Built between 1915 and 1930, the magnificent Union Station with its spectacular Great Hall is one of Toronto’s most cherished buildings. Union Station is the largest railway terminal ever built in Canada and was designated a National Historic Site in 1975. Union Station is also Canada’s busiest transportation hub, handling more passengers than Pearson Airport. On weekdays, more than 180 GO Trains and 150,000 commuters pass through the station as well as 45 VIA trains and 5,000 intercity passengers, which is over 50% of all VIA’s riders nationwide.
Hundreds of television shows, commercials and Hollywood movies have been filmed in Union Station including the Oscar-winning Chicago; the Jack Nicholson film, The Last Detail; and Silver Streak, the hit 1975 comedy/thriller featuring a runaway train and a spectacular train wreck.
There's Gord outside one of the main entries.
Derek Boles was our guide and was very knowledgeable.
We started in the Great Hall.
Derek took us to places (along with a security guard) that the general public doesn't have access to.We were where the trains come in and people board ... we weren't allowed to take pictures for security reasons.
We saw where the baggage used to be stored ... there's an original battery-operated cart.
We had a tour of the former executive offices, which are now used in movies.
One of the former VPs had an office complete with a bathroom (with a shower) and kitchen (it had the only bar in Toronto during prohibition times).
We walked across the glass floor that is between the windows on the west window (fourth picture above).
We also got to walk along the passageways on the third floor ... here are the views.
There's the passageway we were just on (the upper one).
There are lots of restoration renovations coming up in the new few years ... should be interesting to see the results!
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