Bayview Junction is a major railway junction in southern Ontario, Canada. It is located at the intersection of three of the nation's busiest rail lines and is a popular location for railfans and trainspotters. Located at the western end of Lake Ontario, this wye junction draws its name from the view of Burlington Bay (Hamilton Harbour) to the east. Bayview Junction is located in the city of Hamilton, immediately adjacent to its boundary with the city of Burlington. The railway lines bisect the property of the Royal Botanical Gardens, providing a picturesque setting.

Rail lines

Bayview was determined by geography, with railway lines running along the level ground parallel to the northern shore of Lake Ontario increasingly constrained by the Niagara Escarpment as they approach the western end of the lake. There are four major railway lines that intersect at Bayview; three operated by the Canadian National Railway (CN) and one by the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC):

CN/Metrolinx Oakville Subdivision

CN Dundas Subdivision

CN Grimsby Subdivision

CPKC Hamilton Subdivision

Train operations

The CN Dundas Subdivision and CN Oakville Subdivision constitute CN's main line running from Chicago, Illinois, to Toronto. The CN Grimsby Subdivision provides CN with access to United States railways in Buffalo, New York, thus making it a busy junction for freight traffic. The rapid population growth in the Greater Toronto Area resulted in the establishment of GO Transit Lakeshore West line commuter rail service on the Grimsby and Oakville Subdivisions in 1967. Additionally, Via Rail Canada provides intercity passenger rail services on all three CN lines. The CPKC Hamilton Subdivision links the industrial city of Hamilton and U.S. railway interchange traffic further south in Buffalo with the railway's mainline from Detroit, Michigan to Toronto at Guelph Junction. This line carries freight traffic and rush hour GO trains to and from Hamilton and is not as heavily used as the CN lines. Daily traffic density can vary. Upwards of 45 freight trains and 30–40 passenger trains per day can pass through Bayview Junction on both the CN and CPKC tracks.

Railfanning

Several locations in and around the Royal Botanical Gardens provide viewing of the railway lines.