Location: The Ontario & Quebec Railway as constructed is
divided into two portions . The eastern section extends
between Toronto Junction through Peterborough to Perth and from
Smith Falls to the Quebec border while the western
component of the line links the cities of Woodstock, London, Chatham
and Windsor. See separate entries on the Credit
Valley Railway and the Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway for specific
information on these lines.
History: As the principles of the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) were in the process of planning their transcontinental
line across the country from Ottawa to British Columbia, some
thought was being given to the necessity of establishing
secondary trunk and branch lines connecting with the main system,
in particular into areas of high traffic potential. One
such area was southern Ontario, the industrial heartland of the
country, where direct connections could as well be made
with Michigan and New York State lines at border points. Accordingly,
in March 1881, the Ontario & Quebec Railway
(O&QR) was incorporated by CPR management members, only 33
days after the CPR itself, to construct a line from a
point on the CPR controlled Canada Central Railway west through
Smith Falls and Carleton Place to Toronto. An
affiliated company, the Ontario & Quebec Land Company, was
formed in order to deal with the real estate side of the
project. Both firms were set up to be corporately separate from
the CPR and it was anticipated that all funds would be
derived from private sources. Construction began on the line in
the spring of 1882. It was decided that the project would
initially terminate at Perth where a connection could be made
with a branch line constructed by the Brockville & Ottawa
Railway that led to Smith Falls. Much of the terrain to the west
of Perth was difficult to build through given the rocky
terrain, imperfectly drained soil, and rolling hills. Notwithstanding
such, grades and curves were kept to a minimum where
possible. In order to speed up the process, construction was initiated
in several locations along the line where supplies
could be transferred from existing north-south railway routes.
In 1883, the O&QR moved to purchase or lease several railway
lines and charters in the interest of the CPR to broaden
the company's influence in southern Ontario and compete with the
ever expanding Grand Trunk Railway. The first
company acquired was the Credit Valley Railway (CVR), a line completed
in 1881 between Toronto and St. Thomas
with a branch to Orangeville. Since its opening, CPR management
personalities had been prominent on the company's
Board. Effective November 1883, the CVR was amalgamated with the
O&QR, allowing for a direct connection between
the two lines at Toronto Junction. The second route brought into
the fold was the Toronto, Grey & Bruce Railway, a line
previously under the control of the Grand Trunk who had spend
considerable sums in upgrading the line. Originally opened
in 1873 from Toronto to Owen Sound with a branch to Teeswater,
the route was leased to the O&Q in July 1883 for a
period of 999 years. This gave the CPR the opportunity to initiate
shipping on the Great Lakes. These moves were
augmented by the sale of the Canada Central branch line from Smith
Falls to Perth that same year. Other transactions
undertaken by the company included an amalgamation with the charter
of the London Junction Railway and the purchase
of certain Atlantic Northwest Railway charter rights. Both moves
were designed to eliminate potential competition and to
further extend the rights of the company to build. In January
1884, the entire O&QR operation, including the newly
acquired lines and charter rights, was leased to the CPR for 999
year period.
The first segment of the Toronto to Perth line was opened from
Norwood to West Toronto in July 1884. By August of
that year, the remainder of the route was open for traffic east
from Norwood to Perth. Around this time, it was decided to
complete surveys for an extension of the O&QR from Smith Falls
east to Montreal, thus avoiding the awkward movement
of passing trains through Carleton Place and Ottawa to connect
with the CPR controlled Montreal, Ottawa & Occidental
Railway across the river in Quebec. The former Brockville &
Ottawa Railway branch line extending between Perth and
Smiths Falls would be used as the bridge between these two communities.
The proposed line was to extend through
Merrickville to Vaudreuil where a link could be made with tracks
constructed under the charter of the Atlantic &
Northwest Railway (A&NWR) into Montreal. Once again, construction
was initiated in several locations with the full
route being open for traffic in August 1888. In time, the Merrickville
segment of the O&Q became a very busy component
of the CPR, handling most of the mainline traffic between Toronto
and Montreal. The route was double-tracked in 1909.
The final portion of the O&QR to be constructed was that
between the American border at Windsor and the St. Thomas
area. At the time, all traffic moving west was forced to be transferred
to the Canada Southern Railway at St. Thomas for
transhipment to the American border at Detroit. In addition, there
was also concern that valuable passenger and freight
traffic was being lost from the industrial cities of London and
Windsor. Accordingly, the CPR incorporated in 1885 the
West Ontario Pacific Railway (WOPR) to construct a line from the
Detroit River east to a connection with the old CVR
line between Woodstock and Ingersoll. Throughout 1886, surveys
were completed with construction being initiated on the
London section the next year. In June 1887, the entire WOPR operation
was leased to the O&QR with the London to
Woodstock component of the line being open for revenue traffic
in September of that year. It was then decided that the
remainder of the route would be constructed under the charter
of the Ontario & Quebec. The railway from London to
Windsor was open in June 1890. In addition, a branch line was
constructed from Leaside Junction south into Toronto
along the Don Valley, thus avoiding the complications of funnelling
trains into the downtown area through Toronto Junction
to the west. Work had began in 1887 but, given the difficult grades
encountered and bridgework required, the branch was
not opened until September 1892.
Approximate Mileage: The O&QR from Windsor to Woodstock
is 138 miles while from Toronto Junction to the
Quebec border is 275 miles for a total of 413 miles. When the
Credit Valley and lines in Quebec are included, the entire
route is 580 miles.
Current Status: The only portion of the Ontario & Quebec
Railway to be abandoned is the sections between Glen
Tay and Tweed in 1971, and between Tweed and Havelock in 1988.
The section between Toronto and Havelock,
known as the Havelock Subdivision, is under consideration for
abandonment or sale. Tracks from Woodstock to London
are operated as part of the Galt Subdivision, from London to Windsor
as the Windsor Subdivision, and the route east
from Smith Falls to the Quebec border as the Winchester Subdivision.
All operations are now controlled by the St.
Lawrence & Hudson Railway, a CPR subsidiary.
Principle Stations: Windsor, Tilbury, Chatham, Thamesville,
Glencoe, London, Woodstock, Toronto, Peterborough,
Norwood, Havelock, Tweed, Perth, Smith Falls, Merrickville, Winchester,
Chesterville and Finch.
Remaining Stations: There are eleven railway stations remaining
from the Ontario & Quebec Railway. They are as
follows:
1. Ringold: Moved to property on 6th Concession as a private residence.
2. Chatham: Moved to the property of Fred's Nursery Garden on
McNoughton Street East.
3. London: In original location at Richmond Street, portion leased
for commercial purposes.
4. Woodstock: In original location at Henry Street, remains in
railway use.
5. Locust Hill: Moved to Markham Historical Museum on Main Street
North as a display building.
6. Enfield: Rebuilt as a private residence, location unknown.
7. Peterborough: In original location at 135 George Street North
as Chamber of Commerce offices.
8. Havelock: In original location on Highway 7, remains in railway
use.
9. Tweed: In original location near Highway 37, currently uses
as offices for a lumber yard.
10. Bathurst: Moved to property on Highway 7 as a residence (may
be Glen Tay station).
11. Smith Falls: In original location at Daniel and Victoria Streets,
remains in railway use.
| -About us-|-Archives-|-Benefits-|-Crew Center-|-Collective Agreement-| |
| -C.R.O.R.-|-Diesel Dr.-|-Divisions-|-Editorials-|-Federal Legislation-| |
|
|
| -Local Agreements-|-Members-|-Photosection-|-Quiz-|-Timetable- |
| -Web Directory-|-Welcome-|-What's New-|-Your Voice-|-Store- |
