Classic Toronto Trains in the 1970s

Purchase a complete DVD or BluRay at www.greenfrog.com
TrainTown Toronto
(16mm Color Film From The Camera of Emery Gulash)
Travel along with us on a long-ago weekend adventure for Emery Gulash and his good friend Walt Sardinha.
The two friends came early and stayed late for a day, or maybe a few days, on the sunny side of the tracks of the Toronto Terminals Railway in the early 1970s, recording the passage of a wide spectrum of passenger trains, switching moves, and some freight traffic into and near the vibrant Beaux-Arts Toronto Union Station, opened in 1927.
This was the era before Via Rail Canada took over long-distance passenger operations in 1978. A non-stop parade of trains of the Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, Government of Ontario Transit -- GO Transit for short, and Ontario Northland are seemingly everywhere in these historic rail action scenes.
16mm Film - HD Digital Transfer on a State of the Art Frame by Frame Transfer Machine for the Ultimate Color, brightness and Detail.
Approx; 56 Minutes
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
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Please watch: "Behind The Scenes at Green Frog"
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[@jamesstuart3346]

This absolutely 100% made my day. I spent hours on the Spadina (pronounced Spa-Dye-Na) bridge watching this action. I loved the cool paint scheme on the Tempo locos

[@GreenFrogVideos]

Thanks very much for watching, we ask you to please give a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel if you have not yet! Much appreciated

[@mloik1]

Awesome. If you see a kid railfanning in the background of this video, it's probably me. Hung out here whenever I could.

[@neeneenoo]

that is amazing

[@neeneenoo]

i can only railfan the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) because of where i live

[@ontariorail1251]

I literally have to venture down to Union Station. That's if I'm lucky enough to catch a VIA train.

[@OofusTwillip]

The street is pronounced "Spa-dy-na". The mansion it's named for is pronounced "Spa-dee-na".

[@smithmann5616]

Amazing footage thanks! Toronto looks like some minor city in the midwest lol. Sure doesn't look like that now! "Empress of Agincourt" lol.

[@biguglidowns]

These are the trains I rode as a teen.

[@Parkwaymania]

My dad was a Trainmaster for CN in Toronto and he used to take me around these yards when I was a kid. Cool to see this era again. I worked on the Supercontinental as a VIA Rail Dining Car waiter as a summer job. Also I believe Capreol is CAY-preol. Thanks for sharing!

[@mickycarter2365]

Awsome story and that is indeed the the correct pronounciation you put there

[@btoexport2]

I lived in Mississauga in 1978 and saw many of the trains shown in your video. Took the GO train single decker many times to Union Station, and the three cars train to Belleville. Great video.

[@davidlisowski5245]

Whenever we went to Toronto before the Skydome (Rogers Centre) was built, we used to go up to the CN Tower and watch the action from up there.

[@Adam1nToronto]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who says Spa-dee-na.

[@wilfstor3078]

@@darcyperkins7041 Same I really only hear it pronounced this way in film. Or if it's my family from Quebec.

[@smithmann5616]

Lol David Popp called it Spa-dee-na on MRVP and all the Canadians had to corrected him! Spa-Die-Na.

[@johnpatterson4272]

Awesome video. When I would ride the Dayliner from Peterborough to Toronto, the views in the railyards of the big city were always a feast for the eyes. There were every kind of locomotive and rolling stock imaginable and it was glorious. That was also the last time I can remember seeing natural cut-grass in the Union station rail corridor.

[@JruGordon]

2:37 that CP unit is now on display at the Elgin County Railway Museum here in St Thomas Ontario

[@merc340sr]

Great views! Toronto skyline looks bare!

[@DizzLexic]

I remember being really young and seeing that old changing CFTO-TV billboard when driving along the Gardiner Expressway with my family... hehe .. funny memory!

[@mloik1]

Me, too. How about the Inglis sign? I'm looking to build the Inglis sign in HO for my model trains.

[@DizzLexic]

@@mloik1 That's an awesome idea!! That Inglis sign was there for as real long time.. maybe it still is? haha

[@cjjrtoronto]

I know the folks at CFTO-TV (in the 1970s) had one or two billboard signs that were located north of the train tracks (and--of course--north of the Gardiner Expressway). THAT STATED, who were all of the individuals....in....the 3 or 4 ads that were shown in that (revolving-type?) billboard?

[@louiseahrens5575]

I wish there was more footage. This brings back a lot of memories!

[@allanritz5323]

Back in the 1970's, I used to work in the accounting department of Toronto Terminal Railways on the fourth floor of Union Station overlooking the rail yards. Quite a difference today from then. The old central heating plant and car washer are long gone. Who would of thought the rail yards of those days would be replaced by condominiums.

[@forbeshutton5487]

I was in the gun range once, before David (the commie) Miller and Adam (the liar) Vaughan kicked it out.

[@THEmagoo360]

VIA's TMC (Toronto Maintenance Centre) is at Willowbrook Yard in Mimico.

[@philippinetrainchannel1644]

Just like here in Manila the main station was become a mall and the yard was move 4 to 5 blocks away from the old station, The wide yard was gone when lots of equipment park side by side

[@thomasklimchuk441]

You wouldn't believe the stories that abound in coach yard at those times For example when a passenger train arrived at Union Station a yard switch generally a 8500 Alco After coupling on the yard crew would walk through the cars This one yard foreman would go through the bar cars and pore any left over drinks into one glass then drink it On one occasion his yardman said to him that he found a 5 dollar bill after that the yard foreman wouldn't allow him to walk though the coach's first On the roof of the yard office at the coach yard There was dozens of empty liquor bottles as well as full ones in lockers even the yard master at times had wine with his meal

[@wardy98px1]

Great memories

[@Scotford_Maconochie]

I think this is really awesome

[@GreenFrogVideos]

Unfortunately no, we do not have anything in Montreal at this time. Green Frog Prod.

[@beezee05]

Incredible footage. Thank you for this.

[@modelrailroader5619]

So cool...👍

[@BeeRich33]

I remember that. Used to visit the whole waterfront with my Dad often. At 1:02 there's 151 Front St, which is the most connected building in Canada. It's a data centre, which uses the rail line to house fibre in and out of the city.

[@Peorhum]

The good old days before the Rail companies tried to kill rail passenger travel. I remember the old single decker GO trains. I was just a kid but I remember them.

[@tracksidebc5854]

Great video. And yes, it is Spa Die Na, and Capreol is Cape Reol!

[@ontariorail1251]

0:56 holy smokes is that what GO transit trains used to look like? 😮

[@n1thmusic229]

I was just as shocked as you are CN and CP have been replaced by VIA which runs close to nothing but GO has grown INSANELY both in service patterns and in train size

[@cjjrtoronto]

They looked like that....until....circa 1979.....

[@downeastrailfan]

I placed my order yesterday. Emery's films never disappoint!

[@andrewmorrison85]

Maritime Railfan this video is amazing. Do you know if the full length version allows the viewer to see the entire train pass, for example the Super Continental? This video clipped it before I could see the whole consist. Thanks

[@regisbrooks8064]

Thanks green 🐸 frog I like n enjoyed the videos from the 70s Classic videos. God bless you and your family and jobs

[@andrewquagliano8288]

Great picture....very kool

[@5centsr]

Amazing video with great sound. Love the old CP paint, coaling tower and of course cabooses.

[@mikem.7709]

Cool Canadian trains!

[@Imintune...]

Remembered that cfto sign all too well. B4 via u had cn cp passenger trains .

[@nicholasdala]

Amazing ! This made me so happy :)

[@dontown1531]

I got to ride on non-stop "Rapido' from Brockville-Oshawa in 1975 because the Ottawa-Brockville train I was on was delayed by a truck driving into loco @ Moodie Dr We weren't derailed luckily. Only the water tank on loco was slightly damaged, but truck driver died. Got a seat in Club car on Rapido as a result. I also got a free trip on Air Canada a year later because estate of truck driver sued CN for negligence? & I was a key witness from Vancouver! (DC-8)

[@cttathecanadiantoytrainass3636]

Hey great video, nice and clean, just like most of the trains ! I rode some of those trains and my Father serviced many of the CN passenger FP4 and FP9 units out of Halifax. Sweet! Lots of good memories here.

[@johnvincent9022]

Great video. Brings back lots of memories of that period and amazing to see tha changes that have happened over the years. One point of critisism, Spadina is pronounced SPAD(EYE)NA, not SPAD(EE)NA. I lived around Toronto all my life and spent many hours in and around Spadina. it was a great spot now under the Skydome (or rogers Center if you prefer)

[@robwillie226]

The original and technically correct pronunciation is spadEEna

[@johnmcgahern3946]

@@robwillie226 Correct!

[@bikerheart]

@@johnmcgahern3946 The engine terminal is named after the street which is pronounced Spad-EYE-na; ask any Torontonian. The mansion that the street is named after, is pronounced Spad-EE-na House

[@bikerheart]

@@robwillie226 The engine terminal & washers are named after the street which is pronounced Spad-EYE-na; ask any Torontonian. The mansion that the street is named after, is pronounced Spad-EE-na House

[@KingTrump2024]

Wow that skyline looks totally different from today.

[@jamielacourse7578]

I used to railfan at the bottom of Port Union Rd. in East Scarborough Ont. just east of Rouge River....the Go train stopped at Pickering and you had to bus it to Oshawa....

[@DarkBlueDragon92]

Amazing to see Toronto like that. Now it's filled with roads and these tracks are no longer arround, killed by the car....

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

This is not even slightly true. Union Station is busier today than it has ever been, and the freight yards in this area weren't just replaced with roads, they were replaced with parks, apartment towers, office towers, sports stadiums etc, as well as new modern freight yards on in the suburbs where most of the heavy industry had relocated.

[@spm116]

CN moved its freight train yards to Concord (Vaughan) in the mid-1960s. GO-Transit and VIA Rail moved the passenger train yards to Etobicoke.

[@Zakkzwrld]

Amazing video does anyone have or no where i can find video or pictures of torontos trainyard in 1940s-50s?

[@saskatchewanrailfan8149]

Hey. I’ve seen cab cars today. I caught one unexpected at my town!

[@LanceCampeau]

WOW!

[@admydragon]

Oh this is awesome....so awesome....

[@F40Productions]

Love the pronounciation of Spadina lol

[@antidisestablishmentariani6182]

oh those go trains look so different, of course the double decker evolved from there

[@mtlicq]

3 almost empty cars and 1 engine LOL

[@mota1744]

A great video. I liked it very much. Mota

[@p.k.st.amour-mooney6800]

Miss those zebra stripes!!

[@EtobicokeCentralRailways]

Bought the DVD, very well worth it!

[@andrewmorrison85]

Maritime Railfan this video is amazing. Do you know if the full length version allows the viewer to see the entire train pass, for example the Super Continental? This video clipped it before I could see the whole consist. Thanks

[@railfan_g31722]

Union Station approach looks WAY different

[@DrRchannel71]

big like, mate

[@offdatgass7236]

Awesome

[@SeanBodine]

CFTO must be really popular in Toronto.

[@captainjoshuagleiberman2778]

Doesn't exist anymore. Ironically at the time of this video it was only a few years old and operating out of its Agincourt studios. They still exist but are now CTV and TSN studios

[@cjjrtoronto]

Has been since it started in 1960 (....and....has continued to operate at its studios in Agincourt [near the 401 and McCowan])....

[@sandletters39]

love it

[@johnlanelli3968]

Rogers Centre is there now.

[@kevinhoward9593]

3:34 ironically Via Rail is still using most of those 1955 cars.

[@andrewmorrison85]

Kevin Howard i don’t believe they are using any of the old 1954 CN equipment but they are using the CP 1955 Budd equipment, primarily on their flagship train. :)

[@janickgoudeau6126]

Around 2:26 clockstamp the Brigadier in her baggage carriages was having a bit of a wee. Never true men were her Casey Jones. Shunting a lumbago.

[@davetaylot302]

Looks realistic

[@mewreturns6917]

This is why the 60's had good cameras, most of the searchlights in this video were replaced by the searchlights still existing today (as of this comment)

[@mewreturns6917]

But some gen II searchlights were replaced by safetran vaders

[@regisbrooks8064]

August I got the DVD from infinite energy center Duluth

[@CANControlGRAFFITI]

pretty neat

[@ExoRailfan705]

Some of these were scrapped and retired:(

[@geoffreylee5199]

Capreol pronounced Kay-pre-yall. Pre 1973.

[@luckyrail23]

Lol that first GO train looks like a ghost!

[@mikailuscinema]

Has this stuff be used as stock footage before?

[@Purplegorillaz]

How did I end up here watching a video on trains 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@MontrealtrainChannel]

I would like to see some 70's and 80's trains in Montreal,do you have it in your collection?

[@GreenFrogVideos]

Sorry, we do not have anything in that area. Green Frog Productions

[@ggkitchener1122]

It's SpaDINER not Spadeena

[@BaljinderSingh-pn1mm]

Sir how many coaches in one rack

[@pascalcs]

Terrible air quality in those days.

[@cvgeeps]

Expect my order

[@linesided]

I still can't fathom why there were decent trains in the 70's and utter garbage 50 years later. It's a crying shame the endless Canadian and provincial governments have reduced the passenger rail service to the marginal service that it is today.

[@nativegerry335]

How come there is no longer any freight operations around union station today?

[@stephenp448]

My understanding is that the railroads made decisions to build new yards in the north end of the city that were more accessible to the highways. The rail corridors leading to Union were left for the use of Via Rail and Go Transit, leading to more efficient passenger service. I could be wrong on this and welcome corrections from anyone that has a more complete understanding.

[@mtlicq]

downtown lands are too valuable for other uses, tourism, convention centre, condos, offices, sports centres/recreation, and very busy passenger train service for satellite cities (Burlington, Oakville, Pickering/Ajax, Oshawa, Richmond Hill, Georgetown, etc...) Now it is more developed and relatively more posh than freight-train yard.

[@captainjoshuagleiberman2778]

The John Street and Spadina yards were shut down and are now largely condos, the CN Tower and Skydome. CN's yards are now in Vaughan just by the 404 and 407. CP is up in Agincourt

[@cjjrtoronto]

From circa 1980 onwards, a number of businesses/industries/etc that needed to use various freight cars--and were in downtown Toronto or thereabouts--closed down (or moved). There was, therefore, no need for a large number of certain freight cars; to be in the various rail yards between the Don River & Bathurst....

[@Martin98Baumann]

Great footage spoilt by three things: Narrator cannot pronounce several Canadian names correctly such as Spadina. The sound dubbing is poor with several instances of EMD sound on MLW units. The commentary has some appalling mistakes such as calling a distinctive MLW Tempo RS18 a GP9

[@andrewmorrison85]

Martin98Baumann lol.

[@davidwayne1475]

would like to buy this dvd but, can't find it at greenfrog.com

[@GreenFrogVideos]

Here is the BLURAY Link--www.greenfrog.com/BluRay_TT_Toronto.shtml DVD Link--www.greenfrog.com/TT_Toronto_DVD.shtml

[@normloewen6057]

8

[@trainrover]

Wanna bet that none of that filmed Rotton-Ø turf was decontaminated prior to erecting the shameful walls of sub-par housing, most of which are bound to disastrously fail by the 2030s? :pfft:

[@blackpanda7298]

spadeena ?! stop this!

[@mjarail]

"Agincourt" is pronounced, ah-zhin-cor'".

[@mtlicq]

In France yes, but in Toronto we say it the way he said it, age in court, or Ay Jin court In Toronto we pronounce Spadina like Spad eye na, not Spadeena, even if we're wrong, we just do.