Grand Trunk Railway of Canada
Toronto roundhouses
Collection of Derek Boles
GTR Toronto waterfront yard and roundhouses.
A wide view, taken in 1873 from the centre tower of the new Union Station.
The Water Works, from which the above view was taken, had not been built
yet.
The elevator beyond the GTR elevator was NRC.
The building lower left was a boathouse and there appears to be a woman
with a parasol standing beside it.
ENLARGE
GTR Toronto roundhouses closer up view.
LARGE
Photographs of the enclosed Grand Trunk roundhouse in Toronto are quite
rare.
It was built in the 1860’s and demolished some time in the 1890’s.
This view showing it on the right was apparently taken from the chimney
of the Toronto Water Works
at the foot of John Street in 1884. The other GTR roundhouse was closer
to Brock Street (Spadina)
and was more conventional, although 360 degrees with two tracks entering
it on the east and west sides.
Beyond Brock St. were the facilities of the Northern Ry. of Canada,
with the chimney indicating the steam heating plant.
You can just make out the NRC headquarters building on Front St. to
the left of the top of the dome.
The pier on the far left leads to the GTR elevator.
The interior was sketched by W.Thomson a Globe artist in 1890.
416 Earthquake was built by the Manchester Locomotive Works in
New Hampshire
in 1872-73, one of many new standard gauge engines acquired then.
