A very busy July 1st holiday weekend operation!

Click on each image for a closer look!

The July 1st holiday weekend proved a busy one for the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre.

As can be seen from the accompanying images, it saw the U33 simulator and the TH&B Van #70 being switched in their locations in stall #16. First thing on Friday morning, our intrepid volunteers quickly moved the TH&B Van#70 out onto the turntable. Next the yellow access platform was shifted into a new position with the help of Elwell, our small crane, and then the U33 was moved out onto the turntable and everything turned 180 degrees. The TH&B Van #70 was then pushed back into it's new position next to the F7 and the U33 was then moved back into the front of stall 16. All this was done to allow the U33 to be more accessible for public access during the weekends while the restoration crews continue to work behind it on the F7 and the Van. After the “stall 16 shuffle” our volunteers spent the rest of the day working on the Van woodwork while over in the mini depot the Sweet Creek steam locomotive #3 was having a minor rebuild.

Meanwhile out in the park, other volunteers provided tours of #6213’s cab and operated the miniature railway. On Friday, there was both a Railway Children matinee and a ball game. When the game let out the park was mobbed and so were we, with #3 back in action we ran two four-car trains right up until 5:30 and could probably have run longer had everyone not been feeling a little worn out by then.

Saturday and Sunday also proved to be very busy days. All in all, we had a very successful weekend operation.

Posting by Russ Milland; Pictures by Stephen Gardiner