Paper Shed, horse and auto platforms. The engine was supplied from John Street. Transfer runs were made to Parkdale and Lambton, but these crews were not based at King Street. A short steep track from Tecumseh Street up to Front Street was controlled by an electric staff block system. This track ran parallel to the south side of Front Street against a high retaining wall. These sheds replaced earlier structures at John Street right next to the old roundhouse beside the coach yard. Construction of the "High Level" grade separation project caused the removal of these sheds as well as requiring a new roundhouse at John Street. The street address was 69 Simcoe Street and referred to as simply Simcoe Street, although yard crews called it King Street shed. King Street operated from 1914 until 1977 with the main shed and CP Express being demolished in August. The last structure in use was the paper shed on the northwest side of Peter Street and Wellington Avenue West and it remained in use until 1985-6 although not for newsprint paper. Tecumseh Street Tower. One team at the new team track. Race horses and automobiles were also handled here. Peter Street looking south west. Steele-Briggs Seed Co. building on Spadina had a private siding and shipped seeds all over for many decades. These short trailers were loaded two per modified flat car handled LCL Cartage. Painted dark green same as trucks they were contracted to Canadian Pacific Express whose similar trailers and trucks were painted red. Peter Street ramp. 1950's Jim Parker John Street level crossing looking north from Wellington Street West towards King Street West. Dark shadow in foreground is caused by overhead portion of shed building. South side of King Street shed. Looking east from John Street along Wellington Street West towards Simcoe Street. 1988 By this time the shed had seen better days and the end was not far off. The crossing watchman's shanty was saved and restored. King Street Shed 1977 Demolition is near. Back (Use your browser Back button)
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