Chronology
Every dated history fact across the site, in date order. Precision varies — some dates are just a year — so ordering within a year is approximate. Showing subdivisions.
| Date | Subject | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962-03-19≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 19 March 1962 (the issue date), the paper reported: The C.N.R. denied reports of cuts: "Eleven CNR passenger trains between Ottawa and Montreal will continue to be operated without any reduction in service." Walter Smith, C.N.R. special representative, said "nothing" in the report that three of the eleven would be dropped; changes customarily come at the start of daylight saving on April 29 or its end on October 28. | Ottawa Citizen 1962-03-19(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1962-12-11≥ | Chaudiere Branch | By 11 December 1962 (the issue date), the paper reported: Michael J. Whalen, 42, of Nepean Township, "collided with a slow-moving train Monday but escaped unhurt and with only $70 damage to his car": he skidded onto the crossing on icy Lett Street and the C.N.R. diesel, engineer Romeo Cousineau, skidded along the track and damaged the fender. | Ottawa Citizen 1962-12-11(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1964-01-13≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 13 January 1964 (the issue date), the paper reported: "A CNR yard engine coming off a siding onto the main line crossing Russell Road near Industrial Avenue was derailed Sunday night by a safety device": it had "failed to stop in time to await permission to go onto the main line", and was put back on the line by jacks. | Ottawa Journal 1964-01-13(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1964-04-17≥ | Chaudiere Branch | By 17 April 1964 (the issue date), the paper reported: Judith Dunlop, 22, "was taken to Civic Hospital with undetermined injuries after her car struck a CNR freight train Thursday night", westbound on Carling Avenue "just west of Preston Street" against the southbound train, at about 10 p.m.; damage to her car was $400. | Ottawa Citizen 1964-04-17(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1964-09-03≥ | Chaudiere Branch | By 3 September 1964 (the issue date), the paper reported: Spiros Diamantopoylos, 30, and his wife Maria, 23, "were taken to Civic Hospital after the accident at Carling Avenue and Preston Street, examined and released": "a CNR yard engine slammed their car into a flashing signal post" Wednesday night at about 8.20 p.m. The diesel "was switching railway cars at the railway interchange just north of Carling Avenue on what one CNR official termed a 'regular assignment.'" | Ottawa Citizen 1964-09-03(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1966-02-01≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 1 February 1966 (the issue date), the paper reported: Lucien Bellefeuille, 24, and helper Ovide Poliquin "escaped serious injury when a loaded garbage truck was hit by a passenger train at a level crossing Monday at 12.40 p.m." The incident occurred "on the Ridge Road crossing half a mile south of the Russell Road"; the eastbound Canadian National Railways locomotive, engineer John Shipman, was going 20 miles an hour, took 400 yards to stop and was allowed on to Montreal for repairs (damage $3,000). | Ottawa Citizen 1966-02-01(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1971-02-16 | Eastern Subdivision | "Six cars of a CNR freight train, departing the Walkley marshalling yards, left the tracks at 2.35 a.m." near Russell Road; "an ice build-up and drifting snow from the weekend storm has been blamed". There were no injuries and other trains were rerouted around it; repair crews from Montreal had four cars back on the rails by noon. | Ottawa Journal 1971-02-16(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1971-02-16(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1972-04-15≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 15 April 1972 (the issue date), the paper reported: Van driver Gurarslen Savars, 24, "received a broken leg when his vehicle was in collision with a CN freight train at a crossing on Michel [sic] Street Friday afternoon." | Ottawa Citizen 1972-04-15(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1973-03-07≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 7 March 1973 (the issue date), the paper reported: Len Hopkins, M.P. for Renfrew North-Nipissing East, "wants the National Capital Commission to revive a passenger service from Ottawa up the Valley to Whitney as a tourist attraction", a train "modelled after those of the pioneer days"; the Citizen of 4 April adds that the line, "78-year-old", "has been used exclusively for freight" and that old stations on the line could be rejuvenated or rebuilt as attractions. | Eganville Leader 1973-03-07(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1973-04-04(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1973-03-26≥ | Hawkesbury Branch | By 26 March 1973 (the issue date), the paper reported: Seven cars of a 17-car CN freight train "which derailed 30 miles north of here, Friday, have been cleared from the track." The train, "travelling on a secondary track from Hawkesbury to Glen Robertson", carried cars of chlorine and caustic soda; one caustic soda car flipped over and a chlorine car derailed but remained upright. "Officials said there were no leaks from the cars." | Ottawa Citizen 1973-03-24(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1977-01-10≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 10 January 1977 (the issue date), the paper reported: Gerald Webb, 27, of Sarsfield, "was killed Sunday afternoon after his car collided with an eastbound Canadian National Railways passenger train at the level crossing on Russell Road, just west of Carlsbad Springs, at 2:18 p.m."; the train continued to Montreal after a short delay. | Ottawa Citizen 1977-01-10(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1978-02-13≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 13 February 1978 (the issue date), the paper reported: The Ottawa Valley Snow Train, organized by Dick Howey for the Nepean-Aylmer Transit Committee, "made its first two runs to Barrys Bay on the weekend": the Journal calls it "the first passenger train along that line in more than 20 years", taking 4 1/2 hours, at about 30 mph and 5 mph over the bridges, with fewer than 200 passengers. The Citizen says the first weekend train pulled in "some 40 minutes late" with about 160 tickets sold, and that the first-weekend trip planned for 4-5 February had been postponed for poor ticket sales. | Ottawa Citizen 1978-02-13(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Journal 1978-02-13(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1978-02-03(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1978-02-20≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 20 February 1978 (the issue date), the paper reported: The Snow Train, hired from the C.N.R. and run to Renfrew and Barrys Bay, "lives to run another day": "bailed out at the 11th hour Sunday by a trio of township councils" and the Nepean senior citizens council after organizer Dick Howey, who "had to come up with $5,000 for the CNR", was about $1,500 short. The Citizen of 23 February called the weekend of 25-26 February the third and last run of the season; on 11 April Nepean council declared the venture "a successful pilot project and worth repeating". | Ottawa Journal 1978-02-20(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1978-02-23(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1978-04-11(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1978-09-13≤ | Middle Subdivision | From 13 September 1978 (the issue date), the paper announced: "The Canadian National Railway plans to make formal application to the Board of Transport Commissioners for approval cease rail operations on the Renfrew to Barry's Bay branch line." Regional manager of operations Jacques Gauthier said "there is no urgency to halt rail traffic" and "the tracks won't be pulled tomorrow"; CN was applying to cease operation where revenues were lower than expenses. | Eganville Leader 1978-09-13(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1978-10-14≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 14 October 1978 (the issue date), the paper reported: Micheline Desbiens, 53, of Hull, "was killed Friday when the car she was driving was struck by a freight train at a controlled CN crossing on Russell Road near Carlsbad Springs" at about 6.15 p.m.; the train was not derailed and no one aboard was injured. | Ottawa Journal 1978-10-14(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1978-10-17(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1978-12-29≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 29 December 1978 (the issue date), the paper reported: Roy Buckley Morrison, 61, of Rockcliffe Park, "was killed instantly Thursday when his white Cadillac Seville was hit and dragged 65 metres by a Canadian National train near the intersection of Michael and Belfast Roads in Ottawa", at "a controlled railway crossing equipped with four red flashing lights"; the car was northbound on Michael Street and the train east-bound. | Ottawa Citizen 1978-12-29(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1979-01-22≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 22 January 1979 (the issue date), the paper reported: The Ottawa-Barry's Bay Snow Train "has probably come to the end of the line... at least for this winter": "Only 150 fun-seekers showed up on the weekend for the up to 900 seats offered on three runs to Barry's Bay." The train, a diesel engine, four passenger cars and a baggage car, cost $12,000 to rent for one weekend against a $10,000 National Capital Commission grant. The Citizen of 10 January had said the first run on 19 January might be its last if ticket sales did not improve. | Ottawa Citizen 1979-01-22(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1979-01-10(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1978-11-27(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1980-10-29≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 29 October 1980 (the issue date), the paper reported: Tony Cappallazzi "was hit by a train Tuesday, dragged 12 metres in his car along the tracks" at the level crossing on Michael Street just east of St. Laurent Boulevard, at 4 p.m., and was not hurt; the westbound VIA Rail train from Montreal had slowed on its approach to the Ottawa station. "There are no barriers at the crossing." It was "the second accident in two years at the crossing", where a Rockcliffe man died in 1978. | Ottawa Citizen 1980-10-29(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1982-01-27≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 27 January 1982 (the issue date), the paper reported: "Rail service on the local Canadian National Railway line has been abandoned for the remainder of the winter months and unless there is an upswing in the economy of the area, the line between Renfrew and Barry's Bay will remain closed in the winter months in coming years." On Thursday afternoon "the red and black CN locomotive, pulling a lone boxcar and caboose, pushed eastwards back to Ottawa signalling an end to the use of the line until the spring season arrives." | Eganville Leader 1982-01-27(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1983-08-02 | Middle Subdivision | The Canadian Transport Commission "has decided to allow Canadian National to abandon an 85-year-old stretch of historic railway linking Renfrew with Whitney, near Algonquin Park." "In an order dated August 2, the Railway Transport Committee agreed with CN's contention that the 90.26 mile line was not feasible financially to keep in operation any longer", concluding that the "branch line is uneconomic and is likely to continue to be uneconomic and the operation thereof should be abandoned"; CN had three months to shut down the line. Commissioner Anne-Marie Trahan's report found the Whitney section "poor" and impassable due to washouts, that there had been no train service to Barry's Bay since Jan. 1, 1982, and that service between Barry's Bay and Whitney was discontinued in 1974. | Ottawa Citizen 1983-08-08(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Eganville Leader 1983-08-10(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1983-11-09≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 9 November 1983 (the issue date), the paper reported: "Madawaska Wood Products Ltd. has won a delay in the end of service by CN's Renfrew Subdivision, the rail line serving the town." The route "was to have been abandoned by the beginning of November, but that has been put off until the federal transportation commission completes a review of the move requested by Madawaska." Company vice-president Peter Gonzalez said "for the past two years, goods have been trucked to and from the rail depot in Pembroke at CN's expense because no trains have run on the line to Barry's Bay." | Ottawa Citizen 1983-11-09(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1985-10-28≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 28 October 1985 (the issue date), the paper reported: "The second accident occurred about 2 p.m. Saturday near of Belfast Road and Michael Street when a pickup truck smashed into the train." The crossing "is equipped with a flashing signal"; the Ottawa-Montreal train, going only 20 kilometres per hour, pushed the truck 80 metres, one passenger suffering a broken collar bone, and was held up one hour five minutes. | Ottawa Citizen 1985-10-28(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1987-06-10≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 10 June 1987 (the issue date), the paper reported: "Canadian National Railways is willing to part with its right-of-way along the abandoned Renfrew subdivision line at a cost of $1,000 per municipality", the offer extended to Grattan, Horton, Admaston, Bromley, North and South Algona, Hagarty and Richards, Sherwood, Jones and Burns, Dickens, Murchison and Airy townships, the Village of Killaloe and the Algonkian Indian Band, but not Barry's Bay. Grattan council confirmed its interest in purchasing "the right-of-way, the Eganville Station and other pertinent accessories situated within its boundaries" at that price. | Eganville Leader 1987-06-10(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1988-12-31≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 31 December 1988 (the issue date), the paper reported: "The National Transportation Agency announced Friday it has granted permission for CN to abandon its operation between Nepean and Renfrew." The agency said that "from 1984 to 1986 the 70-kilometre branch line lost more than $780,000" with no prospect of profit. BASF at Arnprior, which "uses the CN line to ship tanker cars of a petrochemical", asked Canadian Pacific to build a spur; "CN trains now make weekly trips to the Arnprior plant". | Ottawa Citizen 1988-12-31(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1991-01-14≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 14 January 1991 (the issue date), the paper reported: "Thirteen cars from a Montreal-to-Ottawa freight train jumped the tracks at Russell Road and Farmers Way near Carlsbad Springs at about 2:45 a.m. Sunday." "VIA Rail service between Ottawa and Montreal remained cut this morning"; trains were replaced by bus service for about 300 passengers while CN brought two cranes from Montreal. "No one was injured and no hazardous substances spilled"; CN said a damaged car carrying rolls of steel may have broken the tracks. | Ottawa Citizen 1991-01-14(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),Ottawa Citizen 1991-01-15(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1992-10-09≥ | Middle Subdivision | By 9 October 1992 (the issue date), the paper reported: "The Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton has got into the shortline operating business by purchasing 43 kilometres of CN track between Arnprior and Nepean, which CN had received permission to abandon." The region bought the railway for $550,000 and leased it to BASF under a 20-year agreement; BASF bought CN Rail's equipment for $1.3 million. "After special provincial legislation was passed, the Arnprior-Nepean Railway Co. Inc. was born." | Ottawa Citizen 1992-10-09(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1996-01-05≥ | Hawkesbury Branch | By 5 January 1996 (the issue date), the paper reported: "Canadian National has its Vankleek Subdivision up for sale. The 20-mile line links Glen Robertson (on the Alexandria Subdivision) with Hawkesbury, Ontario", with the 4.4-mile L'Original spur to L'Original. "Service is now offered on a 6-day-a-week basis by a road switcher out of Coteau, Quebec. The Vankleek Subdivision was built by J.R. Booth, legendary lumber king of the Ottawa Valley. Booth also built the Alexandria Subdivision as the Canada Atlantic Railway and the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway, connecting Ottawa with Depot Harbour, Ontario. Part of this line survives as the Renfrew Subdivision operated by CN under contract with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton." | Globe and Mail 1996-01-05(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1996-05-29≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 29 May 1996 (the issue date), the paper reported: "A woman died Tuesday night when the van she was driving collided with a VIA Rail passenger train at a controlled railway crossing on Russell Road", west of Carlsbad Springs at about 7:50 p.m.; the train, from Montreal to Ottawa, stopped about half a kilometre on and no one aboard was hurt. "Witnesses at the scene said the railway safety lights and bells were working. There is no barrier at the crossing." | Ottawa Citizen 1996-05-29(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 1996-11-02 | Hawkesbury Branch | "RailTex Inc. of San Antonio, Texas, has reached an agreement to acquire CN's 21-mile Vankleek Subdivision between Glen Robertson and Hawkesbury, Ontario, plus the 4.4-mile L'Orignal Spur, for $1.1-million." "Operations commenced on November 2 on the line (named the Ontario L'Orignal Railway)"; the sale was scheduled to close on December 2. The company expected to handle 6,000 carloads a year, "primarily steel products from the IVACO mini-mill in L'Orignal, Ontario." | Financial Post 1996-11-08(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2000-12-30≥ | Hawkesbury Branch | By 30 December 2000 (the issue date), the paper reported: "The Ottawa Central Railway has purchased the Ontario L'Orignal Railway, from Rail-America Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida." The L'Orignal Railway is "a 42-kilometre rail line based in Vankleek Hill. The track runs from Glen Robertson to Hawkesbury, then to L'Orignal." The OCR's general manager James Allen said the addition "doubles its operations", from 10,000 to 22,000 carloads a year. | Ottawa Citizen 2000-12-30(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2008-07-31≤ | Eastern Subdivision | From 31 July 2008 (the issue date), the paper announced: VIA Rail planned "installing new continuously-welded rail and performing other associated track work over some 40 track-miles between Coteau, PQ, and Moose Creek, ON", expected to be completed within a few months and carried out by Total Track. | Canada Newswire 2008-07-31(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2008-08-22≤ | Middle Subdivision | From 22 August 2008 (the issue date), the paper announced: "On Oct. 5, the mayors of Bristol, Que., Arnprior and Renfrew will join other area politicians and Ottawa Central Railway staff on a test run of the train from the Walkley railyard to Pembroke along existing OCR tracks. The run is intended to expose riders to the route and duration of the trip", part of a regional commuter rail idea. | Ottawa Citizen 2008-08-22(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2008-08-22≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 22 August 2008 (the issue date), the paper reported: "A pilot project that would see VIA trains taking commuters between Alexandria and Ottawa could be in place by fall 2009, the mayor of Casselman said yesterday", after Mayor Conrad Lamadeleine met VIA Rail president Paul Cote with Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien. "The rail line from Alexandria in the east has scheduled improvements such as installing a passing track at Carlsbad Springs that should make a pilot project possible by 2009"; he estimated as many as 1,000 people would use the service, which would end at Ottawa's main VIA station. | Ottawa Citizen 2008-08-22(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2009-03-17 | Eastern Subdivision | Transport Minister John Baird announced on Tuesday that "the government plans to add two more trains in both directions between Ottawa and Montreal" and track improvements to speed Via Rail travel; CTV Ottawa had reported at least $10 million would be spent to improve travel time between the cities, funds put aside in the 2008 budget. | CBC News 2009-03-17(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...),CTV News 2009-03-16(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2009-03-18≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 18 March 2009 (the issue date), the paper reported: Canada's Transport Minister and VIA Rail announced "over $13 million of improvements are now complete": "Upgrades so far on VIA's network include a $12.5M investment in the Alexandria Subdivision, between Ottawa and Montreal", with major renovations worth some $500,000 to the Ottawa station. | Ottawa Sun 2009-03-18(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
| 2014-09-02≥ | Eastern Subdivision | By 2 September 2014 (the issue date), the paper reported: "A fatal collision Sunday evening on the tracks near Carlsbad Springs in east Ottawa delayed 119 passengers en route to Ottawa from Montreal by more than two hours. Train No. 59 struck a trespasser on the tracks near Russell Road at around 6 p.m."; the tracks were cleared at about 8:15 p.m. | Ottawa Citizen 2014-09-02(Transcribed by Colin J. Churcher in 'Local Railway...) |
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