Waterloo Junction Railway

Last updated
Waterloo Junction Railway
Waterloo Spur map.png
Overview
HeadquartersWaterloo
Reporting mark WJR
Locale Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Dates of operation1890
SuccessorCanadian National Railways
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Length11.9 miles (19.2 km)

The Waterloo Junction Railway (WJR) is a short line railway in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It runs northward from the former Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) North Main Line in downtown Kitchener, through Waterloo and St. Jacobs before terminating in Elmira. It is currently owned by the City of Waterloo and operated by CN as the Waterloo Spur. The Waterloo Central Railway runs tourist trains on the line, and the Ion rapid transit runs on the route for a short distance.

Contents

History

The line was chartered in 1889 and the first section from Kitchener (then known as Berlin) to Waterloo opened in 1890. The mainline to Elmira opened on 27 October 1891, [1] and the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) leased the line for 39 years. The original planned end point in Drayton and the planned branches to Elora or Listowel were never completed. As part of a general reorganization, on 1 April 1893 the line was merged into the GTR. [1] In 1910, the original station in Waterloo was rebuilt in brick.

By 1916, the twilight years of the Grand Trunk, the line was listed in employee timetables as a part of the Berlin Subdivision along with the former Preston and Berlin Railway, which had originally been built by the Great Western Railway before being acquired by the Grand Trunk, and connected Berlin to Preston and Galt (now parts of Cambridge) via the mill towns of German Mills and Doon. The southern section, the former Preston and Berlin, was known as the "Galt Section" of the subdivision, while the northern section, the former Waterloo Junction Railway, was known as the "Elmira Section". [1] The subdivision was soon renamed to the "Kitchener Subdivision" following the Berlin to Kitchener name change. [1]

In 1923 the line became part of the new Canadian National Railways (CNR, later simply CN), formed from the Grand Trunk and several other bankrupt lines. Operated as the CNR Waterloo Subdivision, the line ran from Kitchener north to Waterloo and Elmira, and south through Doon and Blair to Galt (west of the Grand River). The southern portion generated very little business for the railway, and was usually operated on an as-needed basis.

Eventually the busier northern portion became the Waterloo Spur of the CN Guelph Subdivision. The section from Kitchener to Elmira was purchased by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in 1995. CN continued freight operations on the line until 1998, when they leased the entire subdivision to the Goderich–Exeter Railway (GEXR). The GEXR's 20-year lease ran out and control of the Guelph Subdivision returned to CN on 16 November 2018. [2]

In 1997, a group of locals formed the Waterloo–St. Jacobs Railway to run passenger trains on off-days, and especially on weekends to the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market. The company went out of business in 2000 after building a new station at Erb and Caroline Streets in Waterloo, and the operation was purchased by the City of Waterloo. In 2007, the Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society relocated to the region and formed the Waterloo Central Railway running tourist trains on the line between the station and the Market, and later expanded to Elmira.

Since 2019, a central section of the line has been used for the Ion light rail service between Waterloo Public Square station and Northfield station. CN continues to run freight operations on the line, operating at night when the Ion service is closed.

Almost all of the original line remains active, except for a spur to Elias Weber Bingeman Snider's Pioneer flour mill in what is now Uptown Waterloo, as well as grain silos in downtown St. Jacobs. The former St. Jacobs passenger station is now used as the Waterloo Central Railway Museum.

Route

Unless otherwise noted, the following is taken from the Southern Ontario Railway Map

The line starts at a junction with the GTR mainline in Kitchener, about a block east of Kitchener station at Weber Street. The line initially runs west-northwest to cross Weber and then bending westward at Roger where a former spur serviced factories on Roger. It meanders northwestward as it crosses downtown Waterloo and the main station on Erb Street. At University Avenue it begins to turn northward, passing through the industrial areas on the north end of the city.

After crossing Benjamin Road on the northern limit of Waterloo it meets the St. Jacobs Market with a stop at the former Heidelberg station. The country opens up as the line runs north to the western side of St. Jacobs. A short spur serves the Home Hardware central warehouses on the western side of town, while another serves St. Jacob's station. The former downtown spur branched off just north of the station.

The line continues roughly northward to enter Elmira on the eastern side of town through an industrial area. The line ends just south of Church Street, where a number of spurs service the Lanxess chemical plant at the eastern end of Mill Street and Canada Colors and Chemicals on First Street.

Rail trails

Some parts of the Waterloo Spur are paralleled by multi-use walking and cycling trails, which were constructed in the railway line's right of way in the rail with trail style.

The Spurline Trail (left) and Waterloo Spur (right) crossing at Union Street near the Kitchener-Waterloo municipal boundary. Spur Line Trail looking south at Union Street May 2021.jpg
The Spurline Trail (left) and Waterloo Spur (right) crossing at Union Street near the KitchenerWaterloo municipal boundary.

The innermost trail toward the junction in downtown Kitchener is the Spurline Trail, which covers the 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) distance between downtown Kitchener and uptown Waterloo along the line. The Spurline Trail runs mainly through urban areas and was formally established in 2016. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand River Transit</span> Transit operator in Waterloo Region, Ontario

Grand River Transit (GRT) is the public transport operator for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It operates daily bus services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, alongside the ION rapid transit light rail system which began service on June 21, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich, Ontario</span> Township in Ontario, Canada

The Township of Woolwich is a rural township in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, considered as a municipality. The Township is located in the northeast part of Waterloo Region and is made up of 10 small communities, with Elmira, Ontario the largest and St. Jacobs, Ontario the second largest. The population at the time of the 2021 Census was 26,999, up from the 2016 population of 25,006. Waterloo Region is still home to the largest population of Old Order Mennonites in Canada, particularly in the areas around St Jacobs and Elmira. They are often seen on the local roads using their traditional horse and buggy transportation; many also use horses to pull the implements in their farm fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Trunk Railway</span> British-owned railway in Canada and New England

The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system that operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, with corporate headquarters in London, United Kingdom. It cost an estimated $160 million to build. The Grand Trunk, its subsidiaries, and the Canadian Government Railways were precursors of today's Canadian National Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterloo County, Ontario</span> Former county in Ontario, Canada

Waterloo County was a county in the Canadian province of Ontario from 1853 until 1973. It was the direct predecessor of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Napanee station</span> Railway station in Ontario, Canada

Napanee station in Napanee, Ontario, Canada is served by Via Rail trains running from Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal. The 1856 limestone railway station was an unstaffed but heated shelter with telephones and washrooms, which would open at least half an hour before a train arrives. The platform is wheelchair-accessible. As of February 2023, the shelter was locked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitchener station</span> Railway station in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Kitchener station is a railway station located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, slightly to the northeast of downtown Kitchener, at 126 Weber Street West, near the corner of Victoria Street. It is a heritage building containing a waiting room and ticket counter built beside a set of tracks also used as a freight yard. A separate building to the east of the passenger area, originally built in 1925 as a freight building, now serves as the headquarters for the Goderich–Exeter Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand River Railway</span> Former interurban railway in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

The Grand River Railway was an interurban electric railway in what is now the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, in Southwestern Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Horse Trail, Ontario</span> Recreational trail in Canada

The Iron Horse Trail is a multi-use urban rail trail which connects the cities of Waterloo and Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. It runs from Erb Street West in the north near Uptown Waterloo, to Ottawa Street South in Kitchener to the south. It covers a distance of 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi). The trail was opened on 5 October 1997 on abandoned Canadian Pacific Railway right of way sections, including portions of the right-of-way of the now-defunct Grand River Railway. The two cities combined resources to purchase the property. It is a part of the Trans Canada Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CN Halton Subdivision</span>

The CN Halton Subdivision is a major railway line in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is owned and operated by the Canadian National Railway (CN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterloo Central Railway</span>

The Waterloo Central Railway (WCR) is a non-profit heritage railway owned and operated by the Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society (SOLRS). In May 2007, SOLRS received joint approval from the Region of Waterloo and the City of Waterloo to run trains from Waterloo to St. Jacobs and potentially as far north as Elmira. On a typical operating day, the train runs three times a day on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. In 2015, the railway lost regular running rights south of Northfield Drive to make way for the Ion light rail project. All Market Train service now runs between St. Jacobs Farmers' Market, the Village of St. Jacobs, and Elmira, Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Credit Valley Railway</span>

The Credit Valley Railway was a railway located in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to St. Thomas. Chartered in 1871 by Ontario railway magnate George Laidlaw, it operated as an independent company until 1883 when it was leased by the Ontario and Quebec Railway, a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) operating company building a network of lines in southern Ontario.

The Belleville and North Hastings Railway (B&NHR) was a short-line railway in Hastings County, Ontario, Canada. It branched off the Grand Junction Railway (GJR) north of Belleville and ended on the Central Ontario Railway (COR) outside Eldorado for a total distance of 33 kilometres (21 mi). In spite of its name, the line did not reach either Belleville or the northern part of Hastings County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doon, Ontario</span> Suburban community in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Doon is a suburban community and former village which is now a part of the city of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Doon was settled around 1800 by German Mennonites from Pennsylvania, and after 1830 by Scottish immigrants. The area is located at the confluence of Schneider Creek and the Grand River. The post office was opened in 1845. A large flour mill, oatmeal mill, distillery and sawmill were built on the Doon River over the following years. The Perine brothers established extensive linen works and flax mills near the settlement. By 1870, there was a single church, Presbyterian, a variety of tradesmen and a population of 200.

The Hamilton and North-Western Railway (H&NW) is a former railway in Ontario, Canada. It ran north from Hamilton on the western end of Lake Ontario to Collingwood on Georgian Bay and Barrie on Lake Simcoe. Through the purchase of the Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway, the route continued south from Hamilton to Port Dover on Lake Erie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preston and Berlin Street Railway</span> Former street railway in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

The Preston and Berlin Street Railway was an interurban electric street railway which served the 12.68 kilometres (7.88 mi) between what was then the towns of Preston and Berlin in Midwestern Ontario, Canada. The company was formed in 1894, but lay dormant until 1900, when construction finally began. The company began operation in 1904.

The London, Huron and Bruce Railway (LH&BR) was a short line railway in Ontario, Canada. It started in London, Ontario, running northward for 70 miles (110 km) to the small town of Wingham. It originally planned to continue north to Southampton or Kincardine, but instead joined the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway (WG&BR) at Wingham. The route was primarily used for farm shipments, and was nicknamed the "Butter and Egg Special", while passengers complaining about the rough ride constructed the backronym "Let 'er Hit and Bounce".

The Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway (WG&BR) was a railway in Ontario, Canada. It ran roughly northwest from Guelph to the port town of Southampton on Lake Huron, a distance of 101 miles (163 km). It also had a 66-mile (106 km) branch line splitting off at Palmerston and running roughly westward to Kincardine, another port town. A branch running south from Southampton was built during the construction of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spurline Trail</span>

The Spurline Trail is a multi-use urban rail with trail which connects the cities of Waterloo and Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Its northern trailhead is at the point where the CN Waterloo Spur crosses Laurel Creek; it connects to the Laurel Trail there, and is close to Uptown Waterloo. Its southern trailhead is at Ahrens Street West near its intersection with Breithaupt Street, close to Kitchener station and downtown Kitchener. The trail is 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) long, the entirety of which is paved. For its whole length, the trail runs parallel and to the north of the CN Waterloo Spur, stopping just short of where the Waterloo Spur joins the GO Transit Guelph Subdivision mainline at a junction just east of Kitchener station.

The Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway (H&LE) is a historical shortline railway in Ontario, Canada. It ran from Hamilton to Port Dover, about 40 miles (64 km), providing trans-shipping service between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and with connections, to Lake Huron at Georgian Bay.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Jeffrey P. (11 April 2015). "C.N.Rys. Waterloo Subdivision". CNR-in-Ontario.com. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  2. Host, Stephen (20 November 2018). "GEXR leased segment reverts to CN". Railway Age . Simmons-Boardman.
  3. Jackson, James (20 April 2016). "Waterloo Spur Line trail makes its debut". Waterloo Region Record .