Algoma Central Railway
standard gauge |
The Algoma Central Railway (
The railway is well known for its Agawa Canyon tour train. Until 2015, the line also provided passenger train service to canoeists, snowmobilers, cottagers and tourists accessing this wilderness recreation region. The railway connects at its northernmost point with the Ontario Northland Railway and with CN's eastern division to the south. It also intersects with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City at Franz and with the Huron Central Railway at its southernmost point in the Sault.
History
Early history
The Algoma Central Railway was first owned by
In 1901, Clergue acquired the charter of the Ontario, Hudson Bay and Western Railway, which was intending to build a line between the CPR main line and
The Algoma Central fell victim to the bankruptcy of Clergue's
The Algoma Central was the first Canadian railway to operate fully with diesel fuel, in 1952.[2]
The railway had been in the
Wisconsin Central and Canadian National eras
On February 1, 1995, Wisconsin Central Ltd. purchased Algoma Central Railway Incorporated, operating the railway as a separate subsidiary, Wisconsin Central Canada Holdings. In 1998, Algoma Steel closed its iron ore mine in Wawa and the branch line between Michipicoten Harbour and Hawk Junction was abandoned.[2] Wisconsin Central Ltd. was acquired by Canadian National on October 9, 2001, whereupon the Algoma Central became part of CN's Eastern Division.
In January 2014, CN announced it was cutting the service from Sault Ste. Marie to Hearst, blaming the
In February, a working group attempting to save the line hired
In April 2014, the federal government extended funding for one year so that CN would continue to provide the passenger service. The $2.2-million subsidy was to facilitate the provision of service until 2015.[7] In March 2015, Railmark Canada Ltd assumed the passenger service with the intention to increase services and marketing.[8]
In March 2015, the Canadian government guaranteed funding of the service for an additional three years.[9]
In June of the same year, Canadian National said it would stop the service on July 15 after it was unable to make a deal with Railmark Canada. The government subsidy still stood, but a new rail operator needed to be sought by the regional stakeholders group. Railmark was unable to secure a line of credit from a lending group, which hindered its ability to take over services.[10]
Canadian National announced its intent in July 2020 to sell off non-core lines in the Upper Midwest as part of a rationalization programme, all of which were previously part of the Wisconsin Central system.[11] In December 2021, the sale of the former Algoma Central lines along with CN trackage in Wisconsin and Michigan was approved by the Surface Transportation Board.[12]
Watco purchase
In March 2021, Watco announced that it would acquire the Algoma Central from Canadian National, along with the Wisconsin lines, sale of the latter being subject to final approval by the United States Surface Transportation Board. Simultaneously, Watco committed to a continuance of the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, as well as signing a memorandum of understanding with the Missanabie Cree First Nation regarding a potential partnership.[11] On April 20, the Missanabie Cree First Nation, N1 Strategy Inc. and The Machine Shop also signed a memorandum of understanding around logistics and operations of a resurrected tourist train.[13]
Tourism
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
In the 1960s, the railway began to promote the natural beauty of the District of Algoma to
The Agawa Canyon Tour Train has continued to operate as a separate entity since 2015.[15] The 2020 season of the Agawa Canyon tour train was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During 2023 the tour train runs from early August to mid-October.[16]
Moments of Algoma Group of Seven
In 2015, White Pine Pictures released the award-winning documentary film Painted Land: in Search of the Group of Seven [17][18] which was shot along the rail corridor. In 2016 the Moments of Algoma project was launched by the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association,[19] inviting tourists to follow the Group of Seven's travels, experiences and expressions of the region. The driving tour begins in Bruce Mines and follows the shoreline of Lake Huron and Lake Superior as far as Nipigon. Rail passengers will find more interpretive Installations in Agawa Canyon and at the train station in Sault Ste. Marie.[20]
In popular culture
The railway is the subject of the song "Algoma Central 69" by Stompin' Tom Connors.
The Agawa Canyon Tour Train has continued to operate as a separate entity since 2015.[15]
Railway points and sidings
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2023) |
Named railway points and sidings are listed from south to north.
Name | Location | Coordinates | Elevation | Siding | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Odena | |||||
Heyden | |||||
Northland | |||||
Goulais | |||||
Wabos | |||||
Archigan | |||||
Ogidaki | |||||
Mashkode | |||||
Mekatina | |||||
Summit | |||||
Batchewana | |||||
Regent | |||||
Hubert | |||||
Frater | |||||
Canyon | |||||
Eton | |||||
Agawa | |||||
Taber | |||||
Perry | |||||
Limer | |||||
Hawk Junction | Yard | ||||
Alden | |||||
Goudreau | |||||
Wanda | |||||
Franz | siding | Junction with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City mainline and connection to the Via Rail Sudbury–White River train | |||
Scully | |||||
Hilda | |||||
Mosher | |||||
Dana | |||||
Langdon | |||||
Oba | 49°03′33″N 84°06′14″W / 49.05917°N 84.10389°W | siding | Junction with the Canadian National Railway mainline and the connection to the Via Rail The Canadian train | ||
Norris | Franz township[21] | 49°11′00″N 84°05′00″W / 49.18333°N 84.08333°W[22] | 316 metres (1,037 ft) | no siding | Former railway point. Removed from official named points in 1978.[22] |
Kennedy | Talbott township[23] | 49°15′00″N 84°03′00″W / 49.25000°N 84.05000°W[24] | 317 metres (1,040 ft) | no siding | Former railway point. Removed from official named points in 1978.[24] |
Hale | |||||
Boon[25][26] | Templeton township | 49°22′41″N 83°57′07″W / 49.37806°N 83.95194°W | 308 metres (1,010 ft) | no siding | |
Horsey | |||||
Border between Unorganized North Algoma District and Unorganized North Cochrane District | |||||
Mead | |||||
Coppell | |||||
Stavert | community of Jogues | ||||
Wyborn | Town of Hearst |
See also
References
- ^ a b c
Wilson, Dale (1984). The Algoma Central Railway Story. Sudbury, Ontario: Nickel Belt Rails. ISBN 0-8020-5652-0
- ^ a b Boldt, Hans; S. Grisonich-Boldt. "Algoma Central Railway". Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- Laurentian Publishing: 16. 1990-06-01.
- ^ "CN to cut passenger service to Hearst". Northern Ontario Business. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
- ^ "BDO to assess impacts of ACR passenger service". SooToday. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ^ "Passenger rail provides "substantial economic benefit"". Northern Ontario Business. 2014-04-22. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
- ^ Kelly, Lindsay (14 April 2014). "Feds extend funding for Algoma passenger rail". Northern Ontario Business. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
- ^ "Railmark finalizes agreement to run ACR passenger rail service". Northern Ontario Business. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
- ^ "Harper government approves funding for ACR Passenger Rail Service under Railmark". Retrieved 2015-04-01.
- ^ Ross, Ian. "CN pulls the plug on Algoma passenger trail". Northern Ontario Business. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
- ^ a b "Watco to acquire Algoma Central and upper Midwest lines from CN". Railway Gazette International. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Rail News - STB approves Watco purchase of Wisconsin, Michigan rail lines; Begeman moves on. For Railroad Career Professionals".
- ^ "Sault partners ink agreement to bolster rail tourism". Northern Ontario Business. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Algoma Central Railway FAQ". Canadian National Railway. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006. Retrieved 15 December 2006.
- ^ a b "Looking back, moving ahead". Archived from the original on 2016-03-18. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
- ^ "Agawa Canyon Tour Train | Train Rides through Northern Ontario". Agawa Canyon Tour Train. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ^ Ellis, Phyllis (2015). Painted land: in search of the group of seven. [film]. White Pines Pictures. [1]
- ^ Armstrong, Kenneth (Mar 8, 2017). "No one more surprised than Michael Burtch at winning Canadian Screen Award". SooToday. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association (2016). "Moments of Algoma Group of Seven".
- ^ Petronio, Steffanie (2014). "Algoma District Tourism: Jobs, Turbines, Trains and the Group of Seven". Northern Hoot.
- ^ "Franz" (PDF). Historical Mining Claim Maps. Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ a b "Norris". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ "Talbott" (PDF). Historical Mining Claim Maps. Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ a b "Kennedy". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ "Boon". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
- ^ "Ontario Geographic Names Map Viewer". Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
Further reading
- Cunningham, R. (1999) Algoma Central Corporation : the centennial anniversary history, 1899-1999. Sault Ste, Marie: Algoma Central Corporation.
- Konarek, J., (June, 1970). Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway: the beginnings. Ontario History. 62:2 p.73-8.1
- Nock, O. S. (1975). Algoma Central Railway. London, UK: Adam & Charles Black.
- Rowe, J. M. (1999). Heart of a mountain, soul of a town: the story of Algoma Ore and the town of Wawa. Wawa: J . Morrison Rowe.
- Wilson, D. (1974). Tracks of the Black Bear, the Story of the Algoma Central Railway. Sudbury: Green Tree Publishing Company Ltd.
- Wilson, D. (1984). The Algoma Central Railway Story, The Clergue Era. Sudbury, ON: Nickel Belt Rails Publishers.