CP(KC) has been busy this week taking down & replacing searchlight signals along the North Toronto sub. For those who don't know, the North Toronto is a 5.9 mile stretch of track in the middle of Toronto, Ontario connecting the Galt & Mactier subs to the west & the Belleville sub to the east.
Signals included Leaside (2063-1, 2063-2, 02-1, 02-2); Mount Pleasant (15-1, 15-2, 16-1, 16-2); Howland (33-1, 33-2, 34-1, 34-2); Bartlett (45-1, 45-2, 46-1, 46-2), Davenport (52-1, 52-2, 53-1, 53-2); Osler (55-1, 55-2, 56-1, 56-2, 02); and West Toronto (59-S, 59-N, 50-1, 50-2, 50-3).?
Signaled timeline:
Leaside originally received CTC in 1961. Signals 2063-1 and 2063-2 were on a signal bridge while 02-2 was on a cantilever and 02-1 was on a mast.
Mount Pleasant, Howland, Bartlett, Davenport, Osler, and West Toronto were all signaled around 1964-1965, when CTC reached the West Toronto diamond. Mount Pleasant, Howland, Osler, and West Toronto had crossovers, while Bartlett was intermediates and Davenport protected the diamond with the CN (now MX) Newmarket sub.
In the 1980s, the 2063 signals at Leaside were taken off the signal bridge and moved east a bit as ground masts. In the same decade, the crossovers at Mount Pleasant were removed and the signals were changed to intermediates. They kept the west side signal bridge for the intermediates (signals 15 & 16).
Fast forward to 2016, Osler received signal upgrades. The searchlights were removed in favour of LED "searchLITEs". Around the same time, an unfortunate incident at Howland damaged the crossovers there and CP elected to remove them (one side in 2016, another in 2017), essentially turning the signals there into intermediates (that RTC still controlled).
In 2017, Leaside signal 02-2 was taken off the cantilever and moved to a mast on the north side of the tracks.
In March 2023, the Davenport diamond was taken out of service from the Newmarket sub. Metrolinx has built a guideway over the North Toronto which was put into service April 1, 2023. The physical diamond was removed over the summer, essentially turning Davenport into intermediates, similar to Howland.
In June 2023, West Toronto had signal upgrades. The searchlight signals were removed in favour of LED "vaders".?
That brings us to modern day. At 0900 eastern time on April 16th, 2024; the remaining searchlight signals along the North Toronto were taken out of service and trains were told to ignore their aspects. As of this afternoon (April 18th), the final searchlight structure fell, marking the end of searchlight signals on the North Toronto after 59 years of service.
The result:
Leaside (2063-1, 2063-2, 02-1, 02-2) was replaced on site with LED "vaders"
Mount Pleasant, Howland, Bartlett, and Davenport were removed with no replacements in their immediate vicinity. New LED "vader" intermediates were cut into service at mile 2.3 of the North Toronto sub, labeled 23-1, 23-2, 24-1, 24-2.
In the span of 2 days, the North Toronto sub went from signals at mile 0.2, 1.5, 3.3, 4.5, 5.2, 5.5, and 5.9 to signals at 0.2, 2.3, 5.5, and 5.9. All in the name of cost savings...
