Caption: An aerial view of Toronto in 1953, showing some of the downtown railway lands and facilities that have long-since vanished. I was invited by a co-worker to join him for a flight from the Island Airport (he was trying to put in flying hours) but I could only get one shot before he headed for the rural areas. Steam is still going strong, evident by at least four wisps of white smoke from steam locomotives in the area.



Visible at the bottom are Canadian Pacific Railway's John Street facilities, including the roundhouse, coachyard, stores building, passenger car servicing facilities and coaling tower. Union Station with its train shed, main buildings, and CNR & CPR express sheds at either side, is present near the middle in front of the towering CPR Royal York Hotel. The smokestacks at the bottom right are for the Central Heating Plant, that used to provide steam heat to various downtown buildings including the Royal York, Union Station and John St. Roundhouse. At the bottom left are some buildings part of CNR's Spadina roundhouse facilities (out of frame). Above that are various yards, including CNR's old freight sheds north of Front Street, and CPR's Dominion Express freight sheds at Simcoe and Wellington (note all the boxcars spotted at sidings).



City-wise, the office tower boom of later decades had yet to begin, with the tallest building at the time being the Canadian Commerce Bank Building (the tallest building in the British Commonwealth, and also taller than the nearby Royal York Hotel). The Canada Life building is visible at the left-middle along University Avenue, Maple Leaf Gardens is prominent further away from downtown, and in the distance in the upper right, one can see the Prince Edward Viaduct carrying Bloor Street over the Don Valley.



More in downtown Toronto:

Bathurst Street in 1958: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=15641

Bathurst Street in 1979: http://www.railpictures.ca/?attachment_id=22282