Canadian National Railways

Canadian Railway Centenary

Special train with 6400 marking first train July 1836.

Extra 3228_3282 doubleheading with loads from Kirkfield crossing Highway 35 in Lindsay on Midland Subdivision.
July 1958 Bill Thomson

Kirkfield Crushed Stone narrow gauge quarry operation.

2514 with a long passenger train. Vancouver July 1938 Bud Laws Collection

5565 with short passenger train at unique GTR Whitby (Jct) station (built 1903). 1952. ENLARGE

The station was preserved and moved becoming Station Gallery.

2128 smoking it up as oil burners often did. Cowichan Sub. V.I. May 1957 Elwood White/John Cowan Collection

2141 working on Cowichan Sub. V.I. Jamie Douglas Masters/John Cowan Collection

CNR 2141 became known for hauling the last steam-powered train on Vancouver Island.
It was later put on park display in Kamloops. Old Time Trains Archives
It has recently been restored to operation for tourist trains in Kamloops BC.

One of 25 (2130-2154) Consolidation type locomotives ordered by Canadian Northern.

CNoR 2134 Cyl. 23x26 Drv. 57" Pres.170# 34,800 t.e.166 tons working order eng. and tender #1052 7/1912
CLC/Don Mc.Queen collection

Note: 2141 and 2164 preserved. The latter operated as T&NO 137.

ONR operated a steam train as a Centennial (1967) project using a CNR locomotive acquired for that purpose.
It continued operating at varous times until making its last run in August of 1972.

"T&NO 137" (ex CNR/CNoR 2164) 2-8-0 CLC 1157 5/1913
Displayed with CNR baggage car, coach and two vans as well as CPR coach.
Cochrane Railway and Pioneer Museum, Cochrane. August 3, 2009.

5299 fireman looking back for conductor's signal to proceed.

Passenger train running through Holland Landing near the famed Holland Marsh vegetable farming area.

Note: This was the first railway in Ontario (1853) originally Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union,
later Northern Railway of Canada and eventually Canadian National.

Note: Holland Landing was named after Samuel Holland, first Surveyor-General of British North America,
who had served on HMS Pembroke, under Captain John Simcoe, father of Governor Simcoe,
for whom Lake Simcoe is named.

Extra 2589 is obviously a local with its very short train.

2547 (ex GTR 684) MLW 40601 1918

5296 stopped at Newmarket in snowy scene. Check out all those "old" cars! Note wig-wag signal. far right.
Digital restoration Walter Pfefferle.

6023 stopped with engineer checking out the camera guy!

Leaving town. Note wig-wag signal working.

Mostly headend cars and a single coach.
Three photographs Digital restoration Walter Pfefferle.

6023 in better times. 6023 taking water at Spadina. 9/1/1940 Doug Cummings/Bud Laws Collection

L&PS L-2 on interchange track. CNR 5585_5143 eastbound with a coal drag.
Two photos: London July 7.1955 Anthony H. Perles/Bud Laws Collection

5589 with local passenger train Lindsay in the 1950's. John Cowan Collection

6034 two photos: Doug Hately Collection

CNR Second 1 engine 6062 taking water and coal (below) at Ferland, Ontario 30.1 miles east of Armstrong.
Solid express and reefer cars destined Winnipeg and beyond. Monday, August 22, 1955 Robert Wanner

Less than five years later and 6062 is hauling the last scheduled run of steam on passenger.
Those two little guys are nearing pension now!

I remember being a bit disappointed because Train 334 (Oxford Jct. to Pictou via Pugwash)
was usually assigned a gas-electric car, but not that day. Instead, Ten-Wheeler 1135
20 June, 1955 at Oxford Jct., NS. Julian Bernard

Mixed 218 engine 3547 leaving Ridgeway, Ontario. 4/12/1958

Mixed 233 engine 1541 southbound crossing the NYC diamond Hagersville Saturday, August 10, 1957.
Ten-Wheeler 1541 would haul the last Granny two months later on Saturday, October 26, 1957.
Lever tower at left, NYC station at right. Former GTR station in background.
Gren Schrader CNR operator

Mixed 233 engine 80 an E-10-a class Mogul sits in James Street station in Hamilton Saturday, July 16, 1955
This Daily Except Sunday mixed train ran to Port Dover. You can follow it to see this train.

Activity around No. 16 engine 6032 stopped at Island Pond, Vermont. September 6/1954
No. 16 from Montreal to Portland, ME was due to meet No. 17 here at 1.05 p.m. daily except Sunday.
Anthony H. Perles

Plow Exra 2471 on the Gravelbourg Sub. in Saskatchewan in 1947 Grant Bailey Collection

Mountain type 6048 running with 9 car train. Toronto Circa 1934

6058 with 7 car passenger train. Toronto Circa 1931

6403 powers a pre-GO_era commuter train. How would you like to ride behind that!

The photo of CN 6403 on the commuter train (probably 79) at Port Credit is actually a westbound train. The locomotive is just encountering the crossing for Hurontario Street (Hwy. 10) and the switchstand is for the exit turnout from the westbound passing siding. The structure with the extended eaves is the building for the crossing watchman. As we look at the photo, the track immediately to the right of the locomotive is the eastbound main and the next one is number four track that commenced at Port Credit with the switch under the control of the station operator. Originally, the east switch of the westbound siding was just west of the Shaw Drive crossing but sometime around 1950 it was extended east with the switch just west of the bridge over Cooksville Creek. The westbound block signal, located just east of the Creek bridge had a take siding signal on it and this signal was also under the control of the Port Credit operator.

The white houses are on Elmwood Avenue and the green area is a play ground for Forest Avenue School. I went to Forest Avenue School for grades one, two, and three and one day during one of the winters one of the CNR 2-6-0’s (I think they were “E” class) derailed on the cross over from number four track to the eastbound siding (which was used for freight car storage) and the locomotive was sufficiently derailed that an auxiliary crane had to be brought from somewhere to re-rail her. I’m telling you this storey, Raymond, to bring some lighter comments regarding accidents at this location and one of the workers assigned to the auxiliary was very, very large. During school recess, many of my fellow pupils were pelting him with snow balls and, he did not seem to mind at all, he stood there laughing and taking it all!

I grew up in Port Credit and recognize the location. Brian Bentley

The photo containing 5700 would indicate that she is on train #80. 80 was the all stops local from London that stopped at Port Credit shortly before 11:00 a.m. Judging from the sun's shadows and the locomotive exhaust, it would indicate that the locomotive is accelerating and that is why I think that it is #80. 5700 was often assigned to #80 (and westbound #77) during the late 1950’s. 5700 is on the #4 track switch and I would suggest that the drivers are on the frog. A signal is just out of sight on the left side of the photo. It was a two headed signal with the heads staggered and would give green over red if the switch was lined for #2 track (the east bound main) and the next signal was green but, if the switch was open for #4 track, a more restricting indication and, I can’t remember what is was. The #4 turnout was a fairly high speed turnout so, I don’t think that it was as restricting as a red over green but, as I said, I can’t remember what it was.

I grew up in Port Credit and recognize the location. Brian Bentley

Weary traveller heading home? Bill Thomson

6004 complete with smoke deflectors handling express while stopped at Oshawa. Circa June 1944 C C Grayson

Last U-2-g Northern 6234 leads a westbound train from James Street station in Hamilton. 12/1957
W.D. (Bill) Volkmer Collection

Streamlined U-4-a class 4-8-4 6404 with another westbound train at the same place and date. December 1957
W.D. (Bill) Volkmer Collection

James Street Station (360 James Street North) July 1940 George Harris/Keith Sirman Collection
Note the streetcar tracks (Hamiton Street Railway) on James Street North in foreground.

With declining passenger traffic and the coming of VIA Rail this station located on Hamilton Bay at the far end of the CNR yard in an industrial area and away from the downtown business area was eventually closed February 26, 1993.
It became LIUNA (lee-u-na) Station a banquet hall opening in 2000. There are indications VIA may stop here again.
Read more history.

6110 with ten cars on the Maritime Express westbound at Truro, Nova Scotia.1949 Jon Archibald Collection

U-1-a 6003 part of the first order (16 engines) of a new more powerful locomotive Mountain type 4-8-2's built for CNR.
Followed the next year by a further identical 21 engines. CLC #1699 6/1923 Paris, Ont.
Frank Barry/Joseph Testagrose collection

Busy scene with lots of railroaders. Northern 6131 is getting attention by engineer oiling around while fireman or a shopman tends to the ashes during a stop with passenger train. Fellow standing in middle of track looks impatient with hands on his hips. Another to the far right is throwing a switch. Moncton, New Brunswick. Joseph Testagrose collection

6234 looks to be westbound west of Sunnyside near the Ontario Food Terminal. 8/1958 Toronto
Rich Solomon/Joseph Testagrose collection

Two winter scenes around Hamilton of two Northerns (6230 above and 6233 below) on two days. Bayview 1/28/1959
Frank Barry/Joseph Testagrose collection

6233 passing Hamilton harbour. 1/29/1959 Frank Barry/Joseph Testagrose collection

Looks like 6400 has just arrived from Toronto while another engine waits behind it on the next track.
Note the sign on the station says Canadian National and Wabash railways.

Heading for the shop. Two photos: Jim Shaughnessy/Joseph Testagrose Collection

6401 westbound looking off the Bathurst Street bridge. Switchtenders shanty in foreground.
May 5, 1956 Clayton Morgan/Doug Hately Collection

Streamlined Northern 6402 leaving Toronto Union eastbound to Montreal. Joseph Testagrose Collection

6403 westbound by Bathurst Street Yard having just left Union Station in Toronto. 3/10/1957
Jim Shaughnessy/Joseph Testagrose Collection

2189 assisting another engine up grade near Halifax. 1942 Stan Borden/Joseph Testgarose Collection

Extra 3503 racing thorough Lorne Park on the Oakville Sub. 8/1955 W.H.N.Rossiter/Joseph Testagrose Collection

J-7-c subclass Pacific 5299 racing through Aldershot into the setting sun 5/14/1958 Joseph Testagrose Collection

Hudson 5701 on Track 1 departing westbound from Toronto Union Station 11/10/1956. Joseph Testagrose Collection

Note the green wagons used for express shipments. They are hauled by tractors.
Note too the pot signal protected by a guard rail made from pieces of rail.

6205 with passenger train. St.Lambert, Que. 1943 Joseph Testagrose Collection

First train over CTC passing Pontiac Junction arriving Moncton from Montreal.
October 2, 1941 CSTMC/CN Collection CN005775

This interesting scene is marred by the fungus on the slide. Just imagine it is autumn leaves falling!

1125 with employee picnic train. Canadian National Recreation Association.

5132 with what appears to be one of the elusive silk trains westbound at the east end of Union Station in Winnipeg c.1928
Peter Cox Collection

For decades thousands of people used trains to reach Grand Beach from Winnipeg such as this one in 1923.

Eastbound freight from Mimico Yard on the High Line at Bathurst Street with some loads of famous Massey-Harris farm machines built in Parkdale or Brantford. June 1956 Jim Parker

Cap-stacked Hudson 5702 working upgrade with a short train near Bayview, Ontario. 1958
Preserved at Exporail. Joseph Testagrose Collection

Two passenger trains sit ready to depart London for Windsor. June 1957 Jim Hinkhouse
At right is 5702 a very fast 80 inch driver Hudson and at left (see below) is Northern 6233.

U-2e 6171 with "elephant ear" smoke deflectors. Moncton, NB 1943 Joseph Testagrose Collection

Northern 6168 taking water near Brantford 1959. Joseph Testagrose Collection