ARH 412H
Tour of Rail-related sites for 23 November, 2006 FINAL: Updated 22 November

THE TOUR IS ON

Unfortunately, because of the safety concerns, I was unable to get us an exemption from the "off-limits" policy for Queen Lower subway station. I also did not get a reply from Mackenzie House, which I guess is not surprising given the short notice.

So this is what I propose:

WE WILL MEET at 2:05 PM or so in the middle of the Great Hall of Union Station, next to the train schedules. That's easy to reach by TTC, and will be a good start to our tour.

After a half-hour or so at Union Station, we will walk to the old Toronto Street Railway stables (now the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People, ) where we have a tour scheduled for 3 PM. I think the tour will cost us $4 or $5 each, and we can pay when we arrive. If you're arriving late and need directions to the theatre, click here.

Since the Steam Whistle Brewery only gives tours of the old CPR roundhouse on the hour, and it turns out that their last tour starts at 5 PM, at a cost of $8 per person. For those who are interested and don't have other commitments, I propose we have a leisurely walk over to the roundhouse, pausing on the way to view the exhibit of artifacts and other material relating to the archaeology and history of the area impacted by construction of the Convention Centre, CN Tower, and Rogers Centre. We can have a look at the outside of the roundhouse, and still be in plenty of time, I'm sure, for a 5PM tour. If people prefer, I'm sure we could just stop in for a quick drink and skip the tour. As I recall, there are photos on the wall inside relating to the history of the roundhouse.

Last Update 22 November 2006

Contents and design copyright E. B. Banning 2006