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 #17 “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 #17 “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”.
