David Howard of CRHA Niagara Division shares some historic images from 26 years ago:

“About 25 years ago in the Spring of 1988, I spent an hour or two on the Sunnyside Pedestrian Bridge photographing the railway action on the busy Oakville Subdivision West of Union station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sunnyside April 1988 6569:  A nicely matched ABA set of VIA hand-me-downs from CN and CP accelerate #75 with 12 coaches past the former side of Sunnyside Station. The heritage of lead unit 6569 is quite evident with the CP red bleeding through on the roof. Note the inner two mainline jointed rail tracks are about to be upgraded with continuous welded rail.

Sunnyside April 1988 6569 Sunnyside April 1988 6907: Another VIA movement, probably a Toronto / Montreal train with a LRC engine at each end and 5 LRC coaches, likely headed to the Toronto Maintenance Centre (TMC). I hope that “Masking Tape” number board on the left front of 6907 is going to be replaced!

Sunnyside April 1988 6907

Sunnyside June 1988 6776:  A matched pair of VIA  FPA-4’s are about to arrive at Toronto Union Station, with seven mixed conventional and stainless steel coaches.

Sunnyside June 1988 6776

Toronto Maintenance Centre May 1988: The VIA Toronto Maintenance Centre (TMC), as viewed from the Islington Ave bridge, always had interesting equipment. In the view today looking Westward, are an Ontario Northland “Northlander”, and a VIA cab unit / steam generator car steaming away before the passenger car fleet was completely converted to electric heat. Lots of original single decker GO coaches in the background, before the bi-levels took over.”

TMC May 1988

Posting and images by David Howard

Click on each image for a closer look!