Canadian National was no stranger to cutting edge technology in its first decade of operation. In 1928, it took delivery of the first diesel locomotive designed for mainline service in North America. This locomotive made appearances in Toronto on several occasions, but its later history is where things get interesting. The post Canadian National’s First Mainline Diesel Locomotives appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

The Toronto Railway Museum is home to a wide variety of historical railway equipment. We need your help to continue maintaining them. The post Back Essential Upkeep! appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

For 73 years from 1857 to 1930, the area presently occupied by David Crombie Park carried all railway traffic east of Union Station. The post The Esplanade’s Railway Origins appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

Today marks 94 years since the John Street Roundhouse was first opened by Canadian Pacific. It also marks the gradual closure of the one that came before it. The post The Original John Street Roundhouse appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

Despite serving as a permanent fixture of Roundhouse Park today, there were several instances in Don Station’s history where its fate was not so certain. Whether it be surviving two fires or the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, there were several improbabilities that directly or indirectly saved the station The post The Nine Lives of Don Station appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

While railway history is a big passion of mine, my education and training is in the field of music. I have been a musician for nearly twenty years, and received a Bachelor and a Masters Degree in Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo. Just over one year ago, The post Rhythms On The Railway: Notating Commonly Heard Sounds On Railways in Toronto, The GTA, and Southern Ontario appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

Explore how travel to cottage country has changed between the 1940s and the present. Part one of this series explores trips to the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario The post By Rail or Road? Comparing Trips to Ontario’s Cottage Country from Toronto. Part One: The Kawarthas appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

A summary of a recent trip on the GO pilot project train from Stratford to Whitby. Also a comparison of the route to past trains. The post Crossing The GO Network: A First Person Perspective of Riding The GO Train from Stratford to Whitby appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

Part five of this series is a bonus section featuring additional connections between Ontario craft breweries and railways The post From Train Service to Bar Service: Links to Ontario Railway History in Craft Beer (Part Five) appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more

Toronto is home to many otherwise unassuming streets with important histories, some which date back long before Canada’s confederation in 1867. Yonge Street, for example, is often considered Toronto’s oldest street at over 200 years old. Other streets in the city, while technically considered to be newer, have their roots The post A History of the Esplanade’s Railways appeared first on Toronto Railway Historical Association ..read more