Time-Link Thursday: Early GO Transit Action

A bit of a variation on the Throwback Thursday theme here; tonight's article is another one written by my dad Keith. Hopefully soon my brother Mark will have some material to contribute to the blog as well (he's currently working on a couple very interesting HO projects; more on this in upcoming weeks). Anyway, onto the feature story. Cheers, Peter.

Time-Link Thursday

GO 104 was built as C754 by HST in 1967. Renumbered 9854 in 1970, 104 in 1975, the pioneering cab car would be sold to AMT in Montreal in 1990 and removed from service in 2010.

Some time ago Peter acquired a sizeable collection of B&W negatives at a local train show. Unfortunately, the seller did not have any background on the photographer and no companion information as to date and location, etc. Fortunately though, a number of views have stations in the frame and some of the locations are familiar. However, many remain unknown to us. If any reader recognizes locations of photos in this or upcoming posts, please drop me a line and let me know the location.

I have always been fascinated by photos showing equipment from different eras. To me they form a connection between generations, often spanning decades. As example, an early CNR Northern coupled to a boxcar built in 1960. Hence, the title ‘TIME LINK’. Time-wise, the span could be seventy three years: a U-2-a built in 1927 coupled to a boxcar that could have lasted until 2000 (freight cars built prior to 7/1/1974 were eligible to continue in service for forty years). If the boxcar was subject to AAR ‘Rebuilt’ status (+ ten years) and coupled to one of CNR’s long lasting E-10-a 2-6-0’s, the span would be a century!

This month’s examples connect early generation GO Transit cab cars to still contemporary bi-level commuter coaches. As to date and location, the following is what we know about each:

GOT 104

-    The F40PH on the opposite end was delivered in 1978 and would serve GO Transit for a decade prior to being sold to Amtrak in 1990.

-        There are a number of high rise towers in the background.

-        The train is passing under a very distinctive design bridge (road or rail?).

GOT 901

-        Bi-level coaches were introduced in 1978.

-        901 would be removed from service in 1995.

-        A distinctive (public?) building can be seen in the background.

Built by GMD in 1951 as ONR FP7 1505, the veteran ‘covered wagon’ would be converted into an APCU (Auxiliary Power Control Unit) for GO in 1974 and numbered 9859. Renumbered in 1975, 901 would soldier on until 1995 when she was removed from service and scrapped.