Thursday, January 30, 2020

The "Star" at the Davenport Works, Toronto

The Canadian Locomotive works in Kingston Ontario, built this little tank switcher for Canadian Foundry Co., a Canadian General Electric-owned company that was setting up a large foundry (The Davenport Works) at Lansdowne and Dupont streets in Toronto. The little 20 ton locomotive worked around the shop from 1902 until replaced by a General Electric steeplecab battery electric in 1932. That locomotive (name unknown) was run for 17 years till it was replaced by a little GE 150 hp diesel.
The "Star" in 1937, discarded in a corner of the lot. 

Above three images from Old Time Trains
Home territory for the locomotives.
If you need me I'll be in the screw and nut shop...



The site today, Lansdowne Ave, at Powerhouse St. looking north. 
Not many locomotives around anymore...

6 comments:

  1. Well it looks like the original locomotive works building is still there! Is that the original building Mister G? Lucky if so as you know most of those get torn down for malls. They did that here, tore down all the RR stuff and now they wish they hadn't. Damn policons have zero vision but I rant... Nice building.

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  2. In this case they did keep some of the significant buildings and filled the rest of the property with townhouses and some highrises. I should take a wander around to see if any of it is public space.

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  3. I've seen a few large old buildings that they turned into artist communities and the like. Kept the original interior pretty much intact which was cool. That's a big building and would be interesting to see inside.

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  4. They have been doing OK saving old buildings in Toronto lately. Not too far from the Davenport Works is an old 1913 streetcar barn that they turned into a park. It's become a popular community hub. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wychwood_Barns

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  5. Nice how they integrated the old brick interior and didn't just demo it out and leave a shell. Looks like a nice job overall in keeping it.

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  6. That's some serious rear overhang on that shunter!

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