Vintage Train Photographs from Toronto

This week, the Toronto archives had me browsing vintage train photographs. There were a ton of photos so I had to cut it down to 60 of my favourites.

The photos date back to 1858. The most recent is from 1970. It is great to see not only the trains and the various types that have been in use over the years but also the fashions and the scenes surrounding the trains. A lot of celebrations, as well as crashes and farewells. It is also cool to see how much various parts of the city have changed.

CNR new freight engine train - vintage train photographs
CNR new freight engine train – sept 15 1924
Catfish Pond - filling with train - 1917 - vintage train photographs
Catfish Pond – filling with train – 1917
Catfish Pond - filling with train - 1917 - vintage train photographs
Catfish Pond – filling with train – 1917
C.P.R. new Montreal train, officials & engineer, handing letter. - June 28, 1926 - vintage train photographs
C.P.R. new Montreal train, officials &; engineer, handing letter. – June 28, 1926
C.N.R. new Montreal train, group of officials. - June 28, 1926 - vintage train photographs
C.N.R. new Montreal train, group of officials. – June 28, 1926
C.N.R. new Montreal train, engineer John Firby & girls. - June 28, 1926 - vintage train photographs
C.N.R. new Montreal train, engineer John Firby & girls. – June 28, 1926
C. P. R., train of Ford cars, composite copy. - March 13, 1924 - vintage train photographs
C. P. R., train of Ford cars, composite copy. – March 13, 1924
Bigwin Inn, postage railway train. - June 30, 1924 - vintage train photographs
Bigwin Inn, postage railway train. – June 30, 1924
Bigwin Inn, passengers leaving train, south. - June 29, 1924
Bigwin Inn, passengers leaving train, south. – June 29, 1924

The Royal Scot, Exhibition Park, Toronto, (Commercial Department) - 1933 - vintage train photographsThe Royal Scot, Exhibition Park, Toronto, (Commercial Department) – 1933

CNR train telephone, Harry Lang, assistant engineer at control panel. - May 5, 1929CNR train telephone, Harry Lang, assistant engineer at control panel. – May 5, 1929

Xmas day, Ross Christie and J. H. B. with train, etc.. - December 25, 1928
Xmas day, Ross Christie and J. H. B. with train, etc.. – December 25, 1928
Wide-track train, Clarkson - 1906?
Wide-track train, Clarkson – 1906?
Viaduct test, 4100 engine in train shed - 1930
Viaduct test, 4100 engine in train shed – 1930
Viaduct opening, Canadian Pacific Railways train at west end of station - January 21, 1930
Viaduct opening, Canadian Pacific Railways train at west end of station – January 21, 1930
Unemployed men hop a train. - [ca. 1933]
Unemployed men hop a train. – [ca. 1933]
Truck stalled by freight train, Keating St - Dec 29 1933
Truck stalled by freight train, Keating St – Dec 29 1933
Train wreck, vicinity of Facelle Plant, Weston - 1970
Train wreck, vicinity of Facelle Plant, Weston – 1970
Train passing Catfish Pond - 1920
Train passing Catfish Pond – 1920
Train on Sunnyside raised track - 1930
Train on Sunnyside raised track – 1930
Train of cars, looking northeast (east of Dufferin). - June 8, 1911
Train of cars, looking northeast (east of Dufferin). – June 8, 1911
Train in Don Valley - 1910
Train in Don Valley – 1910
Train entering Union Station. - [1930?]
Train entering Union Station. – [1930?]
Train belching smoke, west of Dufferin Street - 1914
Train belching smoke, west of Dufferin Street – 1914
Train at Sunnyside. - [1926?]
Train at Sunnyside. – [1926?]
Train - 1940
Train – 1940
Traffic stopped for passing train at level crossing - 1929
Traffic stopped for passing train at level crossing – 1929
Taggers in RR yds, stopping train. - November 11, 1926
Taggers in RR yds, stopping train. – November 11, 1926
Sunnyside Station, crowd & train. - July 1, 1925
Sunnyside Station, crowd & train. – July 1, 1925
Sunnyside and train. - [ca. 1908]
Sunnyside and train. – [ca. 1908]
Sunnyside - train near High park - 1915
Sunnyside – train near High park – 1915
Single truck closed car #280, with passage way in front dash for train - 1894
Single truck closed car #280, with passage way in front dash for train – 1894
Single truck car and train, old Queen line - 1893
Single truck car and train, old Queen line – 1893
Sea Cadets on train in station - 194?
Sea Cadets on train in station – 194?
Scarborough - trains with 2 engines - 1931
Scarborough – trains with 2 engines – 1931
Railway tracks looking east to Bathurst - 193?
Railway tracks looking east to Bathurst – 193?
Railway level crossing near waterfront - 1900-1920
Railway level crossing near waterfront – 1900-1920
Railway level crossing - 1900
Railway level crossing – 1900
Petawawa, men getting on the train - dec 7 1942
Petawawa, men getting on the train – dec 7 1942
Parkdale train. - [1914?]
Parkdale train. – [1914?]
Open car and trailer, Munro Park Line - 1900
Open car and trailer, Munro Park Line – 1900
N.R.C., passenger train - 1858-63
N.R.C., passenger train – 1858-63
N.R.C., part of passenger train, no. 27 - 1858-63
N.R.C., part of passenger train, no. 27 – 1858-63
N.R.C., bridge over Thompson's Creek, no. 21 - 1858-63
N.R.C., bridge over Thompson’s Creek, no. 21 – 1858-63
Movie star Sterling Hayden disembarking from train on his visit to Toronto - 1942
Movie star Sterling Hayden disembarking from train on his visit to Toronto – 1942
Men and train - 1940
Men and train – 1940
McCaul St Loop, (Executive Department) - 1929
McCaul St Loop, (Executive Department) – 1929
Lorne Park, girls gathering lupine, train passing. - June 12, 1927
Lorne Park, girls gathering lupine, train passing. – June 12, 1927
Lever Brothers Soap Works - Danger in yard from Shunting trains - 1919
Lever Brothers Soap Works – Danger in yard from Shunting trains – 1919
Grimsby, train wreck of Stony Creek. - May 21, 1926
Grimsby, train wreck of Stony Creek. – May 21, 1926
First train over Sunnyside elevated track, looking east. - [before 1913]
First train over Sunnyside elevated track, looking east. – [before 1913]
Exterior of Purifying House, Station B, Eastern Avenue, with loaded coal trains from Pennsylvania. - 1923
Exterior of Purifying House, Station B, Eastern Avenue, with loaded coal trains from Pennsylvania. – 1923
Exhibition, C. P. R. train sign. - August 24, 1923
Exhibition, C. P. R. train sign. – August 24, 1923
Exhibition - motor train - 1922
Exhibition – motor train – 1922
Danforth train wreck, wrecked freight cars. - September 29, 1928
Danforth train wreck, wrecked freight cars. – September 29, 1928
Coupling of six motor Train - July 11, 1923
Coupling of six motor Train – July 11, 1923
CNR train telephone, test train. - May 5, 1929
CNR train telephone, test train. – May 5, 1929
Bay St. level crossing, train blocking way. - July 9, 1923
Bay St. level crossing, train blocking way. – July 9, 1923
Aldershot train wreck, general view of wreck. - October 4, 1928
Aldershot train wreck, general view of wreck. – October 4, 1928
4100 type locomotive and train at Don. - December 24, 1925
4100 type locomotive and train at Don. – December 24, 1925

 

To see more vintage train photographs, visit the Toronto Archives or the Toronto Public Library Archives.

 

 

About Joel Levy 2542 Articles
Editor-In-Chief at Toronto Guardian. Photographer and Writer for Toronto Guardian and Joel Levy Photography