Departing the Outer Station, 1966 & 1968

The early morning Kingston-Toronto Railiner was a convenient and long-standing connection for Kingston CN (and later, VIA Rail) passengers to get to Toronto for a day-trip or other travel connections. The corresponding Toronto-Kingston train was also convenient, allowing an evening return to Kingston (The current VIA Rail Kingsotn-Toronto train ceased operation during the pandemic and has not returned, despite pleas from commuters.)

Occasionally, the Railiner made the news. On November 8, 1968 21 year-old Queen's University secretary Miss Sandra Boucher, crowned Miss South Eastern Ontario, was on her way to the Miss Canada Pageant in Toronto (top photo). Miss Boucher made the paper but forgot her suitcase, which was quickly sent to Toronto! The photographer took a moment to photograph the CN Railiner (no, this did NOT make the paper).

Also at the Outer Station, on August 26, 1966 a group of 26 Kingston Girl Guides and their leaders, Mrs. J.E. Dunphy and Miss Ruby Harris from the Sixth Kingston Girl Guide Company, took the early morning train to Toronto. They were on their way to visit the Canadian National Exhibition as well as Girl Guide headquarters after arriving in Toronto Union Station at 0955.

The reason the Guides' trip was photographed is because this was the 'last train out of Kingston', departing at 0715 before a nationwide rail strike was to begin at noon. The Guides would be returning to Kingston by bus.

This zoomed-in view shows a CN SW1200RS near the CN Express building just west of the Outer Station. It also shows the potential for disaster due to poor visibility on the sharp curve, for anyone standing on the south (left-hand) track. Hopefully, the dispatcher  has any nearby trains in check.

All aboooooooard! The Railiner at left looks like an unmanned RDC-9, with RDC-1 D-112 (later 6112) receiving the embarking passengers.

This "Last Train" photo made the front page:

A close-up view of the image reveals 'Mainline of Mid-America' Illinois Central boxcar, an aged Chicago & North-Western wooden reefer, and a Central of Georgia boxcar:

(All photos in this post from Queen's University Archives)