CP Glen Yard Memories - (1950-2000) (By William H. Baird Jr.) Updated April 21th, 2010 Writing this report was a joy, but at times emotionally very difficult. I hope this come across in the text as I sincerely put my heart and soul into this story. My earliest memories of watching trains were of course with my Father, William Baird Sr., who passed away in August 2006 at 84 years old. As a baby in the 1960‟s living in London, England my dad brought me on his railfan outings to Kings Cross, Paddington, and Euston Stations, I loved watching trains from my stroller and it was a big influence on me as I still enjoy British trains to this day! When I moved back to Canada in the late 1960‟s to Montreal, Quebec, we continued this practice at (CPR) St-Luc Yard and at Westmount Station, which was only 10 minutes from my home. As an eager young railfan I was fortunate to learn about and appreciate the railway locomotive through the eyes of my Dad. He explained how railways work, and taught me how to spot the different models by the three Canadian diesel builders: MLW, CLC and GMDD. Lets not forget there were few Canadian GE‟s in those days! CP‟s Glen Yard was located about three kilometers from downtown Montreal, and was on the CP Westmount Subdivision and was almost entirely visible from the Westmount Station two platforms. I recall the “Glen” was a beehive of activity in the 1960‟s, with continuous switching moves using a pair of assigned Alco yard engines. At times two train consists were being turned on the double track loop in opposite directions! As I missed out on the earlier steam-era activity, my good friend Jean Mercier who I met in 1990 kindly brought me up-to speed as he was regular there during the 1950`s and explained that during the steam era, it was an even busier place! Jean documented this snapshot of the typical locomotives one might have seen at the Glen during the 1950‟s, and the few numbers included, were some of the units assigned here: CPR H1b 4-6-4 Hudson‟s (CP “Empress” #2816 was one of many!) CPR H1c 4-6-4 Royal Hudson‟s (nos. 2820, 2821, 2822, 2826, 2841, 2859) CPR F2a 4-4-4 Jubilee‟s (H.B. Bowen Streamliners nos. 3003 and 3004) CPR F1a 4-4-4 Jubilee‟s (Nos. 2927, & 2928, 2929 which are preserved) CPR G5a / G5b and G5c 4-6-2 Pacific‟s (nos 1201, 1227, 1228, 1229, 1231, 1257, 1268, and 1269) CPR G3g / G3h and G3j 4-6-2 Heavy Pacific‟s nos 2393, 2396, 2397, 2402, 2408, 2426, 2455, 2559, 2461 2467, 2470, 2471, and 2472. CPR G1r 4-6-2 (Early Light Pacific) nos 2203, 2212, 2222, 2227, 2229) CPR G2r 4-6-2 (Light Pacific) nos 2508, 2527, 2537, 2541, and 2580. CPR G1t and G1s 4-6-2 Light Pacific‟s (with high drivers) no 2200-series CPR K1a 4-8-4 Northern‟s (The largest CP Passenger engines #3100 #3101) CPR 2-8-0 switchers (nos. 3610, 3632, 3642, 3692, and 3694) CPR assorted Alco switchers (nos. 6593, 7013, 7034, 7042, 7099, and 7108) CPR RS10‟s (The Atlantic Limited and others) (8400 & 8500 series) CPR FPA2‟s (The Atlantic Limited and others) (4000-series). CPR FP7A‟s and FP9A‟s (The Canadian, and later on commuter trains) CPR E8‟s 1800-1802 (For the Red Wing and Alouette to Boston) NYC Alco RS3‟s (for the train to upper NY State, through Beauharnois,QC / Valleyfield, QC / Malone, NY) D&H Alco RS3‟s (For the Albany, NY, “Laurentian” through Lacolle, QC, Rouses Point, NY / Plattsburgh, NY, Albany, NY) B&M E7`s (For the Boston “Red Wing” and “Alouette”, through White River Junction, VT, to Boston, MA). Though not serviced at the Glen, the 1950‟s CN-CP Pool Trains regular power were the mighty CNR green- liveried U2g 4-8-4 (#6200 class) and CNR U4a 4-8-4 (#6400) Northern locomotives, passed through Westmount and must have looked absolutely awesome departing and steaming out of CPR‟s Windsor station! Interestingly, Jean Mercier swears he twice witnessed a CNR U2g 4-8-4 (#6200 class) actually at the Glen being serviced before the evening Pool Train departure, but never a CNR #6400! Though I have never seen a photo to actually prove this, but I‟ve never known Jean to make an error. As he has a photographic memory, I for one believe him! Here are examples of typical CPR steam assigned to the Glen: CPR 4-6-4 Hudson #2816 is seen hauling a long commuter train through the labyrinth of double-slip switches entering into Windsor Station in 1959. Note the 800-series commuter coach up front, which remained in daily Montreal commuter service from the 1950‟s up until 2004 and wore several different liveries! http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/g2.jpg CPR 4-6-2 1227 at the Glen (John Dziobko photos with thanks) http://www.godfatherrails.com/photos/pv.asp?pid=150 CPR 4-6-2 1227 at the CPR Station in Montreal http://www.godfatherrails.com/photos/pv.asp?pid=149 CPR 4-6-2 2229 under the Coal tower. You can see the City of Westmount, my hometown just above the CPR caboose. http://www.godfatherrails.com/photos/pv.asp?pid=148 With stock cars up front, CPR #5114 blasts up the grade under the Rachel Street Bridge on Hochelaga Hill. In teh second photo CPR Mikado #5449‟s fireman gives a wave near the Angus Shop with a train of CPR 40-foot box cars. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/glenyardmemories.htm In the second photo CPR Mikado #5449 slows down to enter St-Luc Junction with a wave from the Fireman and a long string of CPR 40-foot box cars. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/51142.jpg CPR RDC‟s on the North Junction track at Montreal West Station in 1959. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/CP9023.jpg A full house at Montreal West Station in 1959! CPR 2409 is seem coming off the North track and crossing over to the south track and steaming to Westmount while the station has both mainlines behind are filled with east and westbound commuter trains, which just arrived moments before. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/CP2408.jpg Windsor Station must have been the place to be in the 1950‟s! Spotless CPR Pacific #2471 is preparing to depart with a commuter train, a CPR Budd has just left for Westmount, and a very long CNR / CP Pool train is waiting for the CNR power to couple up! (John Dziobko photos) http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/windsorstation.htm A CPR 4-6-4 Royal Hudson, standard Hudson and a 4-6-2 Pacific are all lined up south of the coal tower at Glen yard in the 1950‟s. As well, CPR 4-6-4 Hudson #2816 which was used in commuter service in the late 50‟s, has just been coaled at Glen Yard with other some CPR steam engines. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2008/g3.jpg While compiling historical information for my report, I found this Glen Yard Motive Power Snapshot form May 28th 1956: http://www.trainweb.org/canadianrailways/articles/TripReportMay281956.html Jim Brown submitted these two fine shots of “Elephant-eared” Glen regulars being serviced at (CP) John Street Toronto: CPR Hudson #2816 is seen 04-06-1947 during the short time she wore her smoke deflectors, and mighty CPR Northern #3101, is shown in Toronto on 9-22-1952. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/glenyardgalt.htm Here are a series of images submitted by D‟Arcy Furlonger in the 1950‟s taken at Glen Yard, St. Luc and elsewhare and are included here simply because our CPR locomotive assignments show them as being assigned to Montreal for the better part of their careers. Some locomotives here were assigned to both Montreal and Toronto Terminals at different times. Included here are CPR #2401 taken in Ottawa, and a great shot of CPR Hudson #2813 at the Glen. Some of these other steamers were alrady reassigned to freight service. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/cpvignettesglenyard.htm In the mid-1960‟s, typical mainline diesel power at the Glen included: CPR FP7A‟s, FP9A‟s and B‟s, FPA2‟s and B‟s, RS10‟s, GP9‟s, E8‟s, and D&H RS3‟s which at that time wore black with yellow stripes. In the late 1960`s and early 1970‟s I had the chance see some incredible action, but unfortunately I did not take the initiative to record much of this on film. Thanks to many individuals who are mentioned at the end the following great images were recorded. Some of the photos are mine, but I decided to include many photos by other photographers as they do indeed capture my recollections of those days and nights at Glen yard and Windsor Station. My sincere thanks go out to them! A faily large Quebec-bound "Frontanac" with a A-B-B consist and Head End cars is about to depart Montreal West Station for North Junction to head back east in the 1960's. http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/05/frontenac.jpg I think the following photo links will help you understand my passion for the “Glen”. Imagine just for a moment … being a 10-year-old boy again! Old enough to understand what you are seeing, yet still with the youthful energy to take it all in! I invite you to examine the following shots as they will assist you with understanding the layout and operations at the Glen discussed later, and clearly show some of what I experienced! http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/2010/04/glen.htm These above aerial views of Montreal CP Glen Yard are from the 1970‟s looking south and west.