Isaac Bryson
Incoming doom: the 1 year anniversary
Saturday, April 13th, 2024 was a significant day for Toronto railfans for all of the wrong reasons. For weeks it was known that the North Toronto signal structures were being torn down. Leaside had replacements on site, Mt Pleasant and Howland had replacements put in between the 2 (at Yonge), and Davenport was no longer needed in either direction after Metrolinx tore out the diamond with the Newmarket sub, replacing it with a bridge. But Bartlett was the big question. No visible replacements, a logical spot for intermediates as they kept westbounds short of a grade crossing. The next signal Osler isn't visible so you could sit your train at Bartlett and wait for an upgraded signal before proceeding without blocking Bartlett Ave. On April 13th, CP released their full plans which included everyone's worst fear: Bartlett was to fall with all the others in just 3 days time. If you hadn't been to the iconic spot situated in midtown Toronto, you had just 1 weekend to go get some shots. On the same day, 10-15 railfans were out as CP 137 rolled by the Bartlett signals with one of the cleanest looking AC44s I've ever seen in CP 9817. Out of all of the signals, losing Bartlett was the worst for me. Bartlett Ave & its 1960s era searchlights provided a safe, legal hangout spot for friends and visitors. I spent countless hours across 4 years at Bartlett in all weather conditions hanging out by myself, with friends, or getting to know strangers (shoutout Scott from Australia who I met in March 2020). In the year (minus a few days) since the signals vanished, I've driven over the tracks exactly 3 times, never bothering to stop, never taking another photo from that location. Time moves on, and I'm grateful for all of the moments sitting trackside at Bartlett with so many friends, all of us drawn towards the simple searchlight signals on a cantilever.
Incoming doom: the 1 year anniversary
Saturday, April 13th, 2024 was a significant day for Toronto railfans for all of the wrong reasons. For weeks it was known that the North Toronto signal structures were being torn down. Leaside had replacements on site, Mt Pleasant and Howland had replacements put in between the 2 (at Yonge), and Davenport was no longer needed in either direction after Metrolinx tore out the diamond with the Newmarket sub, replacing it with a bridge. But Bartlett was the big question. No visible replacements, a logical spot for intermediates as they kept westbounds short of a grade crossing. The next signal Osler isn't visible so you could sit your train at Bartlett and wait for an upgraded signal before proceeding without blocking Bartlett Ave. On April 13th, CP released their full plans which included everyone's worst fear: Bartlett was to fall with all the others in just 3 days time. If you hadn't been to the iconic spot situated in midtown Toronto, you had just 1 weekend to go get some shots. On the same day, 10-15 railfans were out as CP 137 rolled by the Bartlett signals with one of the cleanest looking AC44s I've ever seen in CP 9817. Out of all of the signals, losing Bartlett was the worst for me. Bartlett Ave & its 1960s era searchlights provided a safe, legal hangout spot for friends and visitors. I spent countless hours across 4 years at Bartlett in all weather conditions hanging out by myself, with friends, or getting to know strangers (shoutout Scott from Australia who I met in March 2020). In the year (minus a few days) since the signals vanished, I've driven over the tracks exactly 3 times, never bothering to stop, never taking another photo from that location. Time moves on, and I'm grateful for all of the moments sitting trackside at Bartlett with so many friends, all of us drawn towards the simple searchlight signals on a cantilever.