Old Time Trains

Canadian Pacific Railway

Calgary downtown

Alyth Yard

Ogden Shops

Old hand coloured postcard showing roundhouse and shops. Doug Phillips Collection

The roundhouse was built in 1899 when Calgary became a division point and terminal and Gleichen and Canmore were closed. For a short time 1890-1898 a small engine house was located when the north end of the wye is north of present 12th Street tower. This engine house was used by engines for the C&E Railway. The Calgary and Edmonton had no locomotives and CP steam was used on both the Edmonton branch and the MacLeod Branch, although this branch stopped short on the north side of the Crowsnest River at West MacLeod. Alyth was built starting in 1914 and the round house next to the Elbow River was then called West Shops. These closed in 1931 and demolished in 1935. That round house was an all stone structure. Doug Phillips

West Shops stores building in downtown Calgary. Built 1898. Doug Phillips Collection

Note the two large round disks in front of two men in center of photograph. Written on one is:
C.P.R. c/o S.K. (store keeper) Calgary 2 pcs. Similar message on small can at far left.

Above: 1952 Closeup of express shed and freight yard in background.

No.2 1418_1404 The Canadian with deadhead RDC behind power.
RDC for Edmonton and two units on refueling track being switched.
Looking east. April 19, 1969

Looking west from the new Palliser Square office tower building. April 19, 1969.

I Yard

Old shop track. 6610 6536 and a 6700, liklely 6716 (below).
Three photos; May 27, 1975 Phil Mason

6716 switching yard.

450249 old express reefer in passenger colours, now OCS.
Note stencil "Leaky tanks, Heater Service Only."
HSO cars were common in later years.

Red arrow points to area where old West Shops were located. Looking west. See below.
Three photos July 16, 2009 Carl Schnurr

The seven track I yard just east of the Calgary Tower on 9th Avenue has now been removed and replaced with an earthen berm. The IYO (Industrial Yard Office) there remains but is boarded up. The four depot tracks (Depot 1 to 4) in the downtown terminal are still in service; the grain train in the photo waits on one of them. These tracks are used to change crews on through trains that avoid going to Alyth Yard. A replacement 4-track yard has been built at Manchester on the McLeod Sub., south of the south wye at 12th Street. While 12th Street East tower itself was removed in 2015.

The hydro tower is right in the middle of the pit. When Fast Freight shed was being removed a number of years ago they cleaned up the whole site. They found the ring still in tacked.. The track on the left of the shot was the yard shop track but originally it was the lead into the pit. The roundhouse went further to the left out of the picture.

Site of old West Shops roundhouse.

I’ yard or the industrial yard was phased out slowly. The end came about 2009 with the construction of a
new road underpass and the city of Calgary paid to construct a small yard in the Manchester area
and what was left of ‘I’ yard, only a couple of tracks was finally pulled up.

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Old Time Trains © 2016
2017

Canadian Pacific Railway

Calgary downtown

Old hand coloured postcard showing roundhouse and shops. Doug Phillips Collection

The roundhouse was built in 1899 when Calgary became a division point and terminal and Gleichen and Canmore were closed. For a short time 1890-1898 a small engine house was located when the north end of the wye is north of present 12th Street tower. This engine house was used by engines for the C&E Railway. The Calgary and Edmonton had no locomotives and CP steam was used on both the Edmonton branch and the MacLeod Branch, although this branch stopped short on the north side of the Crowsnest River at West MacLeod. Alyth was built starting in 1914 and the round house next to the Elbow River was then called West Shops. These closed in 1931 and demolished in 1935. That round house was an all stone structure. Doug Phillips

West Shops stores building in downtown Calgary. Built 1898. Doug Phillips Collection

Note the two large round disks in front of two men in center of photograph. Written on one is:
C.P.R. c/o S.K. (store keeper) Calgary 2 pcs. Similar message on small can at far left.

Above: 1952 Closeup of express shed and freight yard in background.

No.2 1418_1404 The Canadian with deadhead RDC behind power.
RDC for Edmonton and two units on refueling track being switched.
Looking east. April 19, 1969

Looking west from the new Palliser Square office tower building. April 19, 1969.

I Yard

Old shop track. 6610 6536 and a 6700, liklely 6716 (below).
Three photos; May 27, 1975 Phil Mason

6716 switching yard.

450249 old express reefer in passenger colours, now OCS.
Note stencil "Leaky tanks, Heater Service Only."
HSO cars were common in later years.

Red arrow points to area where old West Shops were located. Looking west. See below.
Three photos July 16, 2009 Carl Schnurr

The seven track I yard just east of the Calgary Tower on 9th Avenue has now been removed and replaced with an earthen berm. The IYO (Industrial Yard Office) there remains but is boarded up. The four depot tracks (Depot 1 to 4) in the downtown terminal are still in service; the grain train in the photo waits on one of them. These tracks are used to change crews on through trains that avoid going to Alyth Yard. A replacement 4-track yard has been built at Manchester on the McLeod Sub., south of the south wye at 12th Street. While 12th Street East tower itself was removed in 2015.

The hydro tower is right in the middle of the pit. When Fast Freight shed was being removed a number of years ago they cleaned up the whole site. They found the ring still in tacked.. The track on the left of the shot was the yard shop track but originally it was the lead into the pit. The roundhouse went further to the left out of the picture.

Site of old West Shops roundhouse.

I’ yard or the industrial yard was phased out slowly. The end came about 2009 with the construction of a
new road underpass and the city of Calgary paid to construct a small yard in the Manchester area
and what was left of ‘I’ yard, only a couple of tracks was finally pulled up.