Locomotives of Yellow & Green
18” x 24” Acrylic on Canvas, 2008
Private Collection
The port city of Hamilton, Ontario lies on the western shores of Lake Ontario. Known as the
“Steel capital of Canada”, Hamilton is home to two of Canada’s largest steel producers, Stelco
and Dofasco, and is also a major terminal on the Canadian National Railways mainline between
Toronto and Niagara Falls. In 1931 a passenger station located in the north end of the city was
completed. Along with hosting trains from Toronto and Niagara Falls and connecting trains to
New York city, it also hosted trains to and from London/Windsor and as far away as Chicago.
This required reverse movements several miles to the north at Bayview jct. to enter and leave
the station.
At the beginning of the sixties the CNR had completed its conversion from steam to diesel-
electric locomotives, however, the presence of steam is not completely gone. The station is
adorned with decorative wall carvings featuring 4-8-4 Northerns and 4-6-4 Hudsons, their
exhaust has also left a permanent mark above the station tracks.
A low winter’s sun shines on the station and its busy platforms. On one track sits train #101-
102 the daily to Niagara Falls about to depart with FP9 No. 6508, built by Generals Motors
Diesel Division in London, ON in 1954. This Locomotive would serve the CNR for 24 years
before being retired from the roster. Arriving on the next track is CPA16-5 No. 6705 and CPB16-
5 No. 6805 with train #15 “The International limited”. Both built in 1955 by the Canadian
Locomotive Company in Kingston, ON. Neither of these would last until the end of the decade.
Both trains are wearing the Classic CNR passenger paint scheme of 1954 featuring a round
emblem and the words “Canadian National Railways” enclosed in a red maple leaf on a black
background. The colours of yellow and green will soon be replaced by red and white and
“Canadian National” will be replaced by a CN “wet noodle”.
18” x 24” Acrylic on Canvas, 2008
Private Collection
The port city of Hamilton, Ontario lies on the western shores of Lake Ontario. Known as the
“Steel capital of Canada”, Hamilton is home to two of Canada’s largest steel producers, Stelco
and Dofasco, and is also a major terminal on the Canadian National Railways mainline between
Toronto and Niagara Falls. In 1931 a passenger station located in the north end of the city was
completed. Along with hosting trains from Toronto and Niagara Falls and connecting trains to
New York city, it also hosted trains to and from London/Windsor and as far away as Chicago.
This required reverse movements several miles to the north at Bayview jct. to enter and leave
the station.
At the beginning of the sixties the CNR had completed its conversion from steam to diesel-
electric locomotives, however, the presence of steam is not completely gone. The station is
adorned with decorative wall carvings featuring 4-8-4 Northerns and 4-6-4 Hudsons, their
exhaust has also left a permanent mark above the station tracks.
A low winter’s sun shines on the station and its busy platforms. On one track sits train #101-
102 the daily to Niagara Falls about to depart with FP9 No. 6508, built by Generals Motors
Diesel Division in London, ON in 1954. This Locomotive would serve the CNR for 24 years
before being retired from the roster. Arriving on the next track is CPA16-5 No. 6705 and CPB16-
5 No. 6805 with train #15 “The International limited”. Both built in 1955 by the Canadian
Locomotive Company in Kingston, ON. Neither of these would last until the end of the decade.
Both trains are wearing the Classic CNR passenger paint scheme of 1954 featuring a round
emblem and the words “Canadian National Railways” enclosed in a red maple leaf on a black
background. The colours of yellow and green will soon be replaced by red and white and
“Canadian National” will be replaced by a CN “wet noodle”.
