In reviewing various steam-era images I’ve acquired over the years, I came across a number from Montreal taken over the period 1956 to 1958.

These pictures celebrate the era when steam locomotives—on both the CNR and CPR—were still well-maintained.

Paint schemes on the invading first-generation diesels were pristine.

Anyhow, I selected half a dozen of the views, more or less at random, to share with you on this winter day. They were all taken by the late Jim Guerin, a longtime contributor to my series of books.

What do you think? These are somewhat removed from my usual Ontario haunts, but there may be something here for a future project, possibly an all-colour softcover of vignettes...