Throwback Thursday - Spadina

Transport yourself back to the summer of 1983 and this is what you might have seen while taking in the view from Toronto's Spadina overpass.

By Peter Mumby

I am sure you can still stand on the Spadina overpass and take in impressive views of downtown Toronto.  You just won't see much of what appears in today's photo.  All the infrastructure for the CN/VIA locomotive facilities and the passenger yard has disappeared, and the city skyline has been totally altered.  In addition, all of the railway equipment visible in the photo has long since disappeared from company rosters.  We can see a trio of VIA RDCs, featuring RDC-1 #6110 at the west end.  The middle unit is still dressed in CN colours.  On the adjacent track is a string of seven steam generator cars.  Behind them is the entire group of CN RS 18M locomotives which VIA had leased for Tempo service.  Number 3154 stands at the head of the line. This lease had been terminated in June of 1983, leading to the retirement of the 6-unit fleet.  The presence of these units helps us date this photo to the summer of '83.