The Ontario and Rainy River Railway was a railway that existed briefly in the late 19th century. The company had been incorporated in 1886 to build a railway from Port Arthur, Ontario, to the Rainy River. On 4 May 1899, the chief promoters of the Canadian Northern Railway Mackenzie and Mann announced they had acquired the railway charter.[2] Construction of the line began at Stanley, Ontario, on 1 August 1898.[3]
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Current operator | McKenzie and Mann[1] |
| Headquarters | Several Branch offices: Fort Frances, Ontario Shipyards: Rainy River |
| Locale | Rainy River to Fort Frances, Ontario |
| Dates of operation | 1886–1900 |
| Successor | Canadian Northern Railway, Canadian National Railway |
The rail line ran from Stanley to Rainy River, Ontario, with eventual plans to connect to Port Arthur[4] in the east, and to the Manitoba and Southeastern Railway,[5] via a new steel bridge at Rainy River. After the Baudette-Rainy River Rail Bridge was completed in 1901, the company was quickly absorbed by the Canadian Northern Railway,[6] which built a roundhouse, a bunkhouse (to house train crews between shifts), a hotel and several other pieces of equipment at the town. It was taken over and absorbed by the Canadian National Railway in 1923, and still operates as an active rail line.[7]
Stations
edit- Atikokan: demolished and replaced by CNR station in 1923[8]
- Rainy River: now 201 Atwood Avenue (Highway 11) and 4th Street (next to Ontario Travel office) and now used as Rainy River Municipal offices and seniors centre
- Stratton: moved to end of Theker Street and current vacant
- Barwick: moved to Lake Road and currently vacant
- Fort Frances: now at 140 Fourth Street West at Cornwall Avenue and used as office space and community use (Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau, local MP office, etc...)
- Thunder Bay: now 2212 Sleeping Giant Parkway near North Water Street and used as commercial and offices
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "CNR History".
- ^ CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAYS (Volume 2) Towards the inevitable 1896-1922, by G.R. Stevens
- ^ Ontario Department of Public Works report for the year ending December 31, 1898.
- ^ "The New Railway. Work On the Ontario & Rainy River Road Progressing At Both Ends. A Through Line Before Another Year is Out. Fort Frances the Present Terminus". fftimes.com.
- ^ Fournier, Leslie Thomas (1981-01-01). Railway Nationalization in Canada. ISBN 9780405137761.
- ^ "Rainy River Historical Plaque". Historical Plaques. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Canadian National Railway". CN North America.
- ^ "C.N.Rys. In Ontario; Railway Station Reports".
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