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Home , Canada Southern Railway, Credit Valley Railway, Grand River Railway, Grand Trunk Railway, Guelph Junction Railway, Smiths Falls

UCRS Newsletter • July 1990 & Railway Note: The Toronto & Goderich Railway Company was estab- At the time of publication of this summary, Pat lished in 1848 to build from Toronto to Guelph, and on Scrimgeour was on the editorial staff of the Upper to Goderich, on . The Toronto & Guelph Railway Society (UCRS) newsletter. This doc- was incorporated in 1851 to succeed the Toronto & ument is a most useful summary of the many pioneer Goderich with powers to build a line only as far as Guelph. lines that criss-crossed south-western in the th th The Toronto & Guelph was amalgamated with five 19 and early 20 centuries. other railway companies in 1854 to form the Company of Canada. The GTR opened the T&G line in 1856. 32 - Historical Outlines of Railways Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada in The Grand Trunk was incorporated in 1852 with au- BY PAT SCRIMGEOUR thority to build a line from to Toronto, assum- ing the rights of the Montreal & Kingston Railway Company and the Kingston & Toronto Railway Com- The following items are brief histories of the railway pany, and with authority to unite small railway compa- companies in the area between Toronto and London. nies to build a main trunk line. To this end, the follow- Only the railways built in or connecting into the area ing companies were amalgamated with the GTR in are shown on the map below, and connecting lines in 1853 and 1854: the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Toronto, Hamilton; and London are not included. The (Montreal to Rivière-du-Loup), the Toron- histories cover the years from 1850 to 1921, with some to & Guelph Railway Company, the St. Lawrence & subsequent information provided for continuity. Within Atlantic Railroad Company (Montreal to Island Pond, each of the corporate groups, the companies are listed ), the & Richmond Railway Company, chronologically. The sources of information are vari- and the Grand Junction Railroad Company (Belleville ous; where the literature conflicts in dates, the more to Peterborough). In addition, the Atlantic & St. Law- authoritative source is generally used this occasionally rence Railroad Company (Portland, to Island results in differences from popular books. Pond, Vermont) was leased. The Grand Trunk extended its line west from The Grand Trunk lines Guelph to Stratford in 1856, to St. Mary’s Jct. in 1858, Buffalo, & Goderich Railway and to Point Edward, near , in 1859. A connect- The BB&G was the first railway to be built into south- ing line under construction from St. Mary’s Jct. to Lon- western Ontario. In the 1850's, the boundary between don, the London and Grand Trunk Junction, was amal- the and Canada was no impediment to gamated into the GTR in 1857. trade, and so the businessmen of Buffalo were able to The property of the Preston & Berlin Railway was support a new line to extend their trading area to the acquired in 1865, giving the GTR a branch from Berlin west. Residents of Brantford were unhappy that the to Doon. By agreement with the Town of Galt, this planned Canadian main trunk railway was to bypass branch was extended to Galt in 1873. Brantford to the north. A partnership between the busi- A working agreement was established in 1866 with ness communities in Brantford and Buffalo formed the the Buffalo & Lake Huron, and the B&LH was acquired Brantford and Buffalo Joint Stock Railroad Company in by the Grand Trunk in 1869. 1850. The company was formed without incorporation In 1872, the gauge of the rails on the former B&LH under the Plank Road Act, and the Town of Brantford line from Buffalo to Stratford, and on the GTR lines and the City of Buffalo purchased stock in the firm. west of Stratford, was narrowed from 5'6" to 4’8½“, to The joint stock company was incorporated in 1852 allow interchange with lines in the U.S. The line from under the name of the Buffalo, Brantford & Goderich Stratford to Montreal was changed in 1873, and all Railway with authority to build from Fort Erie to Brant- lines were subsequently changed to the standard ford. gauge of 4’8½". The BB&G was opened from Buffalo to Caledonia To replace the Grand Trunk’s old repair on December 20, 1853, and to Brantford in January, shops in Toronto, and those of the B&LH in Brantford, 1854. A left each end every morning (except a large new shop facility was opened in Stratford in Sundays) for the day trip to the other end. In Novem- 1871. In the same year, new shops were built at ber 1856, the line was opened to Paris, where a con- Brantford. nection was made with the Great Western. In 1881, the Port Dover & Lake Huron, the Strat- A new company, the Buffalo & Lake Huron Railway ford & Huron, and the & Wellington were Company, was formed in 1856 to buy the assets of the amalgamated into one company, the Grand Trunk, BB&G, which had become financially troubled during Georgian Bay & , which was then leased by its extension from Paris to Goderich. The B&LH com- the GTR. pleted the line under construction to Stratford in 1856, The Grand Trunk and its branches were in 1883 and became the first railway to serve the area, beating declared to be for the general advantage of Canada. the GTR by only months. The line was completed to This allowed subsidy to be provided by the federal Goderich in 1858. The B&LH was then able to capture government. sizeable freight traffic from Lake and Chica- In 1884 the Great Western was amalgamated with go to the eastern United States, via Goderich. the GTR under the Grand Trunk name. The new GTR The GTR in 1864 leased the B&LH for 21 years, took over the leases by the GWR of the Galt & Guelph; and in 1869, the line was owned in perpetuity. the Brantford, Norfolk & Port Burwell; the London, Hu- ron & Bruce; and the Wellington, Grey & Bruce. Port Dover & Lake Huron Railway The Northern Railway of Canada and the Hamilton The PD&LH was incorporated in 1872 to build from & North Western were absorbed by the Grand Trunk in Port Dover to Stratford. The company was allowed 1888, so that the GTR then controlled all of the im- to acquire the roadbed and holdings of the Wood- portant railway lines in Ontario except for the Canada stock & Lake Erie Railway and Harbour Company. Atlantic (Parry Sound to and Montreal) and The line was opened between Port Dover and those owned by the Canadian Pacific. The Grand Woodstock in 1875, and between Woodstock and Trunk had been prohibited by law from amalgamating Stratford in 1876. The PD&LH purchased Port Do- or pooling profits with the Canadian Pacific in 1885. ver harbour from the federal government in 1877. The Grand Trunk was reorganized by the amal- The Port Dover & Lake Huron was amalgamated gamation of fifteen companies to form a new Grand into the Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay & Lake Erie in Trunk company in 1893. In southwestern Ontario, the 1881, which was subsequently amalgamated in amalgamated lines were the GTR itself; the Brantford, 1893 into the Grand Trunk. Norfolk & Port Burwell; the Galt & Guelph; the Grand The seven-mile portion of the PD&LH from near Trunk, Georgian Bay & Lake Erie; the London, Huron Tavistock to Stratford ran parallel to the original Buf- & Bruce; the Waterloo Junction Railway and the Wel- falo, Brantford & Goderich line. In 1893, this part of lington, Grey & Bruce. the PD&LH was closed in favour of a short connect- Following an agreement with the City of Brantford ing at Tavistock Jct., in the western part of in 1902, tracks in the vicinity were realigned so that Tavistock. Part of the line, in the east end of Strat- the Grand Trunk's main east-west line followed the ford, was retained as a connection between the Great Western to Lynden, a new four-mile connect- BB&G, the GTR main line, and the Stratford & Hu- ing track to Alford, the GWR Harrisburg – Brantford ron to the north. branch to Brantford, via a new connecting track to the B&LH at Brantford, then back to the GWR at Stratford & Huron Railway Paris Jet. When the new route opened in 1905, the The Stratford & Huron was incorporated in 1855, old GWR main line between Lynden and Paris Jct. and revived in 1873. Lines were built from Stratford was then downgraded to the status of a . to Harriston in 1877, Harriston to Chesley in 1882, The Grand Trunk encountered political and fi- and Chesley to Wiarton in 1882. These lines were nancial difficulties resulting from the construction of leased to the Port Dover & Lake Huron for opera- its line from to Prince Rupert, the Grand tion. The Stratford & Huron was amalgamated into Trunk Pacific. Rather than bail out the company, the federal government assumed control of the GTR in the Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay, & Lake Erie in 1920. After ownership was transferred in 1923, the 1881, and into the Grand Trunk in 1893. Following GTR was amalgamated into the Canadian National the amalgamation, a portion of the S&H from Wes- Railways System. tonville (Listowel) to Harriston (15 miles) was aban- doned.

Preston & Berlin Railway Hamilton & North Western Railway The Preston & Berlin was incorporated in June, 1857, to take over the extension to Berlin (now The Hamilton & North Western was incorporated in Kitchener) under construction by the Galt & Guelph. 1872 to build from Hamilton to the Township of Tay The first section of the line, from Preston to Doon, (near ), and to build an extension to Lake Nip- was closed permanently in September 1857. The issing. The H&NW was amalgamated with the Ham- remainder of the line, unconnected to the Galt & ilton & Lake Erie Railway Company in 1876. The Guelph, was opened from Doon to Berlin in Novem- line from Hamilton to Barrie was opened in 1877. ber 1857. From 1879 to 1888, the H&NW and the Northern In 1863, E.I. Fergusson acquired the Preston & Railway of Canada were operated as a combined Berlin by taking a mortgage on the line. Some stock system, as the Northern & North Western Railway. in the railway was held by the Village of Berlin. Gov- The two companies were operated by a Joint Ex- ernment approval was granted for the company to ecutive Committee, under an agreement authorized be sold to the Preston & Berlin Junction Railway by the federal government. The short segment of Company but was apparently not acted upon. the Hamilton & North Western from Allandale to Bar- The Grand Trunk acquired the property of the rie was parallel to the Northern's line, and was Preston & Berlin from E. l. Fergusson in 1865. An abandoned in 1879. extension from Doon to Galt was opened in October The Hamilton & North Western was declared to 1873, under an agreement with the Town of Galt. be for the general advantage of Canada in 1883. Both the H&NW and the Northern were absorbed by the Grand Trunk in 1888. London & Grand Trunk Junction Railway The London & Grand Trunk Junction was incorpo- Waterloo Junction Railway rated by the GTR in 1856 to build a line from Lon- don to the Grand Trunk main line at or near St. The Waterloo Junction Railway was incorporated in Mary’s. As the line was built, title to the lands form- 1889 to build from Waterloo to St. Jacobs and Elmi- ing the right-of-way was taken in the name of the ra, and beyond, to Elora or Listowel. A section from Grand Trunk. The London & Grand Trunk Junction Berlin to Waterloo opened in 1889, and the portion was formally amalgamated with the GTR in 1857. from Waterloo to Elmira opened in 1891. In 1891, The line opened from London to St. Mary’s Jct. in the WJR was leased to the Grand Trunk for 39 1858. years. and in 1893 the company was amalgamated with the GTR.

The Great Western lines was authorized in 1873, and in 1874 the name of the company was changed to the Brantford, Norfolk Great Western Railway & Port Burwell. The Great Western's predecessor, the London & The line opened from downtown Brantford to a Gore Railroad Company was incorporated in 1834 junction with the Canada Air Line Railway at TIll- to build a line between Burlington Bay, on Lake On- sonburg in 1876. The Great Western leased the tario, the River Thames at London, and Lake Huron. railway in perpetuity in 1878. The BN&PB became No progress was made until 1845, when the com- part of the Grand Trunk system in 1882, and was pany was revived and its name changed to the amalgamated into the GTR in 1893. Great Western Rail Road Company. Construction began in 1852 at the Desjardins Canal on Burlington Harrisburg and Brantford Railway Bay. The Great Western was to be part of the main The Great Western formed the Harrisburg & Brant- trunk railway sponsored by the . ford Railway in 1870 to build a branch between The name was changed to the Great Western those two cities. Construction began and was com- Railway Company in 1853. The line opened be- pleted in 1871. At Harrisburg, the switch points of tween , Hamilton, and London in 1853, the connection faced west, to allow through traffic and to Windsor in 1854. Two affiliated companies between Galt and Brantford. built connecting lines: the Hamilton & Toronto opened in 1855, and the London & Port Samia, in The Canadian Pacific lines 1858.

The GWR leased the Galt & Guelph in 1854. The tine was extended to Brantford in 1871 with the The Credit Valley was incorporated in 1871 to build completion of the Harrisburg & Brantford Railway. from Toronto to Orangeville, with extensions to Galt, Great Western leased the Wellington, Grey & Berlin, or Waterloo. In 1873, powers were granted Bruce In 1869, amalgamated with the London, Hu- for an extension from Galt to Woodstock, and sub- ron & Bruce in 1875, and leased the Brantford, Nor- sequently to St. Thomas. The railway was to be folk & Port Burwell in 1878. built to the standard gauge of 4’8½“, as the broad The entire Great Western system was placed gauge legislation had been repealed and the Grand under federal jurisdiction in 1883 by an act declaring Trunk and the Great Western had recently been the GWR to be a work "for the general advantage of converted from the wider gauge of 5'6". Canada." The Great Western was formally acquired Tracks were completed from Toronto to Milton in by the Grand Trunk in 1884, and was subsequently 1876, and opened the next year. The Orangeville consolidated with the GTR. branch was opened as far as in 1878. In Galt & Guelph Railway 1879, lines were opened from Milton to Galt, and The Galt & Guelph was incorporated in 1852 to build from Brampton to Orangeville. Finally, the section a line between its two namesake cities. The Great from Galt to St. Thomas was opened in 1881. At St. Western leased the G&G in 1854, and took com- Thomas, the CVR connected with the Canada plete control by foreclosing on a mortgage in the Southern Railway (CASO), and traffic continued west on the CASO. 1860s. The line was completed and opened from Galt to Preston in 1855, and to Guelph in 1857. A The line was declared to be for the general ad- vantage of Canada in 1883. Power was given that branch of the railway to Berlin was separated from year for the CVR to amalgamate with, or be leased the company as the Preston & Berlin Railway Com- to, the Ontario & Quebec Railway (O&Q). In 1884, pany, in 1857. the Credit Valley was amalgamated with the O&Q, The Galt & Guelph was part of the Great West- and the consolidated line was leased in perpetuity ern system when the GWR was amalgamated with to the . the Grand Trunk in 1884, and the Galt & Guelph was formally amalgamated into the GTR in 1893. In the 1870s, the City of Guelph wanted to attract a Wellington, Grey & Bruce Railway third railway line to compete with the Grand Trunk The WG&B was incorporated in 1864 to build a line (Toronto & Guelph) and the Great Western (Galt & from Guelph to Southampton, with a branch to Ow- Guelph, Wellington, Grey & Bruce). The city was en Sound. The railway was leased to the Great trying to establish itself as a regional commercial Western in 1869. Operation between Guelph and centre, and needed connections to lake ports. The Elora began in 1870, and to Southampton in 1872. Wellington & Georgian Bay was incorporated by A Pa1merston-Kincardine branch opened in 1874. Guelph businessmen in 1878. A traffic agreement was signed with the Great The name of the railway was changed to the Western in 1873; and in 1876 and 1882 the GWR Georgian Bay & Wellington in 1879. The GB&W acquired the bonds of the company. The Wellington, was acquired by the Grand Trunk and merged into Grey & Bruce was taken into the Grand Trunk sys- the Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay & Lake Erie; only tem when the Great Western and the Grand Trunk one small portion of the line was built. When the amalgamated in 1882, and was amalgamated into Great Western was amalgamated into the Grand the Grand Trunk in 1893. Trunk in 1884, Guelph was left with only one rail- way, and no competition. Brantford, Norfolk & Port Burwell Railway The Guelph Junction Railway Company was then incorporated in 1884 to build a connection from The Norfolk Railway Company was incorporated in Guelph to the Credit Valley Railway at a point be- 1869 to build a line from Simcoe, Port Dover; or tween Milton and Galt, and to extend to Lake Ontar- Port Ryerse, to Caledonia, Brantford, or Paris. The io. The charter was amended in 1886 to allow for an construction of a line from Brantford to Port Burwell extension to the north of Guelph. to Lake Huron. In 1887, the City of Guelph took majority owner- changed to the Galt, Preston & Hespeler in 1895, ship in the GJR, and arranged for the line to be and an extension to Hespeler opened in 1896. leased to the Canadian Pacific following its comple- The Preston & Berlin Street Railway Company tion. In 1888, the line was opened from Guelph to a was leased by the GP&H in the year its line to Ber- point west of Campbellville, called Guelph Jct. The lin was completed, 1903. railway was then leased to the CPR for 99 years. The The GP&H and P&BSR then entered into City of Guelph purchased of the all shares of the GJR agreements with the Berlin, Waterloo, Wellesley & in 1901 and 1910, and still owns the railway. Lake Huron Railway Company; a CPR-controlled firm with no railway lines. The operation continued to be carried out under the name of the GP&H, and West Ontario Pacific Railway the line was extended north to Waterloo in 1905. The connection between the Credit Valley and the The BWW&LH was leased to the CPR in 1908. In at St. Thomas was becom- 1914 the electric lines were named the ing inadequate for the needs of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. system in the 1880s. The U.S.-owned Canada South- ern ran between Niagara Falls and , on the River. To offer better service, the CPR Preston & Berlin Street Railway needed a link to London and Windsor. The Preston & Berlin Street Railway Company was The absorption by the CPR of the Credit Valley in 1884 incorporated in 1894, and opened its line in 1899. had included a lease of the proposed London Junction From 1900, when the company was reorganized, it Railway. The West Ontario Pacific was incorporated in was closely allied with the Galt, Preston & Hespeler. 1885 in place of the London Junction, to build a line The Preston & Berlin connected with the GP&H in from the St. Clair River to Lake Erie, with a branch to Preston, and with the Berlin & Waterloo Street Ingersoll or Woodstock. Railway to reach downtown Berlin. The assets of The word "Pacific" in the name of the company indicat- the Preston & Berlin were transferred to the Hamil- ed not that the railway had ambitions of expansion, but ton Radial Electric Railway in 1900. Dominion Pow- that it was affiliated with the Canadian Pacific. In fact, er and Traction, the owner of the HRER, was un- all correspondence of the West Ontario Pacific was successful in an attempt to buy control of the Galt, through the offices of the CPR. Preston & Hespeler, and the P&BSR was then The line was opened in 1887 between Woodstock and leased to the GP&H. London, and the company was leased to the CPR- The Preston &. Berlin opened its line to Berlin in controlled Ontario & Quebec Railway in that year. The 1903, and to Waterloo in 1904, replacing the previ- lease included the rights to complete the line to Wind- ous on-street operation. The Galt, Preston & Hes- sor, as specified in an 1886 amendment to the charter. pe1er operated the line from 1903, using its own The extension from London to Windsor was opened in . The two railways were amalgamated under 1890 as part of the O&Q. the BWW&LH in 1908, and were named the in 1914. . Lake Erie & Pacific Railway The Tillsonburg, Lake Erie & Pacific was incorpo- rated in 1890 to build a line from Port Burwell, through Guelph & Goderich Railway Tillsonburg, to a connection with the Canadian Pacific at Woodstock or Ingersoll. In 1891, arrangement was The Guelph Junction Railway and the Canadian made with the Grand Trunk to construct and operate Pacific signed an agreement in 1904 allowing the the railway. It was anticipated that the line would be an CPR to build an extension to Goderich under the extension of the Brantford, Norfolk, & Port Burwell, but authority of the GJR. To that end, the Guelph & the GTR decided in 1892 not to build the TL.E&P. The Goderich was incorporated that year; and leased its owners then applied to build an electric railway on pub- line to the CPR for 999 years. lic roads, but this was turned down by the federal gov- The line was opened in stages from Guelph to ernment. Elmira, to Millbank, and then to Milverton, all in Construction of the railway began in 1896. The 1906. A branch to Listowel opened in 1908. Also in section from Port Burwell to a connection with the 1908, plans for a further extension to Stratford were Grand Trunk and the Canada Air Line Railway south- shelved. east of Tillsonburg was opened in 1896. With additional subsidy, the line was completed through Tillsonburg to St. Mary’s & Western Ontario Railway the Canada Southern station in 1898. A further exten- The St. Mary’s & Western Ontario was incorporated sion was opened to Ingersoll in 1902. in 1905 to build a line from a connection with the In 1905, the line left local control as it was leased Canadian Pacific, through St. Mary’s, to Lake Huron to the CPR. An isolated section of the TLE&P was or the St. Clair River. The StM&WO covered part of opened in 1908 from Code Jct. (later Zorra) on the an earlier charter of the South Ontario Pacific. Con- West Ontario Pacific to Embro, the terminal of the struction began in 1907 from Embro, where a con- St. Mary’s & Western Ontario. This line was extend- nection was made with the Tillsonburg, Lake Erie, & ed south to Ingersoll North in 1910. Finally, in 1911, Pacific, to St. Mary’s. the two parts of the TLE&P were joined by a bridge From 1908, the company was controlled by the across the Thames between Ingersoll North and Canadian Pacific. The CPR supplied equipment Ingersoll. and materials used for the construction. The line was opened in 1908. The StM&WO was leased to Galt. Preston & Hespeler Street Railway the CPR in 1909. The Galt & Preston Street Railway Company was organized in 1890, and opened an electric railway between those towns in 1894. The name was South Ontario Pacific Railway Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway The South Ontario Pacific was originally incorpo- The TH&B was incorporated in 1884 to build from rated in 1887 to build from Woodstock to the Niaga- Toronto to Hamilton, and on to the International ra River; with branches to Cooksville and Toronto, Bridge at Fort Erie. The charter was revived in and to Lake Huron. Plans for the construction of this 1889, with authority received in 1890 to lease the line were dropped when the Canadian Pacific pur- line to either the Michigan Central Railroad or the chased part of the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo. An- Canada Southern (which was, in fact, owned by the other company, the Hamilton & Guelph Jct. Railway Michigan Central). Authority was also given for a was incorporated in 1906 to connect Guelph Jct. on branch line from Hamilton to Brantford, and the the Canadian Pacific, with the TH&B at Hamilton. eastern end of the line was changed to . The South Ontario Pacific in 1911 received A federal charter in 1891, declaring the compa- permission to build the line between Guelph Jct. ny to be for the general advantage of Canada, ena- and Hamilton, via Waterdown. Also in 1911, the bled subsidies to be taken. railway was leased to the CPR for 999 years. The In 1892, the TH&B was amalgamated with the line opened in 1912, giving Hamilton its first direct bankrupt Brantford, Waterloo & Lake Erie. Financial connection to Lake Huron, and Guelph its long- aid received from the City of Brantford in 1893 was desired link to . conditional upon the Grand Trunk not controlling the line; further aid was received from Hamilton in 1895. In 1893, the TH&B was taken over by four Lake Erie & Northern Railway companies: the Central & Hudson River The Lake Erie & Northern was incorporated by Railroad, the Michigan Central, the Canada South- Brantford businessmen in 1911, to build from Port ern (all three of these were commonly-owned), and Dover to Galt, with a branch from Paris to Ayr. The the Canadian Pacific. Canadian Pacific purchased control of the company The portion of the TH&B between Hamilton and and leased the railway line in 1914. Because the Brantford was completed in 1895, using the unfin- CPR already served Ayr, plans for the branch were ished line of the BW&LE. Also opened in 1895 was dropped, and the alignment for the LE&N was the TH&B line from Hamilton to WeIland. The TH&B moved from the west to the east side of the Grand acquired the Erie & Ontario Railway in 1916, giving River. it a branch from Smithville to Port Maitland. The sections between Brantford and Galt and between Waterford and Simcoe were built in 1914. The next year the remaining sections from Brant- Grand Valley Railway ford to Waterford, and from Simcoe to Port Dover In 1900, the Port Dover, Brantford, Berlin & Gode- were built. When the CPR purchased the section of rich Railway Company was incorporated, with au- the Grand Valley Railway between Paris and Galt, it thority to build an electric railway line. The name agreed to electrify the LE&N. Passenger service was changed to the Grand Valley Railway in 1902. with electric equipment began in 1916 over the The Von Echa Company built the line, which whole line, and using Grand Trunk tracks to reach opened between Brantford and Paris in 1903, and the GTR station in Port Dover. to the city limits of Galt in 1904. Von Echa had plans to connect Galt and Brantford with London, and ul- timately Toronto with Detroit. Von Echa also owned Grand River Railway the Brantford Street Railway. The Grand River Railway was incorporated in 1914 Through operation to a connection with the Galt, to take over the Berlin, Waterloo, Wellesley & Lake Preston & Hespeler in Galt began in 1905. During Huron. From 1918, the GRR name was used, re- the next few years, the GVR bought the Brantford placing that of the Galt, Preston & Hespeler. The Street Railway and the Woodstock, Thames Valley operations of the Grand River Railway were closely & Ingersoll. The company entered receivership in linked with those of the other CPR-owned electric 1911. All operations were closed in 1912, following line on the Grand, the Lake Erie and Northern, after a major snowstorm, and resumed only between its electrification in 1916. Brantford and Paris the following spring. In 1914, the City of Brantford bought the street The independent lines railway and the section of the GVR to Paris, and organized them as the Brantford Municipal Railway. Brantford. Waterloo & Lake Erie Railway The Brantford, Waterloo & Lake Erie was incorpo- The new Lake Erie & Northern bought the section rated in 1885 to build a line from Berlin. via Brant- between Paris and Galt in 1915, and operated it un- ford, and a connection with the Canada Southern, til floods closed the line the next year. By that time, to Lake Erie. The section between Brantford and the LE&N was able to introduce electric passenger the CASO connection at Waterford opened in 1889. train service on its own parallel line. The Brantford That year, there was a change of ownership, and Municipal Railway operated the Paris section until construction of an extension to Galt was stopped. 1929, when it was replaced by buses. Under the new owners, work began on a line from Brantford towards Hamilton. In 1891, with construc- Woodstock, Thames Valley & Ingersoll Electric Ry tion advanced as far east as Summit, near Cope- town, the company went into receivership. An act The WTV&I was incorporated in 1900 to build an passed that year allowed the BW&LE to be leased electric railway from Woodstock to Ingersoll. Service began between Woodstock and Beachville in 1900, or purchased by the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo and to Ingersoll in 1901. In 1902, an additional sec- Railway Company. In 1892, the BW&LE was amal- tion was completed in Woodstock. Except for the gamated with the TH&B. part on the side streets of Woodstock, the whole line was built along the edge of the highway. The Grand Valley Railway bought the WTV&I in 1907, but the line continued to be managed locally. References When the GVR and the Brantford Street Railway Breithaupt. William H.: The Railways of Ontario: A Brief were sold to the City of Brantford in 1914, the own- History: Ontario Historical Society "Papers and Rec- ers gave up control of the WTV&I to the bondhold- ers. The line was operated until 1925, when the ords” vol XXV 1929 (reprint). service was replaced by buses, and the railway Canadian National Railways. Synoptical Hlstory of Organi- abandoned. zation, Capital Srock, Funded Debt and Other General lnformation. MontreaI, 1937 (unpublished). Brantford & Hamilton Electric Railway Canadian Pacific Railway Company; Annual Report, 1923. The Hamilton, Chedoke & Ancaster Electric Montreal, 1924. Street Railway was incorporated in 1896 to build a line from Hamilton up the Niagara Escarpment to Cook, John and Cook, Jo Anne: A Compendium of South- Ancaster. In 1899, the name was changed to the ern Ontario Rail Lines 1850-1984 (map). Otta- Hamilton, Ancaster & Brantford, and the planned wa/: RIdeau Graphics, 1985. route extended to Brantford. In 1904, a new compa- Currie, A.W.: The Grand Trunk Railway of Canada. ny, the Brantford & Hamilton Electric Railway (B&H), Toronto: Press, 1957. was incorporated to build a line, conditional upon Dorman, Robert (compiled): A Statutory History of the the older company not building its line. The HA&B Steam and Electric Railways of Canada 1836-1937. withdrew in 1905, and urged that the B&H be al- Ottawa: Canada, Department of Transport 1938 lowed to begin construction. Dorman, Robert (compiled): The Canadian National and The B&H was also owned by the Von Echa Canadian Pacific Railway Systems. Origin and Growth Company. Construction began in 1906. The B&H with Statutory Authorities. Ottawa: Canada, Depart- was sold to the Hamilton-based Dominion Power & Transmission Company (known as "The Cataract") ment of Transport, 1948. in 1907. “The Cataract” also owned the Hamilton Due, John F.: The intercity Electric Railway Industry In Street Railway, the Hamilton Radial Electric Railway Canada. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1966. (Hamilton to Oakville), the Hamilton, Grimsby & Hopper. A.B. and Kearney, T. (compiled): Synoptical Beamsville Electric Railway, and the Hamilton Ter- History of Organization, Capital Stock, Funded Debt minal Company (the central station for the other and Other General Information as of December 31, companies). 1960. Montreal: Canadian National Railways, 1962 The B&H was opened from Hamilton to Ancas- (unpublished). ter in 1907, and to Brantford in 1908. In 1916, the McNab, William, Principal Assistant Engineer: History of line was extended to connect with the Lake Erie & Grand Trunk Railway; Rewritten, Toronto, 1930, Byrne Northern at a new in Brantford. “The (unpublished). Cataract” was taken over by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario in 1930, and the B&H Mills, John M.: Traction on the Grand: The Story of Electric was closed in 1931. Railways along Ontario’s Grand River Valley. Montreal: Rallfare Enterprises Ltd. 1977. Mills, .John M.: Cataract Traction: The Railways of Hamil- ton. Toronto: Railway SocIety / Ontario The Weston, and E1ectric Railway Historical Society, 1971. Company was incorporated in 1890, and changed Thompson, Norman and Edgar; J.H.: Canadian Railway its name to the City and Suburban Electric Railway Development. Toronto: MacMillan, 1933. Company the next year. The Davenport Street Rail- Walker, Frank N.: Buffalo, Brantford & Goderich Railway; way Company was incorporated in 1891. In 1894, Toronto: Upper Canada Railway Society. 1954 (Bulletin the Toronto Suburban Street Railway Company was 39; reprinted 1975 in UCRS Newsletter). incorporated and acquired these two companies, giving it 7.5 miles of lines in the northwestern sub- Wilson, Donald M.: The Ontario & Quebec Railway. urbs of Toronto. By 1914, extensions had increased BelIeville, Ont. Mika Publishing Company 1984. the length of the Toronto Suburban lines to approx- imately 10 miles. Beginning in 1911, William Mackenzie, part owner of the original and the quickly-expanding Canadian Northern Railway system, bought control of the Toronto Suburban. Under Mackenzie, ambitious extensions were un- dertaken north to Woodbridge and west to Guelph. By 1917, the Toronto Suburban was over 65 miles long.

Though it was part of the holdings of Mackenzie, Mann and Company, the TSR was not taken over as part of the Canadian Northern by the federal government in 1917. The government-owned Ca- nadian Northern Railway Company instead pur- chased the TSR shares from Mackenzie in 1919. The urban lines were sold to the local municipali- ties, and the Guelph line was operated as the Ca- nadian National Electric Railways, Toronto Subur- ban District, until 1931, when it was closed.

Southwestern Ontario Railway Lines 1921

Scale 1:650,000 (approximate)

Made by Pat Scrimgeour July 1987

Legend:

______Railway lines

______New railway lines

…………………….. Railway lines closed

SEE BELOW FOR MAP