Old Time Trains

In this photograph D10e Ten-wheeler 4-6-0 No. 852 is seen on June 19,1953, hauling the Hamilton way freight, westbound, from Toronto to Hamilton, over the CNR Oakville Subdivision near Lome Park. This train serviced the industries for the CPR in the predominantly CNR territory. I recall that around the end of World War Two this train worked very long hours on the road, and to some crews out of Lambton Yard, Toronto, it was known as the "Bankers' Special", because it meant plenty of overtime pay for the crew.

No. 852 was one of six D10e's built in March 1910 by the CPR, and during her lifetime she saw service from the Atlantic coast to the prairies of the west. Rolling across Maine on December 20, 1919, she headed the second section of passenger Train No. 39, which was running in four sections on that day. The heavy traffic for this train was due to the docking at St. John, New Brunswick, of the "Empress of France", from which a number of British emigrants and Canadian soldiers had disembarked. The second section of No. 39, in the charge of No. 852, made a safe passage to her destination. Unfortunately, the third section, running a few hours behind, met head-on with a freight near Onawa, Maine, killing 23 persons.

We cannot account for No. 852's whereabouts during the next 34 years, but on April 20, 1953, she was assisting No. 5389 on an extra freight east, at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. This was just four months before the above photograph was taken. In the present era of diesel-electrics with their wide range of operations, the appearance of an engine from one region to another is of little consequence. However, in the days of steam when power was held captive to particular areas, the movement of a western engine to the east or vice-versa, was occasion for comment and caused much excitement among rail fans.

No. 852 spent the remaining years, from mid-1953 to 1959, in the Ontario District. Apart from the Hamilton way freight, she saw duty out of Orangeville on the Teeswater branch. In early 1957 she was transferred from the Bruce Division, with headquarters in Toronto, to the London Division. Residing here until the end of her active days, No. 852 was used in assist service at London and served on the London to Guelph Junction and Guelph to Goderich way freights. Out of service for most of 1958, she became active for a short time in early 1959, and later that year made her last trip, dead, to the Angus Shops, Montreal, where she was scrapped on September 15, 1959.

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Old Time Trains © 2009

In this photograph D10e Ten-wheeler 4-6-0 No. 852 is seen on June 19,1953, hauling the Hamilton way freight, westbound, from Toronto to Hamilton, over the CNR Oakville Subdivision near Lome Park. This train serviced the industries for the CPR in the predominantly CNR territory. I recall that around the end of World War Two this train worked very long hours on the road, and to some crews out of Lambton Yard, Toronto, it was known as the "Bankers' Special", because it meant plenty of overtime pay for the crew.

No. 852 was one of six D10e's built in March 1910 by the CPR, and during her lifetime she saw service from the Atlantic coast to the prairies of the west. Rolling across Maine on December 20, 1919, she headed the second section of passenger Train No. 39, which was running in four sections on that day. The heavy traffic for this train was due to the docking at St. John, New Brunswick, of the "Empress of France", from which a number of British emigrants and Canadian soldiers had disembarked. The second section of No. 39, in the charge of No. 852, made a safe passage to her destination. Unfortunately, the third section, running a few hours behind, met head-on with a freight near Onawa, Maine, killing 23 persons.

We cannot account for No. 852's whereabouts during the next 34 years, but on April 20, 1953, she was assisting No. 5389 on an extra freight east, at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. This was just four months before the above photograph was taken. In the present era of diesel-electrics with their wide range of operations, the appearance of an engine from one region to another is of little consequence. However, in the days of steam when power was held captive to particular areas, the movement of a western engine to the east or vice-versa, was occasion for comment and caused much excitement among rail fans.

No. 852 spent the remaining years, from mid-1953 to 1959, in the Ontario District. Apart from the Hamilton way freight, she saw duty out of Orangeville on the Teeswater branch. In early 1957 she was transferred from the Bruce Division, with headquarters in Toronto, to the London Division. Residing here until the end of her active days, No. 852 was used in assist service at London and served on the London to Guelph Junction and Guelph to Goderich way freights. Out of service for most of 1958, she became active for a short time in early 1959, and later that year made her last trip, dead, to the Angus Shops, Montreal, where she was scrapped on September 15, 1959.