Old Time Trains

Canadian Pacific Railway

Mimico Cut-Off (later, Canpa Subdivision)

"Canpa Cutoff"
Old Canpa tower on south side of CNR Oakville Sub. cut-off to Obico at left.
A Spring switch on the Westward mainline was set for the cut-off.
Westbound CN Number 5, engine 6048, early 1936. Al Paterson

Canpa Subdivision Obico Mileage .0 to Canpa Mileage 2.6

The Cut-Off to Canpa, was built in 1910 as a short cut for freight trains operating between Lambton Yard and Hamilton. Prior to this trains had to back via Parkdale and Bathurst Street to reach the GTR mainline where the CPR had secured special rights as a Joint Section in an agreement dated May 13,1896. It was originally single track, later double-tracked as far as Evans Avenue. Use of the track was governed by an Electric Staff System. It was eliminated in 1953 and double track was extended the short distance to Obico. Such systems were also used only on steep grades (as required by Board of Transport) such as down the Don, from King Street down to Bathurst Street.

Passenger trains were not regularly operated over the cut-off except for a few years when a Montreal-Buffalo service operated through Toronto stopping at North Toronto. There were also special Race trains operated from Union Station to Long Branch Race Track near Canpa. This race track operated from September 6,1924 until October 21,1955 after which it was sold for industrial development and was then owned by Goodyear.

Canpa

Often incorrectly pronounced "Campa", it was a tower located at the west end of the CNR’s Mimico freight yard, named by the GTR for CANadian PAcific railway! This tower was staffed by an operator around-the-clock, it controlled GTR/CNR trains in and out of Mimico as well as CPR trains to and from the cut-off. The original wooden tower was replaced by a modern brick structure (on the opposite side of the mainline), effective May 1, 1952 at which time CNR employees replaced the CPR ones. It controlled the area between the Humber River and 30th Street in Long Branch.

A few industries located around here were/are in a joint area. Some others on the south east of the main line were once served from Parkdale. CN-CP Interchange was carried out in Mimico Yard, in later years restricted to local traffic only.

CTC was installed on the CNR Oakville Subdivision in 1967 for the coming GO Transit commuter trains. Canpa tower remained staffed (until 1969) due to high amount of inbound and outbound traffic at the west end of CNR Mimico Yard as well as to/from CPR Canpa Sub. The tower became a large signal hut as a result, remaining in existance until the end of October 2020 when it was demolished to allow a major upgrade of tracks and switches for upcoming service expansion.

Note: Metrolinx (GO) acquired the CN Oakville Sub. from the USRC (formerly, TTR) Mile 1.1 Bathurst St. to Mile 31.94 Burlington with CN retaining running rights for local freight during overnight hours. This was done in three segments; USRC to Willowbrook (Mimico), March 31, 2010; to (4th Line) Oakville March 27, 2012. Finally, to Burlington March 22, 2013.

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Old Time Trains © 2009 2021

Canadian Pacific Railway

Mimico Cut-Off (later, Canpa Subdivision)

"Canpa Cutoff"

Old Canpa tower on south side of CNR Oakville Sub. cut-off to Obico at left.
A Spring switch on the Westward mainline was set for the cut-off.
Westbound CN Number 5, engine 6048, early 1936. Al Paterson

Canpa Subdivision Obico Mileage .0 to Canpa Mileage 2.6

The Cut-Off to Canpa, was built in 1910 as a short cut for freight trains operating between Lambton Yard and Hamilton. Prior to this trains had to back via Parkdale and Bathurst Street to reach the GTR mainline where the CPR had secured special rights as a Joint Section in an agreement dated May 13,1896. It was originally single track, later double-tracked as far as Evans Avenue. Use of the track was governed by an Electric Staff System. It was eliminated in 1953 and double track was extended the short distance to Obico. Such systems were also used only on steep grades (as required by Board of Transport) such as down the Don, from King Street down to Bathurst Street.

Passenger trains were not regularly operated over the cut-off except for a few years when a Montreal-Buffalo service operated through Toronto stopping at North Toronto. There were also special Race trains operated from Union Station to Long Branch Race Track near Canpa. This race track operated from September 6,1924 until October 21,1955 after which it was sold for industrial development and was then owned by Goodyear.

Canpa

Often incorrectly pronounced "Campa", it was a tower located at the west end of the CNR’s Mimico freight yard, named by the GTR for CANadian PAcific railway! This tower was staffed by an operator around-the-clock, it controlled GTR/CNR trains in and out of Mimico as well as CPR trains to and from the cut-off. The original wooden tower was replaced by a modern brick structure (on the opposite side of the mainline), effective May 1, 1952 at which time CNR employees replaced the CPR ones. It controlled the area between the Humber River and 30th Street in Long Branch.

A few industries located around here were/are in a joint area. Some others on the south east of the main line were once served from Parkdale. CN-CP Interchange was carried out in Mimico Yard, in later years restricted to local traffic only.

CTC was installed on the CNR Oakville Subdivision in 1967 for the coming GO Transit commuter trains. Canpa tower remained staffed (until 1969) due to high amount of inbound and outbound traffic at the west end of CNR Mimico Yard as well as to/from CPR Canpa Sub. The tower became a large signal hut as a result, remaining in existance until the end of October 2020 when it was demolished to allow a major upgrade of tracks and switches for upcoming service expansion.

Note: Metrolinx (GO) acquired the CN Oakville Sub. from the USRC (formerly, TTR) Mile 1.1 Bathurst St. to Mile 31.94 Burlington with CN retaining running rights for local freight during overnight hours. This was done in three segments; USRC to Willowbrook (Mimico), March 31, 2010; to (4th Line) Oakville March 27, 2012. Finally, to Burlington March 22, 2013.