What's going on (and not going on) in S. Ontario

[RobertInOntario]

I always like to keep up to date regarding what's happening with our local heritage railways and found out a few interesting things tonight.

The South Simcoe Railway (SouthSimcoeRailway.ca) is planning to have its 4-4-0 steam loco running by the beginning of their operating season -- I got this from their newsletter.

The Waterloo Central Railway (steam-train.org) is restoring its 0-6-0 steam loco for the near future and plans excursions of S. Ontario! They're also working on restoring two 0-4-0 Tank Engines as well as at least one diesel switcher. Their diesel switcher is scheduled to start operations in early-April from Waterloo to St. Jacobs.

The narrow gauge Portage Flyer in Huntsville (Portageflyer.org) will not be operating this summer because of the G8 Summit that will be happening in Huntsville! I couldn't believe this when I read it but apparently they will be constructing new facilities right next to the railway, so the Portage Flyer railway will not be able to operate at all until 2010. They will have to even move some of their facilities. Sounds bizarre.

The Halton Country Radial Railway (hcry.org -- one of my favourite railways) plans to reopen during the first w/e in May and the diesel York-Durham Heritage Railway (ydhr.on.ca) plans to reopen in early-June as usual.

Just wondering if anyone can add to or update this list? Sounds like a good operating season coming up. I enjoy riding heritage railways more than going to MRR shows!

Rob

[doctorwayne]

It'll be nice to see that 4-4-0 running again. I'll have to make a point of getting up there to see it this summer. Here's a shot of her on the rails of the TH&B, in Hamilton, Ontario, in the Fall of 1973. Her running mate is ex-CPR Ten Wheeler 1057, also currently at South Simcoe:


Wayne

[Will_Annand]

Robert, the Portage Flyer is about 1/2 a km from my shop.

It is not really because of the G8 Summit that it is moving, rather the fact that the town recieved a grant to build a second ice surface in the Jack Bionda arena. Due to the location of the arena, one side has a river, another the local high school and thirdly the Huntsville Lake of Bays Railway.

Of the three, the town felt it was easier to relocate the railway. The enginehouse, roundhouse and station will be moved. They will be relocated inside the Heritage Village adjacent to its present location.

[RobertInOntario]

Robert, the Portage Flyer is about 1/2 a km from my shop.

It is not really because of the G8 Summit that it is moving, rather the fact that the town recieved a grant to build a second ice surface in the Jack Bionda arena. Due to the location of the arena, one side has a river, another the local high school and thirdly the Huntsville Lake of Bays Railway.

Of the three, the town felt it was easier to relocate the railway. The enginehouse, roundhouse and station will be moved. They will be relocated inside the Heritage Village adjacent to its present location.

Wow, thanks for this update, Will. It seems unfortunate that they'll have to move the railway but I guess something had to give. Hopefully, it will be just as good as it was before and the track line may be even longer?

I should google as to when the G8 Summit will be -- does this mean that Huntsville will be extremely busy this summer?

Thanks,
Rob

[RobertInOntario]

I also forgot to mention the Toronto Railway Historical Association's (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.trha.ca/news.html">http://www.trha.ca/news.html</a><!-- m -->) new railway heritage centre is opening at the John Street Roundhouse. They've made great progress there during the past 1-2 years and plan to open for "Open Doors Toronto" on the last w/e in May I believe. I also think that they will be regularly open during the summer.

They also plan to have an outdoor live-steam steam railway for kids and adults to ride on. I forget the exact gauge or scale, but it's basically like a garden railway. The full-size turntable is also working along with several pieces of rolling stock, a few diesels, and the newly-relocated Don Station is there too.

Also, the Guelph Junction Railway is about to start this spring/summer as well.

Rob

[RobertInOntario]

It'll be nice to see that 4-4-0 running again. I'll have to make a point of getting up there to see it this summer. Here's a shot of her on the rails of the TH&B, in Hamilton, Ontario, in the Fall of 1973. Her running mate is ex-CPR Ten Wheeler 1057, also currently at South Simcoe:


Wayne

Thanks for this bit of history, Wayne, and for posting this pic! Yes, 1057 is at Tottenham but it's sidelined at the moment (it needs repairs) but members are now focussing on getting 136 up & running for this season. They also have their CP switcher which they often use for their runs. Cheers, Rob

[MasonJar]

How about the Credit Valley Explorer? And I thought I heard plans to relay rail to Owen Sound out of Orangeville?

More later when I can chase down some rumours...

Andrew

[RobertInOntario]

How about the Credit Valley Explorer? And I thought I heard plans to relay rail to Owen Sound out of Orangeville?

More later when I can chase down some rumours...

Andrew

Thanks, Andrew! Yes, I remembered that one after I posted all of this. AFAIK, it's running special excursions and looks good.

R.

[MasonJar]

A bit of info on the potential for brining back rail to Owen Sound:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1107573">http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/Articl ... ?e=1107573</a><!-- m -->

The article also notes that the Orangeville-Brampton Railway was sold to Highlands Railway Group (for only $7million) which may impact the Credit Valley Explorer:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.creditvalleyexplorer.com/">http://www.creditvalleyexplorer.com/</a><!-- m -->

Andrew

[MasonJar]

Way back in the family archives, there may be pictures of the excursions through Orangeville, also during the 1970s. #136 and 1057 were part of the famous "triple header" excursion, and I believe that 1057 was one of the regulars in that period.

In the mean time, here's an HO scale reproduction of the event...! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Triple.htm">http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Triple.htm</a><!-- m -->

Andrew

[Bob C]

Andrew, Thank you ! What a delightful diversion the experience of visiting your friend's (sadly, now abandoned) railroad. His execution of the design, closely following his prototype in the constrained space, is illustrative of what can be done to use and overcome space limitations while maintaining realism, fidelity and grace. I hope he is well and still pursuing his ideas in his new location. All the Best. Bob C.

[BR60103]

I thought the Huntsville and Lake of Bays was an Historic Site! It's time we got our own back -- tear down sports facilities and replace them with something railroady! Put a streetcar barn in Maple Leaf Gardens.

[RobertInOntario]

Way back in the family archives, there may be pictures of the excursions through Orangeville, also during the 1970s. #136 and 1057 were part of the famous "triple header" excursion, and I believe that 1057 was one of the regulars in that period.

In the mean time, here's an HO scale reproduction of the event...! <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Triple.htm">http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Triple.htm</a><!-- m -->

Andrew

That's an awesome layout -- so cool to see those three engines together in HO scale, especially cool when I have seen and been on the real 136 and 1057 locos so many times.

I also have a CPR booklet of historical railway photos. At the end of it, the book has some pix of this trio of engines running on a special steam event in the early-1960s -- actually 1960, IIRC. They ran in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario.

I forget what the third loco's number was -- maybe I'll look this up later, as I'm very tired right now! I'm curious as to why these three locos "stuck together" so much, i.e. with these special steam excursions in the early-60s and early-70s. And even now, two of them are still together at Tottenham. Does anyone know why (were they were always sold together?) and does anyone know whatever happened to the third?

Thanks,
Rob

[MasonJar]

According to <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?line:CPR;country:CAN">http://steamlocomotive.com/cgi-bin/sear ... ountry:CAN</a><!-- m -->, 815 (Class D-10 ten-wheeler) is unfortunately no longer preserved, although there are a few other ten-wheelers around. Surprising that it lasted into excursion service, but is not even on display any more. :?:

Andrew

[RobertInOntario]

According to <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://steamlocomotive.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?line:CPR;country:CAN">http://steamlocomotive.com/cgi-bin/sear ... ountry:CAN</a><!-- m -->, 815 (Class D-10 ten-wheeler) is unfortunately no longer preserved, although there are a few other ten-wheelers around. Surprising that it lasted into excursion service, but is not even on display any more. :?:

Andrew

Thanks for looking this up, Andrew! Rob