The Royal York is a fine hotel. My wife and I have stayed there three times. The first time, our reservation had been lost by the hotelâs system, but they did have a room for us. We stayed there again on the same tripâand having discovered that it was their mistake, the hotel management upgraded our room to one of the best.
The passage between the hotel and the railway station, going under the street, is convenient in bad weather.
We also stayed at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, but could not use such a passage since the station had been moved from across the street to an outlying location in town.
The Queen Elizabethâs location, in Montreal is the bestâover Central Station.
When we arrived in Halifax, my wife wondered how we would get to the hotelâI told her to âwalk this wayââand we were in the lobby of the Nova Scotian.
Sadly no longer owned by Canadian Pacific Railway. it is now a Fairmont Hotel. She is a grand lady though. Spent many a night and day there, always was there for many years for the annual Prospectors and Developers Convention which was always at the Royal York until moved to the Metro Convemtion Centre. The âGrand Ballâ and presentation of awards are still held there though and most convention goers from all over the world in mining stay there.
Arriving by train at Toronto Union Station one could walk from inside the station through the underground tunnel right into the lobby of the Royal York thus avoiding the winter weather, or rain, or traffic.
When I was based in downtown Toronto in the 70âs for an exploration company I would frequently walk over the Royal York main lobby and sit in the big leather chairs and couches ( chesterfieldâs please), had a coffee and a smoke and it always seemed as if I had the place to myself. Amazing.
Itâs kind of neat CN built a Tower near their rivalâs former tallest building in Canada.
https://www.ieee.ca/millennium/cntower/CN_Tower.pdf
wanswheel, I love these old building threads. The older stone construction gives an air of strength and permenance that frail-looking modern construction just doesnât. Thanks.
When I checked out of the Royal York, the bellman pushed my bags in a cart across the busy street to the station. It was a nice day, and I guess that was easier than going down one elevator and up another.
My companyâs former headquarters were in a building that was constructed in 1904 after the previous HQ building was destroyed by fire. When computerization came in the 60âs & 70âs the Main Frame Computers were placed on the 11th & 12th floors of the building. In the early 80âs it was decided to move the company HQ to a building a block away that was constructed in the 60âs - when it came time to think about moving the Main Frame Computers it was discovered that the only places they could be in the new building was the Main Lobby or the sub-basement - they had too heavy of a foot print to be on any other floor. Yes old building were solidly constructed - constructed for much heavier loads than were ever envisioned at the time of their design.
On my business trips to Montreal the convenience of the Queen Elixabeth directly above Central Station, since arrival and departure was usuallyi on the Monteraller/Washingtonian, meant that I never tried the Royal York, which I could have done, since I did use the Central-D&H Montreal Limited and the Laurentian, today the Amtrak Adarandak (Sp?). Really, a missed opportunity.
But, Dave, the Royal York is several miles removed from the Queen Elizabethâit is in Toronto.
Incidentally, in French the âQueen Elizabethâ is a masculine noun since it is a hotel.
I thought the computerization started with the DATAmatic system in 1958. What are the subsequent details of expansion, and what machines were being used by the '80s?
Early railroad data automation and computing can be fascinating, and is very often lost in the âcracksâ between railfanning and historical computer geekdom.
Absolutely love the Royal York Hotel. We have taken the Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver almost every winter for about 13 years and stay there after our Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf arrives across the street at the heavily renovated Union Station. Apparently the hotelâs kitchen is regarded as the biggest and most able to produce top meals for large numbers of convention/conference guests in Toronto and from our experience, the main restaurant does create wonderful meals from breakfast to dinner. Too bad the art gallery which featured Inuiet art has been forced out by the need for âspa featuresâ to maintain the hotels luxury status. Great place to stay in a grand city.
Sent from Mike: Some interesting historic views of a changing skyline with the Royal York the star.
Now the CN tower is built on CN lands of course. The CNR roundhouse is where the Blue Jays outfield and the attached hotel now are. Mike also points out that the CN Tower is what gives Toronto itâs international status. In turn I would say âwell they could have put it a couple of hundred feet awayâ. Saved the roundhouse and fill it full of all those steamers that were still stored away and become famous for both!
Oh well we still have the CPR roundhouse
Also as you can see outsiders didnât call Toronto the âbig smokeâ for nothing!
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