Strachan Avenue, looking west. Building at left is John Inglis plant. CN (orange) and CP (yellow) trucks and
track machines are at work. New level crossing protection has replaced the manual one. (Note the tower.)
New track taking out the tower is for GO service. Tracks to the left are CPR and those to the right are CNR.

View taken from atop 120 foot floodlight tower, of Parkdale Yard looking west from Strachan Avenue shows just how small it was, yet it was able to handle a lot of traffic, mostly Pool and LCL cars and other high priority traffic from the downtown area industries and sheds.

Four tracks with white ballast are CNR from Bathurst Street Yard, Union Station and Don Yard to Parkdale where the single track Newmarket Subdivision takes off (used by GO Barrie service), from the double track Weston Subdivision used by GO Georgetown service. Vast array of buildings to the right are part of the famous Massey-Ferguson farm implements plants.

CPR tracks from the right are Galt Sub. mainline where a northwest fast freight from Toronto Yard is being made up. Road power is lifting multi-levels from track nine. More "train cars" are likely on tracks 1 and 2 and will also be lifted and doubled to the train sitting on the main line. The road power will wind up past the Top Yard at Parkdale station at Queen Street West (or beyond) when the train is all together. Yard track 1A extends to Dundas Street West where it becomes a third main track. Note the hi-rail Speedswing working on yard track 1 where the former eastbound main line has been altered into yard track 1A while the westbound main has become the eastbound and a third track has been added in the narrow island between that separated the two railways. The third track between Dundas (Street West) and West Toronto was actually rebuilt from the Service track that ran from Queen Street West to just short of West Toronto Depot. It was no longer needed since most industry with private sidings were gone.

NOTE: With the change in 1981 to bi-directional CTC for GO Milton service, tracks became designated as North Track and South Track where there was two tracks and No 3 track, No 2 Track and No 1 Track where there was three main tracks. (1 being the farthest north).

Following removal of the old CNR crossing watchman's tower the three tracks were run straight through and the switch by the Speedswing was removed (see photo below). Eventually following the closure of Parkdale Yard in October 1990 the new third track (Track 3) with brand new 136 pound CWR was removed as far as West Toronto diamond.

 

Ground level view looking west. Above three photographs December 1984 Eugene D. Burles.

All tracks (except the CPR and CN main lines) and most buildings in these scenes are long-gone.