Maps of Toronto's old rail lines?

[SaugeenJunction]

Someone on Facebook posted an update:

• The detailed design for the relocation of the spur line to run down Leslie Street is progressing.
• Work further up the line, at Don Roadway, is also proceeding which involves interrupting the spur line access and is part of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project.

 

[DSC]

Someone on Facebook posted an update:

• The detailed design for the relocation of the spur line to run down Leslie Street is progressing.
• Work further up the line, at Don Roadway, is also proceeding which involves interrupting the spur line access and is part of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project.

I am surprised the relocation of the spur on Leslie is not actually under construction as it is used to bring/take stuff to the water treatment plant and they are currently having to use trucks. Any idea of what the plan looks like? It will also be interesting to see whether they maintain the link to the rail line that goes west along Unwin and through the Hearn lands. The Port Toronto folk spent $$$ fixing it a couple of years ago (though it is never used) and I wonder if it will now simply be abandoned. Currently (or before it was cut) the line to the water treatment plant branched off it just to west of Leslie..

 

[lenaitch]

I am surprised the relocation of the spur on Leslie is not actually under construction as it is used to bring/take stuff to the water treatment plant and they are currently having to use trucks. Any idea of what the plan looks like? It will also be interesting to see whether they maintain the link to the rail line that goes west along Unwin and through the Hearn lands. The Port Toronto folk spent $$$ fixing it a couple of years ago (though it is never used) and I wonder if it will now simply be abandoned. Currently (or before it was cut) the line to the water treatment plant branched off it just to west of Leslie..

So they can continue the myth that the Port of Toronto is a major multi-modal hub?

From the website: "Serving primarily as a bulk cargo destination, the port boasts a seamless network of cost-effective intermodal links to road, rail and air transportation,"

 

[DSC]

So they can continue the myth that the Port of Toronto is a major multi-modal hub?

From the website: "Serving primarily as a bulk cargo destination, the port boasts a seamless network of cost-effective intermodal links to road, rail and air transportation,"

I actually asked the Ports folk and was told it was repaired as they are required to do so but they refused to give me any answer on when it was last used. From the state of the tracks it looks as though "never' might be the answer!

 

[Allandale25]

Someone on Facebook posted an update:

• The detailed design for the relocation of the spur line to run down Leslie Street is progressing.
• Work further up the line, at Don Roadway, is also proceeding which involves interrupting the spur line access and is part of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project.

Someone posted site plan maps of the new track alignment. Not sure of the source. Hello street running.

To recap, old alignment:

New alignment:

Street running:

 

[urbanperson]

I heard recently that the spur is being shut down and the water treatment plant will now be using trucks. Does anyone know about this?

 

[Allandale25]

^ The alignment was protected in a recent LPAT decision. I suppose whether or not it will ever see rail service again is an open question.

Here's what I was told by City staff:

Under a settlement reached at the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal regarding Ports Toronto's appeal of Official Plan Amendment 387 (see attached documents), the City is required to maintain the rail line to Ports Toronto's facilities in the Port Lands. The refurbishment and routing of the rail line will be considered as part of the Broadview Extension EA process. Considerations will also be given to Toronto Water's use of the rail line in support of their operations at Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant. A public consultation process for the EA is yet to begin but will likely commence later in the spring or early summer.

Based on the feedback received so far to date on the Broadview EA process, public consultations are projected to begin in May of this year. Notice will likely be provided thru the local councillor's office and the local media.

This was provided in February and obviously the consultation timelines have had to be pushed back.

OPA 387 [PDF] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JKF-4EaCc2DFo698AIrYM4EnWbT4ltbn/view?usp=drivesdk

LPAT Decision [PDF] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JKvDi7BmyDeAVVstuPPK-Aq--iW_vM-W/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[DSC]

I heard recently that the spur is being shut down and the water treatment plant will now be using trucks. Does anyone know about this?

The rail line was cut when the City transferred the land at Leslie and Commissioners to Canada Post. I reported on a phone call I had with CreateTO a couple of months ago. See: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...rs-canada-post-1s-kingsland-architects.28597/

I said "I finally heard back from someone at CreateTO who told me that they are re-evaluating the use of (and thus the re-location of) the rail line that was cut when the Canada Post building was built. Apparently CP refused to share the land with the rail line and CreateTO were supposed to re-locate it onto Leslie but then discovered that there were lots of utilities there and cost of doing so would be very high. He assured me that the work on the Don River rail bridge that was done 2 years ago was done for safety reasons but if rail is abandoned it can still be used (for ???) and that the Water Treatment Plant is thinking of moving from chemical treatment of the waste water (the line is/was used to bring the chemicals into the plant) and Ports Toronto have not used their line to the Cruise Ship terminal for a decade (though it too has had maintenance.) . Seems like someone wasted LOTS of money maintaining this line and then failed to check it could be relocated cheaply when they sold the land at Commissioners & Leslie to Canada Post. No doubt all the traffic can be handled by trucks but ..... "\

I think that discussions between CreateTO and Ports Toronto continue and bet they will reach some sort of settlement.

 

[urbanperson]

Allendale25: The links you posted don't work. They require some sort of permission to access tbe documents.

It wonder why Toronto wouldn't want to use rail to deliver water treatment chemicals. Hamilton uses rail, and you would assume that Toronto would find rail even more economical as they would have higher demands.

 

[Allandale25]

Allendale25: The links you posted don't work. They require some sort of permission to access tbe documents.

It wonder why Toronto wouldn't want to use rail to deliver water treatment chemicals. Hamilton uses rail, and you would assume that Toronto would find rail even more economical as they would have higher demands.

Sorry about that. I've turned on link sharing. Can you try it now?

 

[DSC]

Allendale25: The links you posted don't work. They require some sort of permission to access tbe documents.

It wonder why Toronto wouldn't want to use rail to deliver water treatment chemicals. Hamilton uses rail, and you would assume that Toronto would find rail even more economical as they would have higher demands.

The CreateTO guy I spoke to told me that Toronto Water are working on not using chemicals at all (or at least less) and using u/v light etc. I assume something like https://www.trojanuv.com/applications/wastewater

 

[Allandale25]

^ Wouldn't surprise me. Out of curiosity when did you speak to the CreateTO person? I guess even if the plant won't receive service, the portions of the corridor other than the new Canada Post site will be protected.

 

[urbanperson]

It's too bad they couldn't make rail service work at the port. Since this closed, I don't believe there is any rail freight left in that area of Toronto. I wonder when/why Canroof stopped taking rail cars.

 

[DSC]

^ Wouldn't surprise me. Out of curiosity when did you speak to the CreateTO person? I guess even if the plant won't receive service, the portions of the corridor other than the new Canada Post site will be protected.

In February 2020, he was VERY unwilling to give me any info and had a person with him on the call'; she was, I suspect, a lawyer to make sure he did not misspeak. It was all rather silly as WT were already saying publicly that the spur was going! See: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...elopment-m-s-waterfront-toronto.3363/page-136

I think CreateTO are worried (as they should be) that someone will ask them why they have spent $$$$ on maintaining the spur and the bridge @ the Don Roadway for the last few years. (The Don River bridge is, maybe, acceptable as it leads to Toronto Water plant (Ashbridges Bay) but there have been ZERO trains past there for a decade but that section (leading towards the Cruise Ship Terminal) was quite extensively repaired a few years ago.

 

[Allandale25]

^ Interesting, thanks. So I guess based on what a City Planner told me in June 2019 and what CreateTO told you in February 2020, parts of the rail corridor will remain but the missing gap near Canada Post won't be restored. Maybe the bridge over the Don will still be useful if the yard ever needs to be used.