Bruce Division

Hamilton Subdivision
Inc. CNR Oakville Sub.
Joint Section
Also, CPR Canpa Sub.

R.L.Kennedy

Passenger Service
including Buffalo, NY.

Extra 5368 West on Sixteen Mile Creek bridge Oakville. August 3,1957
Dick George/Paterson-George Collection

Extra 5375 West passing a small CNR commuter stop shelter at Dixie Road.
Note the orange Globe and Mail newspaper box. 1959 Robert J. Sandusky

Extra THB 102 West, Long Branch. 2/29/56 Al Paterson George-Paterson Col'n

TH&B 106 1948 TH&B 107 at Lambton Yard.

Extra 5368 West at Lambton Yard. James V. Salmon

5460 off Hamilton train, Lambton shop track, July 15,1959. Bob Shaw

Hamilton Subdivision trains operated over a Joint Section of Canadian National trackage (Oakville Subdivision) between Bathurst Street, Mileage 1.1 in Toronto and Hamilton Junction, Mileage 37.3 where a connecting track 1.48 miles long to reach TH&B's Garth Street yard was built. This construction took about a year with through passenger service to Buffalo commencing May 30, 1897.

These trackage rights were granted to the CPR May 13, 1896 (effective May 30, 1897) by CNR predecessor Grand Trunk Railway following efforts by the CPR to establish its own track between Hamilton and Toronto.

Map 1890 showing proposed TH&B right of way
New Toronto - Mimico

To ward off this competition GTR allowed CPR to not only run over their tracks between the two end points but also to solicit freight traffic along the line subject to certain conditions mostly to prohibit local traffic. Following construction in 1910 of the Canpa "Cut Off" freight trains to and from Hamilton only operated west of Canpa Mileage 8.4 where a connection was built to the Galt Sub. at Obico to get to Lambton Yard. Prior to that it was necessary to operate on a roundabout route via Parkdale and Bathurst Street involving backup moves.

Run through engines and crews came about later when additional agreements were signed. One on October 13,1905 provided for Michigan Central and Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo engines and crews (when qualified) to operate between Hamilton and Buffalo instead of changing at Welland. A further agreement effective November 1, 1912 included CPR engines and crews based out of Toronto to likewise run through to Buffalo.

P2 class engine westbound to Aberdeen Yard approaching Bayview. August 4, 1956
Joseph Mc.Cormick/Digital restoration Gordon Kennedy

Ham Pool assigned van "7340" (CP 437340) brings up tailend of westbound at Hamilton Junction.
Looks freshly painted in Script lettering, likely just out of the van shop. Note brighter red ends.
Next to the van is CP 221455 similarly nice paint in "box car red" with staggered lettering.
June 1963 Doug Page

Note: In later years one rear window each end of cupola in opposite location was blanked off.
Purpose of this was to compel conductor and trainman to sit facing in opposite directions
in order to observe not just hot box smoke/fire but also unusual conditions to the rear
of track etc. such as damaged level crossing planks and ties
caused by derailed equipment, trackside fire etc.

Three RS-18's and an SW1200RS heading towards the Hamilton Jct. switch leading to Aberdeen Yard.

Starlite with TH&B 72-401-73 westbound near Oakville, June 10,1977. Fred Clark

Randy Masales Collection courtesy of Brian Switzer

Bruce Division (District 3) crews manned a pool to cover freight trains between Lambton (later Toronto Yard) and TH&B Aberdeen and Kinnear yards in Hamilton. They were entitled to two jobs working Obico and the cut off down to Canpa. These were road jobs, paid yard rates and were sought after assignments due to long hours and high pay. They were renamed Industrial Yards in later years. e.g. Obico Industrial Yard etc. Beyond Canpa was handled by the Ham Way Freight assignment.

CPR, TH&B and NYC/PC power operated on freight and passenger trains over the Hamilton Subdivision using CPR crews, between Toronto and Hamilton. Varying arrangements were used over the years.

Joint Section Industries

St.Lawrence Cement, Port Credit

St.Lawrence Starch, Port Credit

Imperial Oil, Port Credit
Aerial view 1978 site 42 acres.
Long-vacant property.
Sold 3/2017 to residential developer.

Way Freight Gallery by Bob Shaw

807 Obico job, southbound in the Cutoff. March 18, 1959.

953 Hamilton Way Freight southbound. April 30, 1959

1081 Canpa Turn, southbound at North Queen Street. June 25,1959.

1088 Obico heading back to Lambton. March 18,1959

Extra 851 West the Ham WF (Hamilton Way Freight) Port Credit 6/06/1958
A.B.Crompton/Bruce Chapman Collection

Extra CP 1051 East (Ham Way Frt) returning to Lambton Yard.
Hamilton (Bayview Jct.) 4/30/1955 Paul Mc.Grane Collection

Note: Because it operated on the Joint Section (CNR)
its clearance and train orders would include railway initials.

953 TH&B Chatham Street roundhouse Hamilton. 10/1950 Bud Laws Collection

Burlington 9/19/1947 Addy Schwalm/Bruce Chapman Collection

D10 874 facing east with the Ham WF is sitting on the east leg of the CNR Beach Sub. wye having gone around the west leg and possibly switching Hercules Powder, now having lunch! The CNR Beach Sub. which ran along the strip of land separating Hamilton Harbour and Lake Ontario began life as the Hamilton & North Western heading north to Georgetown, Tottenham, Allandale, Collingwood and finally Meaford. Building is Tinnings general store one of three similar buildings with a railway-style bay window. The photographer is on Brant Street on the south side of the CNR Oakville Sub. Bruce Mercer

Road Switchers

Road Switchers replaced Way Freights in the diesel era.
The Collective Agreements for engine and train crews did away with start/end of 100 mile day's pay at the
OMTS (Outer Main Track Switch) measuring operating limit to 30 miles from the On Duty location.
This did away with Initial Terminal Delay and Final Terminal Delay pay for on duty/off duty time.

2nd Oak running as CP Extra 8146 West through Clarkson (M.16.0 CN Oakville Sub.)
heading to Oakville to bring back to Lambton Yard a heavy consist of multies
loaded with new Ford vehicles also a few empty auto boxes used for parts. 1/29/1978

Note the front shield for extra crossing visibilty when shutters are open.
Note too the Watchman Heater stack to left of exhaust stacks.

Across the Border

Engines and crews operated in a pool contributed to by CPR, TH&B and MC (NYC).

73 trails 401 and 7x most likely the Kinnear. Penn Central Frontier Yard June 16, 1975 Bob Krone

Hamilton Section
1909 Employee Time Table

Oakville Yard

Passenger Service
including Buffalo, NY.
Same link as top of page

Hamilton Subdivision NEW

Guelph Junction-Fort Erie

Years following absorbing TH&B.

On to: Port McNicoll Subdivision

Back to: Mactier Subdivision

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