Exclusive: Sneak peek of the Union-Pearson Express train

After travelling thousands of kilometres across the Pacific Ocean from a manufacturing plant in Japan, the new Union Pearson Express train has arrived in Toronto (Photo courtesy James Gardiner)

After travelling thousands of kilometres across the Pacific Ocean from a manufacturing plant in Japan, the new Union Pearson Express train has arrived in Toronto.

Although the $456-million rail line from Union Station to Pearson International Airport won't be ready until the spring, CTV Toronto has exclusive, sneak peek images of the express train.

The gold, grey and green-coloured locomotive was spotted on Friday by the CTV Toronto helicopter. It was tucked away in a rail yard near the Keele Street and Highway 407 area.

The train was also spotted in Brantford, Ont., last Thursday, where locomotive buff James Gardiner snapped pictures of it.

The UP Express train has been in transit since March, when it first left a port in Toyohashi, Japan. After journeying across the ocean, the ship carrying the train travelled through the Panama Canal and made its way to the U.S. where it docked in Savannah, Ga. From there, the train was loaded onto a flatbed rail car to be assembled near Chicago, Ill., before arriving in Toronto. The total trek was approximately 20,000 kilometres.

Once the UP Express train is up and running next year, it will whisk travellers between Union Station and Pearson Airport. Approximately 1.8 million riders a year are expected to use the train.

It will take approximately 25 minutes for the train to travel the 25 km journey between the two busy hubs. It will run every 15 minutes, and will be equipped WiFi and flight-information screens.

In July 2010, Metrolinx, the provincial agency building the UP rail line, announced it will be building the air-rail service. It is expected to open in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games.