RE: (rshsdepot) Toronto Union Station

["jdent1_@_optonline.net" <jdent1@optonline.net>]

Charles,

You asked: "As for Toronto, it appears that Union Station was=20
completed in 1919, but opened in August of 1927=2E Can anyone=20
explain the eight year delay?"=20


A history of Toronto's Union Station by Sean Marshall and=20
James Bow gives the following reason:

"On April 26, 1914, the plan for the Union Station was approved=20
by the Board of Railway Commissioners and on September 26, 1914,=20
just weeks after the start of the First World War, construction=20
began=2E War shortages slowed construction, but in 1920 the building=20
was ready to be opened=2E However, the viaduct was not complete=2E=20
Disputes over whether the tracks should pass over or under=20
Toronto's streets kept the new Union Station closed for years=2E=20
Finally, on August 6, 1927, the station was officially opened by=20
the visiting Prince of Wales (the station actually went into use=20
five days later, on August 11)=2E Once the new station opened, the=20
old Union Station at the foot of Simcoe Street was closed and=20
eventually demolished=2E

Even as the station opened, the viaduct was still under=20
construction=2E Passengers still had to use the old tracks=20
from the Old Union Station in order to board their trains=2E=20
A temporary wooden bridge from the new station to the temporary=20
station tracks was erected and used until the viaduct was=20
completed in 1929=2E Even then, the transfer was not complete=2E=20
On June 14, 1916, the CPR had opened North Toronto station by=20
Yonge Street on its mainline through the city, and its trains=20
continued to use that station until 1930 before switching to Union=2E"

The complete article is here:
http://transit=2Etoronto=2Eon=2Eca/transit=2Ecfm?tt=3Dgotransit&id=3D2302

Another source for info may be the 2 volume set "The Railways of Toronto"
published by B=2ER=2EM=2EN=2EA=2E, 5124 - 33 Street N=2EW=2E, Calgary, Alb=
erta=20
CANADA, T2L 1V4

Their website is at:
http://www=2Ecadvision=2Ecom/brmna/

Hope this helps=2E

Jim Dent







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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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