Kingston-Winnipeg aboard VIA, 1984 - Part 3

In Part 2 of this 1984 trip, I travelled from Winnipeg to Toronto on VIA's Canadian. The next part of my trip, in this post, would take me from Toronto to Kingston, still on roomette 3 of Chateau Varennes on VIA No 2. While new power and Corridor cars were added to the consist, and some cars removed, I walked through the great hall of Toronto Union Station (top photo). During the two-hour layover in Toronto, I wandered over to CP’s John Street facilities. Where once the mighty Limiteds trod, and rested:

Since passenger cars were no longer stored here, Service cars, piggyback flatcars and insulated boxcars were stored here. Mini-box CP 241080 basked in the morning sun, coupled to several more Service cars. Next in line were 412533, converted from a CP mini-box, and cook-diner-sleeper 413053, rebuilt 3/78:

CP 412504 and former passenger car CP 411281:

I noted lots of CN, VIA, Amtrak and CP equipment during my walkabout. This was typical of the pre-Skydome railway lands and train-shed.

VIA: RDC's 6113, 6133, 6123, 6135, 6120; passenger cars Glace Bay, Acadian, Abbott Manor, 3218, 5440, 752, 5440; locomotives 6780, 6787, 6630.

CN switchers: 7173, 8519.

Amtrak: Amfleet coaches 21243, 21257.

GO Transit locomotive 724, 904; bilevel coaches 2004, 2152, 2066, 2133. 

A one-car switching movement threads terminal trackage: CP 8116, an NCHX cylindrical covered hopper, and end-cupola van CP 437235:

Completing my trip on CN's Kingston Subdivision from Toronto to Kingston, I occupied the vestibule of Chateau Varennes, now the tail-end car of this Park-less Corridor Canadian, from Danforth to Belleville. Meeting a westbound three-car VIA train east of Guildwood:

Some CN switchers visible just under the CP bridge: 1313, 1243, 1244, 7167 and cabooses 76647, 79215, 79247 at Oshawa:

Stored auto racks, near Mi. 290 Kingston Sub, likely at Clarke:

Sharing the tracks along the Kingston Sub on this morning were track tamping on the parallel CP at Port Hope, a CN pickup doing a run-by inspection at Coport, and meeting a four-car LRC consist at Trenton Junction. A Canadian Forces Hercules was on final for CFB Trenton, taken just west of Belleville:

CN switcher 1315 and caboose 79453 were at Belleville. Marker lamp-view passing through the west end of the yard, near Belleville station. Mi. 220.9 Kingston Sub:

Back to the roomette, it took several minutes to wash off accumulated road grime. This was not a northern Ontario, single track mainline, this was the busy, slag-ballasted, oily Kingston Sub with higher speeds and therefore higher amounts of grime! Out the roomette window, just before crossing over to the south track at Ernestown:

Nearly on-time arrival at Kingston - sleeping car porters and train service manager enjoying the sunshine on the platform. With only one station stop made, it was time to hike down the platform!  (L.C. Gagnon photo):

To review: 

• Part 1 - Kingston to Winnipeg; 
• Part 2 - Winnipeg to Toronto.

Running extra...

Check out this 1979 cross-Canada trip by Barry Lewis (flickr ads and all) from an era in which ex-CP power ran with CN-painted SGU's during VIA's interesting rainbow era!

Speaking of Corridor Canadians and VIA's earlier eras, here's my rendering of a Jason Shron photo showing an HO scale Ottawa-Toronto VIA train threading its way under the William Street overpass, past Clarke Transfer (built by Jon Greggs) and onto CN's Kingston Sub along the 14-foot Brockville station platform!

My ol' alma mater, St Lawrence College has a new wrap on Kingston Transit 1816:

The Pandemic Pacific - now available at George's Trains: