By Daniel Garcia

Early History

The Richmond Hill Line began service on May 1st, 1978. On that May 1st morning, three trains ran south from Richmond Hill, stopping at Langstaff, Old Cummer, and Oriole, before ending their runs at Toronto Union Station. That evening, three trains ran back north, ending at Richmond Hill. Unlike the Georgetown and Lakeshore Lines that started up before it, it was the first all-new GO service. It did not replace a CN/CP or VIA Rail commuter train, although VIA and Ontario Northland did made a stop just north of where the current Oriole Station sits. Also, unlike the Georgetown Line then in service at the time, and every line since, the trains were (and still are) stored overnight at Willowbrook, instead of the suburban terminus of the line.

Tour of the Line

The Richmond Hill Line, which runs on CN’s Bala Sub is arguably the most picturesque of GO’s, though you wouldn’t know it just after leaving Union. The trains run on the CN Kingston Sub for about a kilometre and a half until Cherry Street, at which point the Bala Sub branches off. Here, a rather graceful (and tight) 90 degree sloping turn puts the line heading due north, and quickly shoots off the CP Belleville Sub. The Bala Sub then runs alongside Bayview Avenue to one side, and the Belleville Sub for a short distance, then the Don River on the other. The one passing siding stretches for some distance from just south of the Don Valley Brickworks to River Street.

And while the scenery is a welcome change to the normal trackside scrub, it’s not until north of Pottery Road (the lone road crossing until Langstaff) that the Don Valley really comes through. In fact, for a couple of minutes (during the summer at least), the only signs of civilization are the Millwood Bridge, Don Mills and the DVP, a sewage treatment plant (“lovingly” called Sewer City by the mountain bikers), and the odd mountain biker or hiker. The Don Valley swallows the line until halfway between Lawrence and York Mills, when the soon-to-be abandoned line to Leaside joins it.

Here there is a small yard that holds some small maintenance-of-way sheds and material. The line crosses under York Mills, and the scenery returns to the usual factories and wharehouses. One interesting thing to note here, though, is the sight of the last Trolley Bus in Toronto, to the east of the tracks in the Rogers Cable parking lot. But be alert: blink and you miss it!

As soon as the siding ends, you arrive at Oriole Station, which GO Transit shares with Ontario Northlands’ Northlander. In 2002, when the Sheppard Subway opens, GO will be moving to a new station just south of Sheppard which will feature a direct connection to the subway. Despite this, Oriole Station was recently modernised and refurbished under GO’s station upgrading program, leaving one to wonder what will become of the original.

After leaving Oriole, the Bala Sub finds itself crossing and skirting the Don Valley once again: however, not as spectactularly as before. The scenery here is more residential, as this is one of the “newer” parts of the city. Soon after crossing Finch Avenue, the train comes to a halt at Old Cummer Station. Old Cummer is located in an awkward spot, too far from the frequent transit service provided on Finch, and not close enough to the far less serviced Leslie Street. The parking lot is also surprisingly small. The only piece of transit infrastructure the station would easily connect to would be some rapid transit line on the hydro right-of-way just north of Finch.

The line continues north of Steeles, where it soon meets the CN’s York Sub at Doncaster. The York Sub was built in the late 1960’s as a bypass around the lines into Toronto, and as a line to the then-as-new MacMillian Yard. With the opening of the yard and its associated lines, most of the smaller yards scattered around Toronto where deemed surplus, and where slowly taken up. One interesting thing to note here though: every GO train that crosses the diamond at Doncaster, further west at Snider and east at Hagerman, slow to a snail’s pace.

After crossing Bayview and the Holy Cross Cemetary, the train pulls into Langstaff Station, which used to sit in the shadow of Highway 7; now it sits in the shadow of Highway 407. The scenery north of Langstaff is, once more, residential, both established and under construction. The line runs alongside the South Hill Shopping Centre, and the U of T’s Dunlap Observatory, before crossing Major Mackenzie Drive and pulling into the final stop, Richmond Hill.

The Future

The line itself hasn’t changed since it’s opening. However, GO Transit has added trains, 1 southbound in the morning and two northbound in the evening, and there is talk of adding more trains later in the mornings and earlier in the afternoons. Past Richmond Hill, the Bala Sub runs north and east, making an extension to the growing communities of Mount Albert and Gormley possible. Such an extension could reduce the need for an expansion of Highway 404. Further on lie the communities of Pefferlaw and Beaverton.

GO has discussed the possibility of a northern extension for many years, to Gormley. This extension would serve two uses: to serve the rapidly growing communities along the 404, and to provide a “back way” into Newmarket. This latter reason will becomes more apparent when you realize that the Sheppard Subway opens in 2002: the residents of Newmarket will then have two ways to get to the Yonge Subway, the Newmarket “B” bus, or the Richmond Hill train.

The Run to Richmond Hill

	The first leg of the run to Richmond Hill gives little hint of the beautiful scenery to come. The line follows the Kingston Sub and the Lakeshore GO line until the Cherry Street curve, where it turns left sharply to enter the Bala Sub.
	Here, a late evening GO Train crosses the Don Valley Parkway. The crossing takes place well north of Bloor Street and the Prince Edward Viaduct. The comparative wilderness of the Don Valley greets riders here.
	At Doncaster, the Bala Sub crosses another pair of CN tracks.
	There is a passing siding at Doncaster. Trains which deadhead back from Richmond Hill pause here while service trains continue north.
	Another shot of GO Trains passing each other.
	The Richmond Hill GO Train shares tracks with VIA Rail and Ontario Northland. Here, we see an Ontario Northland train making its run north to Cochrane.
	The Don Valley is very wide and deep as the Bala Sub approaches Eglinton Avenue. The scenery here is spectacular.
	Another shot of a GO Train near Eglinton
	Coming out of the Don Valley, the Richmond Hill line ducks under the 401, past the Sheppard subway (where no easy connection exists between Leslie station and Oriole) and into suburban North York to stop at Old Cummer station near Finch Avenue. Here’s a shot of cab car 504 at the Old Cummer platform. Photo taken in May 2002 by Dave Eustache.
	Shelters at the Old Cummer platform. Photo taken in May 2002 by Dave Eustache.
	When GO Transit leased three cars from Vancouver’s West Coast express, it along with another leased trainset saw a lot of use on the Richmond Hill line. Photo taken in May 2002 by Dave Eustache.