Friday, August 5, 2022

Archiving CP in Kingston

In a previous post, I published some photos of CN operations in and around Kingston. The images are from the Queen's University Archives. Now, it's time to explore CP through archival photos. Although Kingston is on the CN Montreal-Toronto mainline, CP only reached Kingston via the former Kingston & Pembroke line that terminated in Kingston and ran north to Renfrew. CP trains coming to Kingston originated in Smiths Falls in later years. So in some ways, Kingston is arguably a 'more CN' city. Despite that finding, there are still many intriguing CP-based views worth discovering in the Archives.  - and now shared in this post.

October, 1951 collision with CPR 437 (top photo) at an unknown location north of the city. CP station on Ontario Street, showing station gardens and Southern Pacific ice reefer, undated:
CP depressed-centre flat car 309948, loaded with Canadian loomotive Company export engine. Photographed September 21, 1948 at CLC:
DuPont strike on Front Road, April 1965 with OPP cruiser nearby - Canadian Pacific Express truck is held up on the picket line.
On July 21, 1966 CP's waterfront freight shed at its Ontario Street station yard is being demolished to make way for Confederation Park in the upcoming Centennial year
Can't people read? Apparently disregarded, this sign was installed on the cab windows of the 'Spirit of Sir John A', also known as CPR D-10 1095 near the former station. July 11, 1966, just ten days after the 4-6-0 had been dedicated by MP Edgar Benson, MPP Syl Apps and Mayor Bob Fray, who also hand-lettered the tender!
CP conductor Clarence T. Barr retires with 45 years of service on January 1, 1966. Kingston CP freight agent W.M. Robertson is photographed with the conductor, the last to retire from the Ontario Street station:
This CP train has collided with car at Montreal (crossbucks) and Rideau Streets (right background), on December 11, 1964. This little oopsie may not even have made the daily paper because of a five-car CN derailment at Collins Bay on the same day.
CP conductor G. Giff attends to paperwork on June 15, 1957 just before the last run of 'K&P' mixed train service behind CPR 485. The final Kingston to Renfrew day mixed trains, designated Mixed 612/613 operated on June 17-18, 1957
It's not the majestic dome of Kingston City Hall nor the huge lineup of foot traffic for the Wolfe Island ferry that catches my eye in this July 6, 1963 photo. No, it's block-lettered covered CP gondola 344119!
In Kingston for one day, CP baggage car 4222 hosted displays of modern office equipment, billed the 'Executive Express'. The car was on a four-week tour, and was actually spotted at the CN Outer Station before being picked up by a CN that night for furtherance to Belleville. Though one account states May 6, 1964 was the date of the visit, this photo is dated August 28, 1964:
Its bridge windows boarded over, the self-unloader Bayswater Shipping self-unloading collier Baygeorge looks over CP eight-hatch reefers 37106 and 39580 on CP trackage near Canadian Dredge & Dock on the sunny afternoon of April 4, 1968:
'Preliminary Design 4-6-2 Pacific Locomotive - CPR Mechanical Department G5d blueprints dated April 2, 1948:

Running extra...

Speaking of archiving, here's a 2009 article from the Queen's University Alumni Review magazine on Canada's most profilic modern railway author, Ian Wilson. Ian is a Queen's Sci '84 alumnus. Interestingly, the article states that he spent a lot of his time reading the bound technical journals in the archives section of the Douglas Library!

A nice 1970's CN Passenger Services video from Montreal Turbo to Toronto, mountains and Edmonton, on Youtube.

Just around the bend, it's Trackside Treasure's 14th Anniversary! Will there be a contest? 

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