Old Time Trains

Train No. 21, the "Chicago Express", is seen just after stopping to pick up the daily mail at Hornby station on June 25, 1955. This train and its returning counterpart, No. 22, the "Overseas", operated for over 80 years on approximately the same schedule, under various names and numbers. Called the "Western Express" and the "Montreal Express" in the 1890's, they became Nos. 5 and 6 around the turn of the century. In 1912, the numbers were changed to the well known 21 and 22, later to become the "Dominion" and the "Wolverine".

By the end of World War One, these titles had been dropped and both trains remained nameless, except for a short time in the mid-1920's when No. 22 became the "Dominion Overseas". In 1930, the name was re-introduced but shortened to the "Overseas", and No. 21 became the "Chicago Express", the latter lasting until 1957 when the title was transferred to the night train, No. 19. On April 25, 1964, these trains made their final run. The following day, reduced to Budd RDC cars, they became Trains Nos. 339 and 340, until withdrawn on October 25,1969. All passenger service over the London Division ceased on October 30,1971, with the removal of Budd car trains, Nos. 337 and 338. Oddly enough, when this caption was written in October 1981, passenger service had just been restored, a Government of Ontario (GO) commuter service, consisting of three trains each way, morning and evening, between Toronto and Milton, on weekdays. So once again passenger trains can be seen rumbling past the site that was Hornby station.

Units Nos. 4096 and 4464 were built by MLW-GE in 1953, to the designs of Alco models, FPA-2 and FPB-2, and were primarily FA-1 and FB-1 types. However, when equipped with steam generators, the letter P was added to the designation and the horsepower was increased from 1500 to 1600. The CPR's classification for these units was DFA-16f and DFB-16C. Nos. 4096 and 4464 were assigned to the Quebec District, Smiths Falls Division, for the Montreal to Toronto to Windsor service and through the years, spent a great deal of their time in Ontario and Quebec. Tied up serviceable on June 13, 1975, No. 4096 was classed as retired on October 22 of the same year, and scrapped at Angus in September 1976. No. 4464, which had its steam generator removed in 1966, was tied up serviceable on July 8, 1975, at St. Luc, classed unserviceable on April 20, 1977, and retired on September 15 of that year. Sent to Angus on May 29, 1978, where the engine was removed, the unit returned to St. Luc for storage. Back again at Angus in March 1980, she was scrapped in June of that year. W.H.N.Rossiter

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Old Time Trains © 2009

Train No. 21, the "Chicago Express", is seen just after stopping to pick up the daily mail at Hornby station on June 25, 1955. This train and its returning counterpart, No. 22, the "Overseas", operated for over 80 years on approximately the same schedule, under various names and numbers. Called the "Western Express" and the "Montreal Express" in the 1890's, they became Nos. 5 and 6 around the turn of the century. In 1912, the numbers were changed to the well known 21 and 22, later to become the "Dominion" and the "Wolverine".

By the end of World War One, these titles had been dropped and both trains remained nameless, except for a short time in the mid-1920's when No. 22 became the "Dominion Overseas". In 1930, the name was re-introduced but shortened to the "Overseas", and No. 21 became the "Chicago Express", the latter lasting until 1957 when the title was transferred to the night train, No. 19. On April 25, 1964, these trains made their final run. The following day, reduced to Budd RDC cars, they became Trains Nos. 339 and 340, until withdrawn on October 25,1969. All passenger service over the London Division ceased on October 30,1971, with the removal of Budd car trains, Nos. 337 and 338. Oddly enough, when this caption was written in October 1981, passenger service had just been restored, a Government of Ontario (GO) commuter service, consisting of three trains each way, morning and evening, between Toronto and Milton, on weekdays. So once again passenger trains can be seen rumbling past the site that was Hornby station.

Units Nos. 4096 and 4464 were built by MLW-GE in 1953, to the designs of Alco models, FPA-2 and FPB-2, and were primarily FA-1 and FB-1 types. However, when equipped with steam generators, the letter P was added to the designation and the horsepower was increased from 1500 to 1600. The CPR's classification for these units was DFA-16f and DFB-16C. Nos. 4096 and 4464 were assigned to the Quebec District, Smiths Falls Division, for the Montreal to Toronto to Windsor service and through the years, spent a great deal of their time in Ontario and Quebec. Tied up serviceable on June 13, 1975, No. 4096 was classed as retired on October 22 of the same year, and scrapped at Angus in September 1976. No. 4464, which had its steam generator removed in 1966, was tied up serviceable on July 8, 1975, at St. Luc, classed unserviceable on April 20, 1977, and retired on September 15 of that year. Sent to Angus on May 29, 1978, where the engine was removed, the unit returned to St. Luc for storage. Back again at Angus in March 1980, she was scrapped in June of that year. W.H.N.Rossiter