CN Beachburg Subdivision

Last updated
Beachburg Subdivision
CN Railway logo.svg
Overview
StatusPartially Ceased operation
Owner Canadian Northern Railway (1915–23)
Canadian National Railway (1923–96)
Ottawa Central Railway (1998–2008)
Canadian National Railway (2008–present)
Termini
Service
Type Heavy rail
System Canadian Northern Railway (1915–1923)
Canadian National Railway (1923–1996)
Services CN Railway logo.svg Super Continental
Northlander
History
Opened1915 (1915)
ClosedApril 2013 (2013-04)
Technical
Line length163.9 mi (263.8 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
CN Beachburg Subdivision

Contents

miles
BSicon KDSTa.svg
0.00
CN Ottawa
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3.4
Ellwood Junction
BSicon STR.svg
Jct w CPR Ellwood Subdivision
BSicon KRZ.svg
3.5
CPR Ellwood Subdivision Diamond
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon ABZgr+r.svg
5.3
Wass
BSicon STR.svg
Jct w Walkley Line
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
5.8
Rideau River Federal Bridge
BSicon ABZgr+r.svg
6.0
Federal
BSicon STR.svg
Jct w Smiths Falls Subdivision
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
11.10
Bells Corners
BSicon SKRZ-Au.svg
HWY 417
BSicon ABZgr+r.svg
14.40
Nepean
BSicon STR.svg
Jct w Renfrew Subdivision
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon HST.svg
24.01
Malwood
BSicon HST.svg
27.6
Woodlawn
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
37.8
Ottawa River Bridge Ont/Que
BSicon HST.svg
40.21
Pontiac
BSicon HST.svg
45.6
Norway Bay
BSicon HST.svg
47.90
Bristol
BSicon HST.svg
54.2
Clarendon
BSicon HST.svg
59.25
Portage Du Fort
BSicon hKRZWae.svg
60.0
Ottawa River Bridge Que/Ont
BSicon HST.svg
66.35
Forester Falls
BSicon HST.svg
72.6
Beachburg
BSicon KRZo.svg
82.73
CP Chalk River Sub
BSicon ABZgr+r.svg
86.86
Pembroke
BSicon HST.svg
91.61
Hiam
BSicon HST.svg
97.0
Alice
BSicon HST.svg
105.4
Indian
BSicon HST.svg
111.2
Dahlia
BSicon HST.svg
116.0
Kathmore
BSicon HST.svg
123.2
Achray
BSicon HST.svg
133.5
Brawny
BSicon HST.svg
140.8
Lake Traverse
BSicon HST.svg
151.3
Radiant
BSicon HST.svg
163.9
Brent
BSicon GRENZE.svg
Alderdale Subdivision
BSicon CONTf.svg
Capreol

The Canadian National Railway's Beachburg Subdivision, or "Beachburg Sub" for short, was part of the former Transcontinental Mainline. The Beachburg Sub connected Ottawa to Brent, Ontario. [1] [ clarification needed ]

The line began operating in 1915 as part of Canadian Northern Railway, and in 1923 it became part of the Canadian National Railway. The route passed through a portion of Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, where Achray was a station in the park with a passing track on the mainline. The final train through the park was an eastbound freight on November 24, 1995. Abandonment from Pembroke, west to Brent, went through, and the rail was lifted at Pembroke west through the park and was completed by September 1997. The remaining line went from Ottawa MP 0.0 to Pembroke MP 88.7.

Ottawa Central Railway began operating in 1998 to 2008 as a short-line maintaining local traffic to industries along remaining line out of Walkley Yard in Ottawa. On November 3, 2008, CN bought the short line and began running the local traffic, with the intention of discontinuing the line from Nepean Junction to Pembroke. Traffic slowed as industry along the line closed or ramped down production. A group called Transport Pontiac-Renfrew (TPR) was working towards a deal to acquire the Beachburg sub for future passenger service to Ottawa and Pembroke and freight service. Without a deal made, in April 2013 CN began removing rail in Pembroke and working east.

A short section of the line between the Ottawa Railway Station and the junction with the Smith Falls Subdivision (after crossing the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway Federal Bridge) is currently owned and operated by VIA Rail, which operates its Corridor service between Ottawa and Toronto.

In 2019, the City of Ottawa announced its intention to acquire a portion of the Beachburg Subdivision right of way for possible eventual use as a belt line in the city's growing O-Train light rail transit system. [2] In 2021, Ottawa City Council approved the purchase of the abandoned section of the Beachburg Subdivision between Nepean Junction and the Ottawa River. [3]

References

  1. Smith, Jeffrey P (2014-10-11). "C.N.Rys. Beachburg Subdivision". C.N.Ry. in Ontario. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  2. Ali, Hamza. "City of Ottawa exploring purchase of two abandoned south-end railway lines". Capital Current.
  3. "Council briefs: Approvals for more photo radar, small biz tax break, rail corridor purchase". ottawacitizen. Retrieved 2021-10-27.

Further reading