This history is the introduction to the industry in the 765page publication a statutory history of the steam and electric railways of canada 1836 1937 with other data relevant to operation of department of transport, compiled by robert dorman and published by. The first transborder line was completed between portland, maine, and montreal in 1852. This pdf is a selection from an outofprint volume from the national bureau. A brief history of albertas railway alberta railway museum. Its original purpose was the construction of a transcontinental railway, a promise to british columbia upon its entry into confederation. At the turn of the century, canada was riding high on an. The canadian encyclopedia online provides useful information about the history of railways in canada. The next day, george stephen was named the companys president. The competing alberta central railway was building a line at the same time from red deer, much of the line parallel with the canadian northern western railroad. Unfinished canadian northern railway line fort macleod. A detailed chronology of the history of the railways of the ottawa area is to be found in the companion pages. Canadian national railway company cn, corporation created by the canadian government in 1918 to operate a number of nationalized railroads including the old grand trunk lines, the intercolonial railway, the national transcontinental railway, and the canadian northern railway as one of canadas.
It was built by the canadian northern railway as part of the brandon to lethbridge line. Main elevation drawing of the canadian northern railway station at st. Toronto, the macmillan company of canada limited, 1976. With the aid of the manitoba government they began construction of the lake manitoba railway, expanded it to lake winnipegosis and then gained the right to build eastward to port arthur, on lake superior. For more historical background, visit the bnsf historical overview or view as a pdf. The cnor first came to life in manitoba during the late 1880s.
Map shewing the canadian northern railway and the railway. By the 1920s, the canadian northern, intercolonial, grand trunk railway, and grand trunk pacific were brought together to form the canadian national railways cnr. Archived canada, by train, of library and archives canada, provides a short history of railways in canada. Northern transcontinental railroad mountain passes page 1 baltimore and ohio railroad. The canadian railway story part i canadiana connection. Built under the charter of the alberta midland railway, a canadian northern railway cnor subsidiary, a line was planned south from calgary, into fort macleod, then south then west to a point on the map called fishburn today called twin butte. Innis, a history of the canadian pacific railway toronto, 1971. Tour the 19 railway station and 1917 elevator with knowledgable guides. It includes online articles about canadian national railway company, grand trunk railway of canada, canadian pacific railway, intercolonial railway and others. In its earliest years canadian railroading was influenced by british rail practice, but after a decade of experience with north american economic and geographic realities, american practice began a fairly rapid rise to dominance that has remained to the present. On february 16, 1881, canadas governor general declared the canadian pacific railway company official and the railway company was born. Cn logo evolution canadian national rail logo design love.
A pdf copy of the original study and another of the inventory are. Stevens, history of the canadian national railways, toronto, 1973. Canadian national railways steam locomotives as some cnor images are placed there. Radville station is a former railway station in radville, saskatchewan. The first and second parts of the story will deal with the history, toil, and railway lines that connected our great nation. The logo of canadian northern railway would serve as a prototype for cns logo during the first few years of its existence. Railway atlas of canada pdf route maps of operating railways, by provinces and cities. The author wishes to express thanks to the following individuals who kindly provided photos and information for this volume.
Other factors that played a part in the decision to build. The railway completed in 1885 connected eastern canada to bc and played an important role in the development of. Mackenzie and mann originally intended to build to edmonton via prince albert and battleford. Other parts will deal with individual railway systems, like canadian pacific or via. The canadian northern railway cnor was a regional railroad that operated mainly in saskatchewan and manitoba provinces of canada before it began a massive expansion project in the first decade of the twentieth century which turned it into canadas third transcontinental railroad. Railway stations of manitoba an architectural history theme study david butterfield historic resources branch.
The builders of the canadian northern, william mackenzie and donald mann, ably assisted by d. The 2story, woodframe, railway station is at a major division point on the railway line and is the only remaining class ii cnr railway station building still standing in the province. The canadian northern railway cnor was officially formed in 1899. The construction of the canadian northern ontario railway line between toronto and ottawa was a product of the companys inability to secure ownership of the canada atlantic railway, thereby providing a direct rail link from the west via the great lakes to ottawa and montreal. Canadian northern railway was incorporated 1899 as a result of the amalgamation of 2 small manitoba branch lines. Canadas transcontinental railway completed history. In the uk, bradshaws became synonymous for ultimately authoritative railway timetable information, and was in fact a household word for railway timetable. The canadian northern railway had pushed north through this area by 1908, but in 1915 the track was moved from the west to the east bank of the vermillion river in capreol. Canadian northern railway toronto railway historical. When canadian northern was nationalized in 1918 and amalgamated into canadian national railways in 1921, its telegraph arm was renamed the canadian national telegraph company. Canadian national railway company canadian company.
This incredible engineering feat was completed on nov. It also includes information on locomotives inherited by cn from the grand trunk, the canadian northern and other constituent lines. It was the first steam railway to enter service in what was then known as upper canada. In 1880, the canadian pacific railway received the contract to begin construction. Canadian northern railway wikimili, the best wikipedia. Geographically, the cnor was at a distinct disadvantage. Not to be confused with the northern railway of canada. Canadian pacific railway was founded in 1881 to link canadas populated centres with the vast potential of its relatively unpopulated west.
Macleod, were able to turn to their advantage the dislike of the cpr in central. The provincial government was particularly incensed at the canadian pacific railway cpr for what they considered anticompetitive behaviour. The canadian northern railway in central alberta including. At its 1923 merger into the canadian national railway reporting mark cn, the cnor owned a main line between quebec city and vancouver via ottawa, winnipeg, and edmonton. You may either scroll through or click on the dates below. The entries in this listing are shown in chronological order. Map of railways in northern and eastern quebec pdf. Canadian railway history books canadian national steam power by anthony clegg and ray corley, 1969, railfare enterprises ltd, is the authoritative source of information on cns steam locomotives. The 1911 canadian northern railway depot is the centrepiece of the camrose railway park. Canadian northern portable train station for debden and later brisbin. Shows routes of the canadian northern railway completed, under construction and proposed, the canadian pacific railway, the grand trunk railway, the intercontinental railway, and other railways, as well as routes and distances by sea between ports. That is when a group of investors stepped forward with the money and knowhow to complete the project. Canadas railway history the history of canada cannot be told without acknowledging the vital role that the railways played in its economic growth and development as a prosperous, modern nation. It was built up over the next 20 years by its principal promoters, william mackenzie and donald mann, to become a 16 093 km transcontinental railway system.
The northern railway of canada was a railway in the province of ontario, canada. Take a horsedrawn wagon ride down the canadian northern abandoned rail line through the grasslands to highway 56. It was a cooperative venture of three railway lines canadian northern railroad cnor, grand trunk pacific. The canadian northern western also had permission to build an extensive rail network north and east of edmonton and near medicine hat but most of it wasnt built. Canadian national railway cn the canadian encyclopedia. Many companies were temporarily successful but then faced bankruptcy and were absorbed by larger railways such as the canadian pacific. The canadian northern railway cnor is a historic canadian railway.
The 19 standard thirdclass canadian northern depot is preserved on its original site together with a prairie grain elevator. It was eventually acquired by the grand trunk railway, and is therefore a predecessor to the modern canadian national railway cnr. Union station opened in 1911 at 123 main street, winnipeg at the end of broadway avenue, with an official opening celebrated on 24 june 1912. Canadian northern railway that the northern prairies were opened up when they were and not when the cpr decided they should be. Building the canadian northern railway the canadian. By 1902 it boasted over 1,200 miles of line extending from port arthur, ontario to erwood in northern saskatchewan. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Canadian pacific railway the canadian pacific railway company was incorporated in 1881. Charles coopers railway pages railway history canada.
Developers william mackenzie and donald mann had hoped that the new canadian northern railway would facilitate the transport of products from the fertile northern prairies courtesy canada science and technology museumcn002353. There were many stories of fights and acts of sabotage that broke out between the two construction crews. The canadian northern railway cnor was a historic canadian transcontinental railway. The canadian northern railway was a lesserknown third transcontinental railway of canada. It started as nothing more than a rural branch line in manitoba, and quickly grew to span all of canada from coast to coast with 16,093 kilometers of track. The north the period after the formation of the cnr was essentially one of consolidation, although several lines were pushed into northern frontiers. Canadian northern broadgauge steam locomotives with antlers on the head light and union jack flags. Canadian rail is the longrunning magazine of the canadian railroad historical association crha, covering many aspects of canadian railway history over the years. In the early history of british north america, efforts were directed primarily at. Continued in the report of the canadian northern railway system 26 addeddate 20070906. Media in category canadian northern railway steam locomotives the following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. The canadian railway story is as rich as any part of canadian history, and here, in canadiana connection, it will be told in several parts.
The canadian northern railway main line reached edmonton late in 1905. In its earliest days, railways transported people and materials to develop infrastructure, cities and more routes throughout the province and across canada. In fact they were so furious that they dug deep into their pockets, offering sponsorships and grants to anyone who could challenge the. In 1915, facing bankruptcy, gnwtc was acquired by the canadian northern railways telegraph company. The grand trunk pacific railway intentions announced in 1901 pressed mackenzie and mann to build a more direct southerly route from grandview, 25 miles west of dauphin to edmonton. Canadian northern railway was amalgamated with the grand trunk railroad by the dominion government to form the canadian national railways in 1919.
These were detailed timetables issued to employees of the railway that included rules of operation and other topics of needtoknow to railway servants. Canadian northern railway encyclopedia article citizendium. Ontarios defunct railways of the past local history. Brazeau line of canadian northern western railway history. Essentially, cn took the easy way out and simply replaced the northern in the canadian northern logo with the word national. Todays bnsf railway is the product of some 390 different railroad lines that merged or were acquired during more than 170 years. Canadian northern ontario railway toronto to ottawa line. A magnificent terminal was constructed in port arthur to take advantage of the great lakes shipping. Before riding the track motor car, meet fireman garry and hear what his job on the railway was all about. Atlas of alberta railways canadian northern railway. Back issues are available in pdf format on crhas website, and also appear on this page with summaries of. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the canadian national railway reporting mark cn, the cnor owned a main line between quebec city and vancouver via ottawa, winnipeg, and edmonton. Canadian northern railway the canadian encyclopedia.
A pdf copy of the original study and another of the inventory are available by contacting the branch. In the early history of british north america, efforts were directed primarily at improving transportation by waterways and canals. The canadian northern railway cnor is a historic canadian transcontinental railway. Doug welsh, canadian pacific railway, retired introduction. The canadian northern became part of the canadian government railways in 1918 and absorbed into the. The history of capreol is deeply interwoven with the history of the railroad. Canadian northern railway company internet archive. At a remote spot called craigellachie in the mountains of british columbia, the last spike is driven into canadas first transcontinental railway. Overexpansion of track and overextended in credit, the expansion led eventually to its bankruptcy, the greatest. In 1898 the two men amalgamated their various enterprises to form the canadian northern railway cnor.
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