Old Time Trains

Great Western

The Great Western built a branch from Hamilton under the charter of the Toronto and Hamilton opening it December 3, 1855. This is the only known photograph of Great Western's Toronto station at Esplanade East and Yonge Street in operation taken shortly after it opened March 2, 1866. Train shed measured 64 feet wide with four deadend tracks. Overall the structure was 311 feet 6 inches by 150 feet with adjoining freight shed (188' x 47') in all costing $20,000 not including the land which the city provided free following complaints about the poor location of the original GTR station used by GWR and NRC on the Esplanade West between York and Simcoe Streets. Looking east. GTR tracks in foreground. All tracks were Provincial (broad) gauge at this time. Following amalgamation on August 12, 1882 with the Grand Trunk the station was closed on the August 28th. re-opening on the 31st. as a bonded freight shed. It closed when new sheds were opened in 1904 at Front & Simcoe Streets after which it became the Toronto Wholesale Fruit Market until destroyed by fire May 17, 1952. The O'Keefe Centre was built on the site. Toronto Reference Library.

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Great Western

The Great Western built a branch from Hamilton under the charter of the Toronto and Hamilton opening it December 3, 1855. This is the only known photograph of Great Western's Toronto station at Esplanade East and Yonge Street in operation taken shortly after it opened March 2, 1866. Train shed measured 64 feet wide with four deadend tracks. Overall the structure was 311 feet 6 inches by 150 feet with adjoining freight shed (188' x 47') in all costing $20,000 not including the land which the city provided free following complaints about the poor location of the original GTR station used by GWR and NRC on the Esplanade West between York and Simcoe Streets. Looking east. GTR tracks in foreground. All tracks were Provincial (broad) gauge at this time. Following amalgamation on August 12, 1882 with the Grand Trunk the station was closed on the August 28th. re-opening on the 31st. as a bonded freight shed. It closed when new sheds were opened in 1904 at Front & Simcoe Streets after which it became the Toronto Wholesale Fruit Market until destroyed by fire May 17, 1952. The O'Keefe Centre was built on the site. Toronto Reference Library.